Chapter 10 Chapter Ten In Jail, Liao Chengzhi Saved His Life by Carving Wax Plates

After the Shawo Conference, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China made further adjustments to the left and right armies in order to quickly go northward and realize the "Xiatao Battle Plan": the left army was led by the Red Army General Command, and the leaders included Zhu De, Zhang Guotao, Liu Bocheng, etc. , Jurisdiction over the Fifth Army, Ninth Army, Thirty-first Army, Thirty-two Army, Thirty-three Army, and a column of the Military Commission, with Matang and Zhuo Keji as the center.The Right Route Army was led by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China and the former enemy general headquarters. The leaders included Zhou Enlai, Mao Zedong, Luo Fu, and Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao of the former enemy headquarters.Administering the First Army, the Third Army, the Fourth Army, the Thirty Army, the first column of the Military Commission, and the Red Army University, etc., assembled around Maoergai, first occupied Baozuo and Banyou areas, and then advanced to Xiahe.

Zhang Guotao led his troops to Zhuo Keji. As soon as he stayed in a temple, Huang Chao came to report that Zeng Zhongsheng was not convinced that he withheld his letter to the central government. If you have an opinion, ask to see Zhang Guotao, and argue with him. Zhang Guotao was already in a depressed mood. At the Shawo meeting, some of his opinions were not adopted by the central government. On the contrary, they were opposed by Mao Zedong and others.Therefore, he was unwilling to attend the Mao Ergai meeting that was held immediately, and was absent due to illness.Since he could not find any more reasons to oppose the "Xiatao Campaign Plan", he had to reluctantly implement it.I thought to myself, riding a donkey to read the libretto, let’s wait and see, he never gave up his idea of ​​retreat, and did not really support Beishang, the needle.Huang Chao came to report Zeng Zhongsheng's situation at this time, which added a layer of unhappiness to Zhang Guotao's troubles.

Zhang Guotao glanced at Huang Chao standing in front of him, and said with great displeasure: "This Zeng Zhongsheng is getting more and more arrogant. It will be a disaster if he keeps it. One day, if he really sees people from the Central Committee, we will be in trouble." Huang Chao understood and said: "Chairman Zhang, do you mean to get rid of him?" Zhang Guotao lowered his voice and said: "Kill it secretly, leaving no trace." Huang Chao echoed: "This is easy to handle." Zhang Guotao also said: "Killing Zeng Zhongsheng is different from executing Xu Jishen. Now Zhu De, Liu Bocheng and many people from the First Army are by his side, so we can't let them know."

When Zhang Guotao killed Xu Jishen in Baiqueyuan in November 1931, his methods were very cruel.On the bank of the Caojia River in Baiqueyuan, Xu Jishen was tied up by Zhang Guotao, and his thugs were ordered to beat him with a whip, and Xu Jishen was asked to confess his "counter-revolutionary crimes".The staunch Xu Jishen has never admitted that he is a "reorganization faction", "AB regiment", or "third party", and he has never "organized a leading organ" - a counter-revolutionary military committee, and he himself has not been the chairman of this committee. There is no plan to drag the troops to the Yangtze River to "eliminate and disarm, pull the banner of the blue sky and white sun, and surrender to Chiang Kai-shek," and no "secret meeting" has ever been held.

Therefore, Xu Jishen was whipped even more severely.Zhang Guotao felt that whipping was not enough to "relieve hatred", so he shouted: "Tie Xu Jishen to the horse, drag! Drag! Drag this guy to death." So, the horse that once carried Red Army commanders and Red Army generals was dragging a five-flowered horse. The "sinners" who once galloped on the battlefield and frightened the enemy were bleeding on the beach. The war horse that once carried the Red Army commanders and fighters was whipped violently by Zhang Guotao's criminal whip, and had to gallop on the uneven and extremely rough sandy beach.After a while, bloodstains were left on the beach, and Xu Jishen was tortured until he was bloody and dying.By the time the pebbles on the beach were stained red with blood, Xu Jishen had already been dragged to death.Except for Zhang Guotao, who is vicious and merciless, even the "executioners" executed by the Political Security Bureau were so miserable that they wept secretly.

