Chapter 30 Two commanders meet at Jinggang

After Zhu De led the First Division of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army to leave Leiyang County, it went straight from Guanyin Pavilion to Anren. The enemy troops along the way were intimidated by Zhu De's reputation and collapsed without a fight. Anren County Magistrate Zhou Yifeng also fled the city. On April 1, Zhu De's troops occupied Anren City.After a short rest, the troops made a detour to Chaling Hukouwei, and arrived at Miandu, Ling County on April 20.Tang Tianji, chairman of the Anren County Workers, Peasants, and Soldiers Soviet Government, followed Zhu De's instructions. After completing the task of guarding against the enemy who was chasing after him, he also led the Anren County party and government cadres and peasant troops to withdraw from the county seat. defeated Zhu De's troops.

After the Third Division of the Yizhang Agricultural Army and the Seventh Division of the Chenxian Agricultural Army led by Chen Yi withdrew from Chenzhou to the east, they severely damaged a regiment of Fan Shisheng's department and the Yizhang County Kuang Jingming security team who had come to chase after them in Zheling. Arrive at Zixing on the 8th.On the same day, Huang Kecheng led more than 1,000 Yongxing agricultural troops, Liu Tai and others led more than 700 Leiyang agricultural troops, and Huang Yizao and Li Qizhong led more than 1,600 Zixing agricultural troops. They also rushed to Zixing to assemble.Before the assembled troops withdrew from Zixing County, a regiment of the Second Division of the 13th Army of the enemy chased after them. There was a fierce battle between the two sides, and the peasant army suffered heavy casualties.At this moment, the Second Regiment of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army led by He Changgong and Yuan Wencai rushed here to support the battle, and the enemy dared not continue to pursue them.After the two armies met, they continued to move eastward.This huge army of peasants, including white-haired old men, small-footed old women, women with children and children, and some even the whole family followed.The marching speed is very slow, sometimes only twenty or thirty miles a day.However, under the careful organization of Chen Yi, He Changgong and others, people always maintained a high fighting spirit and confidence in winning. On April 22, he finally arrived at Miandu, Ling County, and joined the main force led by Zhu De.

In a private house on Miandu Street, Chen Yi, He Changgong, Yuan Wencai, and responsible comrades from several county committees in southern Hunan met with Zhu De.Zhu De was very happy. His wish to evacuate from southern Hunan and move to Jinggangshan was finally realized. In order to prepare for the reunion of the two armies, on April 24, He Changgong and Yuan Wencai led the Second Regiment of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army to leave Miandu and return to Ninggang Long City first.With the close cooperation of the Ninggang County Party Committee, they mobilized the masses in Long City and Gucheng area, and raised enough grain to feed 20,000 people for half a month.Families around Long City vacated their houses, cleaned them up, and prepared to welcome the victory of the Nanchang Uprising and the Shonan Uprising troops.

After Mao Zedong led his troops to join the Yizhang Independent Camp in Zixing Longxi Cave, they headed towards Jinggangshan.At this time, he learned that Zhu De and Chen Yi had led the rest of the Nanchang Uprising troops and more than 10,000 people from the Hunan Agricultural Army to retreat to Ling County. He was very happy and hurriedly led his troops to Ling County. However, at this time, it was discovered that the Zhang Jingxi Regiment of Cheng Zerun's Division of Wu Shang's Eighth Army of the Hunan enemy and Luo Ding's Chayou Household Regiment had chased Ling County, and they had to resist the enemy outside the Ninggang Gate. Mao Zedong immediately issued a blocking order .

A regiment of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army quickly rushed to Lingxian County.Due to the quick action of the first regiment, when the enemy arrived at the county seat of Lingxian County, our army had successively occupied Xiangshan Temple, Longwang Temple, Kamakai and other highlands.Mao Zedong and Zhang Ziqing commanded the battle on the hill north of Jielong Bridge.The battle lasted from noon to night, repelling more than a dozen enemy charges.The enemy had to retreat in the direction of Chaling. The officers and soldiers who had won the battle happily surrounded Mao Zedong and asked him to speak.

