In 1935, the Sichuan warlord Yang Sen was faced with a thorny dilemma. Under the leadership of Zhu De and Mao Zedong, the Red Army repeatedly defeated the "encirclement and suppression" of the Kuomintang army, which made Chiang Kai-shek, Yang Sen and others anxious. After a failed military campaign, one of Janssen's men made a disturbing suggestion: to dig up the ancestral graves of the Jude family as a way to undermine the morale and fortune of the Red Army.
At first, Janssen was hesitant about the idea. As a superstitious man, he was well aware of the ominous consequences that could lead to digging up ancestral graves. However, under pressure from Chiang Kai-shek, he finally decided to take action. Yang Sen sent a team to secretly go to Zhu De's hometown of Yilong County, Sichuan.
When the excavation was about to begin, a well-known local Mr. Yin and Yang suddenly appeared, and his words surprised everyone present. Mr. Yinyang's warning puts Janssen in a dilemma: should he continue with the plan, or should he follow the advice of the mysterious man? More importantly, what did Mr. Yin Yang say that could make the always decisive Yang Sen hesitate? How will this decision affect the rest of the war?
In China in 1935, the struggle between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party became increasingly fierce. As a warlord in Sichuan, Yang Sen, although nominally loyal to the Kuomintang, was actually more concerned with how to preserve his strength in this melee. However, the rise of the Red Army put unprecedented pressure on him.
Since the Central Red Army began the Long March in October 1934, the Red Army led by Zhu De and Mao Zedong repeatedly broke through the encirclement and suppression of the Kuomintang army. Especially in Sichuan, the performance of the Red Army was even more staggering. They are agile and maneuvering, adept at taking advantage of the terrain, and have repeatedly turned danger into seemingly inevitable situations.
As one of the main military forces in Sichuan, Yang Sen was supposed to play an important role in the encirclement and suppression of the Red Army. However, his troops were repeatedly repulsed by the Red Army. This not only caused him military losses, but more seriously, his position in Chiang Kai-shek's mind began to waver.
Chiang Kai-shek was extremely dissatisfied with Janssen's performance. In a secret meeting, Chiang Kai-shek even hinted that Janssen might be removed if he could no longer do anything. This is undoubtedly a heavy blow to Janssen. He knew very well that under the situation of warlord secession, once he lost the trust of Chiang Kai-shek, his dominance in Sichuan would not be guaranteed.
Faced with such a dilemma, Janssen began to look for all possible solutions. He increased the intensity of training in the army, improved combat tactics, and even tried to buy off personnel within the Red Army. However, none of these conventional means seem to be able to change the situation.
Just when Janssen was almost desperate, one of his cronies made a bold suggestion: to dig up the ancestral grave of the Zhu De family. The cronie explained that in traditional Chinese culture, ancestral graves are considered to be the source of a family's luck. If the ancestral grave of Zhu De's family can be destroyed, it may fundamentally shake the fortunes of the Red Army.
Janssen fell into deep thought. As a person who has been heavily influenced by traditional culture, he is not entirely unconvinced of this statement. But at the same time, he also knows that such behavior is morally unacceptable. What's more, if the matter is revealed, it could cause an even bigger backlash.
However, Chiang Kai-shek's pressure followed. In a conference call, Chiang Kai-shek again expressed his displeasure with Janssen and hinted that if a breakthrough could no longer be made, the military deployment in Sichuan might be adjusted. This sent a chill down Janssen's spine.
After weighing the pros and cons, Janssen finally made a difficult decision: secretly execute a plan to excavate the ancestral grave of the Zhu De family. He believes that as long as it can be kept secret, there is not much risk. And if it really can affect the fortunes of the Red Army, then the risk is worth it.
Janssen gathered a few of his most trusted men and developed a detailed plan of action. They decided to sneak into Zhu De's hometown of Yilong County, Sichuan, on a dark and windy night, find the ancestral grave of Zhu De's family, and conduct a secret excavation.
In order to ensure the concealment of the operation, Janssen even personally selected the soldiers involved in the operation and gave them strict education on secrecy. He warned all participants that if information about the operation was leaked, they would be punished with the severest punishment.
In this way, on a late autumn night in 1935, the special operations team sent by Yang Sen quietly marched towards Yilong County. They carried simple digging tools, disguised as ordinary peasants. Yang Sen himself remained in Chengdu, anxiously awaiting the outcome of the operation.
