498, Cannonball raises high water column beside the boat
Yanagawa Heisuke said: "Mr. Takahashi, I am in the Army, and I only have two gunboats on hand!"
Takahashi said eagerly: "A gunboat will do! You can intercept it! You can even sink it!"
Yanagawa Division Commander said: "It's better to have warships! You can think of a way!"
At this time, Takahashi had no choice but to call Mr. Sato.
After all, Mr. Sato is a person who has the overall situation in mind. When he got the news, he was first shocked!
The Chinese actually used the Hongyuan! It was even the ship Takahashi chose! And loaded all the medicines on it for the Chinese! What a shame!
He promised Takahashi that he would immediately help him find a way to contact the navy and send a warship to intercept him as soon as possible!
Takahashi put down the phone and cursed in anger! He had no idea that he would be fooled by the Chinese so easily! It's so disgusting!
30-13
The sky is getting darker. The surface of the Yangtze River has become a little gloomy, as if it is covered with a layer of mist.
Xiao Ancheng stood in front of the window of the gunboat's bridge, holding up his telescope and trying his best to look behind. If there was any danger, it would most likely come from behind!
Finally, he saw the black smoke coming from the warship on the misty river surface! That must be the Japanese warship coming to chase!
He sent a report to Chen Zifeng, telling him that there were pursuers behind him! The Hongyuan must move forward at full speed!
Chen Zifeng called him back in the cockpit and said that this was already the top speed! The Hongyuan was just a cargo ship and did not have the speed of a warship! He also told him that the Hongyuan had received a telegram from Ma'anshan Air Traffic Control Station, ordering them to Stop sailing!
He said at the end of the message: "I don't care about him! Move forward at full speed!"
Xiao Ancheng called him back: I will try my best to stop him!
He then sent a message to Peng Shaoyong: "We are about to arrive in Ma'anshan, and there are Japanese warships chasing us. Please come to the front with our warships to meet us!"
He turned back and asked Chief Officer Zhang: "Can this gunboat drive backwards?"
The first mate said: "It can be done, but the speed is slower!"
He shouted: "Shoot in reverse! I'm going to bombard them with cannons!"
At this time, the warship behind started shooting, and the sound of rumbling cannons was heard in the distance. For a moment, a tall water column suddenly stood up next to the gunboat. The gunboat swayed in the river like a small boat and almost capsized.
Xiao Ancheng and Li San both got into the small turret.
Li San checked the ammunition room and said: "We don't have enough firepower, we only have ten rounds of artillery shells!"
Xiao Ancheng couldn't help but tilted his lips. He looked at the cannon and saw that it only had a caliber of four or five. With such firepower, if he wanted to fight against the warships behind him, he would be looking for death!
He said: "Li San, we have no other choice! We have to wait for the warship to catch up! Let's follow it in a circle and get as close to it as possible! As long as the muzzle of the gun is pointed directly at the warship, you fire!"
Li San said: "Okay! I listen to you!"
Xiao Ancheng ran to the bridge again and commanded the first mate to change to forward gear. The gunboat circled on the wide river surface, avoiding bombardment from left to right, and at the same time, it rushed towards the warship behind!
Now that the medicine mission has been carried out, he has no choice but to fight hard!
The Japanese troops on the warship did not expect that the small gunboat would rush over and shoot at them with anti-aircraft machine guns!
The brothers on the gunboat also set up machine guns on the bridge and fired at the warship.
The distance between the two sides was already very close. Xiao Ancheng drove the boat in a circle to avoid it. He suddenly turned around and pointed the muzzle of the gun at the warship.
Li San aimed directly from the muzzle and fired a shot. The anti-aircraft machine gun on the warship went silent for the first time.
The warship wanted to rush over and ram the small gunboat. But Officer Zhang was very skillful in maneuvering the gunboat, turning the rudder left and right.
The nimble little gunboat circled on the river. Whenever the muzzle of the gun was aimed at the warship, Li San would fire!
A fire had broken out on the warship, and many Japanese sailors were running around on the warship to put out the fire.
But at this moment, another gunboat caught up from behind and fired continuously at Xiao Ancheng's gunboat.
At this time, it would not be easy for First Officer Zhang to go around in circles. The gunboat was also very nimble.
Xiao Ancheng once again asked the gunboat to move forward in reverse, shooting and running at the same time.
At this time, the cannon on the warship came into play and began to fire at the small gunboat. The shells stirred up high water columns next to the gunboat. The small gunboat swayed and almost capsized.
30-14
At this time, Chen Zifeng, who was extremely nervous, had been standing in the cockpit of the Hongyuan, looking ahead.
From a distance, he saw two gunboats coming from the direction of Wuhu, rushing towards the Hongyuan!
He rushed out of the cockpit, called a brother, and ordered him to put the machine gun on the bow and shoot at the gunboat in front. Some brothers rushed over with rifles and also fired at the gunboat.
The gunboat fired continuously at the Hongyuan, and the shells raised high water columns beside the ship.
A shell hit the Hongyuan and landed on a pile of cargo on the deck. A fire broke out immediately!
Many crew members and brothers rushed over to put out the fire. Fire extinguishers sprayed water jets on the fire on the deck.
