Chapter 5 Chapter 5 Northern Shaanxi and Northern Hubei

In a small forest on the edge of the plateau, the shadow of night fell early.He Jinnian, commander of the third security brigade, shook hands with the 17 cadres and soldiers who were on standby. "Ready?" he asked quietly.The cadres and soldiers all replied that they were ready. "Do you remember the contact code?" "Remember, the password is 'go home', and the return command is 'go to the ground'." He Jinnian gently patted the magazine on the chest of the little soldier at the end of the team and the grenade bag under his crotch, feeling that they were all tied up firmly, and seeing that the white towel on his left arm was also tied up, he went back to the before the team.He lowered his voice and gave a short speech to everyone: "Comrades, Niu Huadong, Feng Shiguang, Wang Zizhuang, Zhao Wuchen and other comrades in the party's underground organization in the newly organized 11th Brigade have set up the uprising headquarters tonight. Our task is to covertly enter Anbian City and assist the underground party comrades to control the key points of the city defense! Note, first, you must enter the city in a concealed manner. Someone will come to meet you at that time. Your current identity is the patrol team of the 11th Brigade and 1 Regiment ;Second, you must obey the command. Each of you must be on your own, and you must maintain a high level of vigilance. No one is allowed to sleep tonight..."

For the small city of Anbian in northern Shaanxi, it has been a long night. At dawn, there was a sudden gathering of whistles inside and outside the city.After a while, all the units of the 11th Brigade and the 1st Regiment of the newly formed 11th Brigade were fully loaded and brought from all directions to the large playground in front of the brigade gate, with no one missing from 1,500 people.At the same time, more than 500 communications, cavalry, reconnaissance and service personnel directly under the brigade headquarters have also assembled. Most of the officers and soldiers didn't know what happened: "Oh my god, what is this for? It's late at night." Someone was asking in horror.

Someone else yawned ignorantly: "Just wait and see, there will be a good show in the future!" Those with a bright mind have already guessed 70% to 80%. The "Northwest Democracy Promotion Association" was established in 1942. The uninterrupted anti-Japanese propaganda and the CCP's underground party organization continuously held military training classes for cadres and platoons in the 11th Brigade and First Regiment. Everyone felt a little bit wrong.What's more, in the past few years, the Kuomintang Fuxing Society, the Military Unification Bureau, and the Central Unification Bureau have almost continuously entered the new eleventh brigade, making the brigade's situation changeable and unpredictable.First, in 1940, Lai Foting, a special agent of the Fuxing Society, wanted to seize the military power of Yituan, which caused an uproar in the whole regiment.In the second year, there was another "Anbian Incident". Ma Huayan, a special agent of the military command, incited the bandits Zhang Tingzhi and Zhang Tingxiang to trick all the officers of the 11th Brigade into a banquet. It was buckled up, causing public anger, and finally the whole brigade officers and soldiers rushed to kill Zhang Tingxiang, and the troops were saved.Not long ago, I heard that acting brigade commander Cao Youshen was summoned to Yulin by Deng Baoshan, saying that the 11th brigade had to be "reorganized", but who knew what kind of tricks were going on... Just as everyone was thinking wildly, a figure appeared in the dark Climbed the high stone steps. "Brothers!" As soon as the voice was bright, people immediately recognized that it was the leader of the regiment, Niu Huadong.All of a sudden, there was complete silence in the team.

Niu Huadong said: "Our Eleventh Brigade was established in 1932. From Lanzhou to northern Shaanxi, the brothers have shed a lot of blood and sweat! But the superiors never take us seriously. Why is this? Just because We are 'no-names' with no father or mother! What's wrong with 'no-names', we should still serve our country! During the eight years of the Anti-Japanese War, isn't it good that we have a joint defense with the Eighth Route Army, but someone is pouring sewage on us! Our old brigade commander Liu Yuting The bones are still cold, and now they want to use force to solve us. There is no way to live through this day..."