Under the cover of the late autumn night, the special operation team sent by Yang Sen quietly marched towards Yilong County. The team consisted of fifteen elite soldiers personally selected by Janssen, all of whom were Janssen's cronies and had undergone strict secrecy training. In order not to arouse the suspicion of the local residents, they disguised themselves as ordinary farmers, and the digging tools they carried were also cleverly hidden among the farm tools.
The leader of the team was Yang Sen's adjutant Li Ming, a shrewd and capable Sichuan man. Li Ming has carried out many secret missions, and this operation is both a challenge and an opportunity for him to prove himself. Before leaving, Yang Sen personally told Li Ming to be cautious and not public.
It took the team three days to arrive in Yilong County. In order to avoid people's eyes, they hide in the mountains and forests during the day and travel at night. After arriving in Yilong County, Li Ming sent two of his subordinates to disguise themselves as Taoist priests of Youfang to inquire about the specific location of the ancestral tomb of the Zhu De family.
The two "Taoist priests" walked around the county town and cleverly inquired that the ancestral tomb of the Zhu De family was located on a hillside in the northwest of the county seat. It is said that this location is a feng shui treasure selected by Zhu De's grandfather who invited a famous artist, with a favorable orientation and dangerous terrain, which is a rare good acupuncture point.
After learning this news, Li Ming immediately formulated a detailed plan of action. He decided to act in the early morning of the next day, on the night of the full moon on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar. On this day, the moonlight is the brightest, which is conducive to night work, and it is also a day for the locals to worship their ancestors, and if they are discovered, they can also disguise themselves as coming to worship their ancestors.
On the night of the operation, the weather was not beautiful, and it began to drizzle. Li Ming originally wanted to postpone the operation, but thinking of Yang Sen's strict order and worried that it would cause trouble if it dragged on for too long, he finally decided to proceed as planned.
At midnight, the action team quietly approached the ancestral grave of the Zhu De family. By the dim moonlight, they saw a small tomb standing quietly on the hillside. Li Ming carefully observed the surrounding environment, and after confirming that no one was there, he signaled the team members to start moving.
The excavation was carried out with great difficulty. The drizzle made the land slippery, and the digging tools were often slippery. The team members did not dare to make too much noise, so they could only dig carefully. Li Ming stood on the sidelines, for fear that some villagers would find out about their movements.
Just halfway through the excavation, the unexpected happened. One of the team members' hoe suddenly touched a hard object, making a crisp sound. Everyone held their breath nervously, fearing that the sound would alarm the nearby villagers.
Li Ming quickly stepped forward to check and found that it was a stone tablet engraved with words. By the faint moonlight, he could barely make out the big characters engraved on it, "The Tomb of the Ancestors of the Zhu Family". This discovery made Li Ming's heart tighten, and he realized that they had touched the core of the Zhu De family's ancestral tomb.
However, just then, a dog barking was heard in the distance. Immediately after, a faint light flickered at the foot of the mountain, and it seemed that someone was walking this way. Li Ming immediately ordered the excavation to be stopped, and ordered the team members to quickly fill in the excavated soil and smooth out the traces.
The team members hurriedly filled in the soil, and Li Ming watched nervously at the lights under the mountain. The lights were getting closer, and I could faintly hear the sound of talking. Just as Li Ming was about to give the order to retreat, the lights suddenly stopped, and then slowly turned in another direction.
It turned out to be a few drunken villagers who got lost in the middle of the night. Li Ming breathed a long sigh of relief, but also realized that the risk of continuing to dig was too great. After much deliberation, he decided to suspend the operation for the time being and retreat first.
By the time dawn, the team had evacuated to safety. Although they did not complete the excavation task, Li Ming felt that they had touched the core of the ancestral tomb of the Zhu De family, and perhaps this was enough to affect Zhu De's fortune.
What Li Ming didn't know, however, was that their actions had already been detected. A respected local elder and a well-known Mr. Yin and Yang felt restless on that rainy night, and when he got up to patrol the village, he vaguely saw unusual activity on the mountain. The Mr. Yin and Yang decided to go and check on the situation early the next morning.
In this way, while Janssen was anxiously waiting, an unexpected encounter was brewing. Li Ming took his action team and embarked on the journey back to Chengdu to report to Yang Sen, and the mysterious Mr. Yin and Yang was also preparing to uncover this unknown secret.
As soon as the sky was bright, the mountain villages in Yilong County had already woken up. The villagers started their day's work, but today the atmosphere was a little different. Under the old locust tree at the entrance of the village, a group of people gathered, and they were talking in a low voice around a white-haired old man with a serious expression.
