After Ye Ting**, why did he have a secret meeting with Zhou Gong become a historical mystery?
In the history of the Anti-Japanese War of the New Fourth Army, Ye Ting was a controversial figure. He had a fierce conflict with Deputy Army Commander Xiang Ying over identity issues.
In order to resolve the contradiction between Ye and Xiang, Zhou Gong personally went to the military headquarters of the New Fourth Army in southern Anhui to convey instructions from Yan'an, emphasizing that Xiang Ying, secretary of the Southeast Bureau, should respect Ye Ting's opinion and ensure that he gets the military command he deserves.
During the Southern Anhui Incident, due to hesitation in decision-making, the New Fourth Army lost a good opportunity to replace defense with offense and turn things around. In the end, faced with the dilemma of running out of ammunition and food, under Secretary Rao's repeated requests, Ye Ting had to go down the mountain to negotiate with his special identity to save the whole army.
During the negotiations between the two armies, the detention of prisoners was not allowed, but Lao Chiang ignored them. He slandered the New Fourth Army's troops in southern Anhui as "rebels" and used this as an excuse to detain Ye Ting, who had participated in the negotiations on going down the mountain, in a prison in Shangrao Li Village.
Ye Ting, who was in prison, was deeply concerned about the soldiers who had not yet broken through, and he repeatedly called Lao Jiang in prison, indicating that he did not want to live in secret, and would rather die as a continuation of the life of his subordinates.
Lao Jiang admired Ye Ting's true character. However, Lao Jiang's appreciation was only to play a good hand, and he tried to take advantage of Ye Ting's contradictions in the cooperation between the New Fourth Army and Ye Xiang to win him to his side.
Ye Ting's departure after the failure of the Guangzhou Uprising, and the later Gao Jingting incident, these things were seen by Lao Jiang. He wanted to use these events to render the image of Yan'an as "intolerant".
On January 3, 1942, Ye Ting was transferred from Shangrao to Chongqing, where he was secretly guarded by the military commanders.
Lao Jiang understood the friendship between Chen Cheng and Ye Ting, so he entrusted He Yingqin to send a letter to Chen Cheng on January 15, hoping that Chen Cheng would visit Ye Ting, and use his relationship in the exchange to guide Ye Ting to sincerely repent, submit a written confession, and cut off contact with Yan'an.
Chen Cheng knew Lao Jiang's intentions, but it was quite difficult to persuade Ye Ting to "repent and reform". As Ye Ting's old friend, Chen Cheng also felt deeply guilty, because it was he who instigated Ye Ting's participation in the anti-Japanese resistance, and now it is difficult to face this situation because of Lao Jiang's accusations.
Before meeting Ye Ting, Chen Cheng found Zhou Gong to discuss the matter of asking Ye Ting to write "**". Chen Cheng expressed his dissatisfaction with Ye Ting's detention in Shangrao in the Third War Zone by Gu Zhutong, and felt very disapproving of Lao Jiang's excessive demands, believing that this matter should be separated from political affairs, and asking Ye Ting to write *** is too unreasonable.
After all, Ye Ting devoted himself to the anti-Japanese cause with enthusiasm. He served as the commander of the New Fourth Army and also provided important support to Lao Chiang. In the process of reorganizing the Red Army guerrillas in the eight southern provinces, Lao Chiang designated a formation for the New Fourth Army and wanted Xue Yue to serve as the commander of the army. Despite the resolute opposition of the Yan'an side, Lao Jiang had to consider another candidate.
Just when Lao Jiang was worried about the candidate, Chen Cheng recommended Ye Ting, believing that he was a candidate acceptable to both parties. First, because Yan'an was unwilling to hand over his army to others for command, they opposed Xue Yue as the commander of the New Fourth Army;The second is that although Ye Ting has been separated from Yan'an for many years, he was once one of them after all, and he is more comfortable to use;Third, Ye Ting served as the commander of the New Fourth Army, which was also acceptable to Yan'an. If Lao Chiang can make good use of means to influence him and alienate him from Yan'an through discord, then the New Fourth Army will also serve us sooner or later.
After careful consideration, Lao Chiang adopted Chen Cheng's suggestion and put an end to one of his concerns about the reorganization of the Red Army guerrillas in the eight southern provinces.
The secret detention of a staunch anti-Japanese general is unreasonably unacceptable. Lao Jiang's treatment of Ye Ting made Chen Cheng feel extremely disgusted. Therefore, in front of Zhou Gong, Chen Cheng expressed his willingness to unite several generals to protect Ye Ting.
