ForewordOn December 12, 1936, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng detained Chiang Kai-shek in Lintong, Xi'an, and launched the "Xi'an Incident" that shook China and the rest of the world.
Although Chiang Kai-shek was later sent back to Nanjing under the mediation of the Chinese Communist Party, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng incurred Chiang Kai-shek's resentment. Yang Hucheng was imprisoned for twelve years and was killed in September 1949 at the behest of Chiang Kai-shek.
And Zhang Xueliang, another protagonist of the "Xi'an Incident", was also under house arrest by Chiang Kai-shek for 53 years. So, why did Chiang Kai-shek let Zhang Xueliang go? Is it just because it was Song Meiling who did her best to stop Chiang Kai-shek's murderous intent towards Zhang Xueliang, as rumored in the outside world?
In fact, in addition to Song Meiling, there is also a woman who also plays a vital role. So much so that Zhang Xueliang choked up and cried when he paid tribute to her, and when he was dying, he said: "You saved my life, but I failed you in this life." ”
So, what was it that saved Zhang Xueliang's life? What role did Song Meiling and this woman play?
Zhang Xueliang and Song Meiling fell in love when they first met. On the evening of June 14, 1925, the banquet at the U.S. Consulate in Shanghai was bustling with activity, attracting celebrities from all walks of life in Shanghai, including Soong Meiling of the Song family and Zhang Xueliang, a warlord of the Feng family.
At this banquet, although there were many beautiful women, Song Meiling was still proudly independent and eye-catching. Zhang Xueliang noticed her beautiful figure at a glance and couldn't take his eyes off it.
He asked Hu Hanmin, who was at the same table: "Which lady is she, and is she married?" Hu Hanmin calmly introduced: "Han Qing, she is the well-known Miss Song Jiasan in Shanghai, who has just returned from studying in the United States. ”
When Zhang Xueliang had just led the troops into Shanghai, he was not familiar with all walks of life in Shanghai. Faced with Zhang Xueliang's unfamiliarity with Song Meiling, Hu Hanmin continued to explain: "Hanqing, you should understand after listening to my words.
Her second sister was none other than Mr. Sun Yat-sen's wife, Ms. Soong Ching Ling. Hearing this, Zhang Xueliang woke up like a dream, it turned out that Song Meiling was a little like his old friend Mrs. Sun.
In his early years, Zhang Xueliang had met Dr. Sun Yat-sen in Tianjin and Beijing, and they exchanged views on the future revolutionary situation in China.
He immediately had the idea of befriending Song Meiling, and accompanied by Hu Hanmin, he walked towards Song Meiling.
It turns out that Miss Song San is the younger sister of Ms. Song Qingling, in fact, I have known your sister and Mr. Sun for a long time, and I often visited them when they were in Tianjin and Beijing. "
As he spoke, he raised the wine glass in his hand. Seeing Zhang Xueliang come to toast, although Song Meiling was surprised, she still maintained a noble temperament and replied:"Thank you, young marshal, and I've heard of you. "
In fact, Song Meiling has long heard of Zhang Xueliang. Prior to this, Zhang Xueliang published a "Telegram to Shanghai's "May Three" Patriotic Students, which gave her a new understanding of his views.
Since then, the two have seen each other frequently, with Song Meiling taking him on a tour of all corners of Shanghai, while Zhang Xueliang tells her the story of his military career.
To outsiders, the two seem to be in love. However, Song Meiling was influenced by Western education and could not accept a married man, and as a member of the Song family, the family could not accept her marrying another man as a concubine.
Therefore, their relationship can only stay at "affection, stop courtesy". Zhang Xueliang once recalled: I was once fascinated by her beauty, and if I were not married and had children, I would definitely marry her.
Despite this, the friendship between Zhang Xueliang and Song Meiling has not disappeared with the passage of time. Even though Soong Meiling later married Chiang Kai-shek, they still maintained a correspondence for a long time.
According to statistics, after Zhang Xueliang's death, more than 100 letters with Song Meiling were found among his belongings.
My personal life and death are small, and I only hope that Chairman Chiang will stick to his unanimous commitment to the outside world. Despite the grim situation, Song Meiling still went all out, hoping to save Zhang Xueliang's life.
In January 1937, Soong Meiling had a heated argument with Chiang Kai-shek. Soong Meiling strongly demanded to protect Zhang Xueliang, because Zhang Xueliang was a person who valued love and righteousness, and it was he who escorted Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanjing.
Hearing these words, Chiang Kai-shek was furious and insisted that Zhang Xueliang had come to Nanjing of his own free will, and that he now had the power to decide the affairs of Nanjing. However, taking into account Soong Meiling's words, Chiang Kai-shek also made some concessions and decided to calmly think about the consequences of killing Zhang Xueliang.
Although the Northeast Army lost its advantage, it still had more than 100,000 soldiers, and if it angered all sectors of society, the Song family's support might be reduced. Eventually, Chiang Kai-shek decided to impose house arrest on Zhang Xueliang to avoid further conflict.
However, he still did not give up his killing intent against Zhang Xueliang.
After Zhang Xueliang was killed in Yang Hucheng, his safety was seriously threatened. Soong Meiling warned Chiang Kai-shek that if something happened to Zhang Xueliang, she would leave him immediately, stressing the seriousness of the consequences.
Facts have proved that Song Meiling's words are not false. After Chiang Kai-shek's defeat and retreat to Taiwan, his ** mainland plan could only rely on the support of the United States, and Soong Meiling became a key bridge between him and the United States.
At the same time, Soong Meiling's extensive connections in the United States and her contacts with many politicians forced Chiang Kai-shek to compromise again. In Taiwan, Soong Meiling not only did her best to protect Zhang Xueliang, but also took care of his life needs.