When Zhang Guotao killed Xu Jishen, because he was far away from the central government, he dared to be blatant and arrogant.Now when he and Huang Chao planned to kill Zeng Zhongsheng, he had to use another method because he was afraid that the central government would know and ask him to blame. On a moonlit autumn night, three night walkers were walking in the forest north of Zhuo Keji.Through the off-white moonlight, it can be seen that walking in the middle of the three is Zeng Zhongsheng, a general of the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army.The two people next to him, needless to say, were from the Security Bureau to carry out the "task".Due to the long-term detention, Zeng Zhongsheng was already emaciated and his physical fitness had declined significantly, so he staggered on his feet. In addition, he was walking in the forest at night, and he was even more out of breath.Zeng Zhongsheng became impatient, and asked the Security Bureau personnel beside him angrily:

"Where are you taking me? To this ghost place?" A taller member of the Security Bureau who was escorting Zeng Zhongsheng replied: "Don't you want to see Chairman Zhang?" Another security officer went on to say: "Go to the General Headquarters of the Left Army." Zeng Zhongsheng was suspicious and immediately asked: "Will Zhang Guotao live in this forest?" The tall man replied: "Follow us, you can't go wrong." The autumn wind is cool.Zeng Zhongsheng felt chilly as he walked.The kudzu vines and jingcao in the forest kept tugging at his clothes.He mistakenly believed the words of the Security Bureau personnel, and walked with difficulty.

As Zeng Zhongsheng walked, he thought that when he saw Zhang Guotao this time, he must take off the hats of "Tuo Chen liquidator", "Rightist leader" and so on.Zhang Guotao framed me, Zeng Zhongsheng, and opposed the correct line of the Central Sub-bureau of Hubei, Henan and Anhui from the standpoint of the Three Lines, forming a small organization-style struggle, which encouraged the reorganization faction, the AB group, and the third party.He recalled that in June 1933, after the military conference held by the Fourth Front Army of the Red Army in Mumen, Nanjiang County, Zhang Guotao climbed to the throne of the Chairman of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Committee. up.Therefore, the so-called anti-rightist struggle was carried out in the army and local party organizations, and all the cadres who resisted their wrong leadership at the Xiaohekou meeting were all labeled "rightists" and "anti-party elements", and secretly killed Kuang Jixun, Yu Dushan and others successively. .Liao Chengzhi and others were under house arrest for a long time.

The past is so vivid, Zeng Zhongsheng felt resentful and angry when he thought of it.I thought to myself, when I saw Zhang Guotao this time, I had to ask him to make it clear that even if he was killed, he would not hesitate to do so.This is not simply to clear the grievances for oneself, but also to uphold justice for the comrades who were mistakenly killed by Zhang Guotao and complain about their grievances.I Zeng Zhongsheng was loyal to the revolution, why did I have any anti-party behavior?How could he, Zhang Guotao, cover the sky with one hand and talk nonsense?When I was humiliated in Zeng Zhongsheng, I wrote "Battle Keys to the "Suppression of the Red Army". I heard that you, Zhang Guotao, read it and thought that "this book is very valuable. Every Red Army cadre should hold a copy." It was approved in October 1933. It was officially printed as a separate booklet in July, and distributed to the commanders and fighters of the Red Army under the name of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Committee.Would a real anti-party person write such a book?Not to mention being in an unjust prison!

When Zeng Zhongsheng thought of this, his heart was filled with pain and anger, and he unconsciously quickened his pace. He wanted to see Zhang Guotao as soon as possible, and quickly poured out the words that had been pent up in his heart for a long time.Unexpectedly, he accidentally bumped into a tree stump on the ground, and he staggered and fell on the woodland covered by leaves and branches. The Security Bureau personnel walking behind him hurriedly asked: "What's the matter?" He pulled Zeng Zhongsheng up with his hands. The taller member of the Security Bureau walking a little ahead said impatiently to his partner behind:

"Brother, it's almost there, and my foot is also weakening." The person behind replied: "It's up to you, it's almost the same as you say." Zeng Zhongsheng got up from the woodland, but he hadn't got a firm footing, and he hadn't understood the black words spoken to his escort, and then suddenly a black rope flew out, wrapping around his neck tightly, before he had time to ask Asking what it was for, he yelled "Ouch" in pain.A scream ended the life of a Red Army general with outstanding military exploits in the silent and dark forest. Zhang Guotao said to Huang Chao after listening to the report of the Security Bureau personnel who carried out the "task": "Propaganda in the army, saying that Zeng Zhongsheng colluded with the enemy, fell into the river and drowned." Zhang Guotao then asked Huang Chao: "How is Liao Chengzhi recently?" Huang Chao replied: "Liao Chengzhi is still relatively honest, carving wax tablets all day long." Zhang Guotao nodded and said "OK!" Liao Chengzhi was sent to the Sichuan-Shaanxi Revolutionary Base in the autumn