Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

for the rest of the time.

The Ximentang fleet rested at Hallim Port on Jeju Island and incorporated the captured merchant ships into its fleet.

Simultaneously,

The troop transport ships imprisoned the captured Japanese soldiers on Jeju Island, preparing to send them to Shandong to work as forced laborers.

Sending tens of thousands of Japanese soldiers to mine would save a lot of costs.

While resting, Chen Jie wrote a letter with very strong wording, and included the names of the captured officers of the three major fleets of the Eastern Ocean.

At last,
He arranged for a prisoner of the Eastern Fleet to deliver the letter to the Eastern Empire and give it to Admiral Kazuo Kawahara of the Eastern Navy.

The messenger was a captain of the Eastern Fleet.

In this battle, the Eastern Fleet was almost completely annihilated.

After Chen Jie used "Spirit Stealing" to leave a mark, the captain named "Iwamura Yoshitake" submitted and surrendered to Ximentang.

His willpower was not destroyed by Chen Jie, but he regarded Chen Jie as a totem of faith in his heart.

News of the defeat of the three major fleets of the East will soon reach the East.

Chen Jie sent 'Iwamura Yoshitake' to deliver a letter to Kawahara Kazuo at this time not to show off his power, but to make an exorbitant demand for compensation from the Eastern Empire.

You hit the other party and then demand compensation.

This is international practice!

Once you win and completely break the opponent, the initiative is in your hands, and you can demand compensation for all losses.

That's how the order of the strong works!
It is also known as the Robber Order.

The reason why the West advocates waging war is because the benefits of war are too great.

The Great Qian Dynasty has become increasingly weak and poorer in recent years because it has lost wars and paid out too much money.

Chen Jie led the Ximentang Fleet and wiped out the three major fleets of the Eastern Ocean.

At this point, how could we not seek compensation from the Japanese Empire?
If they don't pay compensation, they'll continue fighting, finding the best excuse for the next major battle.

-

Three days later.

Chen Jie led the Ximentang fleet back to Weihai, Shandong.

This voyage was a great success.

Chen Jie had just disembarked from the cruiser "Taishan" when his subordinates reported that a merchant ship from Quanzhou in southern Fujian had arrived at Weihai Port.

A messenger on a merchant ship brought Chen Jie a letter.

This letter was sent by Li Gang, the Governor-General of Southern Fujian and also the King of Fujian.

The letter was very polite, seemingly trying to curry favor with Chen Jie, and indicated that King Li Gang of Min wanted to surrender.

The situation in the Great Qian Dynasty has gradually stabilized under the strong leadership of Ximen Tang.

King Li Gang of Min realized the situation and dared not continue his rebellion.

of course,

Ximen Hall issued notices throughout the Great Qian Dynasty.

The most basic condition for any vassal king to surrender is to disarm.

In other words, if Li Gang, the King of Min, wanted to submit and become a King of Peace and Joy, he had to give up his own armed forces and allow Ximentang to garrison southern Fujian.

At this time, King Li Gang of Min sent an envoy with a letter to Chen Jie, explaining that he had already planned to submit.

He planned to go to the capital to meet the emperor, and happened to pass through Shandong province.

Upon hearing that Chen Jie was in Weihai, Shandong, Li Gang hoped to meet with him.

To know,
King Li Gang of Min had always cooperated with the Japanese in hopes of strengthening his own power.

but,

After Ximentang rose to power, Li Gang, the King of Min, realized that cooperating with the Japanese was no longer meaningful.

The Penghu Islands have been incorporated into Ximentang's territory.

Meanwhile, Songjiang Prefecture, eastern Zhejiang, southern Jiangsu, northern Jiangsu, Shandong, Tianjin, Hebei, and even the capital area were all under the military rule of Ximentang.

King Li Gang of Min was a smart man who could see the situation clearly.

He knew that if he continued to resist, Ximen Tang would likely target him next.

After glancing at the letter, Chen Jie smiled slightly.

