Chiang Kai-shek had three marriages, and only Soong Mei-ling accompanied him for the longest time. But the two are dictators who say one thing and the other is a rich lady with a good birth, and their marriage is bound to have frequent problems. In 1972, Song Meiling sought the post of chief executive for her nephew Kong Lingkan and repeatedly "forced the palace" on Chiang Kai-shek, but Chiang Kai-shek decided to take a stand and did not waver. When the quarrel was so incredulous, Chiang Kai-shek chose to escape, and did not hesitate to use "going down" to resist Soong Meiling's "forced palace."
As early as 1966, when Taiwan's fourth "president" and "vice president" were elected, Soong Mei-ling had already begun to lay out the layout, and she recalled her nephew Kong Lingkan to Taiwan to let him look for opportunities in the election.
Kong Lingkan was the eldest son of Kong Xiangxi and Song Xialing, who could not have children for the rest of her life and was at odds with the brothers Chiang Ching-kuo and Chiang Wei-kuo, so in the later period of Chiang Kai-shek's reign, she urgently needed to cultivate talents among the descendants of her mother's family to compete with the Chiang brothers.
Several of the Song brothers married late and had few children, and only the Kong family was prosperous. Although Kong Lingkan is a member of the Kong family, he is the nephew of Song Meiling, and he is closer than the Jiang brothers in terms of blood and feelings. In addition, Kong Lingkan is very good at playing tricks and selling tricks, so he is deeply loved by Song Meiling. She vigorously cultivated Kong Lingkan, hoping that he could have real power and build a power fortress for the Kong and Song families.
Kong Lingkan
Song Meiling found time to tell Chiang Kai-shek about Kong Lingkan's recent excellent performance, hoping that Chiang Kai-shek could give him a chance.
Chiang Kai-shek naturally understood Soong Mei-ling's implications, but in his plan, all important positions were suitable candidates, and Kong Lingkan was not at all among his considerations.
Seeing that Chiang Kai-shek did not agree, Song Meiling immediately talked about her brother-in-law Kong Xiangxi's work as finance minister and chief executive, and said that since Kong Lingkan's father could do a good job, then Kong Lingkan could of course do the same.
Then, Soong Mei-ling said how Kong Lingkan could fight for Taiwan's interests in the United States, and only by giving him a plausible position could he justifiably do things for Chiang Kai-shek.
However, no matter how much Soong Meiling persuaded him, Chiang Kai-shek was unwavering and did not have the slightest intention of accommodation.
So what did Chiang Kai-shek think in his heart?
In fact, Chiang Kai-shek already had a training object in his heart, that is, the eldest son, Chiang Ching-kuo. Chiang Ching-kuo is 6 years older than Kong Lingkan, and this election is already 56 years old, and Chiang Kai-shek can no longer leave such a high position as vice president or chief executive to his son, but to the descendants of the Kong family, who are not related to him by blood.
However, Song Meiling is his wife after all, and Chiang Kai-shek cannot but give her an explanation, otherwise don't say that Song Meiling can't get by here, and kong Lingkan's parents Kong Xiangxi and Song Xialing can't explain it, not to mention that Kong Lingkan has indeed done a lot of things?
So Chiang Kai-shek came up with a "strategy to slow down the army", and he gave Kong Lingkan a position of "national policy adviser to the presidential office". This position sounds not small, but it has no real power, it is just a fictitious position.
Does Song Meiling understand? Of course, I understand that a lot of such false titles were set up by Chiang Kai-shek to appease the old man. But what can she say? After all, Chiang Kai-shek had given in, and she could only give up on this and prepare to find another opportunity to fight for it.
Around New Year's Day in 1972, Song Meiling recalled Kong Lingkan again, and the aunts and nephews began to plot a fifth general election. Soong Mei-ling believes that Chiang Kai-shek is getting older and older, and she must seize the last opportunity to personally come forward to win the position of "president of the Executive Yuan" for Kong Lingkan. If Kong Lingkan could not ascend to the throne, then once Chiang Kai-shek died, the Kong and Song families would never have the opportunity to enter this political circle again, and they would no longer have any real power.