"Nonsense! How old are you..." "As a regiment leader, what qualifications do you have to give lectures?" Niu Huadong's words were roughly interrupted by several loud voices.They are deputy brigade commander Wu Fen and chief of staff Shi Peijiu.At this moment, brigade commander Cao Youcan shouted thunderously from one side: "Down their guns and lock them up!" Wu Fen and Shi Peijiu thought that Cao Youcan was speaking for them, and immediately echoed, "Yes, Buckle up!" However, a few soldiers came up and bound Wu Fen and Shi Peijiu into a ball.Looking behind me, the KMT's Anbian county magistrate, the secretary of the county party department, and the chief of the public security bureau were also tied to a long string of bears like grasshoppers.Wu Fen was swept away.The member of the Renaissance Society jumped up and down in anger: "I protest! I want to call the chairman of the committee, and I want to go to Chongqing to sue you for treason..."

Someone next to Leng Buding fired a gun into the sky, and then shouted: "Niu Huadong, come to your master for something, let them go!" Niu Huadong recognized that it was Zhang Dingchen, the deputy head of the second regiment.This person was originally an underground member of the Communist Party of China, but later he rebelled and got involved with Wu Fen and Shi Peijiu all day long. At that moment, Niu Huadong smiled coldly: "Okay, you want to sacrifice your life for the Savior..." Before he could finish speaking, the gun in Zhang Dingchen's hand suddenly aimed at Niu Huadong.

At the critical moment, Cao Youshen's pistol rang. "Bang—" Zhang Dingchen fell to the ground in response.Wu Fen, Shi Peijiu, and a large group of important officials from Anbian County of the Kuomintang were all terrified. Zhang Dingchen, who was in the pool of blood in Niu Huadong Dynasty, scolded "Bad bastard", waved his hand in the air, and announced loudly: "Brothers, we will not give our lives to the Kuomintang! Stand on the side of the Communist Party and the people, and build a peaceful, democratic, prosperous and strong country." Fight for the new China!"

There was a moment of silence in the team, and then burst into cheers. One day later, the Seventh Regiment of the Third Police Brigade of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia-Shandong-Sui Joint Defense Army, in accordance with the order of Brigadier He Jinnian, and with the cooperation of the First Regiment of the Eleventh Brigade of Cao Youcan, surrounded Ningtiaoliang, which was guarded by the Second Regiment of the brigade. town.The leader of the besieged Second Regiment, Shi Yucheng, was also Wu Fen's best friend. While swearing in front of the soldiers, "I would rather die than die," he ordered the radio soldiers to turn on the Yulin Mingcode channel and call for help directly to Deng Baoshan: "Commander-in-Chief, Brigadier Cao was turned into red by the Communist Party, Yituan and Luquan have turned their backs! Our regiment is in a tight siege, I can't stand it, hurry up and send troops to rescue, Commander-in-Chief!"

Although Deng Baoshan was calm on the surface, the momentum outside Yulin City was also loud and noisy, soldiers coming and going, thunder and lightning flashing, it seemed that there were thousands of troops marching southward. The news was immediately forwarded from Yan'an to He Jinnian.The Central Military Commission requested that the battle must be ended quickly before the enemy's reinforcements arrived, so as to prevent nights and dreams.In order to ensure victory, He Jinnian pulled up the seventh and eighth regiments of the third police brigade that had not yet entered the battle.That is to say, four regiments were used to deal with one regiment, and Ningtiaoliang Town was completely surrounded.In this way, the tight attack and slow attack continued for a week.In the direction of Yulin, there was heavy thunder and little rain, and the reinforcements had not arrived. Shi Fengcheng was in despair.Among the more than 1,000 officers and soldiers of his second regiment, more than 800 raised their hands as prisoners, while he himself and more than 100 people were killed in the stubborn resistance.