He who knows the current affairs is a hero!

Chen Jie did not expect that Li Gang, the King of Min, would change his stance.

If Li Gang, the King of Min, continues to resist and tries to cooperate with the Japanese, then he will be slaughtered.

in addition,

Ximentang has already occupied the waters around the Penghu Islands. If they want to open up shipping routes in the South China Sea and bring the whole of Southeast Asia under their control, they will be able to do so.

Sooner or later, they would have to deal with Li Gang, the King of Min.

As long as Ximentang expands, this step is unavoidable, and Li Gang is well aware of this.

After Ximentang stationed troops in Songjiang Prefecture, swept through the Green Gang, and took over Hangzhou Prefecture in eastern Zhejiang.

Ximentang already considered Li Gang, the King of Min, as someone who had to be eliminated.

The reason is simple: the overseas trade of Li Gang, the King of Min, accounted for more than half of the total trade of the Great Qian Dynasty.

Simon wanted to expand his overseas trade, so he needed to do business with European countries such as the Netherlands and the British Empire to keep trade flowing smoothly.

Therefore, a stable channel is needed.

The overseas trade channels of Li Gang, the King of Min, could have been a great help to Ximentang.

Based on the current situation of the Great Qian Dynasty, the First and Second Fleets of the Ximen Hall have already fully acquired the power to dominate the seas.

The battle in the Nagasaki-Goto Islands of the East Sea provided a real-world test of the combat effectiveness of the Ximentang Fleet.

Although there are still areas for improvement within the Ximen Hall, its overall combat strength has already surpassed that of the Eastern Fleet.

therefore,

Simon has already acquired the capability for long-range operations and can set foot overseas at any time.

not to mention,
The navy of Ximentang is only just beginning to develop; its army is the real powerhouse.

Although Li Gang, the King of Min, was very powerful and wealthy, and owned many businesses overseas, he was still very strong.

His sphere of influence was mainly in southern Fujian and Guangdong and Guangxi, which were connected to eastern Zhejiang.

Once Ximentang completely lifted the blockade at sea, defeated the Japanese, and drove them out of Northeast China.

The first one we need to eliminate is definitely Li Gang, the King of Min.

By then, Li Gang, the King of Min, will have no place to stand in the Great Qian Dynasty.

Of course, this is only the worst-case scenario.

King Li Gang of Min was forced to make a choice at this juncture.

Now that the new emperor of the Great Qian Dynasty has just been enthroned, "Prince Qian" Chen Jie has seized control of the dynasty's lifeline and his word is law.

This opportunity is fleeting and only comes once.

If King Li Gang of Min does not surrender now, he will never have another chance.

in fact,

Chen Jie did not intend to eliminate King Min, Li Gang, so quickly, after all, King Min, Li Gang, had considerable strength under his command, even surpassing that of King Han, Li Ben.

According to intelligence from Ximentang's secret service, Li Gang, the King of Min, had many bases throughout Southeast Asia and his business spanned the globe.

The best option would certainly be to resolve the conflict with King Li Gang of Min peacefully.

After all, just as the situation in the Daqian Dynasty was stabilizing, going to war with Li Gang, the King of Min, would only benefit the Japanese and the Russians in the north.

not to mention,
According to the information obtained from the undercover investigation, since Ximentang moved into the capital, Li Gang, the King of Min, had severed all business ties with the Japanese.

Therefore,
If Ximentang could gain the allegiance of Li Gang, the King of Min, and establish cooperation in overseas trade with him, it would be beneficial to the entire Daqian Dynasty.

but,

All of this was Chen Jie's idea. Whether he could truly persuade Li Gang to surrender and relinquish his armed forces depended on Li Gang's specific attitude.

If King Li Gang of Min only thought about cooperation and benefits, and was unwilling to give up the armed forces he possessed.

Then,

Chen Jie naturally wouldn't agree easily; instead, he planned to wipe out the other party directly.

