88: Chapter 88 Formal Naval Organization

Four months after the destruction of the United Fleet, Li Ling issued an order—the formal establishment of the navy.

Jiangning Naval Port was biting cold, with white waves churning on the sea surface. On the pier, three Dreadnoughts, two Pre-dreadnoughts, four Cruisers, six Destroyers, and eight Torpedo boats were neatly arranged. Signal flags hung from the masts, fluttering in the sea breeze. Thousands of naval officers and soldiers, dressed in brand-new navy blue uniforms, stood in formation on the pier. Viewed from above, they looked like a deep blue ocean.

Li Ling stood on the reviewing platform, with senior naval officers and the imperial envoy who had rushed from the capital behind him. Beside him stood the Princess and Empress Su Wanqing; both were dressed in their finest, with proud smiles on their faces.

"Everyone!" Li Ling's voice carried through the loudspeakers across the entire naval port. "Today is a day worth remembering! From this day forward, our navy has an official name—the First Fleet!"

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the crowd below.

"The First Fleet will consist of three sub-fleets—the Main Battle Sub-fleet, the Cruiser Sub-fleet, and the Submarine Sub-fleet," Li Ling continued. "The Main Battle Sub-fleet, with its six Dreadnoughts and three Pre-dreadnoughts as its core, is the fleet's fist! The Cruiser Sub-fleet is responsible for reconnaissance and patrol, composed of twelve Cruisers and Destroyers! The Submarine Sub-fleet is responsible for underwater operations, composed of ten Submarines!"

"From today on, you are the masters of this vast ocean! If anyone dares to invade, make them taste your might!"

"Defend the sea borders with our lives! Follow you to the death, my lord!" Thousands of naval officers and soldiers shouted in unison, their voices shaking the clouds; even the waves on the sea surface seemed to churn in response.

After the review ceremony, Li Ling boarded the flagship, the "dragon soar," to personally command the First Fleet's maiden cruise.

The six Dreadnoughts formed two columns and slowly sailed out of the port. Their massive hulls cut through the waves, churning up white foam, leaving long white trails on the sea surface. The three Pre-dreadnoughts followed closely behind, with Cruisers and Destroyers escorting on both sides, and Torpedo boats and Submarines patrolling the perimeter of the fleet.

Li Ling stood on the bridge, the sea breeze blowing on his face, carrying a salty, fishy scent. He raised his binoculars and looked into the distance. The sea and sky merged into one, vast and boundless, as if the whole world belonged to him.

"My lord, the Radar has detected unidentified vessels to the southeast, approximately thirty nautical miles away, moving at eight knots. They are suspected to be Japan fishing boats," the Radar operator reported.

"Leave them be," Li Ling lowered his binoculars. "Let them see all they want. Our fleet is not a secret; the great powers will learn of our strength sooner or later. Let them watch, let them go back and report, so they don't have to guess blindly."

"Yes!"

The fleet continued its voyage, cutting through the waves, mighty and majestic.

During the cruise, Li Ling convened the first formal naval meeting in the conference room of the "dragon soar." The captains sat around the long table, each of them spirited and filled with excitement in their eyes.

"Everyone," Li Ling stood in front of the nautical chart. "Although the First Fleet has been established, our mission is not yet complete. Next, we need to do three things."

He held up three fingers.

"First, continue to expand the fleet. The three newly built Dreadnoughts must be launched as soon as possible, and new Cruisers and Destroyers must begin construction immediately. I plan to double the number of capital ships in the First Fleet within two years."

"Second, strengthen training. The navy is a technical branch; it cannot be won by courage alone. Gunnery, navigation, damage control, communications... every skill must be mastered to perfection. I do not want to see our ships sink due to operational errors on the battlefield."

"Third, establish a naval education system. I want to build a Naval Academy in Jiangning Prefecture to train our own naval officers. The Army has the Army University, and the Navy must also have a Naval University. The branches may be different, but the standards for talent cultivation must be the same—high standards and strict requirements."

The captains nodded one after another, their eyes filled with admiration.

"My lord, I have a suggestion." A young captain stood up; it was Chen Haisheng, who had previously proposed the base construction plan at the meeting.

"Speak."

"We should establish several naval bases along the coast. We cannot cram all our warships into Jiangning Naval Port. If the enemy launches a surprise attack, we will be very passive. I suggest establishing sub-bases in Zhoushan, Qingdao, and Lushun to deploy forces in a dispersed manner and support each other."

