Chapter 702: Ryukyu, Ryukyu

"Hmm, this is very good." Zhao Xu looked toward the steamship keel in the dry dock.

The main body takes ten months, and installing the steam engine plus testing will also require one month.

It is currently the fifth month of the twenty-fifth year of Taihe.

Thus, in the eleventh month of this year, the Yanzhou Navy will be able to possess its first batch of steamships.

"By the way, the sailing warships must not be delayed either." Thinking of something, Zhao Xu said to Chen Shou again.

While he had Chen Shou build the steamships, he did not reduce the construction of sailing warships.

These steamships were all being built in the newly constructed dry docks, while the previous dry docks were still used to manufacture sailing warships.

After all, Wang Chong had installed steam engines for the Shipbuilding Department, as well as steam-powered wood saws and hoisting iron cables similar to those in the Steel Workshop, thereby greatly increasing the efficiency of building warships.

Although he was clear that with the development of Yanzhou's industry, the Shipbuilding Department would simultaneously possess the capability to build ironclad warships.

But the situation he faced at present was very grim, and it did not allow him to slowly wait for the arrival of ironclad warships.

Moreover, even Britain currently only adopted the new tactic of using steam-powered ships to tow sailing warships.

Therefore, sailing warships were sufficient for the short term.

Just like last year, the Shipbuilding Department built twenty-four sailing warships this year as well.

By the end of the year, the navy will possess sixty sailing warships and twenty-four steam tugboats.

"Yes, Your Highness," Chen Shou said.

After inspecting the Shipbuilding Department, Zhao Xu went to the navy base in Jinghai County.

After making a round, he returned to Yancheng the next day.

He did not see Zhou Yi, because the day before he arrived in Jinghai, Zhou Yi had already led the fleet and the Marine Corps to set off.

Qizhou sea area.

After a day of sailing, the fleet composed of six warships and twelve troop transport ships arrived here.

At this moment, the bright midday sun spilled down from the sky, making the sea surface sparkle.

On the deck, Zhou Yi, Gong Ying, and Shang Bin sat around a table, drinking tea.

Watching a group of flying fish leaping into the air from the sea, as well as the giant whales chasing the flying fish, Zhou Yi's eyes became dazed.

When at the Naval Academy, Yan Wang not only taught them navigation techniques but also taught them to distinguish various types of fish in the ocean.

Therefore, he could recognize the flying fish and the orcas chasing behind the flying fish.

During his first voyage, he was obsessed with these creatures of the sea.

But with the increase in the number of times he went to sea, he became accustomed to these things and maintained a calm heart.

However, sometimes when he saw a rare scene, he would still occasionally feel stirred.

Pan Zhang, on the other hand, was leaning against the railing, holding a fishing rod to fish.

The wooden bucket beside him was almost filled with sea fish.

Sailing on the sea was dull and boring, but the upside was being able to taste various delicacies from the sea.

"Your Highness the Heir, after so many years, can the commoners of Ryukyu still be loyal to you?" Putting down his teacup,

Zhou Yi looked toward Shang Bin.

This was a serious question; Ryukyu had fallen into the hands of Dongying for thirty years.

Over these thirty years, Dongying must have supported a new King of Ryukyu.

They could easily defeat the Dongying Army, but they did not wish to get involved in a conflict with the commoners of Ryukyu.

Upon hearing this, Shang Bin's expression was confident: "The commoners of Ryukyu have never forgotten us; these years, my contact with Ryukyu has not been severed."

"After the Eastern Japanese occupied the Ryukyu Kingdom, the commoners of Ryukyu resisted the Eastern Japanese several times, but they were met with massacres; afterwards, they imposed heavy taxes and levies on the commoners of Ryukyu, and the King of Ryukyu they supported is simply unpopular." After Shang Bin finished speaking, he glanced at the Ryukyu officials sitting at the table next to them; these were the ones who had fled with them back then.

"Hmm, that is for the best." Zhou Yi nodded; he was, of course, not soft-hearted.

After annihilating the Eastern Japanese soldiers of the Ryukyu Kingdom, if the Ryukyu Kingdom resisted them, they would likewise adopt cold and ruthless countermeasures.

After all, the Ryukyu Kingdom concerned the interests of Great Song; they could not allow the Ryukyu Kingdom to lean toward Dongying, nor could they allow it to become a nation hostile to Great Song.

Next, he looked toward Pan Zhang and scolded: "Eat, eat, eat, all you know is eating; why don't you think about how to capture Ryukyu?"

Pan Zhang turned his head back with a cheeky expression and said: "If we can't take the Ryukyu Kingdom, you can just chop off my head; since we've come out on this trip, I have to at least feed the gluttonous worms in my belly."

Zhou Yi glared at him: "Don't forget to save the fattest one for this General."

He was naturally joking with Pan Zhang; it was currently leisure time.

After sailing on the sea for another seven days, the Yanzhou Fleet appeared in the sea area of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

The Ryukyu Kingdom is located to the northeast of Yizhou, where there are small islands distributed in an arc shape, extending all the way to the Dongying mainland.

Among these islands, three islands have the largest area, and this is where the Ryukyu Kingdom is located.

Its distance from the Yanzhou sea area is a full three thousand li away.

"Ryukyu, I have finally returned." On the deck, Shang Bin looked toward a trace of the horizon in the distance, his eyes brimming with hot tears.

Thirty years, a full thirty years, he had finally returned to his homeland with the help of Yan Wang.

Shang Bin was excited and sentimental.

Zhou Yi and Pan Zhang were discussing how to land on Ryukyu.

The Dongying Navy had been destroyed by them, and the shadow of Dongying warships could no longer be seen on the sea.

However, along the way, they still saw quite a few Dongying merchant ships.

And the closer they got to Ryukyu and Yizhou, the more Dongying merchant ships there were.

After the fleet appeared in the Ryukyu sea area, some Dongying merchant ships scattered and fled; clearly, they were very afraid of the Great Song fleet.

However, some merchant ships fled in the direction of Ryukyu.

The news of their arrival, I fear, had already spread throughout Ryukyu.

"The Eastern Japanese will definitely build forts at the pier; there is no need for the fleet to take risks. It would be better to send a portion of the soldiers to land on the beach thirty li away from the pier, outflank from the side, and capture the pier; then the fleet can dock at the pier." Pan Zhang pointed at the map with a serious expression.

The map contains detailed information on the mountains and geography of the Ryukyu Kingdom.

It was given to them by Shang Bin.

In general, the Ryukyu Kingdom is divided into North Island, Zhongdao, and South Island.

Zhongdao is where the royal city of the Ryukyu Kingdom is located.

It is precisely Zhongdao that they intend to attack.

"Hmm, let's do it that way!" Zhou Yi agreed to Pan Zhang's plan, "I, as Commander, will lead the fleet to the waters outside the Pier to attract their attention, while you take the opportunity to land."

The matter was decided.

Four Troop Transport Ships, under the escort of three Warships, detached from the fleet and headed toward the beach thirty li to the north of the Pier.

Almost everywhere around Zhongdao is a beach suitable for landing.

Therefore, without Warships to defend them, the islands of the Ryukyu Kingdom are merely fish on a chopping block, waiting to be carved up.

Now, Dongying no longer has warships to guard Ryukyu.

They are able to land anywhere, forcing the Dongying Army on the island to run themselves ragged, leaving them only able to take a beating passively.

After sailing for a while longer, the fleet Zhou Yi was on approached the Zhongdao Pier.

At this moment, through his Telescope, he could see everything on the shore clearly.

He discovered that a Dongying general was also holding a Telescope and observing him.