of 1933, and began to serve as a member of the Standing Committee of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Propaganda Director of the Sichuan-Shaanxi Provincial Federation of Trade Unions.At the beginning of the following year, he served as Secretary-General of the Political Department of the Fourth Front Army.Because he opposed Zhang Guotao's mistake, he was dismissed from his post, detained and lost his freedom. The 26-year-old Liao Chengzhi studied in Japan at the age of 17 and graduated from Waseda University in Japan. After being introduced by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, he was transferred to Germany to study at the University of Hamburg.Needless to say, he is a veritable great intellectual, and his handwriting is very good.In addition, his mother, He Xiangning, was a master of traditional Chinese painting. When he was young, Liao Chengzhi watched his mother paint at her knees.For Liao Chengzhi, calligraphy and painting are not proficient and cannot be called masters, but they came in handy during the days when he was imprisoned by Zhang Guotao.Although he is less than 30 years old, he has already learned a wealth of fighting experience.Because he joined the Communist Party of China when he was 20 years old.Before joining the party in 1925, when he was still a 17-year-old teenager, he participated in the "May 30th Movement" in Guangzhou and launched a strike by Lingnan University workers.His precocity should be said to be the influence of his father, Liao Zhongkai, and his mother, He Xiangning, the leftist leader of the Kuomintang.During his study in Japan, he participated in the activities of the Japanese Social Science Research Association and the Anti-Japanese League. He was arrested three times and was deported back to China by the Japanese government.The party sent him to work in the Propaganda Department of the Shanghai Fanan District Committee of the Communist Party of China and the Revolutionary Freemasonry. In the winter of 1928, when he was 20 years old, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent him to Germany again, where he became a member of the German Communist Party.Participated in the anti-imperialist alliance of German students and the work of the Chinese language branch.In the following year, Zhai Qiubai, head of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China, was sent to Hamburg to do labor movement work among Chinese seamen. He went to the Netherlands, Belgium and other countries to carry out propaganda and organization activities among Chinese seamen. In 1930, he led the establishment of the "Western European Chinese Seamen's Union Branch" in the Netherlands, and later served as the secretary of the Hamburg Seamen's Club, leading the Chinese seamen to strike and win.A young man in his early 20s who is full of vigor and high spirits, under the leadership of the party, devoted himself to revolutionary activities in foreign lands, and unexpectedly became very popular, and was once again "courtesy" of being deported by the German government authorities.Liao Chengzhi returned to the motherland, and the party sent him to Moscow, Soviet Union to participate in the Fifth Congress of the Red Workers International. In the winter of 1931, he returned to Shanghai and served as the Propaganda Minister of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions and a member of the Communist Party League at the beginning of the following year.Later, he took over as Secretary of the Communist Party Committee of the National Seafarers' Union and Standing Committee Member of the All-China Federation of Trade Unions, and participated in leading the seafarers' movement under the white terror. In the spring of 1933, he was arrested as a traitor and was later rescued from prison.In the autumn of the same year, he came to the Sichuan-Shanxi Revolutionary Base. From the resume above, it can be seen that the young Liao Chengzhi followed the revolutionary footsteps of his fathers, whether in the Japanese island country in the Far East, a foreign country in Europe, or a prosperous city in China, leaving footprints of fighting.They were deported again and again, and kicked out from the land of other countries time and time again.The invisible hail of bullets made him stronger and more mature.So that when he came to Zhang Guotao.When he was persecuted by Zhang Guotao for no reason, he had to learn another art of struggle, how to deal with Zhang Guotao, and how to survive without being killed. Once he was free, he could work better for the party . When Liao Chengzhi was fighting against Zhang Guotao, he made full use of his calligraphy and painting expertise on this special battlefield where he was imprisoned. Zhang Guotao discovered by chance that Liao Chengzhi's paintings were very good.It was one afternoon not long after Liao Chengzhi was detained, Zhang Guotao pretended to be concerned and came to the upstairs where Liao Chengzhi was detained, and found that Liao Chengzhi was drawing with a pencil.So he said with a smile on his face: "Liao Chengzhi, you will come here again." Liao Chengzhi stopped the pencil in his hand and replied: "When I was a teenager, I often watched my mother paint, so I started to doodle, learning from my mother to draw. Later, I got my mother's guidance, so my hobby grew stronger." Zhang Guotao took a look at the pencil drawing made by Liao Chengzhi, and saw that the Red Army was promoting to the "dry people" (poor people) in northern Sichuan: a Red Army