Li Ling walked to the nautical chart and looked carefully at the three locations Chen Haisheng pointed out. Zhoushan is located in the East China Sea, controlling the outlet of the Yangtze River; Qingdao is located in the Yellow Sea, guarding the southern gate of Bohai Bay; Lushun is located on the Liaodong Peninsula, a natural deep-water port in the north. The three bases would form a horn-like formation, echoing each other. Once built, a complete defense system would be formed along the entire coast of Qingxia.

"Good!" Li Ling made the decision. "I approve these three bases. Chen Haisheng, from today on, you are the deputy director of the Naval Base Construction Committee, responsible for the construction of these three bases. If you need any resources, tell me directly."

Chen Haisheng was so excited that his face turned red: "Thank you, my lord!"

"However," Li Ling changed the subject, "the construction of the bases must be fast, but the quality must not be poor. I do not want to see shoddy construction. Every base must be able to dock Dreadnoughts and must have complete defensive facilities and logistics support."

"Yes! Guarantee to complete the mission!"

After the cruise, Li Ling returned to the naval port; it was already evening.

The sun was setting, the sea was shimmering with golden light, and several fishing boats were returning. The rhythmic chanting of the fishermen could be heard faintly. Li Ling stood on the pier, watching those fishing boats, and a thought suddenly arose in his heart.

"System." He whispered in his heart.

"Hmm?"

"Do you think the common people know that they can go fishing safely because we are fighting at sea?"

"Maybe they know, maybe they don't," the System's voice was calm. "But the host doesn't need to care about this. The host does these things not to be remembered, but to allow more people to live well."

Li Ling was silent for a moment, then smiled.

"You are right. It's not to be remembered, it's to let them live well."

He turned around and walked towards the barracks with long strides.

Behind him, the afterglow of the sunset spilled onto the sea, dyeing the entire ocean golden-red, as beautiful as a painting.

That evening, Li Ling hosted a banquet at the residence to entertain the senior naval officers.

The dishes were not sumptuous, but the atmosphere was warm. The generals were drinking and chatting happily, sharing interesting stories and insights from the cruise. The Princess, Empress Su Wanqing, and Emily were also present. The three women sat together, whispering from time to time, laughing happily.

"My lord, tell me, when will our navy be able to fight the British Royal Navy head-on?" a captain who was flushed from drinking suddenly asked.

The banquet hall went quiet for a moment, and everyone looked at Li Ling.

Li Ling put down his wine glass and smiled: "What's the rush? The British Royal Navy has hundreds of years of history, and we have only had ours for five years. Surpassing them is not something that can be done overnight. However, I am not in a hurry. In ten years, our navy will be able to stand on equal footing with them. In twenty years, we will be able to surpass them. You have to take the road one step at a time, and eat the rice one mouthful at a time."

The generals nodded one after another and raised their glasses: "My lord is right! One step at a time!"

After the banquet, Li Ling walked alone in the garden of the residence. The moonlight was like water, spilling on the bluestone road, stretching his shadow long and faint. In the distance, the sound of waves hitting the reefs came from the sea, one after another, as if telling something.

"Husband." The Princess's voice came from behind.

Li Ling turned around and saw the Princess wearing a light blue cloak, holding a bowl of hangover soup in her hand, walking towards him.

"Drink it." The Princess handed him the bowl, her eyes full of concern, "You drank a lot tonight."

Li Ling took the bowl and took a sip; it was sweet and sour, very good for sobering up.

"Your Highness, why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Waiting for you." The Princess walked to his side, stood side by side with him, looking at the moon in the sky, "Husband, what do you think will happen in the future?"

"The future?" Li Ling thought for a moment, "In the future, I will unify the whole country and establish a new nation. You will be the Empress of this country, mother to the world."

The Princess lowered her head, her cheeks slightly red: "I don't care about being an Empress or not; I only care about my husband's safety."

Li Ling felt a warmth in his heart and reached out to put his arm around her shoulder: "Don't worry, I will be fine. You will be fine too. We will all be fine."

The moonlight spilled on the two of them, gentle and quiet.

In the distance, the sea was shimmering, and the lights of several warships flickered in the darkness, like stars in the sky that had fallen into the sea.