introduction
In the autumn of 1971, in the Anhui Provincial General Prison, a young man, Dai Yihong, was escorted here. He shouted hoarsely: "I am not a reactionary, you have arrested the wrong person!" This scene shocked everyone present.
However, what is even more shocking is that Dai Yihong is actually the grandson of Dai Li, a former special agent of the Kuomintang military command.
What was it that made this sensitive young man say a word before the execution that made him release on the spot? This article will reveal this thrilling historical story and take you into the twists and turns of Dai Yihong's life.
The rise of Dai Li's and the establishment of military command
Dai Li, formerly known as Dai Chunfeng, was born in 1897, a native of Jiangshan, Zhejiang, as the founder of the Kuomintang Military Command Bureau, Dai Li rose rapidly under the promotion of Chiang Kai-shek, became the "knife" in the hands of Chiang Kai-shek, and played an important role in the struggle within the Kuomintang and against the CCP.
Dai Li, who studied at the Whampoa Military Academy in his early years, established a deep relationship with Chiang Kai-shek, and quickly accumulated power and influence by controlling the Military Command Bureau with an iron fist, and was known as "Chiang Kai-shek's sword".
Under the leadership of Dai Li, the Military Command Bureau carried out a series of spy activities against the CCP and other political enemies, and Dai Li's cruel methods and ruthless treatment of the enemy made him many enemies within the Kuomintang, but he also won the high trust of Chiang Kai-shek.
During the War of Resistance Against Japan, Dai Li led the Military Command Bureau to actively participate in the intelligence war against Japan and made important contributions to the victory of the War of Resistance against Japan, however, his power and influence also caused many controversies and resentment.
On March 17, 1946, Dai Li's death in a plane crash on his way back to Nanjing caused a great shock at the time, because Dai Li's death was not only a huge blow to the Kuomintang secret service, but also deprived Chiang Kai-shek of a right-hand man.
The cause of Dai Li's death is varied, some believe that it was a natural disaster, and some suspect that it was a man-made disaster, but in any case, it brought irreversible disasters to the Dai family.
Dai Li's death quickly deprived the Dai family of asylum, and Dai Zangyi, as Dai Li's only son, inherited some of his father's positions, but he did not enjoy the broad support of his father within the military command and in the upper echelons of the Kuomintang.
Dai Li's death deprived Dai Zangyi of an important umbrella, and his position within the KMT was in jeopardy.
Dai Yihong's childhood and family
In 1945, Dai Yihong was born in Nanjing, Jiangsu, on the eve of the victory of the Anti-Japanese War.
Dai Yihong's upbringing environment was extremely complicated, and the power of his family not only did not bring him much happiness, but instead made him involved in a deeper whirlpool.
Dai Li's grandchildren are gradually increasing, Dai Yihong's status in the family is not prominent, and Dai Yikuan, the eldest grandson of the family, has received more attention and training, and his sense of presence at home is getting lower and lower.
Despite this, he remained a member of the Dai family, an identity that became the source of his future disasters in the turbulent times.
With Dai Li's death, the Dai family lost important shelter, and Dai Zangyi had to flee with his family, Dai Yihong grew up in such an environment, and his childhood was full of fear and unease.
In order to avoid the pursuit of the enemy, Dai Yihong's family had to quietly leave their residence at night, and try not to contact the outside world during the day.
In the process of escaping, Dai Yihong gradually learned how to protect himself in danger, he learned how to walk in the dark, how to use the terrain to evade pursuit, and how to keep a low profile to avoid attracting attention.
These experiences played an important role in his later life, but they also deprived his childhood of the joy and carefree it deserved.
Enter the orphanage and start a new life
In 1951, Dai Zangyi was brought to justice by the Chinese Communist Party, and he was sentenced to death for his brutality during the revolutionary period, and with the death of his father, Dai Yihong and his family were deprived of their only support.
His mother, Zheng Xiying, fled with him and his siblings to Shanghai in an attempt to start a new life here, where Zheng Xiying toiled day and night, doing needlework, washing dishes, and supporting three children.
In 1953, Chiang Kai-shek secretly sent people in Taiwan to search for Dai Li's descendants, and finally found Zheng Xiying and her children, however, due to problems with Dai Yihong's exit status, he was left on the mainland, in which case Dai Yihong was sent to an orphanage.
This orphanage was funded by Ms. Song Qingling, with sufficient material conditions and full of humanistic care.
Dai Yihong received a comprehensive education in the orphanage, from cultural knowledge to the edification of socialist ideology, the teachers of the orphanage paid attention to cultivating the children's patriotic feelings and sense of social responsibility, and taught them to establish a correct outlook on life and values.
Here, Dai Yihong not only learned to read and write, but also learned how to get along with others and how to find his place in collective life.
