The political struggle is extremely cruel, either you die or I die. The Huaihai Campaign was not over, and the Kuomintang had renewed its internal turmoil. Chiang Kai-shek had ordered Mao Renfeng to make all preparations for the assassination of Li Zongren; However, in the end, he still gave up the assassination and chose Shimono to give up the presidency. Chiang Kai-shek believed that a living Li Zongren was more beneficial to him than a dead Li Zongren.
On November 28, 1948, when the Huaihai Campaign was in full swing, Chiang Kai-shek, who was extremely anxious, asked his wife Soong Meiling to go to United States to ask for military assistance. Song Meiling left full of hope and returned full of disappointment.
The United States government's attitude towards Soong Meiling was very cold, and all of Chiang Kai-shek's ideas for United States were not realized.
Before the Battle of Huaihai was over, the United States New York Herald Tribune published a blunt editorial: "Chiang Kai-shek has failed...... The most effective step at the moment is the resignation of Chiang Kai-shek, giving way to Vice President Li Zongren ......"
Just four days after the editorial was published in United States newspapers, Kuomintang legislator Liu Wei published a strange article in a Nanjing magazine entitled "I wish the president a safe journey to the United States for recuperation."
The president in the article is Chiang Kai-shek, and "going to the United States to recuperate" is to resign and give way. Chiang Kai-shek was shocked when he saw this strange article, as if a catastrophe was coming.
That night, Chiang Kai-shek ordered Mao Renfeng to send an urgent telegram to Shen Zui, the head of the Yunnan Station of the Secret Bureau, with only one sentence: Shen Zui immediately handed over the post of the provincial station to the deputy stationmaster as his agent, and immediately went to Beijing for another important task.
What is the important task, Chiang Kai-shek did not say clearly in the telegram, and of course he will not say it clearly. The important task that Shen Zui is about to receive is: to assassinate Li Zongren.
Late the next night, an inconspicuous car sped to Chiang Kai-shek's official residence, and in the car sat the drunken head of the murderous and unblinking military command spy who had rushed back from Yunnan.
After entering Chiang Kai-shek's study drunk, Chiang Kai-shek, who was recuperating with his eyes closed, immediately got up, held his hands and asked for warmth.
Chiang Kai-shek asked with a smile: "Did Director Mao tell you the mission to Nanjing?" ”
Shen was drunk and understood, and immediately replied: "Director Mao has ordered everything, please rest assured that the president!" ”
Chiang Kai-shek kindly said some words of encouragement to Shen Zui, who nodded vigorously and said yes, and said that he would complete the task regardless of the sacrifice.
In the end, Chiang Kai-shek shook his drunken hand and said to Mao Renfeng: "This is the most loyal and brave comrade of my party, and if he has difficulties in work and life, you must do your best to solve them." ”
Enwei is used together, and he can't be drunk and don't give up. The plan to assassinate Li Zongren was thus decided, and Shen Zui was responsible for carrying it out.
The next day, Shen Zui came to the Secret Bureau and discussed specific steps with Mao Renfeng, Pan Qiwu, and Ye Xiangyi. It was immediately decided to set up a "special operation group" to assassinate Li Zongren and prevent Li Zongren from leaving Nanjing.
For the other major tasks of the Gui family, the military commander also made the same arrangements as for dealing with Li Zongren.
Shen Zui and others made on-the-spot observations near Li Zongren's residence for several days, and they found that every time Li Zongren took a car in and out of a turn, his speed had to slow down, and if the ambush killers on both sides of the road opened fire at the same time, Li Zongren would definitely die.
In addition to this plan, they also developed other assassination plans such as sniping and causing air crashes. These spy chiefs of the military command are racking their brains to find a way to put Li Zongren to death.
In order to ensure the completion of the task, Mao Renfeng specially transferred two "sharpshooters" from the military commander to assist Shen Zui. One is Qin Jingchuan, who specializes in killing people in the Military Command Detention Center, and the other is Wang Hanmin, these two people are highly valued in the military command because of their marksmanship.
In addition, Shen Zui is also a famous "sharpshooter", Mao Renfeng thinks that the three of them will be foolproof if they take on this task.
In order to reconnoiter and monitor at any time, Shen Zui and others set up a used bookstall at the corner of Li Zongren's residence. Such a deployment is, first, to facilitate cover reconnaissance, and second, it is possible to arrange a few more people here when carrying out an assassination operation, and it will not be easy to be discovered.
This stronghold is in charge of Wu Dehou, a backbone member of the military command.
The plan and deployment of the assassination were implemented, and in order to prevent Li Zongren from leaving Nanjing, these people could be said to have done everything they could.
First of all, they sent someone to open a grocery store as a base on a side street near the airport. This is the only way for Li Zongren to go to the airport, once Li Zongren is found to go to the airport, the people in this stronghold can quickly report it, and Mao Renfeng can immediately contact the air force and shoot him down with fighter jets.
Second, in order to prevent Li Zongren from leaving by train, the military commander bought a small wooden house near the railway station and sent people to secretly monitor it under the cover of setting up a cigarette stand.
