Chapter 3 3. Shino's special mission

The morning of March 21, 1949. The reception room on the first floor of Beijing Hotel. The main leaders of the Beiping Municipal Government and the Beiping Garrison gathered here to hold a secret meeting. The main members present at the meeting were Ye Jianying, Peng Zhen, Cheng Zihua, Li Weihan, Lin Biao, Luo Ronghuan, Liu Yalou, Nie Rongzhen, and Li Kenong. Ye Jianying presided over the meeting. He said: "Today, we have called everyone to study and assign a glorious and arduous task. I think you already know what the task is. Our Party Central Committee and Chairman Mao are about to enter Peiping. Everything is in order. The preparations are ready, let Comrade Li Kenong introduce the situation to everyone, and then discuss it again, and if everyone agrees, we will follow through."

There were solemn expressions on people's faces. After Ye Jianying finished speaking, she started smoking.Li Kenong, who was sitting next to him, opened his notebook, looked at everyone and said, "First of all, I would like to thank the Beiping Municipal Government and Comrade Siye for their strong support for our front-line work." Peng Zhen interjected: "We're all a family, don't be so polite." Ye Jianying and Liu Yalou laughed.The atmosphere at the venue was a little more relaxed. Li Kenong said: "The time for the central government to depart from Xibaipo is set on the 23rd. First take a car to Zhuozhou, and then take a train to Beiping. We temporarily set up two stops, one is Qianmen and the other is Tsinghua Garden. Where to get off the bus will be reported to Comrade Zhou Enlai, and the comrades in Siye will be responsible for picking up people, and this matter has already been arranged."

Lin Biao, who sat there with his head bowed all the time, was wearing a fur coat seized from the Japanese army, and continued: "We fully support this operation. Qian Yimin and Yin Jian, the head of the training section of the headquarters, took 100 large trucks and 20 jeeps from Ping and Tianjin to Xibaipo to pick up the central government and enter the city. Comrade Kenong will report to the central government on how to go and when to change cars. Certainly." Li Kenong said: "The central government has called and agreed that our convoy will leave today." Lin Biao asked, "Are you going to pick it up?"

Li Kenong said: "I won't go, it's fine for your security minister to go." Those present all seemed very excited when they heard that the central government was coming to Peking soon.Ye Jianying said: "Just now, Comrade Kenong has briefly explained the matter of taking over the Central Committee. Comrade Lai Chuanzu just returned from Xibaipo in the morning. He brought the latest instructions from the Central Committee. Let him convey it to everyone." Lai Chuanzu said: "The central government fully agrees with the date we chose to enter Peiping. Vice Chairman Zhou Enlai instructed to establish a central relocation organization committee in Beiping, composed of five comrades Ye Jianying, Nie Rongzhen, Li Kenong, Cheng Zihua, and Liu Yalou."

Ye Jianying said after listening, "This is the central government's decision. Do the other four of you have any objections?" Everyone else said that they have no objections, and they must complete this glorious and arduous task well. At this meeting, Comrade Ye Jianying made more detailed arrangements for all the work, and made a clear division of labor for the safety of the head of the Central Committee during the march: (1) From Tang County to Zhuozhou, the North China Military Region is in charge; (2) From Zhuozhou to Changxindian, the 41st Army of the Four Fields is in charge;

(3) From Changxindian to Xizhimen, the 42nd Army of the Four Fields is in charge; (4) From the west of Xizhimen Railway to Xiangshan, Li Kenong's plainclothes team is in charge; (5) Liu Yalou was responsible for the air security of Beiping, including Xiangshan and Xiyuan Airports. Li Kenong went on to explain: "If there is any change in Mayor Ye's plan, we will notify you in time. If anyone thinks there are difficulties in implementing it, please bring it up first." There was silence for a while, and no one asked a question.Ye Jianying distributed a cigarette to all comrades who knew how to smoke, and then said: "Chairman Mao said that when the central leaders come to parade, we will set the location at Xiyuan Airport. This matter is still in charge of Liu Yalou. Comrade Kenong and I After discussion, the salute should still be fired, but the central government has not yet obtained the consent of the central government, let's discuss it, whether to let it go or not?"

The atmosphere of the venue became lively again.Whether to fire a salute, and how many times to fire it, people debated.Peng Zhen put his hand on Liang Ming's forehead and stroked it for a while, saying: "This matter is of great importance, we should consult the Central Committee for instructions before making a decision." Bo Yibo looked at Li Kenong and said, "Beiping is not very peaceful now. If so many people go to Xiyuan to meet with the head of the central government, it will be very difficult to deal with security issues. If we fire salutes again, what if something happens? ?”

Lin Biao was the one who advocated the salute.He said unceremoniously to Bo Yibo: "It's an aboveboard thing for the central government to enter Peiping! It's another event of historical significance. It's absolutely necessary to set off a salute. What are you afraid of?" There was a stalemate, and the others stopped talking.Ye Jianying raised her head and exchanged opinions with Li Kenong, saying: "Whether to release or not, we need to ask the central government for instructions, but now we have to come up with a plan to release." Li Kenong said: "I suggest that Chairman Mao be on the spot and use 36 guns to fire 4 salutes as a standard, for a total of 144 salutes."

We debated for a while, and finally agreed to the plan. Ye Jianying said: "As for the matter of inviting representatives from all walks of life in Beiping to be present, we still have to do it. Comrade Li Weihan is in charge of this matter, and I will tell Yuan Muzhi to send someone to take pictures." That morning, comrades from Shino were ordered to head towards Xibaipo. Ye Jianying and Li Kenong, who had been busy for a long time, did not rest, but reported the above plan to the central government. The next day, they received a reply from Zhou Enlai: "I agree with the arrangement mentioned in the call. But do not fire salutes, use a military band instead. We are scheduled to stay overnight in Zhuozhou on the 24th. Please send a responsible cadre to Zhuozhou to wait for us. A special car from Zhuozhou to Beiping can be prepared. Train or car, we will make a decision when we get to Zhuozhou, please be prepared for both situations.”

After receiving this telegram, Ye Jianying said to Li Kenong: "The central government does not allow the salute, so we don't need to prepare, but I think it is safe to take a special train from Zhuozhou to Beiping." Li Kenong replied: "I also have the same idea. Let's report this opinion to the central government and report on the situation along the route." "Agree." Ye Jianying said. So, after some consideration, Ye and Li sent another telegram to the central government: "From Zhuozhou to Tsinghua Park, there are 12 stations, about 60 kilometers, and can be reached in 2 hours. Now there are two people in charge of each station, one guards the phone, the other watches the switch and supervises the passing of vehicles. The head of the central government changes trains from Zhuozhou to the north In normal times, in order to ensure safety, 3 trains are organized, each with 8 wagons. The first train is equipped with 8 passenger cars. The guards, a few cadres and guards are used as rollers, and then they are sent directly to Xiangshan by truck. The second train has eight sleeping cars and one dining car, and goes straight to Tsinghuayuan Station (the station is small, suitable for guarding). The third train has 5 passenger cars and 3 luggage cars, and opens to Qianmen Station. In addition, take a bus from Changxindian to Xijiao Airport has to pass through the city from Guang’anmen to Xizhimen to get to the airport, there is no good road to go, so it seems better to take the train.”

Zhou Enlai immediately called back and agreed with their opinions.