Mao Zedong said with a smile: "Comrades, this time we have been from Jiangxi to Hunan for a month, and we have been fighting almost every day. It is very hard! Everyone has turned into iron crutches. Now we will return to Jiangxi soon. Someone He said that in the past, we fought small battles, and didn’t fight big ones, so it wasn’t enough. The guns were also paid, but not much, and only a small fortune was made. Comrades all hope to pay more guns and make a fortune. I It seems that as long as we join forces with Zhu De and Chen Yi, there will be many such opportunities in the future. At present, Zhu De and Chen Yi's troops have reached the Miandu area of ​​Lingxian County and are moving to Ninggang. But the enemy refused to agree and launched two routes The army chased them, trying to wipe them out halfway, and then turn around and eat us. Therefore, we beat him well in Lingxian County, blocked them west of Lingxian County, and relieved Zhu De and Chen Yi's troops from any worries. "

After listening to Mao Zedong's words, the morale of the officers and soldiers rose even higher. As soon as the blocking battle in Ling County was over, Mao Zedong led the first regiment to quickly march towards Long City, Ninggang, the base camp of the Jinggangshan base. On the 26th, Zhu De and Chen Yi led a part of the troops directly under them to Long City, Ninggang. On the 28th, more than 8,000 people from Zhu and Chen's main forces and the Hunan Agricultural Army entered Longshi. On the same day, the First Regiment of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army led by Mao Zedong also returned to Longshi.

The quiet mountain town was suddenly bustling. Hearing that Zhu De's troops arrived in Long City two days ago, Mao Zedong put down his luggage at Liu Desheng's pharmacy where he lived, and hurriedly led He Tingying and Wan Xixian to Longjiang Academy where Zhu De and Chen Yi stayed. Under the introduction of He Changgong, the two great men met in Wenxing Pavilion of Longjiang Academy. On this day, Mao Zedong, contrary to his usual image of being unkempt and never willing to carry a gun, wore a set of newly sewn gray clothes, put on leggings that he had never worn before, put on an octagonal hat without a five-pointed star, and wore a Barge shell gun.It is said that this was the first and only time in Mao Zedong's life that he carried a gun.

He Changgong saw Zhu De and others waiting outside the door from a distance, so he said to Mao Zedong: "The one standing in the front is Comrade Zhu De, and the one on the left is Comrade Chen Yi." Mao Zedong nodded and waved to them with a smile. When he reached the gate of the academy, Zhu De took a few steps ahead, and Mao Zedong also quickened his pace, extending his hand early.Soon, the hands of the two giants who will change China's destiny are tightly held together.They all shook each other's arms vigorously, so passionately, so affectionately! The meeting between Zhu and Mao is a meeting of great historical significance.At this time, Zhu De was 41 years old and Mao Zedong was 35 years old.

From then on, the careers of the two were closely linked, and for 22 years, they merged their surnames into one word - Zhu Mao, which became a symbol of the Chinese revolutionary army and even the entire revolutionary force. .Even in the "Cultural Revolution" 40 years later, when Mao Zedong talked about Zhu De to the Red Guards, he still said with emotion: "Zhu Mao, Zhu Mao, without Zhu, how can there be Mao? Zhu Mao is connected together. Zhu De is our good commander, the red commander, not the black commander." The American female writer Smedley described this historic meeting in this way: "The two main streams of the Land Revolution converged. This meeting was one of the most important events in Chinese history... The whole lives of these two people were completely integrated. become one flesh, like two arms of one body."

Mao Zedong and 27-year-old Chen Yi also shook hands tightly. This handshake is of decisive significance to Chen Yi's future life, because he met Mao Zedong and was recognized by Mao Zedong's eyes.Only 10 days after the two armies joined forces, Mao Zedong greatly appreciated Chen Yi's proposal to solve the problem of disunity between the two armies by exchanging cadres. Later, in a letter to Chen Yi, he said, "We hate each other late, we comfort each other for the rest of our lives, and hope to meet discuss matters". After Mao Zedong learned that the troops led by Zhu De were still intact, he was very happy, and said in a congratulatory tone: "This time, the enemies in Hunan and Jiangxi provinces did not catch you!" Zhu De immediately said gratefully: "We moved quickly, and it all depends on your cover." After shaking hands with each other, Mao Zedong and Zhu De led their respective subordinates into Longjiang Academy and climbed to Wenxing Pavilion on the third floor. The subordinates of both sides who participated in this historic meeting included Zhang Ziqing, Cai Xiemin, He Tingying, Wang Erzhuo, Wu Zhonghao, Hu Shaohai, Gong Chu, He Changgong, Yuan Wencai, Zhu Yunqing, and Wang Zuo.