man wearing a military cap stood on a bench under a tree and spoke, surrounded by a group of people fighting The barefoot "dry people" were dressed in rags, some with no clothes covering their bodies.The ancestral hall next to the tree is engraved with two slogans of the Red Army: "Fight the local tyrants, divide the fields!" "Redify the whole Sichuan!" Zhang Guotao smiled: "It's a good painting! In the future, I will draw more paintings to publicize to the public." Liao Chengzhi said: "I'm bored and have nothing to do, so I paint for fun." Zhang Guotao expressed concern and said: "While thinking about your mistakes behind closed doors, you can recognize your mistakes, and at the same time draw some pictures to promote the Red Army and make up for your mistakes. Isn't it great." Liao Chengzhi shook his head and said: "The things I draw, if I am a little careless, I am afraid that you will think them as evidence of anti-Party crimes. I can't bear the crime, and I dare not show them to others." Zhang Guotao replied: "It doesn't matter, this and your mistake are two different things, don't confuse them." Liao Chengzhi smiled wryly: "My mistake, what was my mistake? Hey——" I wanted to continue, but stopped. Zhang Guotao said: "Anyway, your history is not clear. Your father is a prominent figure in the Kuomintang. You have to explain your relationship with the Kuomintang. In the spring of the year before last, you were arrested and imprisoned by the Kuomintang. How did you get out? Did you betray your revolutionary comrades? All these things are said Are you clear? After you came to the Sichuan-Shanxi Soviet Area, you made some 'anti-Party' remarks. You have made many mistakes and have many problems." Liao Chengzhi answered Zhang Guotao with pent-up anger: "The Party Central Committee knows best about my ten years of revolutionary experience. I have not concealed anything from the organization. I have never done anything wrong to the Party." Zhang Guotao said impatiently: "Okay, let's not talk about this, anyway, you have a problem, you made a serious mistake." Then he picked up a stack of drawings on the table to admire. Zhang Guotao saw that each of Liao Chengzhi's drawings had one or several lines of words in the title or signature, explaining the time and place of painting, and some improvised a few sentences to point out the content and meaning of the painting.Zhang Guotao praised: "Your handwriting is good, and some poems are also good. There is a shortage of people to write textbooks for the Red Army and party members. You might as well do something for the Political Department to atone for your sins." Liao Chengzhi smiled: "I can carve wax tablets. I learned it when I was a seaman a few years ago." In this way, Liao Chengzhi, a prisoner detained by Zhang Guotao, began to carve wax boards on the small building of the detention all day long, engraving party textbooks and Red Army textbooks, and at the same time drawing stippling for the Red Army.Zhang Guotao saw that Liao Chengzhi was useful, so he did not harm him, and Liao Chengzhi relied on the pen and paintbrush that engraved the wax board to save his life, otherwise he would be the same as Xu Jishen, Zeng Zhongsheng and others. suffered a very tragic fate. This is another strange event in the history of the Chinese Communist Party.A "criminal" of the Communist Party, during the days of his detention, wrote party textbooks for the members of the Communist Party of China to read.Zhang Guotao, who was so "left" at the time, lost his vigilance again?Isn't he afraid that Liao Chengzhi will poison the textbooks he wrote? Liao Chengzhi survived by relying on the two pens in his hand, he was secretly thankful.So he fell in love with these two pen holders that he rubbed day and night.I thought, not because of their protection, I might go to see Marx one day.He knew Zhang Guotao's cruelty and inhumanity.It is well known that Xu Jishen was dragged to death by a horse in Baique Garden.But Liao Chengzhi didn't know that Zeng Zhongsheng was strangled to death with a rope by Zhang Guotao in the forest north of Zhuo Keji.If he knew at that time, he would definitely be terrified and furious!At the same time, double your vigilance against Zhang Guotao! When Liao Chengzhi was detained by Zhang Guotao, one day he passed by a Tibetan lama temple, and he bought a few sticks of incense and a few candles with the few money he had in his pocket.But he didn't go into the Lama Temple to offer incense, but hurried past the temple gate.The Security Bureau personnel who guarded him asked him why he bought joss sticks.Liao Chengzhi replied lightly: "Save it for later." The young, inexperienced Security Bureau personnel, of course, did not know Liao Chengzhi's good intentions, and a big question mark hung on his face.It was inconvenient for him to ask more questions, after all, Liao Chengzhi hadn't done anything bad.So he had to follow behind Liao Chengzhi, and walked silently towards the small building where Liao Chengzhi had no freedom. Liao Chengzhi's preoccupation, how can this little red ghost guess! It turned out that on the day Liao Chengzhi flew out of the prison, he would put the pen for engraving the wax board and the paintbrush for painting, together with the painting utensils, in front of him, and then light incense and candles for sacrifice. He also wanted to kowtow devoutly, Thank them for their protection. Liao Chengzhi was deeply looking forward to this day. After untold hardships, the Right Route Army