On November 5, Niu Huadong, Chief of Staff Wang Zizhuang, Battalion Commander Li Youzhu, Zhao Jiesan, Chai Mingtang, Company Commander Feng Shiguang and others, on behalf of more than 2,000 officers and soldiers of the brigade, telegraphed the nationwide uprising.After cheering and winning, the 11th Brigade was ordered to be reorganized into the New 11th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army.Guo Baoshan and Niu Huadong, the commander-in-chief of the uprising, served as deputy brigade commanders, and Wang Zizhuang, chief of staff, and Yang Lin served as directors of the political department. When these candidates were determined by the joint defense forces of Shaanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Jinsui and presented to Mao Zedong for review, Chairman Mao asked to see Cao Youcan.Zhu De and Peng Dehuai also said to call He Long back and have a good banquet to entertain Cao Youshen.So, after everything was settled, He Jinnian accompanied Cao to Yan'an again.

Riding on the road, He Jinnian said: "When you see Chairman Mao and Commander-in-Chief Zhu, you will understand that we Communists are definitely not like the Kuomintang propaganda. We are all learned people and sincerely serve the people. " Cao Youshen was a little nervous, and asked He Jinnian again and again: "Hey, old He, tell me, what should I say when I see them?" "You don't need to say anything, they know everything, you just It’s fine to have questions and answers.” Cao Youshen was still worried, so he stayed overnight on the road and couldn’t sleep well for several nights. Sure enough, Cao Shenbai was nervous for a few days.When meeting Mao Zedong for the first time, Cao couldn't believe his eyes.Mao Zedong was sitting on the kang, reading a book in his hand, and smoking a cigarette with relish, like a rural teacher.He smiled and came forward to hold Cao Youshen's hand and said: "You are a 'locomotive' driving well, we welcome you." Then he said, "We never care whether we have been a Kuomintang or not. We have been a Kuomintang here. There are a lot of people, Boss Zhu has done it, Boss Peng has done it, and Boss He has done it too. Revolutions are not prioritized." These few words immediately relieved Cao Youshen of the most troublesome place in his heart.He immediately ran up to the bosses cheerfully, like a veritable little brother. The reception banquet kicked off in this atmosphere.Peng Dehuai was the last one to stand up and raise his glass.He pulled Cao Youcan to the map and told Cao that because of the uprising of the Eleventh Brigade, the Anbian and Hengshan areas were liberated, and the population of the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningxia Border Region increased by 180,000.He also informed Cao that on October 30, Gao Shuxun, deputy commander of the 11th theater of the Kuomintang, also led an army and a column of more than 10,000 people to revolt in Handan.Therefore, he gave Cao Youshen two words: "wise." Cao heard that these two words were very useful, and he felt that he hated seeing each other late, "Vice Chairman Peng, I realized it late, and I really don't know what I can do for the revolution. Please give me more advice in the future." Peng Dehuai thought for a while, and said: "I can't talk about giving advice, can you tell me about Yulin's defense situation in detail?" Cao Youshen's heart moved, and he didn't know where to start. Peng Dehuai raised his glass, "Drink first, talk slowly later, the days are long." Chiang Kai-shek was in a bad mood.After the "Bandit Suppression Handbook" was fully distributed, he personally issued a warrant to all the commanders in the theater, asking them to quickly come up with a plan to "clean up the traitor party".Then, he waited for the good news.As a result, the "good news" did not wait, but one after another "mutiny" came.This made him feel better. "It's all the Communist Party behind it. If the traitorous party is not eliminated, the country will have no peace!" Chiang Kai-shek vented his anger at Soong Meiling in the small living room of his cave forest garden. , someone opened the door and came in. It was Chiang Ching-kuo.At this time, except for him, no one dared to make fun of himself.When Song Meiling saw Jiang Jingguo, she said hello and went out.She never talked too much between father and son.Jiang Jingguo, a proud prince with a good reputation in governing local areas and restraining officials, was recently appointed by Lao Jiang as a diplomatic commissioner. He has been flying around Nanjing, Shanghai, Beiping, Tianjin, Shenyang, Taiyuan and other big cities, full of thoughts. It's what I saw, heard, and felt in the officialdom. Today I made a nominal stop, but