With Ximentang's current military strength, it shouldn't be too difficult for them to retake the Minnan region.

Therefore,
The surrender of Li Gang, the King of Min, was ultimately based on overwhelming strength.

Truth lies within the range of cannons!

Whether it's submission or a feint, it ultimately depends on Li Gang's attitude.

in fact,

The messenger sent by Li Gang was no ordinary person, but his younger brother, Li Hang.

King Li Gang of Min was a branch of the Li family, but his family was very prosperous in the Minnan region. He had eleven brothers, two of whom were his full brothers from the same father and mother: Li Hang and Li Zhi.

This is why Li Gang, the King of Min, was able to expand his overseas trade.

He is a very capable person and knows how to unite all the forces of the family.

of course,

On the other hand, he was also a profit-driven person.

His collaboration with the Japanese shows that he has no sense of 'righteousness for the world'.

This time,
He sent his younger brother, Li Hang, to deliver the message and act as an envoy.

This shows that he took this meeting with Chen Jie very seriously and it was definitely not a perfunctory act on a whim.

Chen Jie learned that the envoy sent by Li Gang was actually his own younger brother, Li Hang.

He immediately ordered that he personally receive Li Hang and host a banquet to entertain him.

and,

Chen Jie brought Princess Lingyue to the event and received Li Hang with the highest level of hospitality.

This shows that he attached great importance to the surrender of Li Gang, the King of Min.

Li Hang is not old, probably around twenty-five years old, about the same age as Chen Jie.

After all, he grew up in the prominent family of the Min King and received training from a young age, becoming accustomed to grand occasions.

He handled the occasion of meeting Prince Qian, Chen Jie, and Princess Lingyue with great composure and did not lose his composure.

and,

His tone revealed his deep admiration for Chen Jie.

That's true. The two are about the same age, but Chen Jie started from scratch and has achieved what he has today.

I believe that any scion of a prominent family would have great respect for Chen Jie.

Chen Jie naturally praised Li Gang's defection.

Li Hang also explained why Li Gang, the King of Min, had cooperated with the Japanese before this.

The initial goal of the Western Fleet was to land in southern Fujian and split the Daqian Dynasty directly from the south.

In the end, Li Gang, the King of Min, had no choice but to cooperate with the Japanese to fight against the Westerners.

but,

As cooperation deepened, the Japanese, with their wolfish ambitions, unexpectedly landed in Lushun in the Northeast and directly occupied the Northeast of the Daqian Dynasty.

In the following period, Japanese troops landed in the Minnan region, and a large number of Japanese troops infiltrated the Hanzhong region.

Finally, Li Gang, the King of Min, saw through the intentions of the Japanese and decisively severed cooperation with them.

This argument sounds quite reasonable.

But Chen Jie just smiled and didn't expose what the other person said.

Next, Li Hang inquired, intentionally or unintentionally, about the Ximentang fleet's departure to sea and its battle with the Eastern Fleet.

The defeat of the three major fleets of the Eastern Ocean occurred in the waters off Nagasaki and the Goto Islands in the Eastern Ocean.

Therefore,
It hasn't reached the Great Qian Dynasty yet.

Currently, much of the news about the Great Qian Dynasty is deliberately spread by Ximen Tang's secret agents.

The mix of fact and fiction makes it impossible to know the specifics.

Chen Jie did not hide anything and told Li Hang in detail about how the Ximentang fleet sank the three major fleets of the Eastern Ocean.

and,

He also directly explained Simon's cooperation with the French fleet and appointed Jack Bonaparte as the deputy commander of Simon's ocean fleet.

of course,

Chen Jie did not say that the French fleet was under Simon's command, but rather that the two sides had a cooperative relationship.

in addition,

Chen Jie also spoke frankly about the fact that the Penghu Islands were occupied by Ximentang.

Some things don't need to be hidden.

Even the new army of the Ministry of War of the Great Qian Dynasty was mobilized and trained by Ximen Tang.