Finally, in order to prevent Li Zongren from leaving Nanjing by car by road, they also sent people to open a small restaurant on the highway leading to Hangzhou near Tangshan to carry out surveillance work.
In addition, the "special operations group" also made similar arrangements in the vicinity of the residences of Bai Chongxi, Gan Jiehou, and others, who were the other main tasks of the Gui department.
Mao Renfeng also specially equipped the "special operations group" with two of the fastest cars, so that when Li Zongren left Nanjing by train or car, he could chase and kill him at any time.
Mao Renfeng, Shen Zui and others had already made all preparations for the assassination of Li Zongren, and they could immediately carry out the assassination as soon as Chiang Kai-shek gave an order. For Chiang Kai-shek, wanting to kill Li Zongren at this time was as simple as killing a bird in a cage.
Just when Chiang Kai-shek was intensively arranging the plan to assassinate Li Zongren, Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi and others were not idle. Although they did not have the courage to speak outright, they were also thinking about how to put Chiang Kai-shek to death.
Li Zongren is weak by nature, and he thinks more than he can do, but he has a right-hand man, Bai Chongxi, who is known as "Little Zhuge ".
Bai Chongxi thought of a trick: to unite all anti-Chiang forces in the Kuomintang and jointly launch a campaign calling for peace, in order to promote peace talks between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, and to force Chiang Kai-shek to step down.
Just do it, Bai Chongxi first sent two telegrams to Chiang Kai-shek one after another, advocating peace talks! Then, start moving around and enlist helpers. Under Bai Chongxi's operation, there were soon calls for peace, including many veterans of the Kuomintang.
Chiang Kai-shek was held to the neck by Bai Chongxi's soft knife.
The international, domestic, intra-party, and military situation all deteriorated rapidly in a direction that Chiang Kai-shek did not want to see. This could not help but make him step up the implementation of Li Zongren's assassination plan.
Late at night on the day when Liu Jixue, chairman of the Henan Parliament, sent a peaceful telegram, Chiang Kai-shek urgently summoned Mao Renfeng again.
After receiving Chiang Kai-shek's call, Mao Renfeng ordered his secretary to inform Shen Zui to make all preparations, and hurried to Chiang Kai-shek's official residence. Mao Renfeng, who had followed Chiang Kai-shek for many years, knew in his heart that the assassination was basically a matter of the past two days.
As soon as Mao Renfeng entered the door, Chiang Kai-shek split his head and asked, "How are the preparations going?" ”
"Report to the president, everything is ready, just waiting for your order." Mao Renfeng gasped and replied.
"Good, good! Sit down and talk! Hearing Mao Renfeng say that everything was ready, Chiang Kai-shek's face showed a smile, his voice softened a lot, and motioned for Mao Renfeng to sit down.
Mao Renfeng reported to Chiang Kai-shek on the preparations for the assassination of Li Zongren, and Chiang Kai-shek was very satisfied, and constantly nodded his head in praise and affirmation.
When Mao Renfeng said that in order to prevent Li Zongren from suddenly leaving Nanjing, they were going to shoot down his plane in the air, and then announce it to the public on the grounds of the plane crash, Chiang Kai-shek praised him: "Well, good, this is good!" ”
Why is it good? Killing Li Zongren without having to be suspicious of anything is, of course, the most in line with Chiang Kai-shek's intentions.
It was easy to kill Li Zongren, but if the matter was leaked, it would be difficult for Chiang Kai-shek to end. The strength of the Gui family cannot be ignored, and the United States also favor Li Zongren, so that Chiang Kai-shek cannot explain to all aspects.
Obviously, creating an air crash was the most ideal plan in Chiang Kai-shek's mind.
But the problem is that in recent times, Li Zongren has always lived in a simple place, let alone taking a plane, and even the courtyard gate rarely goes out. Chiang Kai-shek could not have waited.
Thinking of this, Chiang Kai-shek whispered two "No! ”
Hearing Chiang Kai-shek say two "inappropriate" in a row, Mao Renfeng said fiercely: "It is most certain to go to Li's residence to snipe, and you can do it at any time." I have made careful observations that there is a transformer outside Li Zongren's bedroom, so I have arranged for two members of the Capital Lighting Company to stand on the transformer and shoot at Li's bedroom and dining room from outside the fence with a hand-held pistol under the pretext of overhauling the transformer, and they can also go to the courtyard to snipe. Snipers use bullets filled with the most intense poisons, and even if the bullet scratches a little skin, it will immediately cause poisoning and cannot be treated. ”
From this point of view, with the deployment of the executioner of Mao Renfeng, Li Zongren is doomed!
After Mao Renfeng finished speaking, he didn't speak again, but quietly waited for Chiang Kai-shek's next instructions.
Chiang Kai-shek did not speak again. Mao Renfeng has experience, doing this kind of thing, Chiang Kai-shek will never spit out the word "kill" from his mouth, he only needs one action, he can understand. Otherwise, Mao Renfeng would not have been able to take the position of director of the Kuomintang Secret Bureau.
