"Since my mother's death, there have been only jobs left in my father's world"
In 1960, Zhao Ying, who was lying on a hospital bed, learned that she was suffering from cancer, so she solemnly said to the doctor, "My disease is incurable, please don't waste it, give these medicines to other sick comrades." ”
Unable to persuade the mother who refused to take the medicine, the children had to find Li Kenong and wanted the father to act as a lobbyist. But Li Kenong just shook his head silently and said, "Don't look at your mother's appearance is weak, but her heart is stronger than anyone, she decides things, respect her wishes." ”
At this time, Li Kenong's health is also deteriorating, and long-term high-intensity work has made him close to blindness in one eye, and he often has to pay twice as much energy than others to do things. Before, his wife Zhao Ying had been taking care of him, but now, it was the turn of the general comrade to run at both ends of the hospital and the unit every day.
Six months later, Zhao Ying died of illness. Li Kenong, who supported the sick body, was infinitely sad and affectionately praised the wife who had accompanied him for 44 years as a "model of motherhood". He found a group photo of the two when they were young and wrote a paragraph at the back of the photo:
"This photo was taken in 1940 at the Office of the Eighth Route Army in Guilin, Guangxi, and unfortunately Comrade Zhao Ying died in Beijing Hospital in 1961, and we will never say goodbye!"
The children, fearing their father's excessive grief, quietly replaced their mother's belongings, including some commonly used furniture. Unexpectedly, I found a rare fury at li kenong, requiring that all arrangements and items must be put in place as they are. Li Kenong's daughter Li Ning once wrote in her notes: "Every day before going to bed, my father always went to his mother's bed to sit silently for a while, and then bowed deeply before going to sleep." He worked harder and harder, just trying to distract himself from thinking about his mother. ”
First acquaintance, a down-and-out teenager, a confidant with a red face
In 1917, Zhang Xun was restored, and the soldiers in Beijing were in chaos and the people were panicked. Li Kenong, who was doing distribution work in popular weekly magazines, was forced by the pressure of the situation to leave Beijing and return to Wuwu.
I remembered that when I first left home, I was angry with the bookish business, and I was determined to realize the revolutionary ideal of "opposing power, opposing etiquette, and opposing despotism." Now, less than a year later, he has suffered a tragic blow from reality and returned to his hometown. Li Kenong was trapped in the gap in his heart, and spent his days in decadence all day.
However, because the Li family was also a wealthy family in the local area, they did not expect this little young master to have much success. His father, Li Zheqing, arranged a family affair for him, and the other party was Zhao Ying, the only daughter of Zhao Xiaofang, a wealthy merchant in Wuhu, and also a well-known filial daughter.
For such a family marriage, Li Kenong chose to compromise and knew that he could not escape. In September 1917, Li Kenong and Zhao Ying married, and they were both just 18 years old.
After getting married, Li Kenong found that his wife Zhao Ying did not know only etiquette and filial piety as he subconsciously thought. On the contrary, as one of the first students admitted to the women's normal school in Wuhu, Zhao Ying was exposed to the new trend of openness and democracy very early on, and her vision was broadened. When it comes to his views on the future of the country and the nation, even Li Kenong is ashamed of himself.
In 1926, the "May Thirtieth" massacre occurred, and the British patrol in the Shanghai Concession killed the progressive students, and 11 people were killed on the spot. The news spread throughout the country, and patriotic students and workers everywhere went on strike. The revolutionary flame in Li Kenong's heart was rekindled, leading the Students of Wuhu to support the anti-imperialist struggle of the People of Shanghai, and secretly joined the Party under the introduction of his friend Qian Xingcun.
Li Kenong often summoned some comrades to meet in his home to discuss important matters. Whenever this time comes, Zhao Ying always prepares tea to entertain guests without a word, and then goes to the door to put a sentry. At this time, Zhao Ying was already the mother of several children, and she silently took care of the whole family alone. But for her husband's career, she never complained, and took the initiative to sell all the dowry, and used the money and goods to support the revolutionary activities in the low tide.
Giving up the small family and completing everyone, the spirit of sacrifice embodied in Zhao Ying is no less than that of Li Kenong. The common ideal of life is the most enduring love letter for the husband and wife.
Longtan Tiger Cave as a companion, a life-and-death couple on a hidden front
In November 1929, Li Kenong, under the recommendation of his former friend Hu Di, became acquainted with Qian Zhuangfei. This is an ordinary meeting between friends, but it is also the beginning of a legendary journey. After the founding of New China, Zhou Enlai once said, "Without the Three Masters of Longtan, China's history would have been rewritten." ”
In December of the same year, Li Kenong, with the help of the organization, entered the Shanghai Radio Administration and successfully won the trust of The Director Xu Enzeng. Xu Enzeng's other identity is that of the actual head of the Kuomintang Central Unification.