in fact I made a special trip to report my situation to my father, His Majesty. When Chiang Kai-shek heard that his son was going to report on his experience as a diplomatic envoy, his face calmed down a lot. He casually pointed to the sofa and said softly, "Sit down and talk." On the thighs, the breath is even, the waist is straight, and the appearance of listening attentively. Jiang Jingguo did not follow his father's instruction to sit on the sofa, but sat on a hard wooden chair next to him, and then showed the humility of a son on his face: "Father, have you rested well recently?" As soon as this sentence came out, the family atmosphere in the hall heated up like a tide.Chiang Kai-shek hesitated for a moment, tried not to show his bitter face in front of his son, and replied after consideration: "It's okay." This is tantamount to leveling the obstacles for Chiang Ching-kuo to open his mind.Xiao Jiang sighed as if letting go of his burden: "Father, the stalls in the Northeast are very dilapidated. The Japanese occupied it for 15 years. Industry and agriculture are all in vain. The most important thing is the re-education of youth..." Chiang Kai-shek couldn't help interrupting his son: "In my opinion, those are trivial matters. The most important thing is that the Communist Party is behind to sabotage and make trouble. This is always a worry of the central government! Find a way and take extraordinary measures to eradicate the red trouble. Otherwise, there will be no peace for the country, and no peace for the party!" As he spoke, he was moved again, got up and took a few steps before sitting back, staring blankly at the ceiling, "China is a big country, and disasters are raging. After eight years of turmoil, the country has suffered huge losses, but the wings of Mao Zedong and his group have hardened. In this way, there are still people in my party who have a grudge against me, and they don't understand the simple principle of "to fight against the outside world, we must first settle the inside" It’s so heartbreaking!” Lao Jiang suddenly waved his arm vigorously at Xiao Jiang: “You know, this is an unchanging national policy!” He sighed helplessly, put his hand back again, and waited for his son’s reaction. Jiang Jingguo frowned slightly: "Father, from Jingguo's point of view, the Communist Party must be eliminated, but the top priority must be to start with the governance of the country. The so-called sharpening the knife is not the same as chopping firewood." Chiang Kai-shek snorted.He and Chiang Ching-kuo have always had a consensus on the punishment of corruption within the Kuomintang, and he advocated the "New Life Movement" in more or less ways in this regard.Immediately, he asked: "Is the reception situation in several big cities okay?" Chiang Ching-kuo shook his head and sighed, "It's not very good. There are a lot of people who are corrupt and pervert the law. The gang sent by Chongqing are like hungry wolves, speculating on exchange rates, flipping foreign cars, selling bungalows, taking in concubines... oh, what they see, they get what they want. , Some people hid several boxes of gold bars, and shipped them to Hong Kong and abroad in large and small boats. There is a famous actor in Shanghai who borrowed the US Information Service to buy off the Japanese Property Management Bureau. He can't spend all his life on the 12 bungalows on the side street. Like the English-style three-story houses, with gardens and balconies, it's nothing to charge 20 ounces of gold for each building... You know the common people How do you sing the ballads? Think about the Central Committee, look forward to the Central Committee, and you will suffer even more when the Central Committee comes! These people don’t have any law, they are clearly vampires, and they can’t find the concept of restoration and reconstruction in their minds..." "Jing Guo, you've gone too far." Chiang Kai-shek looked at his son expressionlessly, "According to what you said, isn't the central government about to collapse?" He got up and walked slowly to his son, his voice becoming Even more lowly, "No. Not only is it useless to worry about the sky, but it is harmful." These few words really stunned Jiang Jingguo, but in order to show respect for his father's instruction, he still forced himself to stand up with Lao Jiang.The father and son stood face to face in the center of the living room.This meaningful scene lasted for about 3 minutes, and Chiang Kai-shek finally found a new topic: "Have you ever seen a cormorant fishing?" Jiang Jingguo nodded subconsciously, indicating that he had seen it. Chiang Kai-shek said: "Do you know why cormorant fishing is so hard?" Jiang Jingguo