A moment later, Chiang Kai-shek's eyes revealed a cold cold light, and his right hand was slowly raised. Mao Renfeng always paid attention, as long as Chiang Kai-shek's right hand was waved down, he didn't have to ask anything, just ordered Shen Zui and others to implement the plan.
Chiang Kai-shek's raised right hand did not fall for a long time, and Mao Renfeng, who was engrossed, felt a trace of strangeness. In the past, when the killing order was issued, their president never hesitated, as long as Mao Renfeng was called to the office, Chiang Kai-shek's gesture was beaten, and Mao Renfeng directly answered a "yes" and turned around to carry it out.
After a while, Chiang Kai-shek suddenly said slowly: "Go! As he spoke, he waved his hand lightly to Mao Renfeng and motioned for him to step back.
Mao Renfeng thought that he had heard it wrong, but he still stood there stunned and did not move.
"Let's go back! Let's go back! Chiang Kai-shek waved his hand impatiently and said.
People like Mao Renfeng are also human spirits, and they can ask if they know what they should ask, and resolutely don't ask if they shouldn't. So, he snapped and saluted, "Yes!" However, he turned around and left Chiang Kai-shek's office.
As soon as Mao Renfeng arrived at home, Chiang Kai-shek's urgent call came again, and he immediately rushed over. This time, after waiting in the living room for a while, Chiang Kai-shek neither saw Mao Renfeng nor gave any instructions, but sent his attendant adjutant to call him back.
After returning home, Mao Renfeng was summoned by Chiang Kai-shek for the third time, but the result was the same as the second time, he didn't say anything, and asked him to go back. At this time, Mao Renfeng guessed Chiang Kai-shek's thoughts.
Mao Renfeng simply did not sleep all night, waiting for Chiang Kai-shek's resummons; And Chiang Kai-shek didn't sleep all night, he was thinking about whether to kill Li Zongren?
What made Chiang Kai-shek hesitate was not his indecision, nor was it that he could not bear to kill Li Zongren! Rather, there are two things:
First, throwing a rat bogey, killing Li Zongren will not only do nothing, but will add fuel to the fire, and it will be difficult to clean up.
Second, the peace talks proposed by Li Zongren and Bai Chongxi gave Chiang Kai-shek a glimmer of hope. It was more advantageous for Chiang Kai-shek to keep Li Zongren than to kill Li Zongren.
Li Zongren was able to escape this catastrophe, and the person who should be thanked the most is Bai Chongxi.
After Bai Chongxi sent a peaceful telegram in Hankou, it aroused a wide response within the Kuomintang, and everyone in Beijing and Shanghai rushed to tell each other, and there was a voice of peace in Central China, and some important figures such as Cheng Qian and Liu Jixue actively generated support.
Then, Bai Chongxi chartered a special plane to Hong Kong via Guangzhou to pick up Li Jishen, a veteran of the Kuomintang and the eldest brother of the Gui family, to Hankou to preside over the peace talks with the Chinese communists.
At the same time, Situ Leiden made a clear statement: President Chiang went down to the field to carry out peace talks.
This person's voice deepened Chiang Kai-shek's concerns. Kill Li Zongren and fall out with the United States, I am afraid that even the northwest wind will have nowhere to drink in the future. Despite the secret curses in his heart, Chiang Kai-shek did not dare to tear his face with the United States.
Years of experience in political struggle reminded Chiang Kai-shek that in such an embattled situation, only patience could lead to a turnaround.
And the turning point that Chiang Kai-shek was looking forward to was that the KMT and the CCP would negotiate peace again, and even if the talks could not be reached, at least they would be able to gain time to maneuver.
Chiang Kai-shek himself could not talk to the Chinese Communists. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, with the repeated concessions and efforts of the Communist Party of China, the Kuomintang and the Communist Party finally signed the "Double Tenth Agreement".
However, after Chiang Kai-shek completed the mobilization and deployment of the army, he resolutely tore up the peace agreement and provoked a civil war despite the unanimous reaction of the Chinese people. To put it mildly, Chiang Kai-shek at this time had no face to go to peace talks, and no one would believe in his sincerity in peace talks, and the CCP would not hold peace talks with him.
But Li Zongren is different. Li Jishen is not only a veteran of the Kuomintang but also has close ties with the CCP, and with his help, it is very likely that the door to peace talks with the CPC will be opened again.
As a result, Chiang Kai-shek finally gave up the assassination of Li Zongren and relinquished the presidency.
Although Chiang Kai-shek was out of the wilderness, he operated within the Kuomintang for many years and still influenced the decision-making of the Kuomintang government. Later, he also directly controlled the KMT-CCP peace talks behind the scenes.
After the defeat of the Kuomintang in Taiwan, Li Zongren moved to United States. In 1965, with the continuous efforts of the Chinese government, Li Zongren finally embarked on the difficult road back to China.
Chiang Kai-shek, of course, did not want to see such a thing happen, so he once again sent assassins to assassinate Li Zongren in order to prevent him from returning to the mainland.
However, under the careful deployment of Premier Zhou, Chiang Kai-shek's assassination plan went bankrupt again!