Lurking next to the head of the secret service, Li Kenong took a very large risk. But in order to make his identity more "real", Li Kenong wrote a letter asking Zhao Ying to come to Shanghai with her two children for a reunion, and the family lived next to Xu Enzeng's house. Li Kenong wanted Xu En to see himself and his family living under his nose, completely dispelling his concerns and doubts.
Zhao Ying is not a party member, let alone a secret agent. Therefore, as the most critical link in Shanghai's intelligence front, Li Kenong has many behaviors and secrets in his work that he cannot explain to his wife.
Although Zhao Ying didn't know what kind of lurking mission her husband was performing, she knew very well that what she had to do was not just as simple as putting up a guard at the door. In this Dragon Pond Tiger Den, she must play the role of Mrs. Kuo, a middle-level Kuomintang official, and be extremely cautious and cautious to cover Li Kenong's mission.
In a sense, Zhao Ying's psychological pressure is far greater than Li Kenong's. As a mother, she wants both children to live in peace. As Li Kenong's wife, she must accompany her husband Tiger Cave as a companion, be a life-and-death couple on a hidden front, and even have to take herself and her children as "hostages". This is a very contradictory psychology and reality, but Zhao Ying is just doing her best to balance the status quo, and has not made any request to Li Kenong to escape from this high-pressure life.
But in April 1931, Zhao Ying's worst fear happened.
Gu Shunzhang, the core figure of the Central Special Branch, was arrested and defected in Hankou and betrayed the Shanghai underground party organization. Fortunately, before the agents could start the arrest operation, Qian Zhuangfei intercepted this important information and sent someone to inform Li Kenong overnight.
Li Kenong contacted Chen Geng, Hu Di, and other underground party comrades and asked them to quickly organize an evacuation. But because of the tight time, Li Kenong did not have time to personally inform Zhao Ying, so he could only let his friends go to his home and tell Zhao Ying: The enemy is about to carry out a search and take the child to hide.
Zhao Ying escaped from home with her two children, hid everywhere, and even slept in the streets. All the agents on the beach went out and arrested people everywhere, and Li Kenong's arrest warrant was also hung in the most conspicuous position. Without a word from her husband, and not even knowing whether he was dead or alive, Zhao Ying with her child did not dare to leave Shanghai hastily, and could only wander all the time.
It was not until a month later, the beggar-like mother and son of Zhao Ying met Li Kenong's good friend, gong Qiaoyan, an underground party member, that he finally escorted back to his hometown in Wuhu with the help of the organization. Both husband and wife cried bitterly after learning the news of each other's safety, and the pain of separation between life and death was enough to break the strongest heart.
However, at this time, Li Kenong could not be reunited with his wife and children because he received orders to go to the Jiangxi Su District, and could only write a letter to tell Zhao Ying that he would go home to see them as soon as possible.
However, neither Li Kenong nor Zhao Ying expected that this distinction would last for 6 years.
Stood
In April 1937, after participating in the "West Lake Negotiations" in Nanjing, Li Kenong returned to his hometown on a fast ferry, reunited with Zhao Ying, and soon after took his wife and children to the Wuhan Eighth Route Army Office.
Since then, no matter where Li Kenong goes to work, he will try to take Zhao Ying with him from Wuhan and Chongqing to Guilin. Because of this, Li Kenong was ridiculed by his comrades-in-arms, "Why is the king of secret agents such a rare wife?" ”
Li Kenong was a general who had never led a soldier or fought a war, but the work he undertook was irreplaceable by others. His long time in charge of the confidential intelligence services also made him extremely tired. Especially after returning from two years of armistice talks in North Korea, Mr. Lee had problems with his eyesight and was even difficult to read any documents for a time.
When working at home, Zhao Ying accompanies and takes care of her husband's work, acting as his eyes and pen holder. In 1955, Li Kenong, who was awarded the rank of general, lamented that "this military merit badge also has the merit of Zhao Ying." ”
In Li Kenong's bumpy and brilliant revolutionary career for most of his life, his wife Zhao Ying's silent and selfless dedication and great sacrifice were everywhere, and Li Kenong also gave all the hottest love of his life to this confidant with a red face. Their love has endured hardships and witnessed one of the most legendary periods of history of the Republic, and they are also the most loyal and determined pair of faith partners.