"Incorporating submarines, airships, and airplanes as the primary forces for maritime reconnaissance and attack, supplemented by rapid and effective sorties of capital ships... Hainuo, your ideas are indeed innovative and theoretically plausible!"
Inside the captain's cabin of the Seydlitz, Rear Admiral von Laurentz lounged with crossed legs, holding a small cup of rich black coffee. On the small table to his left lay a neatly stacked pile of documents.
Initially feeling somewhat constrained, Zhang Hainuo gradually relaxed as he engaged in conversation with his "uncle-in-law," who appeared remarkably calm and approachable. However, when he heard von Laurentz utter the word "but," a sense of unease crept into his heart.
"But, you don't have sufficient evidence at present to prove that all of this will be successful. Merely stating your ideas verbally, I doubt others would readily accept your views!"
Zhang Hainuo attempted to justify himself, "But my plan meticulously details various tactical nuances and analyses. I hope—"
"No, Hainuo! You haven't grasped my point!" von Laurentz calmly sipped his hot coffee before continuing, "Merely speaking or presenting a plan requires ample evidence to support your assertions! Only then might the Naval High Command consider adopting your suggestions. Now tell me, have you gathered sufficient evidence?"
This question had crossed Zhang Hainuo's mind previously, prompting him to respond directly, "While direct evidence may be lacking, I believe I can substantiate most of these points through a series of experiments and drills."
"The Naval High Command won't undertake costly experiments based solely on your word. Moreover, His Majesty has issued strict orders: except for submarines and patrol vessels, other ships can only leave the harbor with his personal permission. Clearly, your proposed experiments cannot be conducted within the confines of the port, can they?" von Laurentz remained patient; had it been someone else, Zhang Hainuo speculated, they might have impatiently dismissed him long ago.
"Yes, General. Only a small portion of the experiments can be conducted within the limited space of the harbor. But forgive my bluntness, in my personal opinion, it's better to attempt these new tactics than to leave the High Seas Fleet idle in port. Even if it doesn't alter the course of the war, we wouldn't incur significant losses!"
Rising from his seat, von Laurentz walked over to Zhang Hainuo, placing his right hand on his shoulder.
"Young man, before the invention of airplanes, people believed that objects heavier than air couldn't fly. Yet, those crude, unsightly contraptions managed to soar into the sky, carrying people with them. Lack of understanding from others doesn't necessarily mean you're wrong, but you must understand that everyone has their responsibilities. His Majesty's duty is to lead this nation to greatness and victory, while the senior naval officers at the High Command are tasked with achieving victory with minimal losses. They have their concerns, which is why they'll reject ventures lacking certainty. As for me, I'm merely the commander of this warship, responsible for managing this vessel and all its crew members on behalf of His Majesty!"
Leaving the captain's cabin, Zhang Hainuo's face betrayed his disappointment. Hastily finishing his dinner, he returned alone to his quarters, lacking the enthusiasm to rearrange his new room. Instead, he lay on his bunk fully clothed. Only when darkness had enveloped the room did he recall his promise to Anna to write her upon returning to port. Reluctantly, he turned on the light and poured out his despondence onto the paper.
As he unfolded the fifth page of stationery, a knock sounded at the door.
"Who's there?" Zhang Hainuo speculated it might be Edwin since he wasn't acquainted with anyone else here.
Upon opening the door, he was greeted by a unfamiliar face.
"Lieutenant Commander von Fenckenstein, hello!"
The newcomer wore the navy blue uniform of a German naval officer, with his shoulder boards denoting him as a lieutenant commander. Facial features suggested he was around forty years old.
Although Zhang Hainuo didn't recognize the man, he wasn't sure if the past "Hainuo" had any acquaintance with him. Hence, he politely responded, "Lieutenant Commander, hello! Is there something you need at this late hour?"
"I apologize for intruding at this late hour, but I happened to see a document in the captain's cabin, which I believe was the plan you presented to General von Laurentz," the visitor spoke politely.
Only then did Zhang Hainuo recall that he had left the plan in the captain's cabin when he departed. It was a document he had crafted during his time in the sanatorium, although not extensive, every detail had been meticulously considered.
"Yes, that was indeed the plan I presented to the general, but he essentially rejected it," Zhang replied.
"Yes, the general informed me, but I still wish to discuss some matters related to it with you. May I?"
Zhang Hainuo had no reason to refuse, so he stepped aside to invite the lieutenant commander into the room.
"I'm sorry for the mess on the table. Would you like something to drink?"