How could Chiang Kai-shek not understand the thoughts of these two aunts and nephews? He was superficially good to Kong Lingkan, but in fact he did not trust him. Therefore, Chiang Kai-shek coped with it vainly and condescendingly, and finally gave the post of chief executive to Chiang Ching-kuo, and Kong Lingkan only fell into a "dog bite urine bubble and rejoice" and ran to Song Meiling to cry.
Soong Mei Ling jumped to her feet in anger, went to Chiang Kai-shek to cry and make trouble, and even took out the United States to put pressure on Chiang Kai-shek, saying that if it were not for Kong Lingkan's friendship with the United States, the United States would not have helped Taiwan at all, and if it wanted to rely on the United States in the future, it would have to rely heavily on Kong Lingkan, and so on.
At this time, Chiang Kai-shek was already swallowing the scales of the mouth--an iron heart, and no matter what Song Meiling said, he was not moved.
Seeing that he could not be persuaded, Song Meiling took a step back and said that he could not be the dean, so it was always okay to be the vice president, right?
Unexpectedly, Chiang Kai-shek still disagreed, saying that Kong Lingkan was too young, and no one would be convinced, whether he was the president or vice president: "Even if you pass my pass, do you think other comrades in the party will be convinced?" ”
In 1976, Soong Mei-ling returned to Taiwan to participate in the anniversary of Chiang Kai-shek's death
Song Meiling was very annoyed when she heard this, and quarreled with Chiang Kai-shek:
"Jing Guo can be the dean, why can't he arrange for Ling Kan to be the vice president?" Even if Ling Kan's ability is not qualified to be a vice president, it is not qualified to be a minister? You are the president, everyone else must obey your orders, you say who can disobey? ”
No matter how Much Soong Mei-ling cried, Chiang Kai-shek was never moved. He is no longer the young man who spoiled Soong Mei-ling decades ago, and now any decision may affect Chiang Ching-kuo and shake the Chiang family's rule in Taiwan, so he will not give in at all on the issue of principle.
In the end, Chiang Kai-shek was already extremely angry, and he angrily told Soong Mei-ling that if he forced Kong Lingkan to seek the position of president, then he would rather not be president again.
In fact, Song Meiling wants to vigorously develop her mother's family, or because she is worried that once Chiang Ching-kuo succeeds to the throne, her life will not be so good, she is ostensibly planning for her future, but in fact she is insecure.
Seeing Chiang Kai-shek's resolute attitude, Soong Mei-ling took another step back and said how about not letting Ling Kan become a minister of finance? I don't want Chiang Kai-shek to still disagree.
Song Meiling did not get the results she wanted, and went away angrily, ignoring Chiang Kai-shek for a long time after that, and the couple began a cold war.
The difference is that in the past, Soong Mei-ling used the Cold War to force Chiang Kai-shek to compromise, which often worked, but this time when it came to the regime, the cold war means were no longer used.
The cold war between the two lasted for three or four months, which made Chiang Kai-shek very stressed, he simply chose to go south for a vacation, and before leaving, he released the news that he was physically weak and did not plan to be re-elected president, and announced that he would go to the field for the fourth time.
This method was also chiang kai-shek's usual method, which was used to tell Song Meiling that he would not compromise with her in the way of retreating and advancing, "going down to the field".
I have to say that Chiang Kai-shek is indeed an out-and-out strategist, and his method is very effective. Soong Mei Ling understood that once Chiang Kai-shek did not serve as president, not only would Kong Lingkan not be able to become an official, but even her "first lady" title would not be preserved, so she quickly stopped the Cold War and reconciled with Chiang Kai-shek.
1982, Shilin Official Residence, Taipei
Kong Lingkan later held the position of national policy adviser to the presidential office for a long time, but he has not been promoted. Song Meiling originally had high hopes for Kong Lingkan, hoping that through Kong Lingkan, she would help her family to develop and grow, shine on the lintel, and ensure her later life. But obviously, the arrival of Chiang Ching-kuo's era announced the decline and end of the era of Kong and Song dynasties.
Looking back at the conjugal war between Soong Mei-ling and Chiang Kai-shek, it is not difficult to see that Chiang Kai-shek was indeed a complete strategist, who could clearly distinguish everything and could also uphold his principles. Song Meiling wanted to use the methods of the cold war between husband and wife to consolidate her power, and in the face of the scheming Chiang Kai-shek, it was a pediatrician after all.