finally crossed the vast grassland and returned to the human world from the world of death.The troops entered the semi-agricultural and semi-pastoral areas of Brazil, Assi, and Banyou.The Central Team and the Military Commission of the Right Route Army were stationed in Asi.Xu Xiangqian, Chen Changhao, and Ye Jianying led the former enemy headquarters to Brazil.The distance between the two places is about forty or fifty miles. More than 100 miles away from Brazil and Banyou, the upper and lower package seats are the only places leading to Gannan.Hu Zongnan stood guard there.The upper and lower Baozuo are tens of miles apart, and the Baozuo River runs through it, with high mountains and dangerous roads, dense forests.Defending the enemy built blockhouses and forts based on this dangerous pass, Hu Zongnan hurriedly dispatched Wu Chengren's 49th Division stationed in Zhangla, and rushed to gather seats at night in an attempt to choke the Red Army's northward advance. Before Hu Zongnan's reinforcements arrived, it was an urgent task for the right-hand army to occupy the reserved seats and dispatch troops to Gannan.If this opportunity is lost, the Red Army is in danger of being forced to retreat to the grass.Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao asked the Party Central Committee for instructions, suggesting that the 30th Army and the Fourth Army of the Fourth Front Army should undertake the task of capturing the seats.It is necessary to make a quick decision before the arrival of enemy reinforcements, and then concentrate our forces to fight for reinforcements.The specific deployment is that the 264th Regiment of the 89th Division of the 30th Army attacked the Dajie Temple in the south of Baozuo; the two regiments of the 88th Division and the other two regiments of the 89th Division were located in the northwest area of ​​Baozuo. ; A part of the Fourth Army attacked Qiuji Temple north of Baozuo to defend the enemy.The First Army serves as a reserve force, assembled in Brazil and the Banyou area on standby, and is responsible for protecting the security of the Party Central Committee.Xu Xiangqian's command post is located on a hill between the upper and lower seats. At the end of August, the 264th Regiment launched an attack on the first battalion of Dajie Temple to defend the enemy. They fought fiercely overnight and wiped out two enemy companies. On the night of the 30th, the vanguard of the 49th Division to aid the enemy arrived at the south of Dajie Temple.In order to lure all the reinforcements into the Red Army's ambush circle, the 264th Regiment resisted for a while and was ordered to withdraw to the northeast of Dajie Temple.It was night, and the enemy entered Dajie Temple.The next day, Wu Chengren, the commander of the enemy division, led his division to the south of Dajie Temple and ordered the troops of the three regiments to attack along the east and west banks of the Baozuo River in an attempt to suppress the Red Army and gather and annihilate them near Shangxiabaozuo.At 3 o'clock in the afternoon that day, the Red Army ordered a counterattack.The commanders and fighters of the 88th and 89th divisions who were ambushing in the mountains and forests wedged themselves between the 3 enemy regiments in one fell swoop, cut the enemy into 3 pieces, fought fiercely until late, and wiped out most of the enemy's 49th division. At the same time, a part of the Fourth Army also launched a fierce attack on the two battalions of Qiuji Temple.More than one battalion of the enemy was quickly wiped out, and the remnants of the enemy continued to hold on to the danger.Xu Xiangqian came to the front of Qiuji Temple to direct.Because the courtyard wall of the temple was high and thick, and the enemy built solid fortifications on the mountain behind the temple, controlling the commanding heights, it was very difficult to attack. The Red Army fought extremely hard, and Wang Yougou, the commander of the Tenth Division, died heroically. In the Battle of Baozuo, the Thirty Army fought bravely and tenaciously, with brilliant results.In this service, more than 40 people below the enemy division commander Wu Chengren were killed and wounded, more than 800 enemies were captured, more than 1,500 long and short guns, more than 50 light machine guns, 1 radio station, and a lot of food, yaks, and horses were captured. A path to victory was opened. However, Zhang Guotao said that since the Shawo Conference reluctantly accepted the strategic policy of going north, he led the left army across the grassland and marched northward. Because the central government knew that he was not determined to go north, and feared that something would happen midway, the Political Bureau of the Central Committee was marching hard on the grassland. On August 24, he was informed by telegram of the supplementary decision on the current strategic policy made at the Maoergai meeting, and he was firm in his thinking of going north.Telegram says: After our army arrived in Gannan, we should quickly go out to the east bank of the Tao River with the main force and occupy Minzhou and the Shuician area.Break the enemy's blockade plan of Lanzhou and Songpan; and attack eastward in a planned way based on the Taohe area in the center of Minzhou and Gansu, so as to obtain the vast areas of Gansu and Shanxi provinces, which will become a strong base for the Chinese Soviet movement.This policy is determined by taking into account various political, military, economic, and popular conditions, and