This old man's name is Zhang Yuan, and he is a well-known local Mr. Yin and Yang. In this era when feudal superstition was still deeply influenced, Mr. Yin and Yang's status was unmatched in the countryside. Zhang Yuan is not only proficient in feng shui, but also knows how to check qi and luck, and he must be asked to guide in all matters in the village.
Last night, Zhang Yuan suddenly felt uneasy, and when he got up to inspect the village, he vaguely saw abnormal activity on the mountain. As an experienced Mr. Yin and Yang, he immediately realized that someone might be moving the ancestral tomb of the Zhu family. As an important leader of the Red Army, Zhu De's family has always been highly respected in the local area, and the ancestral tomb is a treasure of feng shui. If someone offends the ancestral tomb, it is not only disrespectful to the Zhu family, but also may affect the fortune of the entire village.
Zhang Yuan summoned several respected elders in the village and prepared to go up the mountain to check the situation. They brought incense, candles, and paper money just in case they needed to worship again.
The group walked slowly up the mountain road, and the air was still filled with the moist smell of last night's rain. When they came to the ancestral grave of the Zhu family, the scene in front of them made everyone gasp.
Although the ancestral tomb appears to be intact, the surrounding soil has obviously been turned over, and some shallow footprints have been left. Zhang Yuan carefully inspected the situation around the tomb and found that although the excavators tried to cover up the traces, they still left some minor damage.
The most worrying thing was that Zhang Yuan felt an ominous aura near the ancestral tomb. As Mr. Yin and Yang, he can sense that the feng shui here has been disrupted, and if it is not dealt with in time, it may bring disaster.
Zhang Yuan immediately instructed the villagers to rearrange the ancestral tombs, while he began a series of rituals in an attempt to restore the damaged feng shui. Under the leadership of Zhang Yuan, the villagers chanted sutras and prayed for blessings, and burned incense to worship, hoping to quell possible disasters.
Just as they were busy, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard in the distance. A troop of cavalry was speeding towards here. The leader was a middle-aged man in military uniform, who was none other than Yang Sen's adjutant Li Ming.
Li Ming originally planned to return to Chengdu directly to report to Yang Sen, but on the way, he suddenly changed his mind and decided to come back to confirm the situation. When he saw the busy villagers next to the ancestral grave and Zhang Yuan, who was doing business, his face suddenly turned pale.
Zhang Yuan saw Li Ming's expression and immediately understood something. He stepped forward, looked directly into Li Ming's eyes, and said in a deep but firm voice, "General, I know what you did last night. But do you know that moving ancestral graves is not only disrespectful to the deceased, but also brings unimaginable disasters? "
Li Ming tried to defend himself, but Zhang Yuan interrupted him: "I don't care whose orders you are acting on, but this kind of behavior has angered heaven and earth. If you don't repent in time, I'm afraid that not only the Zhu family, but even you yourself will suffer retribution. "
Zhang Yuan's words carried a mysterious and majestic power, which made Li Ming involuntarily feel a chill. Although he has a modern education, he still retains a reverence for mystical powers in his bones.
Zhang Yuan continued: "I suggest that you stop this behavior immediately, otherwise the consequences will be unimaginable. Once feng shui is destroyed, it will not only affect the fortune of the Zhu family, but may also cause natural and man-made disasters. You can not care about the fate of one family, but don't you even care about the peace of the whole Sichuan? "
Li Ming listened to these words and fell into deep thought. He remembered Janssen's expectations for the operation, but at the same time realized that if a large-scale catastrophe was indeed triggered, the cost they would pay far outweighed the benefits they might gain.
At this moment, the sound of horses' hooves sounded again. Another group of cavalry rushed in, led by Yang Sen himself. It turned out that after Yang Sen learned that Li Ming suddenly changed his itinerary, he was worried that something had happened, so he rushed to check the situation in person.
When Yang Sen listened to Zhang Yuan's warning, his face became solemn. Although he is a warlord, he can't help but be a little jealous of this kind of thing involving heaven, earth, ghosts and gods.
Zhang Yuan looked at Yang Sen and said in a more stern tone: "General Yang, I know that you are here to deal with the Red Army. But remember, seeking victory through unrighteous deeds will only end up reaping the consequences. If you insist on doing this, not only will you not be able to defeat the enemy, but you will bring disaster to yourself and the people of Sichuan. "
Janssen was caught in a dilemma. On the one hand, he was in a hurry to make a breakthrough in the operation against the Red Army; On the other hand, he did not dare to completely ignore Zhang Yuan's warning. Everyone present waited with bated breath for Yang Sen's decision, which was not only about the ancestral grave of the Zhu De family, but also could affect the situation in the whole of Sichuan.