replied: "That's because the fishermen deliberately let them starve." Chiang Kai-shek sneered mysteriously and complacently: "Don't worry, the cormorants cannot swallow the fish they catch." "Why?" Jiang Jingguo didn't know whether he really didn't understand or asked on purpose. Chiang Kai-shek glanced at his son in dissatisfaction, and then returned to the reclining chair: "Fool, because its neck was tied to death with hemp rope!" Chiang Ching-kuo wanted to say something else, he said "report", and the senior counselor of the Ministry of National Defense came to submit the document. The Ministry of National Defense document is an urgent telegram from Liu Zhi, director of the Zhengzhou Appeasement Office.The telegram reported that the Southward Detachment led by Wang Zhen and Wang Shoudao of the Communist Party of China, the troops of the Henan Military Region led by Wang Shusheng and Dai Jiying, and a regiment of the Hebei-Shandong-Henan Military Region were deployed in Tanghe, Zaoyang, Tongbai, and Suixian in Henan and Hubei. The area at the border of the counties merged with the Fifth Division of the New Fourth Army led by Zheng Weisan and Li Xiannian, showing signs of forming a pillar of the Central Plains relying on Tongbai Mountain.Liu Zhi asked the chairman to increase the deployment of troops so as to thoroughly clean up and suppress them without getting out of the net. Chiang Kai-shek nodded frequently listening to the telegram.After dismissing Gao Shen, he turned to Jiang Jingguo and said, "You know, this is the most important thing!" Then he walked heavily to the window, thinking to himself, "Tongbai Mountain, the heart of the whole country is located. It is located between the Jianghuai River and the Han Dynasty, and is one step away from Wuhan. The Wanli Yangtze River runs from west to east, and the Pinghan Railway runs through the north and south. There are Dabie Mountains in the east, Wudang Mountains in the west, and Dahong Mountains in the south. In the Jianghan Plain where there is no worries, 500,000 soldiers and horses can hide without revealing themselves and gallop freely. Then, control Wuhan, spy on Nanjing, and strangle the throat of Chuchuan... The Communist Party's wishful thinking is well done!" These high-level remarks made Chiang Ching-kuo sincerely apprehensive and full of admiration: "Father is far-sighted, and the general trend of the Central Plains must be observed." This is of course what Chiang Kai-shek likes to hear.He snorted comfortably, and continued: "The Central Plains is my strategic hub, and success or failure is very important. Central China, North China, South China, East China, and even Southwest, Northwest and Northeast, the overall situation is tied to one place. This time, I am We are determined! In the past, the reason why we suppressed the CCP for many years without success was because our hearts were too soft, our ears were too soft, and some scum in the party restrained us in many ways, and we did things that were kinship and hatred. !" Chiang Kai-shek's tone gradually became more and more serious, "You know, we cannot be defeated if we lose a few boxes of gold bars. But if the power of the Communist Party spreads..." It is Chiang Kai-shek's consistent policy to solve the problem of "banditry" by giving full play to his military advantages to eliminate the Communist Party. However, after years of siege and interception, not only did the Communist Party not be eliminated, but the "suppression" became bigger and bigger.This made him full of grievances, and he had nowhere to tell.Before and after the Chongqing negotiations and Mao Zedong's 43 days in Chongqing, no matter how Chiang performed, the idea of ​​eliminating the Communist Party has never changed.Therefore, as long as the negotiations are related to the Communist army and the liberated areas, no matter how big or small, they are the top priority on Chiang Kai-shek's chessboard. At that time, the number of Communist troops had exceeded one million.At the substantive negotiation stage of the Chongqing negotiations, the Communist Party proposed to reorganize the army into 48 divisions, while the Kuomintang army had 263 divisions at that time.Lao Jiang flatly denied it without even thinking about it. After some painful adjustments, the Kuomintang demanded that "the Communist Party's army be organized with a maximum of 12 divisions", and these 12 divisions must be "handed over" and unified by the government. lead. Mao Zedong had thought about it a long time ago, without arguing about the Arabic numbers on these official documents, he immediately made concessions, agreeing to the KMT's 263 divisions, and the Communist Party's reduction to 43 