In contrast, Zhou Gong understands Ye Ting's character better. He told Chen Cheng that it was impossible to ask Ye Ting to write ***, and even in Yan'an, he would strongly oppose it. Lao Chiang's practice is sabotaging the cooperative anti-Japanese front, and he is doing something stupid to make his relatives hurt and his enemies happy.
After learning about Zhou Gong's position, Chen Cheng had a deep conversation with Ye Ting all night, and tactfully conveyed Lao Jiang's wishes. After hearing this, Ye Ting resolutely refused and asked Chen Cheng to arrange for him to meet with Zhou Gong. Ye Ting understood that only Duke Zhou could explain and understand the disputes between him and the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.
However, Chen Cheng did not arrange a meeting between Ye Ting and Zhou Gong without authorization. I waited for many days, but I didn't wait for Zhou Gong's interview. In his cell, Ye Ting felt anxious and wrote a letter to "Brother Ning" on January 28, expressing his eagerness to meet Zhou Gong. The letter mentions Ye Ting's niece and Kai Feng, and instructs the couple to convey the request in the letter to Zhou Gong. Kaifeng's wife, Liao Yiguang, is the daughter of Ye Ting's cousin, and once assisted Zhou Gong in the work of the Chongqing Southern Bureau.
On August 4, 1942, Ye Ting's wife, Li Xiuwen, arrived in Chongqing to visit the prison. Seeing her husband in a prison cell was something neither of them could have imagined. Ye Ting once again told Li Xiuwen that only Zhou Gong and Chen Cheng could help him in his affairs, and he would discuss with them more in case of trouble.
In order to rescue Ye Ting through his wife's means, Li Xiuwen called Chen Cheng, who was far away in Enshi, and asked him to use methods similar to Song Meiling. On August 12, Chen Cheng wrote back to Li Xiuwen, saying that he would fully assist Ye Ting's matter.
At 10 p.m. on December 3, 1942, Chen Cheng was left alone after a military meeting with Lao Chiang. Lao Jiang asked Chen Cheng if he had anything else to discuss, and Chen Cheng took the opportunity to hand over Ye Ting's letter requesting the restoration of his freedom, and proposed that Ye Ting be transferred from the custody of the military commander to his sixth war zone.
After listening to Chen Cheng's statement, Lao Jiang wrote down the warrant: "Permission to be sent to the Sixth War Zone to inspect Keye." Zhongzheng".
After Chen Cheng got Lao Jiang's warrant, in order to prevent Lao Jiang from changing his mind, he sent his cronies to Dai Li's Military Command Bureau overnight, took Ye Ting to the Tongde warship anchored by the river, and prepared to leave for Enshi on the 4th. In order to coordinate the forces of Yan'an to jointly rescue Ye Ting, Chen Cheng also invited Zhou Gong and Guo Moruo to secretly board the ship and meet with Ye Ting and his wife.
After being imprisoned by Lao Jiang for more than two years, Ye Ting was full of grievances, and poured out his heart to Zhou Gong, asking Zhou Gong to handle all the aftermath for him in Chongqing and Yan'an, hoping that Yan'an could understand the contradictions between him and Xiang Ying, as well as his departure during his tenure in the New Fourth Army, and restore his organizational identity regardless of previous suspicions.
The secret meeting between Zhou Gong and Ye Ting was a major matter, and according to the organizational principles of the Yan'an side, the statement should be reported to the Yan'an side in a timely manner. However, somehow, in our biography and chronology of Zhou Gong, there is no record of it word by word.
Although the secret meeting between Zhou Gong and Ye Ting was arranged by Chen Cheng to be extremely secretive, he could not escape Dai Li's detection. In a report submitted to Lao Jiang on December 4, Dai Li wrote that Ye Ting was handed over to the Sixth War Zone for inspection on the instructions of Junzuo. After Ye Ting went to the Tongde chakra that Chief Chen had taken, Zhou Gong was informed by Chief Chen that he had gone to meet Ye Ting.
Zhou Gong has always been a person who emphasizes the concept of organization. There is no mention in his chronology that Chen Cheng privately arranged for him to have a long talk with Ye Ting all night, is this because of the need for secrecy or because of other reasons?
However, the report of Dai Li, the leader of the military command, made it clear that Chen Cheng arranged for Zhou Gong to meet Ye Ting in secret. Why did this important historical event not be recorded in the "** Biography" and the chronology of the Duke of Zhou, and became a mystery?