Yang Sen stood in front of the ancestral grave of the Zhu De family, his face uncertain. The surrounding villagers, soldiers, and Mr. Yin and Yang Zhang Yuan all waited with bated breath for his decision. At this moment, it was as if time had stood still, only the gentle breeze in the mountains brought a hint of coolness.
Finally, Yang Sen took a deep breath and said slowly, "Mr. Zhang, I understand your concerns. As a warlord in Sichuan, I do have a responsibility to maintain the tranquility of this land. However, you should also know how complicated the situation is now. The threat of the Red Army is growing day by day, and if some extraordinary measures are not taken, I am afraid that sooner or later Sichuan will fall into their hands. "
Zhang Yuan was about to refute, but Yang Sen raised his hand and motioned for him to listen to himself first. "Still, I can't ignore your warnings entirely. After all, the will of the people is hard to disobey. I have decided to suspend this operation for the time being, but I will send someone to keep an eye on Zhu De's every move. If we find anything unusual about him, we will take immediate action. "
This decision may seem like a compromise, but it actually reflects Janssen's political wisdom. He did not completely abandon his plan to deal with Zhu De, but also gave an explanation to the local people, and at the same time avoided possible catastrophic consequences.
Li Ming was obviously relieved when he heard this decision. As an executor, he is well aware of the risks of such actions. If it does cause some disaster, he will be responsible.
Zhang Yuan nodded thoughtfully. While he hoped that Janssen would abandon the plan altogether, he also understood that in the current situation, this was already the best outcome.
Yang Sen turned to the villagers and said in a calm but firm tone: "Fellow villagers, I know that you have special feelings for General Zhu De. But remember, we are now facing a struggle over the fate of Sichuan. I hope you will understand my difficulties, and I ask you to keep what is happening today. "
The villagers looked at each other, and finally an older man nodded yes on everyone's behalf. Although they were dissatisfied with Janssen's actions, they did not dare to openly disobey Janssen's wishes in this era of warlord secession.
At that moment, a soldier hurried over and whispered a few words in Yang Sen's ear. Yang Sen's expression suddenly became solemn.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Yang Sen said, raising his voice, "I have just received news that the Red Army has begun to advance towards the northern Sichuan region. I had to immediately return to Chengdu to deploy defenses. Li Ming, you stay to deal with the follow-up matters, and you must appease the villagers. "
After saying that, Yang Sen turned over his horse and left quickly with most of the soldiers. Li Ming, who was left behind, faced the villagers and Zhang Yuan, and didn't know what to do for a while.
Zhang Yuan saw Li Ming's predicament and offered to help deal with the follow-up matters. He suggested that the ancestral tomb should be restored and re-worshipped to quell possible bad omens. Li Ming readily agreed, and promised to provide all the resources needed.
In the following days, under the guidance of Zhang Yuan, the villagers carried out meticulous restoration of the ancestral tomb of the Zhu De family. They rearranged the surroundings of the tombs, replanted the destroyed vegetation, and even hired famous stonemasons in the neighborhood to renovate the tombstones.
At the same time, Li Ming was not idle. According to Yang Sen's instructions, he secretly arranged for some reliable people to stay in the village and continue to pay attention to the movements of the Zhu De family. These people were disguised as ordinary farmers or businessmen and blended into local life.
After the restoration work was completed, Zhang Yuan presided over a solemn sacrificial ceremony. The whole village participated, praying for the blessings of the ancestors and to dispel the bad luck. Li Ming also participated in the ceremony, ostensibly to express apology and respect, but in fact to appease the people.
After the ceremony, Zhang Yuan found Li Ming privately and said meaningfully: "General, I know that you will continue to pay attention to the Zhu family. But remember, there is providence in the dark. If you insist on going against Providence, I am afraid that you will only suffer in the end. "
Li Ming did not respond positively to Zhang Yuan's words, but just nodded, indicating that he would remember this warning. He then left the village with the remaining soldiers and returned to Chengdu to report to Yang Sen.
In this way, although Yang Sen's plan to "dig ancestral graves" was temporarily shelved, the situation of undercurrents did not subside. The advance of the Red Army, the defense of Janssen, the fate of the Zhu De family, and the future of Sichuan as a whole were shrouded in a fog. And this seemingly peaceful small mountain village has also unknowingly been involved in this thrilling historical torrent.
In May 1935, the Sichuan Basin ushered in rare sunny weather. The sun pierced through the mist and sprinkled on the water surface of the Tuojiang River, sparkling. Beneath this calm façade, however, lies an air of impending tension.