After listening to Chen Jie's account, Li Hang remained calm on the surface.

but,

His heart was in turmoil, filled with utter shock.

This time, he was sent by his elder brother to Weihai, Shandong to meet Chen Jie, with the aim of learning about recent events and investigating the true nature of Ximentang.

After all, King Li Gang of Min knew very little about Chen Jie.

Li Hang was very familiar with overseas affairs and knew the combat capabilities of the Western and Eastern fleets.

He had previously learned about the defeat of the Waldersee Army of the Western Fleet by Simondon.

However, in that battle, Simondang held the advantage on land and caught the Waldersee coalition off guard when the Waldersee Legion landed.

This time, defeating the Eastern Fleet was completely different.

The Ximentang fleet went directly to Nagasaki in the Eastern Empire and wiped out the three major fleets of the Eastern Empire.

Such terrifying combat power brought an indescribable psychological shock to Li Hang.

Especially after learning that Ximentang had captured Sato Kichigo, the commander-in-chief of the three major fleets of the Eastern Ocean, and many other Eastern naval officers.

Although Li Hang maintained a calm expression, he was inwardly shocked.

Chen Jie could sense Li Hang's inner state, and a meaningful smile appeared on his face.

He said all this to Li Hang in the hope that he could relay these matters back to Li Gang, the King of Min.

Next,
He and Li Hang agreed that he would stay in Weihai, Shandong for a period of time to await the arrival of King Li Gang of Min.

Before Li Hang left, Chen Jie made a point of showing him the Ximentang warships and sending him back to report.

Five days later,

More than a dozen ships are anchored on the sea off Weihai, Shandong.

The fleet was small in size, forming a stark contrast to the Ximentang fleet docked at the Weihai naval port.

The newly arrived fleet was flying a flag that read "Min"!

That's right,

This is the fleet under the command of Li Gang, the King of Min.

The ship Li Gang was aboard was the cruiser "Zulong," a 6000-ton large cruiser built by the British Empire in Europe.

The cruiser "Zulong" was equipped with 108 guns, making it one of the world's most advanced cruisers at the time.

of course,

Simondon had a total of sixteen cruisers of this class.

The Ximentang Second Fleet, docked in Weihai, Shandong, has a total of eight cruisers of this class.

The First Fleet of the Ximengtang even had a battleship called "Tenno" with a displacement of 30,000 tons.

In addition to four cruisers, the fleet under the command of Li Gang, the King of Min, also consisted of eighteen gunboats.

A total of twenty-two warships and some transport ships lined up in a row on the sea, creating an imposing sight.

In terms of size, the fleet under the command of Li Gang, the King of Min, was comparable to an entire Eastern Ocean fleet.

This shows that

King Li Gang of Min was extremely wealthy, and he even purchased a fleet from the British Empire in the West.

Although it is far smaller than the Ximentang fleet.

However, for the Great Qian Dynasty, which has always lacked naval power, the forces under the command of Li Gang, the King of Min, should not be underestimated.

The twenty-four 'Storm' fast attack ships of the Second Fleet of the Westminster, equipped with Vulcan cannons, are enough to intimidate any ship.

After the Battle of Nagasaki-Goto, the tactics of the 'Storm' fast attack ship were perfected.

at this time,

King Li Gang of Min sent his fleet directly to Weihai, Shandong, not to flex his muscles.

He came to surrender and submit!

A fully-fledged fleet is a pledge of allegiance!
Judging from the fleet's gunboats, they were all imported from Great Britain, and were the latest models.

This type of gunboat is much more maneuverable than previous gunboats.

Its main guns were significantly lighter and it adopted the latest European steam engine technology, enabling the gunboat to exceed 18 knots in speed.

Once the eighteen newest gunboats have been modified by Ximentang, they will become another sharp sword at sea, capable of fighting tough battles.

have to say,

King Li Gang of Min spared no expense in his surrender! (End of Chapter)