Life in the orphanage was simple, but for Dai Yihong, the experience was an important period in his life, where he gradually shed the shadows of his past and began to re-examine his life and future.
He participated in various group activities, made many friends, gradually integrated into this new family, and the care and education of the teachers in the orphanage made him gradually regain his confidence and hope.
At the age of 16, Dai Yihong graduated from the orphanage and was assigned to work in a cotton mill in Hefei.
Two years later, in response to the call of the country, he took the initiative to apply to work in Zongyang County, Anhui Province, and became a tractor driver.
During his ten years of working in Zongyang County, Dai Yihong has established a deep relationship with local farmers, not only helping them solve difficulties in production, but also actively participating in various public welfare activities to contribute to the improvement of living conditions in the countryside.
Dai Yihong's efforts and dedication have been unanimously recognized by the leaders and the masses, and he has been rated as an advanced worker and has been commended many times.
The beginning of identity exposure
In the autumn of 1971, during the harvest season in Zongyang County, Anhui Province, Dai Yihong was busy in the fields as a tractor driver and maintenance worker, helping farmers harvest grain and repair farm tools.
Years of hard work have earned him widespread respect and affection in the local area, however, a turning point in his fate has quietly arrived.
In order to check the household registration information, the government requires each villager to fill out a family relationship form within three generations, and Dai Yihong was unable to fill in his family background in detail because he lost his father at a young age and lost contact with his relatives during the flight.
He only remembered the name of his mother, Zheng Xiying, and his own experience growing up in an orphanage, and this form accidentally fell into the hands of reactionaries and became a tool for them to attack Dai Yihong.
After some people with ulterior motives discovered Dai Yihong's surname and mother's name, they quickly compared the information with the declassified archives and identified him as Dai Li's grandson.
Immediately, they anonymously reported that Dai Yihong was a Kuomintang spy who had been lurking for many years, inciting public opinion with the intention of convicting him.
Soon after, a military green car drove into Zongyang County and escorted Dai Yihong to the Anhui Provincial General Prison.
However, his shouts were ignored by the soldiers, and the process of escorting also caused shock and confusion among the local villagers.
In the General Prison, Dai Yihong underwent numerous interrogations, detailing his upbringing and categorically denying espionage.
He recounted his experience in the nearly 20 years from entering the orphanage to working in Zongyang County, and expressed his loyalty and love for the country.
During the interrogation, the interrogators gradually verified Dai Yihong's statement, but due to the age, many details were difficult to verify.
As a result, the trial was repeatedly delayed, and Dai Yihong's identity and accusations became the focus of public attention, and many people who had doubted him began to waver in the face of Dai Yihong's firm stance and real experience.
As the trial progressed, the court decided to hold a public trial of Dai Yihong, and in court, Dai Yihong once again defended himself, firmly stating that he was innocent. He spoke emotionally about his experience, bitterly confessing that he had never participated in any reactionary activities, but was just an ordinary worker who devoted himself to serving the country and the people.
In the course of the trial, many villagers came to observe, and they were puzzled and puzzled by Dai Yihong's accusations, in their eyes, Dai Yihong was a hard-working and kind young man who never showed any reactionary tendencies, and the support and testimony of the villagers made the court doubt Dai Yihong's accusations.
Verdict and unexpected turnaround
Despite many uncertainties, under the pressure of public opinion, Dai Yihong was finally sentenced to be shot.
In the face of such a verdict, Dai Yihong still insisted on his innocence, and before the execution, he said calmly: "I entered an orphanage at the age of 9 and grew up under the care of the motherland, how can I do these things?" ”
This sentence sparked deep thought among everyone present, and in the end, the court decided to further investigate Dai Yihong's background and experience.
With the support of new evidence and the results of multiple investigations, the organization finally found Dai Yihong not guilty and released him on the spot.
After his release, Dai Yihong returned to Zongyang County, where the villagers warmly greeted him and continued to support his work in the countryside.
He is still rooted in this land and continues to contribute to the development of the countryside, he married a female intellectual, and his life gradually returned to peace and happiness.
After the reform and opening up, Dai Yihong was able to reunite with his relatives in Taiwan, and the family was finally complete.
He proved his innocence with practical actions and won people's respect and admiration.
epilogue
Dai Yihong's life has experienced ups and downs, from Dai Li's grandson to an ordinary worker, and then to being arrested for his identity exposed.
His perseverance in despair and loyalty to his country, which ultimately led to his freedom, reveals not only the complexity of history, but also the importance of staying true to what he believes in.
Dai Yihong proved his innocence with practical actions, and also reminded us that every figure in history carries a unique fate.
Through his experience, we see the power of faith and resilience in turbulent times.
Reference: The death of Dai Li's only son - CNKI (cnki.net)
Decryption: Where are the descendants of the military tycoon Dai Li? [Photos]_News_Phoenix (ifeng.com)