Xu Shiyou was born on February 28, 1905 in a poor peasant family in Xujiahe Village, Tianpu Township, Surabayadian District, Xinxian County, with the nickname Sanlingzi. At the age of 8, he went to the Shaolin Temple on Songshan Mountain to learn martial arts, and studied under the Shaolin Temple monk Lin Zijin. At the Shaolin Temple, he practiced both internal and external qigong and learned eighteen weapons.
After graduating from the Shaolin Temple, in the era of soldiers and horses, he was hungry and decided to join the army as a soldier. He said, "It's better to go to the army, maybe you can have a way to live."
It was said that the troops of the great warlord Wu Peifu were recruiting troops in Luoyang, and after he received the news, he walked from Xinyang to Luoyang on foot, joined Wu Peifu's army, and was assigned to the first company and two platoons of the infantry regiment of the first division of the fifteenth army. After several years of hard work in Wu Peifu's troops, he made countless military achievements, and after the First Division of the Fifteenth Army was incorporated into the Independent First Division of the Hubei Provincial Defense Army, he served as the company commander of the fourth company of the infantry regiment.
After the Spring Festival in 1927, Xu Company Commander was ordered to lead four companies into Pushui (one of the five waters in Huanggang, also known as Puhe River) to suppress mountain bandits. During the garrison in Pushui, an incident occurred that caused Xu Shiyou to be imprisoned. After being detained, he was thirsty and wanted to drink water, but the guards did not give water, and he broke the handcuffs in a fit of rage.
One night, in the middle of the night, Xu Company Commander, who was sleeping peacefully, was suddenly shot by the troops led by the regimental commander Yan Fengyi. Commander Yan ordered xu company commander to be handcuffed and shackled.
After being handcuffed, Shiyou hurriedly asked, "Commander Yan, what's going on?" Why? What crime have you committed? ”
Commander Yan looked at Shiyou, his eyes were on fire, and he angrily said, "What crime?" What bad things have you done that you still don't know? Still mouth hard! Yan Fengyi saw that Shiyou did not confess, thought that he was pretending to be confused, and shouted loudly: "Give me a hard beating!" "Xu Shiyou was knocked unconscious and imprisoned.
Late at night, shiyou, who had been imprisoned, woke up and felt thirsty. Wearing handcuffs and shackles, he said to the guards, "Brother, brother, give me some water." ”
The guards saw that he was thirsty, but did not give him water to drink. The guard soldier said, "Drink water? dream! Commander Yan has explained that he will not let you eat and drink water! After dawn, the gun will ring, and you will go to Yama to ask for water! ”
After Xu Shiyou couldn't drink the water, when he heard that he still wanted to see the King of Yama, he was furious and said angrily, "Yue! Hit me, wronged me, and didn't let me drink water! I'm going to fight with you!" After the fury, he began to exert his strength, "the hand and foot bullets at the qi first, the blood for the qi shield power xiong." After some luck, only to hear a "bang", the handcuffs were broken.
When the guards saw Shiyou break the handcuffs in anger, they trembled with fright and immediately ran to report to Commander Yan Fengyi.
After Yan Fengyi received the report, he led the people to the front to see that ShiYou's handcuffs were really broken. Yan Fengyi was horrified and secretly thought: This person is from Shaolin, has excellent martial arts, can break handcuffs, and can indeed fight alone.
Therefore, Yan Fengyi said to the guards: "You must quickly give Xu Company Commander water, and let him eat well." His affairs will be dealt with after they are clearly investigated. The guarding soldier hurriedly replied yes.
Three days later, in the early morning, when Shiyou was eating breakfast, Yan Fengyi, the leader of the regiment, came to see Shiyou with a smile on his face and personally opened his shackles for him. Yan Fengyi said apologetically, "Commander Xu, you have suffered, and your case has been clarified!" It was the two squad leaders of your company who led a few soldiers, and when they went out, they violated discipline! Robbed the common people of things. You're in the dark about it. I mistyped you, and today I apologize to you! ”
After apologizing, Commander Yan also sent a healing fee to Shiyou, but Shiyou's mood was very bad.
Soon, Shiyou was transferred to the Sixth Company of the First Division and the First Regiment of the Hubei Provincial Defense Army as a company commander. After taking office, his team was stationed in Wuchang. At the station, he became acquainted with a fellow villager named Fu Mengxian.
Fu Mengxian was a progressive young man, and one day, Fu Mengxian mobilized his friends and said to him: "The old warlords only want to get rich for promotion, withhold military food, and drink the blood of soldiers!" Let's go to Huang'an or Macheng and join the Red Army! ”
"Red Army troops? Good! Let's do it now! Shiyou said happily, patting his thigh.