In the second half of 1936, a touching thing happened in the city of Yan'an, northern Shaanxi. A group of children from the children's group stopped a 10-year-old boy in a military uniform for censorship.
The boy was very calm and composed, and he told the children of the children's regiment that he was a member of the communications squad of the Red Second Front Army, and now he was going to deliver a letter to the government unit.
The children of the Children's Regiment burst out laughing at this, and they could not believe that the boy in front of them, who was about their age, claimed to be in the service of the Red Army, and thought that he was lying.
Just as they were arguing, Chairman *** happened to pass by and stepped forward to ask. At this time, the boy who claimed to be a Red Army anxiously defended, "I really belong to the Second Red Army, and I have also participated in the Long March!" ”
The chairman asked him in amazement who could prove it, and he calmly said, "* The marshal can prove it!" So, who is this ten-year-old boy? And what kind of connection does he have with the ** marshal?
Xiang Xuan, the nephew of the marshal, was the youngest Red Army soldier in China. At the age of seven, he followed in his uncle's footsteps and joined the revolution. When he was nine years old, he began to cross grasslands, cross snow-capped mountains, and embark on the Long March.
In the autumn of 1933, due to the erroneous "left-leaning" thinking of Bogu and others, the Red Army's "Fifth Anti-Encirclement and Suppression" failed. In the face of the enemy's fierce attack, ** quickly made a correct judgment, implemented a strategic shift, withdrew from the ** base area, transferred to northern Shaanxi, and officially began the Long March.
* The Marshal's Red Second Army set out from Sangzhi County, Hunan Province, and advanced in the direction of the meeting of the main forces of the Red Army in northern Shaanxi. At that time, his nine-year-old nephew Xiang Xuan was also in the ranks, and although he was young, he had already held many positions in the army and had rich experience.
In order to take care of the young military boy, the ** marshal specially prepared a mule for Xiang Xuan, and also let him ride with two Red Army friends. Although they are relatives, the ** marshal is very strict with Xiang Xuan.
On the Long March, there was a shortage of materials, and the troops often did not have enough food, so Xiang Xuan and a few friends rode out on mules to find food. Once, when they were so hungry that they saw the fields of the farmers on the side of the road.
The grain in the field slightly exposed the "horse's feet", which made Xiang Xuan's eyes light up, he took a few friends to directly plow the ground by hand, and when he saw sweet potatoes, potatoes and other crops, he didn't care about wiping them and stuffed them into his mouth.
Before leaving, Xiang Xuan secretly stuffed a few into his arms, ready to take them to his uncle **Marshal. After going back, he found the ** marshal who was discussing with people, and happily took out the crops in his hand.
* The marshal looked at it and saw that it was a few sweet potatoes sticking to the dirt, and asked him about the origin.
Xiang Xuan hesitantly told Marshal ** that he had found something in the farmland not far away. As soon as the marshal heard this, he knew that it was planted by a local peasant, and he immediately changed his face, reprimanded Xiang Xuan harshly, and asked him to take himself to the field of crops that they had destroyed.
When they arrived at the field, they happened to see an old farmer sighing. **The marshal immediately stepped forward to inquire and learned that this field had been damaged due to Xiang Xuan and others.
* The marshal pushed several small Red Army soldiers hiding behind Xiang Xuan to the front, asked them to apologize, and said that he would compensate the old peasants for their losses. **The marshal took out a few banknotes from his pocket, but the old peasant resolutely refused to accept them, knowing their identity.
In desperation, the marshal led several children to help the old farmer repair the field together. After going back, the ** marshal earnestly warned Xiang Xuan that it was not easy for peasants to farm, that this kind of sabotage would make others starve for a year, and that the Red Army had strict rules and would not take things from the masses.
In the end, he also punished Xiang Xuan for not being able to ride a horse for a period of time. After the education and punishment of the ** marshal, Xiang Xuan understood that the discipline of the Red Army must be strictly observed, and his naughtiness was also restrained a lot.
Although Xiang Xuan was young, he experienced changes in his family early, which made him extremely smart. While Marshal ** led the troops to fight everywhere, Xiang Xuan also actively participated in it, and even used his small size to get into the crowd, sing the Red Army song with his Red Army friends, and tell the story of the Red Army.
His actions not only infected the crowd of onlookers, but also inspired them to join the troops. In the end, Xiang Xuan, together with the soldiers of the Red Second Army, crossed the mountains and mountains, fought against the enemy, and successfully reached Yan'an, northern Shaanxi, and stayed here with the ** marshal.