it is currently our subjective force that can implement it. In response to Zhang Guotao's westward thinking, the telegram also pointed out: If we use the main force to move west of the Tao River, if the enemy blockades along the Tao River, we will be forced to move west of the Yellow River, and then the enemy blockades us along the east bank of the Yellow River, and we will be at a relatively disadvantageous position in terms of terrain, economy, and living conditions. The telegram finally stated clearly: At present, the right army should be ordered to seize Hadapu quickly with all its strength, control the area between Xigu and Minzhou, and seize Minzhou as the top priority.The left army quickly left Mowa and Banyou, left the left bank of the Tao River, and then marched eastward side by side.It is absolutely inappropriate to use the right road to highlight the black wrong and the old city, so as to lose the advantage of the first opportunity. At the same time, Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao, as Zhang Guotao's old subordinates, old relations, and old friends, also called Zhang Guotao to urge the left army to move closer to the right army so that the two groups could concentrate on advancing towards Xiahe, Taohe, and Minzhou.Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao said in the telegram: The main force is united and then divided. It is a big taboo for military strategists, and the future is at stake. Hope for a decision to be repeated, and hesitate to miss the major events of the Chinese revolution. During the battle where Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao commanded the 30th Army of the Right Route Army to attack Baozuo, Chen Changhao, concerned about the future of the Red Army, called Zhang Guotao again, urging, "The Left Route Army should move to this direction soon, otherwise the road ahead It must be blocked by the enemy." The right-hand army occupied Baozuo, and the army headed north.However, there was no movement on the side of the left army.The right army waited left and right to wait for the left army to come to meet up, but in the end they didn't arrive. The Party Central Committee was very anxious.Mao Zedong sent people to inform Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao to the place where he was staying, and said to them: "Changhao, forward, the seat is occupied by our army, and the northward advance is invincible. Can you do the work of General Political Commissar Zhang and urge him to bring the left army to come quickly." Xu Xiangqian said: "If the left army has difficulty crossing the grassland, we can send a regiment with horses, yaks, and food to meet them." Mao Zedong asked Chen Changhao: "What do you mean?" Chen Changhao replied: "Order the 31st Regiment of the Fourth Army to prepare food and be on standby for dispatch." Mao Zedong immediately stated: "This is a good way. Once a telegram is sent to remind, the second army will pick it up. That's how it will be done." Mao Zedong thought for a moment, drew a telegram with a pencil on the letterhead of the Military Commission, and handed it to Xu and Chen: "Look, is it so?" Both Xu and Chen expressed no opinion after reading it.Mao Zedong then added the names of Changhao, Qianqian, and Mao Zedong at the end of the telegram. The telegram drafted by Mao Zedong pointed out: The main force of the enemy Xue Yue is still on the front lines of Pingwu, Guangyuan, and Zhaohua, and the Wu column is being transferred due to the victory of the Second and Sixth Army Corps; After Xue Yue went to Songpan and Nanping to take over the defense, he concentrated on advancing; only one of Yu Xuezhong set up defenses in Liangdang and Huixian counties; at present, although there are Tang Weiyuan's 12 divisions in Wenxian, Wudu, Xigu, and Minzhou , the Fourteenth Division of Lu Dachang, but the blockhouse was not completed, and there were relatively few gaps.It is only a six-day journey from Xiabaozuo to Minzhou, and the road is large, there are many houses, and there is enough food.The right-hand army must advance with the main force, with the first and third armies controlling the Luoda area, the fourth and thirty armies mainly controlling the Baigusi area, and part of it controlling Baozuo.In this way, the two parallel eastward routes are controlled by our army, and we can fight Hu Zongnan with confidence at any time.After the left army arrives, divide the two detachments into Nanping and Wenxian to feign an attack and threaten the enemy, and concentrate the main force to fight from Wudu, Xigu, and Minzhou, and we will surely win a great victory. Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai, Luo Fu, Chen Changhao, Xu Xiangqian and others kept urging Zhang Guotao to go north.During this period of time, due to the rush of feathers and books, and the frequent reminders of letters and telegrams, Zhang Guotao had to express something. On August 30, he sent a telegram to the second column of the Left Route Army located in Zhuo Keji and Malkang to concentrate on the north and prepare to move closer to the Right Route Army.At the same time, he personally led the first column to move to Banyou. However, Zhang Guotao was still unwilling to give up the westward policy, and even more disagreed with the decision of the Party Central Committee to concentrate the two armies on the northward march and create the Sichuan-Shaanxi-Gansu Soviet Area. As early as mid-August, Mao Zedong and others telegraphed Zhang Guotao that the main