divisions, a ratio close to 1/7.In the end, in the spirit of "peaceful nation building," the two sides reorganized the national army into 140 divisions, and the Communist army into 20 divisions, still at a ratio of 1/7.With such a situation, after many concessions and struggles from the Communist Party, Lao Jiang said angrily that "it can be considered", feeling uncomfortable in his heart. Regarding the issue of the liberated areas, the CCP pointed out that the existence of a democratic government in the liberated areas "is the result of the development of the revolution and is supported and supported by the people."As soon as the Chongqing negotiations started, the Communist Party raised the issue of "recognizing the democratically elected governments in the liberated areas and all recovered areas." The Kuomintang firmly opposed it, saying that "recognizing the liberated areas is absolutely impossible." Even Zhang Zhizhong, who has always been fair, rejected the CCP's liberated areas. For "feudal separatism".Until the end of the negotiations, the most controversial issue of the army and the liberated areas remained unresolved. Chiang Kai-shek's tone within the Kuomintang remains the same as before, even the same as it was more than ten years ago.He kept saying, "If the Communist Party is not eradicated, there will be endless troubles", and every day he scolded those "idiots" in the party who did not understand that "to fight against the outside world, we must first settle down at home", as if there was something on his mind that he couldn't express. In this regard, the CCP's attitude is also relatively straightforward.At the negotiation table in Chongqing a few months ago, Wang Ruofei told the Kuomintang representative firmly: If this is the case, the central government will wipe out all our party's troops! Hearing the words "neither hard nor soft" from the representative of the CCP, Chiang Kai-shek was speechless.In a word, there are too many scumbags in the party, and his inability to do what he wants is a vivid portrayal of his complicated mood at that moment. When Zhou Enlai was "negotiating" with the representatives of the two parties at the Chongqing negotiating table, he repeatedly stated, "The Kuomintang and its government regard our party as being ruled and as someone who has come to surrender. This has always been the case since the Xi'an Incident. But we Since we all talk about democratic unity today, we should stand on equal footing with each other... If our party’s proposal last year is to hold a party meeting, establish a coalition government, and establish a joint command, then all the troops and political power of our party can be Hand over to the coalition government. But now the government is still under the rule of the Kuomintang, how can we hand over the army and power to the one-party dictatorship government?" Chiang Kai-shek was angry in his heart, but he was speechless.He entrusted the tough words to Ambassador Hurley.This bullying Yankee lost his patience and was unwilling to wear a mask. He told Zhou Enlai nakedly that there should be no delay in the adjustment of the army staff, and that the army and the administration cannot be discussed together.Regarding the issue of the Liberated Areas, either the unity of the government must be recognized, or the negotiations will break down... Obviously, he is ready to die and survive, somewhat intentionally provoking the Communist Party to turn against him. However, Mao Zedong's attitude was surprisingly calm.His determination is: not to admit, not to break up, the issue is complicated, but still to be discussed.In addition, the CCP also expressed that it could make concessions. Chiang Kai-shek had a lot of troops in his hands, while Mao Zedong had a lot of "democracy" and "freedom."He even suggested that all the vast areas of southern China starting from Hainan Island should be given up, and that the Communist troops could all withdraw to the north of the Yellow River. This trick made Lao Jiang look a little confused at first glance.During the Anti-Japanese War, he always wanted to use force to drive the Communist army to the north of the Yellow River, but he couldn't do it. After the war, it was so easy to achieve at the negotiating table?After careful consideration, his suspicions arose. Isn't this the military "follow the enemy"?If there is something to "give in", there must be something "not to give up". How can there be such a thing as pie in the sky.Obviously, it is even more difficult for the current CCP to give up force, hand over the "liberated areas", and realize the unification of military orders and government orders in the central government!This made Chiang Kai-shek, who