Xiang Xuan has experienced countless difficulties and challenges in the army, and his upbringing is full of traces of war. The scars on his right leg, foot and neck are a memorial to him when he joined the army at the age of seven, and a testament to his dedication to the revolution.
Xiang Xuan's family members are also revolutionary fighters, his mother He Mangu, eldest sister He Ying and his brother Marshal ** have made great contributions to the anti-Japanese cause in their hometown.
They are brave and fearless warriors, and they are also role models for Xiang Xuan's growth.
He Mangu was unfortunately ** on the way to visit relatives and was brutally killed, while Xiang Xuan returned safely with the help of He Ying. Since then, Xiang Xuan was raised by He Ying as his own son, and the two lived together until Xiang Xuan was seven years old.
In the face of Chiang Kai-shek's "encirclement and suppression", the Red Army units in western Hunan and Hubei were forced to withdraw from the base areas, and He Ying led the guerrillas deep into the encirclement of the enemy army, and the revolution entered the most difficult moment.
One night in May 1933, He Ying and her seven-year-old nephew Xiang Xuan were resting at the home of a villager in Taiping Town, when they suddenly heard a gunshot.
But it was a busy farm at the time, and it should have been very lively at night, so how could there be no sound? He Ying picked up the gun alertly, opened the door and went out to check. However, as soon as she went out, a bullet came at her, and she fell to the ground in an instant, and her nephew Xiang Xuan was also awakened and saw He Ying lying on the ground.
He tried to help her, but she stopped him, He Ying protected him with a gun, and asked several Red Army soldiers to find them and help resist. In the end, He Ying took out a few silver dollars and her pistol, and asked Xiang Xuan to run to his uncle, Marshal **.
Subsequently, He Ying died, Xiang Xuan fell to the ground due to exhaustion, and his ankle was also injured, and when he woke up, he had already arrived in Yan'an and saw his uncle **Marshal.
After investigation, He Ying was betrayed and sacrificed by a local traitor, and Xiang Xuan recorded hatred in his heart, and the injury to his right ankle became an eternal pain in his heart. In Yan'an, Xiang Xuan grew into an excellent Red Army soldier, and spent his life practicing revolutionary beliefs.
* The marshal knew that he was no longer old enough to charge, so he chose to stay in the communications squad and be responsible for delivering letters between the troops. However, on the way to deliver a letter, he was stopped by several members of the children's group.
The children questioned him where he was going and what his identity was. ** The marshal replied that he was a soldier of the communications squad of the Red Army and was now on his way to deliver a letter to the authorities.
The children, however, were amused by his words, for they could hardly imagine that the boy in front of them, who was about their age, was a Red Army soldier.
Xiang Xuan saw the children smiling so happily, he couldn't help but feel a little anxious, and hurriedly stepped forward to explain, and repeatedly emphasized that he was a Red Army soldier who followed the army's Long March.
The children were about to speak, when suddenly, ** appeared behind them and asked Xiang Xuan, "What evidence can you provide to prove your words?" Hearing this question, Xiang Xuan straightened up proudly and said firmly: "My uncle can prove it." ”
As soon as he heard this, he immediately understood Xiang Xuan's identity, he patted Xiang Xuan's head affectionately, and said: "It turns out that you are the child of the **marshal's family, so I believe your words even more, you are a good person!" ”
As a result, the ** marshal sent Xiang Xuan to the primary school in the Shaanxi-Gansu-Ningbo Border District for education, so that he had the opportunity to become a knowledgeable and literate talent. Later, after graduating from Kang University, Xiang Xuan continued to devote himself to the revolution and was active in the War of Resistance against Japan, using his knowledge and wisdom to study artillery shells, personally testing their power, charging into battle many times, and making important contributions to the victory of China's War of Resistance against Japan.
In his later years, the little boy who once lay on the snow-capped mountains and crossed the glacier still adhered to his communist ideals, was active in the front line of the battle, and shone brightly.
During his career, there were 26 wounds, some of which remain in his body today. After retiring, he returned to Chengdu, Sichuan Province to enjoy his old age.
Xiang Xuan, an ordinary person, used his life's experience to interpret what heroism and tenacity are. He never asks for special treatment because of his status, but is proud of the red road he has walked.
In his eyes, the victory of the Long March was not accidental, but a firm belief that drove them forward. He said, "Although the road of the Long March is full of hardships and many people have sacrificed, we all firmly believe that as long as we persevere, victory lies ahead." ”
His beliefs are not just personal, they are what he expects from us. Although he is old, his stories and experiences will always be remembered, and his spirit will be immortalized.
Our generation will always remember history and these heroic heroes who have done so much for our peaceful and happy life today.