"Yoshino", due to the advantage of speed, quickly closed the distance and at 12.05 pm, the Japanese cruiser commenced firing at "Jiyuan" with her forward guns at a distance of approximately .Captain Fang Boqian steered the cruiser among some shoals, which were dangerous and poorly-charted, however this risky move saved the ship from destruction as the Japanese were not in possession of accurate maps of the area and they feared risking running aground on the shoals.