preface
Pictured | Zhang Xingbing
Recalling the years when he was with Deng Gong, Zhang Xingbing once said: "Without the training and education of the old chief, how could I have grown from an ordinary cattle herder to a military-level cadre in the people's army?" ”
Deng Xiaoping sent Zhang Xingbing to study
In the autumn of 1943, Yang Lisan, then deputy chief of general staff of the Eighth Route Army, deliberately found Zhang Xingbing, who was studying in the Licheng Anti-Japanese General Staff, and said: "Go, you go back with me!" ”
Yang Lisan's words made Zhang Xingbing very confused, in fact, before Zhang Xingbing came to kang da to go to school, he had been a guard around Yang Lisan for several years, and not long ago, Yang Lisan agreed to let him enter kang da to study, but before he studied for a few days, Yang Lisan found him again and asked him to return to the army.
Yang Lisan naturally understood Zhang Xingbing's inner confusion and took the initiative to explain: "This time you are not going to go back with me, and now that Comrade Xiaoping has come to the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, I want you to work with him." ”
The generals of the Eighth Route Army often returned to the headquarters for meetings, and Zhang Xingbing, who had followed Yang Lisan for a long time, naturally had seen Deng Xiaoping many times.
When Zhang Xingbing heard that Yang Lisan was going to send himself to work with Deng Xiaoping, his thoughts could not help but return to a winter two years ago...
It was a day in the winter of 1941, when Liu Bocheng, commander of the 129th Division, and Deng Xiaoping, political commissar, came to the Wujun Temple in Liaoxian County for a meeting.
At that time, it was snowing heavily, Zhang Xingbing and a few other small guards were plowing snow in the courtyard while playing with snowmen, Liu Bocheng and Deng Xiaoping saw them as soon as they entered the courtyard, and Liu Bocheng said with concern: "You children, what are you doing when it snows so much, what can you do if it is frozen?" ”
Pictured| Deng Xiaoping and Liu Bocheng
Listening to the words of concern of the chief, Zhang Xingbing just giggled and laughed, and no one spoke.
Deng Xiaoping then said, "You don't have to worry, they won't freeze." The guy's ass is three fires, I don't believe that they will hang an egg on their butt, and they are guaranteed to cook in 5 minutes.
Hearing Deng Xiaoping say this, for a moment, everyone leaned forward and smiled and closed their mouths.
In 1943, the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression behind enemy lines in North China entered the most arduous period. In October, the Taihang Branch of the Communist Party of China merged with the Northern Bureau, the Eighth Route Army merged with the 129th Division at its headquarters (retaining the 129th Division's name), and the Central Committee decided to send Deng Xiaoping to act as secretary of the Northern Bureau and preside over the work of the Eighth Route Army Headquarters.
Because when Deng Xiaoping came to the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, there was not a single guard around him, Yang Lisan thought of Zhang Xingbing, who had not long left him, and in this way, Zhang Xingbing left Kang Da and came to Deng Xiaoping's side as a guard.
Deng Xiaoping didn't talk much, which made Zhang Xingbing, who had just come to Deng Xiaoping's side, think that Deng Xiaoping was very serious, but after a period of getting along, Zhang Xingbing quickly understood Deng Xiaoping's personality: both serious and amiable, but also very approachable.
Once, when a group of cadres of the New Fourth Army went to Yan'an to study, they happened to pass by the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army, so they brought Deng Xiaoping a plate duck, and after the duck was ready, Deng Xiaoping sent a little to this chief, and then sent a little to that chief, and then called the staff around him to eat together
To know how much meat a duck can have, plus Deng Xiaoping also divided a lot, for this reason, Zhang Xingbing they can't bear to eat, but Deng Xiaoping saw that they did not eat, or will zhang Xingbing's bowl, while clipping, while smiling and squinting: "You eat, eat quickly!" ”
Pictured| Deng Xiaoping
In the summer of 1945, Deng Xiaoping did not attend the Seventh National Congress of the Communist Party of China because he was busy directing the war, and after he was elected as a member of the Central Committee, the Central Committee informed him to go to Yan'an to hold the First Plenary Session of the Seventh Central Committee.
When Deng Xiaoping received this news, he immediately decided to take the guard Zhang Xingbing with him to Yan'an, but Zhang Xingbing, who had been a guard for Deng Xiaoping for 3 years, did not want to follow the chief to Yan'an, he wanted to stay in the Jiluyu base area and study in the school.