had been tense all the time, couldn't hold back any longer, and in a rage he asked Zhang Zhizhong to send a message to Mao Zedong: "If you want to 'peace', then 'peace' according to the conditions of the National Government, if not, ask him (Mao Zedong) to come back Go to Yan'an and bring troops to fight." In the first few days of the Mao-Jiang meeting, the warm greetings and pleasantries were tentative for both sides. After reading the six requirements of the "Central Committee of the Communist Party of China's Declaration on the Current Situation" published by Mao Zedong before his departure, Chiang Kai-shek understood very well. It is completely impossible for the CCP to "surrender".When he saw the CCP's official proposal "Talking Points" on September 3, he couldn't hold back his anger. "Democratization of politics, nationalization of the military" is a good empty principle, and it can be stuffed into what is beneficial to him. content.However, the specific measures proposed under the principles in the CCP's "Key Points" are totally unacceptable!In the diary of that day, Lao Jiang wrote fiercely: Chiang Kai-shek, who was "extremely distressed", while responding to Mao Zedong falsely, issued a secret order to the commanders-in-chief of each theater: The current negotiation with the traitor party is to spy on its requirements and goals, so as to delay the time and ease the international attention, so that the national army can seize the opportunity and quickly recover the central city of the occupied area.After the national army has taken control of all strategic strongholds and lines of communication, and the generals have surrendered completely, they will then conduct specific negotiations with the treacherous party in a favorable and superior military situation.If he can't give in under the principle of the unity of military orders and government orders, he will wipe them out with bandits... Mao Zedong was not angry from the beginning to the end, and was busy meeting various relatives and friends.Of course, chatting about the old days can't help expressing our vigorous feelings.He came alone to the bank of the beautiful Jialing River in the southwest corner of Shangqing Temple in Chongqing, and met the famous democratic revolutionary Zhang Lan in the special garden.Zhang told him sadly: "The Kuomintang has lost the support of the people, and the people of the whole country pin their hopes on you. In the ten years of the Republic of China, Wu Yulao and I promoted local autonomy, trying to get rid of the rule of the warlords so that the people can intervene in political affairs. We failed. I know very well the importance of government and military power to the people. You should persist in what you must persist in order to preserve a piece of pure land for China!" Mao Zedong said with a smile: "What the old cousin said is very true, he is really old-fashioned and seeking the country!" Zhang Lan let out a long sigh: "Where is it? It's just old. However, if it is said that democracy can only be guaranteed by force, it is like saying that unity must be maintained by force. Isn't it chilling!" Mao Zedong smoked a cigarette and didn't answer. He thought of a clever phrase and thought about it secretly. Zhou Enlai was very thoughtful.Only he knew what kind of tension Mao Zedong was under his relaxed appearance. For this reason, he specially arranged a dance for Mao Zedong in Hongyan Village.Although Mao Zedong's "walking with soundtrack" dance steps are always a little absent-minded, once he meets with friends from all walks of life, he can always be seen smiling and reassuring everyone: "Don't worry, the problems left over by decades will be solved in dozens of days. How can it be so easy to negotiate?" Mao Zedong also repeatedly joked with people, saying: "This meeting between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party must be successful. It's like two people falling in love. Let's not talk about the Kuomintang. Is there any hope of success?" Shen Junru, a well-known patriotic democrat, said in Zhejiang dialect: "In my opinion, marriage between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party is not a problem." "Old men and young people, I'm afraid it's hard to get married!" Scholar Hou Wailu expressed doubts. Mao Zedong smiled: "If it doesn't work, you can shave your beard!" It's not easy to shave Lao Jiang's beard.Negotiations that are fake and real are bound to be full of twists and turns.In the meantime, at the critical moment when Lao Jiang was furious and issued the secret order to "suppress bandits", Liu Shaoqi and others in Yan'an were worried. He even sent a telegram to urge Mao Zedong to return, but Mao Zedong ignored