After the Xi'an Incident in 1936, Zhang Xueliang sent Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanjing, where he was placed under house arrest ever since. As early as 1930, when Zhang Xueliang first arrived in Nanjing, he was "captured".
At the end of 1928, Zhang Xueliang announced the "Northeast Yizhi". Chiang Kai-shek completed the "reunification of the country" in the name of the Kuomintang, and was extremely grateful to Zhang Xueliang, who was 27 years old at the time, and appointed him as the commander of the northeast border defense. The Northeast Army was well-equipped among the various factions of the Republic of China at that time, and its strength could not be underestimated.
In 1930, the Central Plains War broke out, Feng Yuxiang, Yan Xishan, and Li Zongren, three powerful groups, united against Chiang Kai-shek, and the "inverted Chiang camp" was unprecedentedly grand, not only uniting the main local power factions in the country, but also reaching the scale of a million people. For a time, the civil and military forces were complete, and the momentum was huge, surpassing Chiang Kai-shek, who had central power.
Zhang Xueliang's Northeast Army became the object of both sides' struggle. Zhang Xueliang judged the situation and decided to finally side with the old Chiang Kai-shek, and on September 18, he sent a telegram, and the Northeast Army entered the customs to support Chiang Kai-shek. The anti-Chiang coalition immediately collapsed, and Chiang Kai-shek won the Battle of the Central Plains.
On October 9, 1930, Chiang Kai-shek awarded Zhang Xueliang the post of "Deputy Commander of the Army, Navy and Air Force of the Republic of China" and invited Zhang Xueliang to Nanjing for a meeting. On November 7, Zhang Xueliang, his wife Yu Fengzhi, his younger brother Zhang Xueming, and more than 100 officials and guards from various departments went to Nanjing. After a short stay in Tianjin, on the morning of November 11, a special train departed from Tianjin to Nanjing.
Along the way, Zhang Xueliang was unexpectedly welcomed. South of Tianjin, various slogans were posted at large and small stations, which read: "Deputy Commander Zhang is the emissary of Peace and Tranquility!" "Deputy Commander Zhang is an example of national reunification!" wait.
On November 12, the special train arrived at Pukou. Zhang Qun, Song Ziwen, He Yingqin, and other government officials led more than 700 senior officials and have been waiting for a long time. Zhang Xueliang got off the bus and changed to a special ferry to cross the river. At this time, the Lion Rock Battery fired 19 cannons. After landing at Zhongshan Wharf, Zhang Xueliang transferred to a car and walked along Zhongshan Avenue to the residence of the Nationalist Government. As soon as the car stopped, Zhang Xueliang stepped out of the car, and Chiang Kai-shek, who was dressed in military uniform, stepped forward, broke the convention, performed Western-style meeting etiquette, and warmly embraced him. This ceremony is the first time in the history of the National Government to receive distinguished guests.
In the evening, Chiang Kai-shek, in his capacity as chairman of the National Government and commander-in-chief of the army, navy and air force, held a grand welcoming ceremony. Chiang Kai-shek and Zhang Xueliang each delivered enthusiastic speeches. After the ceremony, the dance party began, and Song Meiling invited Zhang Xueliang to dance, which was a good story for a while.
What made Zhang Xueliang feel most flattered was that Chiang Kai-shek always welcomed him as an equal, and the two walked side by side. Li Zongren and Feng Yuxiang, who had previously befriended Chiang Kai-shek, had already turned against Chiang Kai-shek, but Chiang Kai-shek still insisted on marrying Zhang Xueliangyi with Jinlan and making Song Meiling and Yu Fengzhi sisters of Jinlan. "Brothers" drive forward side by side, sisters are left and right, and it is not beautiful.
Chiang Kai-shek also specially hired the famous chef of the "Liuhuachun" Beijing and Suzhou cuisine to cook dishes at the official residence of the cemetery and invited Zhang Xueliang to a banquet. Zhang Xueliang was very fond of Liu Huachun's "head dish" at that time, Yipin Guan Yanzhan, and in the future, when he invited guests to a banquet in Ning, he would serve this dish.
Since then, Zhang Xueliang has also booked a "swallow wing double grilled table" at Jinling Chun Chinese and Western Restaurants, feasting on Wu Zhihui, Shao Lizi, Yu Youren and other elders, and the main dishes are a pint of swallow dishes, yellow stuffy wings, Jinling roast duck, Kirin mandarin fish, chrysanthemum crab box, honey yam and so on. Zhang Xueliang is very satisfied with Nanjing cuisine, especially the roast duck.
It seems that the general from the northeast has become a prisoner of Nanjing cuisine. (Pay attention to the WeChat public account: NJHFHHH, feel the history during the trip)