The gunboat commanded by Xiao Ancheng rushed over and fired at the intercepting gunboat in front!
The luckiest thing for them was that it was completely dark.
Chen Zifeng ordered the ship to turn off the lights and sail in darkness. Another good thing was that the fire on the ship was finally put out.
However, the warships behind caught up and kept firing at the Hongyuan.
In the cockpit, the captain personally took the helm and snaked forward on the river.
The brothers on the side of the ship still used machine guns and rifles to shoot at the gunboats on both sides.
The Hongyuan took advantage of the cover of night and headed towards Wuhu at full speed.
At this moment, everyone heard the sound of artillery coming from the direction of Wuhu.
Chen Zifeng looked forward with a telescope. In the darkness, a warship was approaching. He saw lights on the mast of the warship, shining on a flying Chinese blue sky and white sun flag!
He yelled: "Our warships are coming! Our warships are coming to pick us up!"
30-15
It was already daybreak. The surface of the Yangtze River suddenly became clear and wide.
The Hongyuan has passed through Wuhu! At this time, sailing next to her is a Chinese warship! It is a huge warship, with a displacement of at least one thousand tons! Compared with the warship, the Hongyuan is just a small ship.
A small boat.
Towing the gunboat behind the warship was like dragging a bathtub. The gunboat was bumping up and down, as if it was about to sink into the river at any time.
Xiao Ancheng, Chief Officer Zhang and others returned to the Hongyuan.
Now, there is even more trouble on board the Hongyuan!
The gunboat coming from Wuhu caused heavy damage to the Hongyuan! A shell hit the cargo pile on the deck and caused a fire! Throughout the second half of the night, all the crew members and Chen Zifeng's brothers, as well as Cui Huai and Hong Shan
Kui's brothers are using various methods to put out the fire.
All the fire-extinguishing facilities on the Hongyuan were used. The water pump pulled up the river water and sprayed water jets towards the fire. Even a hand-operated fire extinguisher was used. Several brothers took turns pressing the handle to pump water to extinguish the fire!
Some crew members also used buckets to lift water from the river and pour it on the fire.
A few brave brothers pulled out the burning box and threw it into the river.
At dawn, the fire was finally put out. But the deck was in a mess.
The goods on the deck are all medicines! How much they paid for these medicines!
The brothers began to clean up those precious medicines with such regret!
Many medicines have been broken, soaked in water, or burned by smoke, and are irredeemable. However, there are still some bottled medicines that are still intact. The mouths of these bottles are sealed with wax, so water should not enter.
The brothers picked out these medicines and put them in some boxes, waiting for people who knew medicine to handle them.
30-16
Chen Zifeng and Xiao Ancheng stood next to the side of the ship, looking at the medicines that were broken, burned, or soaked in water. They felt very sad. But most of the medicines in the cabin were still intact! This was theirs.
score!
Tan Hao ran over and handed a telegram to Chen Zifeng.
Chen Zifeng looked at this telegram and didn't think about it for a while.
The telegram was from Peng Shaoyong, and the content was very simple: "You will land nearby and contact the local garrison. You have other tasks. The Hongyuan will be escorted to Wuhan by a warship."
He handed the telegram to Xiao Ancheng, thinking all the time, what's going on? Are you trying to get rid of us again? This seems to be similar to not letting me participate in the interrogation of Naoki Takaji!
After Xiao Ancheng read the telegram, he smiled at him and said, "What else can you do? Just dock."
Chen Zifeng understood that this thief had guessed his thoughts! Damn it, let's get to the shore!
They went to the cockpit to find the captain and asked for the nearest dock.
The captain checked the chart and found that the nearest dock was a small dock called Liudu Town.
He said: "Actually, a little further ahead is Tongling. Wouldn't it be better to dock in Tongling?"
Chen Zifeng smiled slyly at him and said, "Let's discuss it."
30-17
Chen Zifeng then found Hong Shankui on the deck who was packing medicine bottles, and said with a smile: "Brother Hong, we are about to go ashore ahead. What's wrong with you?"
Hong Shankui's leopard eyes turned over and over on his face before she understood what he meant.
"Oh, Team Leader Chen, maybe it's not good to store my goods in a crowded place, right?"
"Brother Hong, it can't be placed where there are troops! Right?"
"Oh, you are so right! Then, where are you going to land?"
"The captain suggested that we disembark in Tongling. But we want to disembark in Liudu Town, which is a little closer. It is a small pier."
Hong Shankui took Chen Zifeng's hand and said, "Team Leader Chen, I am also disembarking in Liudu Town! I will disembark with you!"
30-18
Liudu Town, where the Hongyuan docked, is indeed a small wharf.
How small is it? In fact, it is just a broken fishing boat floating on the riverside, tied to the shore with two iron chains, and two long springboards are put from the fishing boat to the shore, forming a small floating dock.
The Hongyuan reluctantly docked at this small pier. The escorting warships could only wait in the river in the distance.
Chen Zifeng's brothers moved their equipment and supplies to the dock. After that, Hong Shankui and his brothers moved their goods to the dock.
Cui Huai looked at Hong Shankui's goods and kept smiling crookedly. Later, he still called on his brothers to help carry them.