force of the Red Army should not go deep into the Aba area, but Zhang Guotao ignored it.After the left army occupied Aba all the way, Zhang Guotao ordered the newly established Chuankang Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China to take Aba as the center and vigorously carry out work to strive for "red grassland" and make Aba a new Part of the Soviet District.At the same time, a part of the first column was ordered to explore north of the Yellow River.Guided by the Aba Gedi Temple monk Luo Che'er brothers, the Ministry traveled from Upper Aba over the mountain along the Jieke River and occupied Qihama on the east bank of the Yellow River.Due to the lack of crossing equipment and the armed resistance of the "Nanfan" herdsman Tang Longguwa on the north bank of the Yellow River, the Red Army failed to find the crossing point. After several days in Qihama, they had to return to Aba along the way. Stopping and walking, hesitating and hesitating, Zhang Guotao led the left army to march towards Banyou. On the third day after leaving Shujin Temple, it rained heavily and the Kaqu River suddenly flooded. Zhang Guotao stood by the river and watched the rolling yellow water straight down. Sigh: "How can we survive such a large amount of water?" Liu Bocheng, standing beside Zhang Guotao, said: "Some people and I have personally tried it. Although the river is swollen, the river is wide in some places and the water is not deep. There is no big problem for the troops to cross the river. Even if they cannot cross the river temporarily, stop for a few days and wait for the water to recede. ferry." Zhang Guotao looked into the distance with his hands on his waist and said unhappily: "Forget it, forget it, let's turn around and go back to the Brushing Gold Temple. We have no choice but to go south." A heavy rain helped Zhang Guotao and strengthened his idea of ​​going south. Maybe Zhang Guotao was secretly grateful for the sudden heavy rain in his heart. Standing side by side with Liu Bocheng, Zhu De looked at Zhang Guotao solemnly, looked at the endlessly flowing river and said: "Going north was decided after several discussions by the central government. Now that the right army has passed the grassland, how can we regret it?" Zhang Guotao said disapprovingly: "The situation has changed. We can't cross the river. Is it our fault?" Zhu De insisted: "Think of a way, it's still passable, the right army is waiting for us." Zhang Guotao said: "It doesn't matter, I'll send a telegram to Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao to explain the situation." Zhu De and Liu Bocheng looked at each other, their eyes met with doubts and uneasiness, and they did not express their views.Because Zhang Guotao is the general political commissar of the Red Army, he has the power to make decisions on such major military operations. On the same day, Zhang Guotao led his troops back to the west, and immediately called Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao and transferred to the central government: Reconnaissance of the upper reaches of the Kachu River for 70 miles, and it is impossible to wade or build bridges in vain. The grain of each department can be eaten for three days, and the twenty-five division only has two days. The radio station has run out of food. , The result is so painful, it is decided to rush back to Aba in three days tomorrow morning.The last time Mao Ergai ran out of food, the troops suffered a lot;If we go further north, not only will the opportunity be lost, but there will be more obstacles. Mao Zedong shook his head when he received a call from Zhang Guotao, and said to himself that Zhang Guotao did not even agree with the policy of going north, but actually wanted to go south. In fact, Zhang Guotao's fabricated reasons cannot be established.Mao Zedong knew that the Fourth Front Army had a shipbuilding team of more than 100 people who made great achievements when crossing the Jialing River to the west. Even if the Kaqu River was flooded and it was impossible to ford and build bridges, this shipbuilding team could also use local materials to build a simple river crossing. tool.The so-called lack of food is also an excuse.Because the places in Aba have more food than the Maoergai area, Zhang Guotao also said in the call.The right army set out from Maoergai, and each of them only brought fried green trees for two or three days. They finally crossed the grassland and overcame all the difficulties. Less than the right army.Why can't we cross the grass?What's more, the right army had to bring food to meet the left army.Zhang Guotao is clearly unwilling to go north, how can these two reasons be justified?It's nothing more than looking for excuses.This is the conclusion Mao Zedong reached after receiving a telegram from Zhang Guotao. Mao Zedong held Zhang Guotao's telegram to discuss with Luo Fu, Zhou Enlai, Bogu, and Wang Jiaxiang one by one. Everyone was very anxious, because after opening the seats, if they didn't seize the opportunity and quickly marched northward, it would be troublesome for the enemy to rush northward.Opportunities are not waiting for others, and everyone agrees that the first army in the right army will continue to take advantage of the victory and go north. At the same time, they will call Zhang Guotao to come to Brazil for a meeting. The central government will continue to wait for the arrival of the left army in Brazil.So the former enemy headquarters in the right army ordered the first army and one