Every time Zhang Xueliang has a birthday, Song Meiling is always the first to send blessings, and in addition, he has gained precious freedom. Although the agents were still closely watching him, he could at least get out of the house to visit old friends or go out to play.
Once, he encountered a mudslide while playing, and Song Meiling came to visit him as soon as possible. Zhang Xueliang is very grateful to Song Meiling for her kindness. After he was freed in his later years, he once expressed this emotion: "In my life, there are two women who have recreated me, one of them is Song Meiling, and the other is my wife Yu Fengzhi. ”
So, what efforts did Yu Fengzhi make to protect Zhang Xueliang's life?
Yu Fengzhi's marriage fate was predicted by a fortune teller when he was a child as "the daughter of the phoenix, rich and noble". Her father Yu Wendou and Zhang Zuolin are sworn brothers, so Zhang Zuolin found Yu Fengzhi through his father's relationship and proposed to her.
Yu Fengzhi has a high reputation in the Northeast, is good at guessing lantern riddles, and hangs a plaque of "Strange Ling" in his home. Zhang Zuolin expressed to Yu Wendou his expectations for the marriage of Feng Zhi and his son Zhang Xueliang.
Although Zhang Xueliang and Yu Fengzhi's marriage was full of unhappiness, their marriage was foreshadowed from the beginning as a "made in heaven" pair.
This combination of intimacy and intimacy made Yu Wendou suspicious. Zhang Xueliang is suave and graceful, and the beauties around him are like clouds, but Yu Fengzhi is his most beloved daughter, how can he bear to let her share her husband with other women.
In desperation, Zhang Zuolin could only make a promise: "Han Qing will only marry Yu Fengzhi in this life, and there will be no other concubines." However, it was this seemingly ordinary promise that made Zhang Xueliang feel sorry for Feng Zhi all his life.
In 1916, the two got married and lived happily ever after. Yu Fengzhi took care of Zhang Xueliang meticulously, and he was full of respect for her. Because Yu Fengzhi was older than him, Zhang Xueliang called her "eldest sister" in daily life, and the two gave birth to several children.
Although the two families are world friends, Zhang Xueliang has never had love for Feng Zhi, but is more grateful. He was grateful to Feng Zhi for all she had done for him, and he was also grateful to her for keeping the house in order.
Zhang Xueliang was deeply influenced by Western education, advocating free love and opposing arranged marriages. Even after getting married, he lingered in Fengyue places all year round, and even brought back Zhao Yidi in 1929.
Although she was not angry in her heart, out of respect for her husband, Yu Fengzhi could only accept it silently. As a woman educated in new ideas, Yu Fengzhi was deeply influenced by the ideas of the old era"Marry a husband with a husband"'s old ideas have influenced her life, and she has dedicated her life to Zhang Xueliang in this way.
After Zhang Xueliang was imprisoned by Chiang Kai-shek, Yu Fengzhi, who went to England to take care of his children, felt helpless. As a weak woman, she understands that she cannot save her husband directly, but in order to keep her children from losing their father, she must be strong.
Yu Fengzhi decided to seek help everywhere and put pressure on Chiang Kai-shek so that he did not dare to execute Zhang Xueliang easily. She began to run around, and with Zhang Zuolin's status as an old friend in politics and the wife of a young marshal, many people were willing to help her with this.
Yu Fengzhi's unremitting efforts were also recognized by many generals of the Northeast Army, who all expressed disgust with Chiang Kai-shek's decision. As soldiers, their first task was to defend their homeland, but Chiang Kai-shek ordered hundreds of thousands of Northeast troops to retreat, leaving the three eastern provinces in the hands of the enemy.
This is undoubtedly a great injustice to the Northeast Army, and they have suffered the accusations of the people of the whole country for it. Yu Fengzhi kept running, and in order to get justice for the Northeast Army, she even did not hesitate to conflict with all walks of life.
Thanks to her efforts, Chiang Kai-shek was eventually forced to compromise. During this difficult period of captivity, Yu Fengzhi always loved Zhang Xueliang deeply.
In 1940, the relentless invasion of breast cancer forced Yu Fengzhi to leave his beloved Zhang Xueliang and fly to the United States to seek **. Before leaving, she entrusted Zhao Yidi with great worry and told her to take good care of her husband.
In his medical life in the United States, Yu Fengzhi faced endless hardships. With a strange life, physical pain, and the expenses of his children, Yu Fengzhi can only work hard to make money while accepting **.
The chemotherapy at the hospital caused her beautiful hair to fall out in large swaths and her left breast was ruthlessly removed. However, this was only the beginning of her suffering, and it was not long before she received a divorce agreement from Taiwan, which deepened her pain.
I can't imagine what kind of pressure Yu Fengzhi was under at that time. But she has never forgotten her husband in Taiwan, and that deep longing has always been with her.
In 1964, Yu Fengzhi read "Confession" written by Zhang Xueliang on **, and she was convinced that her husband Zhang Xueliang would not do such a thing. Yu Fengzhi began to use the connections he had accumulated in the United States to run around for Zhang Xueliang.
In order to increase the bargaining chips, she also found the original copy of Chiang Kai-shek's previous telegram to the Northeast Army "not to resist the Japanese army", and divided the telegram into two and hid them in two places.
This move caused Chiang Kai-shek to panic, because the telegram was about his fame and political capital. Therefore, he did not dare to kill Zhang Xueliang again until 1990, when Zhang Xueliang regained his freedom in Taiwan.
You saved my life, and the only thing that makes me feel guilty is you! ”