him and talked and laughed in front of the media. One of the world's four major news agencies, British Reuters reporter Gambert, once asked Mao Zedong twelve questions in one breath, asking for answers.Mao Zedong took the opportunity to tell Gambert: "I have full confidence in the outcome of the negotiations...I don't believe that the negotiations will break down. In any case, the CCP will adhere to the policy of avoiding civil war." He said: "The CCP is ready to make a Important concessions, including the reduction of the army in the Liberated Areas." Mao Zedong told Westerners openly: "The CCP requires the central government to recognize the democratically elected government and the people's army in the liberated areas. , local democratic reforms in economy and education, these reforms are completely in line with the ideals of the founder of the Kuomintang, Mr. A prosperous and powerful new China." What is the "new China of freedom and democracy" as understood by the CCP?This is a common topic for all foreign journalists. Mao Zedong replied: "It will realize Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People, Lincoln's principles of owning, governing by, and for the people, and Roosevelt's 'Four Freedoms'. This is a concept that is relatively easy for Westerners and Chinese democrats to understand. Although it was nothing more than a program for a bourgeois democratic republic, under the conditions at the time, it was a goal that was possible and most beneficial to the Chinese people, and it did not conflict with the political beliefs that Chiang Kai-shek had repeatedly advertised.” In the final farewell to Chongqing and return to Yan'an ceremony, the poet Mao Zedong gave full play to his emotional advantages.He made impromptu impassioned speeches, and when he talked about impassioned parts, he even raised his arms and shouted like the May Fourth youth, Long live New China! This move made Lao Jiang foolish.Freedom, democracy, the circle is so big, the colors are so gorgeous, he is not Jiang Jieshi, nor is he not.People in the media can't wait for such surprises to happen every day in the world, criticizing, discussing, and speculating in an instant, and all kinds of voices are buzzing, so it's very lively.Generalissimo Chiang was in a very embarrassing situation. Even the American journalist Theodore White, who had no sympathy for communism, commented, "If the Kuomintang government accepts the demand for complete control of the disputed areas, it means that the Communist Party will reorganize every village and town. Handing over to corrupt bureaucrats and local tyrants and evil gentry means the reappearance of exorbitant taxes, usury and tyranny.” People from the democratic parties in Chongqing even scolded the authorities for "a group of dogs fighting for food, making a mess"!Even if the "Ta Kung Pao" is a little scolding and a big help, and wants the CCP to maintain the government, maintain the "national center of national unity", and "don't start a new stove", it also lamented that the Nationalist government "is in the midst of scorching chaos. In twenty days, the hearts of the people in Beijing and Shanghai were almost lost.” The set of performance procedures that Lao Jiang had planned could not continue.He didn't want to pretend anymore, not to mention that the US Marine Corps had already landed in Tianjin.The Ministry once fought bloody battles with the Japanese army in Okinawa, but now, regardless of many particularities, it simply fights side by side with the Japanese and puppet troops and guards the port.At the same time, Du Yuming, Chiang Kai-shek's ace army, surrounded Kunming, once known as the "Fortress of Democracy" without anyone knowing it, besieging the provincial government, and coercing the provincial chairman Long Yun to hand over the military and political power of Yunnan Province, which he had run for many years. These are still "a piece of cake". The most important action is that Lao Jiang set his sights on the Central Plains area where the five provinces of Hubei, Henan, Anhui, Hunan, and Jiangxi meet.Especially in Wuhan and northern Hubei, Chiang Kai-shek wants to turn it into a grave for tens of thousands of "communist bandits".The Kuomintang Army's first, fifth, sixth, ninth, and tenth theaters, with more than 20 divisions of about 300,000 troops, began to move from all directions to the Central Plains Liberated Area.Some arrogant and recalcitrant generals unabashedly said aggressively: "The chairman has nothing to talk to the CCP. Mao and Zhou can't be arrogant!" The well-known leader of the Central Statistics Bureau even threatened: "It is not appropriate to let Mao Zedong and Zhou Enlai return to Yan'an."