division to be the vanguard, and marched towards the Russian border in the Diebu area of ​​southern Gansu.However, the enemy's troops on the front lines of Wenxian, Wudu, Xigu, and Minzhou were not many, and they had not built blockhouses, so it was difficult to stop the Red Army's assault. The right army waited for a long time for the left army to arrive, and Chen Changhao was also very anxious. He was not only a newly added member of the Political Bureau of the Central Committee, but also a political commissar of the former enemy headquarters. It can be said that both the party and the army hold important positions. In the same way, we all hope that Zhang Guotao will lead the Left Route Army across the grassland to the north as soon as possible, because this is not a matter of Zhang Guotao alone, but a big issue related to the overall situation and the fate of the Left Route Army.So he ran to the central station all day long, asking the Party Central Committee for instructions on how to make Zhang Guotao turn around, how to persuade Zhang Guotao to go north quickly, and seek a proper solution to the problem. Mao Zedong, Luo Fu, Zhou Enlai and others discussed with Chen Changhao several times, and finally worked out a telegram asking Zhang Guotao for instructions in the name of Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao, the former enemy headquarters: When studying the content of this telegram, Mao Zedong, Luo Fu, Zhou Enlai, and Bogu really used their brains and thought a lot, so the wording is extremely elegant.The telegram has five meanings, but in the end, it is hoped that Zhang Guotao will lead the right army to go north as soon as possible. The first meaning of the telegram emphasized that because the first army had opened up the seats, the passage to the north had been cleared, which created favorable conditions for the Red Army to attack Manzhou and Nanping to the north. Should the Russian border march in the south continue to advance to Luoda in southern Gansu, let the three armies follow up, and seize the opportunity to go north to destroy the enemy.If you hesitate to make a decision, you will miss the opportunity to fight, which is distressing!But whether you can do this, please instruct Zhang Guotao, because he is the general political commissar of the Red Army.The words are sincere, the attitude is sincere, and a red heart that hopes the troops will go north seems to be beating between the lines of the telegram. "Fei Shi, it's heartbreaking to extend it again?" How urgent!The heart of fist and fist is beyond words. The second meaning of the telegram is to show that the central government respects Zhang Guotao's insistence on going south. "The Central Political Bureau is considering whether to go south." Mao Zedong and Luo Fu believed that as long as it was beneficial to go south, they could exchange opinions.In fact, these words have already denied the idea of ​​going south, because in the past several meetings Zhang Guotao attended, most comrades in the Political Bureau of the Central Committee analyzed the pros and cons of going north, going west, or going south, and almost all agreed that only going north There is a way out.The so-called exchange of opinions is nothing but a buffer, a disguised way of trying to get Zhang Guotao to change his attitude.Mao Zedong and Luo Fu, two figures who held important positions in the party and the army, had no choice but to use this gesture to express their willingness to use democratic consultation with Zhang Guotao to resolve disputes within the army.Because Mao Zedong and Luo Fu knew that Zhang Guotao had a bad impression of them, and they should not "show their sharpness", which made Zhang Guotao even more disgusted. In this extraordinary period, unity is above all else.A strategy of patience is essential. The third meaning of the telegram is to carry Zhou Enlai out.It is said that Zhou Enlai insisted on advancing northward: "If Zhou Yi moves northward, there will be a way out."Zhou Enlai had always had a high status in the party and the military, and was one of the five members of the Politburo Standing Committee elected by the Sixth National Congress of the Communist Party of China.Zhang Guotao once said that in the First and Fourth Fronts, only he and Zhou Enlai were members of the Politburo elected by the Sixth National Congress, and the others were added at subsequent meetings.Bring out Zhou Enlai, an influential figure, to see if he can "squeeze" Zhang Guotao. The fourth meaning, in the tone of Xu Xiangqian and Chen Changhao, said that unity is important, that they are unwilling to disperse the main force, and that the left and right armies should advance side by side, and straightforwardly analyze the current strategic direction. What is the best policy?What is the worst policy?Only friends who have followed Zhang Guotao for a long time can so clearly advise Zhang Guotao to go north, because Zhang Guotao will not suspect that they have any bad motives.Is it easy to accept Kitakami's proposition? The fifth meaning of the telegram is to explain that only when there is a last resort, the worst policy is implemented, that is, the right army goes south and joins the left army.But the writing changed immediately, "If you can take advantage of the enemy's northward transfer, it is still the best policy to take Songpan and Nanping." It seems that Mao Zedong and others also took great pains when drafting a telegram with Zhang Guotao on the issue of going north or going south.