Just a few days ago, the main forces of the Central Red Army had reached the west bank of the Tuojiang River. After the arduous trek of the Long March, although the officers and men of the Red Army were exhausted, their morale was still high. They knew that as long as they crossed the Tuojiang River, they would be able to enter the hinterland of the Sichuan Basin, buying precious time and space for the next strategic shift.
Zhu De stood on a high ground by the river, looking at the situation on the other side. Despite the river, he can still feel the breath of his hometown. As a native of Sichuan, Zhu De has a special affection for this land. At this moment, however, he must consider as a military commander.
Red Army scouts had already detected that Janssen's troops were intensifying their defenses. On the commanding heights on the east bank of the river, the machine gun positions and artillery positions of the Kuomintang troops had been constructed. On the river, enemy patrol boats cruised back and forth, closely monitoring the Red Army's every move.
Zhu De turned to look at Liu Bocheng, the chief of staff beside him, and said in a low voice: "Old Liu, this battle is not easy to fight." "
Liu Bocheng nodded and replied, "Yes, the enemy is very well defended. We've come up with a plan, though. "
At this time, Mao Zedong, Zhou Enlai and other central leaders also came to the riverside. Zhu De briefed them on the current situation, and then asked Liu Bocheng to elaborate on the plan to cross the river.
Liu Bocheng pointed to the river and said, "We decided to adopt the strategy of attacking the east and the west. The main forces will make a feint downstream to attract the attention of the enemy. At the same time, we will send an elite force to secretly cross the river upstream and seize the beachhead on the opposite bank. Once a foothold is established, we can quickly increase our forces and gain an advantage over the enemy. "
After listening to this, Mao Zedong nodded approvingly: "This plan is very good. However, we also need to consider one question: how to quietly assemble ships to upstream ferries under the close surveillance of the enemy? "
Zhou Enlai took over the topic: "I have a suggestion. We can take advantage of the help of local fishermen. Let them pretend to go out to fish, and move the boat upstream little by little. This will not arouse the suspicion of the enemy, but also ensure that we have enough ships to cross the river. "
Zhu De's eyes lit up: "Good idea!" I'll arrange for someone to contact the local fishermen. I'm sure they'll be willing to help us. "
In this way, the Red Army's plan to cross the river began to be quietly implemented. Over the next few days, local fishermen began to appear frequently on the river. They appeared to be carrying out their daily fishing activities normally, but in fact they were slowly concentrating their boats to secret crossings upstream in accordance with the instructions of the Red Army.
At the same time, the engineering units of the Red Army were not idle. Taking advantage of the cover of night, they secretly made a large number of improvised bamboo rafts and rafts in preparation for the upcoming large-scale river crossing.
Late at night on May 8, the river crossing operation officially began. According to the plan, the main forces of the Red Army launched a huge feint attack downstream. The roar of artillery fire and the shouts of killing one after another successfully attracted the attention of Janssen's troops.
Just when the enemy army was preoccupied with the battle downstream, the vanguard led by Lin Biao had quietly arrived at the upstream ferry. With the help of local fishermen, they quickly boarded the boats that had been prepared long ago and rowed to the opposite shore.
In the night, only some vague black shadows can be seen slowly moving on the surface of the river. Although the sentries of the Yang Sen Army on the shore noticed some abnormalities, they did not pay enough attention when the main force was pinned.
By the time the first Red Army soldiers successfully landed on the opposite shore, the sky was already white. Lin Biao led the leading troops to quickly deploy and occupy several commanding heights nearby. Immediately afterwards, a large number of the main forces of the Red Army began to cross the Tuojiang River in a steady stream.
By the time Janssen received an urgent report from the front, the Red Army had already gained a foothold on the eastern bank. He immediately mobilized reserves for reinforcements, but it was too late. Taking advantage of the enemy's unstable foothold, the Red Army launched a fierce offensive and soon broke through the defensive line of Janssen's army.
By noon on May 9, the main forces of the Red Army had all crossed the Tuojiang River. Zhu De stood on the high ground on the east bank, looking at the Red Army officers and men who were constantly advancing, and a pleased smile appeared on his face. This successful operation of crossing the river not only opened the channel for the Red Army to advance to northern Sichuan, but also laid a solid foundation for the subsequent strategic shift.
However, Jude did not bask in the joy of victory. He knew that a more difficult journey awaited them. The officers and men of the Red Army sorted out their equipment, wiped their weapons, and prepared to continue their advance north. Behind them, the Tuojiang River flows quietly, witnessing this magnificent history.