Despite the room having only a kettle of hot water and some coffee grounds, Zhang Hainuo asked out of courtesy.
"Coffee, please. Thank you!" The lieutenant commander then gestured to his chair. "May I?"
"Oh, sorry. Please, have a seat!" Zhang Hainuo hastily invited him to sit down and proceeded to gather the stationery from the table, tucking it under his pillow. He then brewed two cups of coffee, handing one to the lieutenant commander and placing the other on his own table.
"To be honest, when I first laid eyes on your plan, I was quite surprised and intrigued. After carefully reading through it, I found many novel ideas that captivated me deeply. That's why I dared to come here at such a late hour!" the lieutenant commander got straight to the point.
"Oh?" Zhang Hainuo was genuinely surprised. He had thought that no one in this world would support or understand his ideas, so it was unexpected to encounter someone like this.
"The idea of employing submarines, airships, and airplanes as the primary forces for maritime reconnaissance and attack, supplemented by rapid and effective sorties of capital ships, is an extremely bold strategy. If successful, it would undoubtedly change our current disadvantage against the British Navy!" the lieutenant commander said after taking a sip of coffee, despite its less-than-pleasant taste, showing no sign of concern.
Zhang Hainuo didn't interrupt but let the lieutenant commander continue expressing his views.
"In the first two years of the war, our submarine force achieved remarkable success. U9 sank three British armored cruisers within a few hours, while U21 sank two British pre-dreadnought battleships in the Aegean Sea. The entire submarine force sank over 3,000 enemy vessels, totaling nearly 10 million tons. Compared to these achievements, our High Seas Fleet's battleships and cruisers have become mere spectators in this war!"
"Furthermore, I wholeheartedly agree with your idea of integrating airplanes and airships into fleet operations. A single airship can expand the fleet's visibility by more than tenfold, while a squadron of reconnaissance planes can detect enemy ships within hundreds of nautical miles. If equipped with effective radio facilities, they can even provide naval artillery ranging for the capital ships, significantly enhancing the fleet's shooting accuracy!"
"Exactly!" Zhang Hainuo's emotions were finally stirred by the lieutenant commander's words. He added, "Given favorable weather conditions, we can also use airplanes to bomb or torpedo enemy fleets at anchor or in transit. Despite bombs and torpedoes seeming insignificant, they prove remarkably effective against enemy vessels!"
Instead of directly agreeing with Zhang Hainuo's last statement, the lieutenant commander responded cautiously, "While there's no precedent for this, I believe that with improvements in aircraft range, payload, and bombing accuracy, inflicting damage and instilling panic in the enemy is achievable!"
Zhang Hainuo had intended to explain to the lieutenant commander how airplanes could serve as battleship killers, but he remembered that this was the First World War, and most countries were using wooden-skinned aircraft, making significant performance improvements difficult in the short term. Nevertheless, reconnaissance, ranging, harassment, and psychological intimidation were still feasible.
Subsequently, the two exchanged views on submarine tactics, coordination between submarines and fleets, and cooperation between airships and submarines. They found themselves increasingly in agreement, refilling their coffee cups repeatedly and chatting until the early hours of the morning. Only when both began yawning out of tiredness did the visiting lieutenant commander prepare to leave.
"Lieutenant Commander von Fenckenstein, I'm truly sorry for disturbing you throughout the night!" the lieutenant commander expressed remorse, but there was an underlying excitement in his eyes—a feeling of encountering a worthy adversary, a kindred spirit.
Meanwhile, Zhang Hainuo was on the verge of shouting "Hooray for understanding!" because he had found someone who understood his ideas.
"Considering your plan along with our discussion, I believe we can jointly devise a more detailed and reasonable plan. What do you think?" the lieutenant commander proposed.
"Of course, that sounds great, but..." Zhang Hainuo's expression dimmed somewhat. After all, the lieutenant commander was only a naval lieutenant commander, not even at the rank of Rear Admiral von Laurentz. What difference would it make even if they drafted such a plan?
"What's wrong?" Seeing Zhang Hainuo hesitate to speak, the lieutenant commander was puzzled.
"I'm just concerned about whether we'll have the opportunity to convey it to the senior naval command," Zhang Hainuo didn't hide his worries.
"Ah... I see. So, you're worried about that. Don't worry, leave that to me! For now, let's get some rest and then work on this plan as soon as possible! Alright?" The lieutenant commander appeared confident.
Zhang Hainuo was somewhat surprised, but the earnest look in the lieutenant commander's eyes convinced him. He nodded and extended his right hand.
"Let's work together!"
"Let's work together!"