To this end, Zhang Xingbing found Deng Xiaoping: "Commissar Deng, I have been following you for two or three years, but this time I don't want to go to Yan'an with you." ”
"Why?" Deng Xiaoping was very surprised by this.
Zhang Xingbing said with some grievances: "I have entered the Kang Da to study twice, but I was called out after only a few days of study, and I still want to study." ”
Listening to Zhang Xingbing's words, Deng Xiaoping only said one sentence: "I will talk about it later." ”
And Zhang Xingbing wanted to continue to study this matter, and Deng Xiaoping kept it in his heart until Song Renqiang, political commissar of the Jiluyu Military Region, came to visit Deng Xiaoping, and Deng Xiaoping specially called Zhang Xingbing to his side.
"Ren Poor, Xiao Zhang this little devil asked to study, do you think this matter should be done well?"
After Deng Xiaoping finished speaking, he turned to Zhang Xingbing and asked, "What do you want to learn?" ”
Zhang Xingbing whispered, "I don't know what to learn." Twice into the University of Resistance, one is to study accounting, the other is to study staff, both were just a few days after studying was called out by the chief, did not succeed. ”
After hearing this, Deng Xiaoping asked Song Renqian, "What schools does the Jilu-Yu Military Region have?" ”
"The school is good, with political teams, military teams, and confidential teams."
Deng Xiaoping sighed for a long time and then said, "Xiao Zhang, in this way, this time you go to learn the machine!" Ren Poor, I will hand him over to you! ”
Zhang Xingbing, as always, packed up the horse bag for Deng Xiaoping, and when the chief went out, the documents and luggage were all packed into the horse bag, put on the horse and left.
At this time, Deng Xiaoping stood behind Zhang Xingbing and said to him in a serious tone: "There are many confidential studies, you should study well, don't be greedy." I came back to check. ”
Zhang Xingbing listened to Deng Xiaoping's words, nodded his head continuously, and then Deng Xiaoping said: "You have to study, I have nothing to send you, I still have to use the pen, the watch to fight depends on the time, this Japanese military blanket does not need to be installed, I send you as a souvenir, you have to study with peace of mind!" ”
Although Zhang Xingbing did not follow Deng Xiaoping for a long time, he respected and cared for Commissar Deng very much, and quickly refused: "No, Political Commissar, Yan'an is as cold as here, how can you give it to me?" ”
Deng Xiaoping smiled and waved his hand and said, "You don't care, you just have to study well." ”
In this way, Zhang Xingbing left Deng Xiaoping and came to the Jiluyu Military Region to study confidential information for a period of time at the camp school, and after he came out, he went to the Confidential Section of the Headquarters of the Jiluyu Military Region as an interpreter and telegrapher, and soon after, he was promoted to the position of chief of the confidential unit of the first column of the Jin-Hebei Luyu Military Region.
Deng Gong asked Zhang Xingbing to see his brother
After leaving Deng Xiaoping, Zhang Xingbing often thought about the old chief, he always remembered when he and the old chief were separated, the old chief asked him to study well, and now that he had completed his study, he wanted to report to the old chief about his study, but he never had the opportunity.
Until the end of the Pinghan Campaign, Zhang Xingbing finally waited for this opportunity. In the early spring of 1947, Zhang Xingbing followed Yang Dezhi and Su Zhenhua to the north, turned to Jireliao, and then went to Jin-Cha-Ji, all the way back to the southwest of Lu, and at Xitaiji, a column fought a big victory, and the troops continued to advance south by taking advantage of the victory.
Su Zhenhua found Zhang Xingbing and said to him: "Chiefs Liu and Deng have sent a telegram asking you to quickly take the code to contact the central authorities to work next to Commissar Deng. When Zhang Xingbing heard this, the smile on his face could not be hidden.
Figure | Deng Gong
In early 1947, Liu and Deng decided to divide the troops, Liu Bocheng led the first, second, and third columns and the troops of the Jiluyu Military Region to operate south of the Longhai Line, and Deng Xiaoping led the Sixth and Seventh Columns and the troops of the Yuwan Soviet Region to act south of the Longhai Line, so they needed a set of secret codes to contact the Central Military Commission to follow Deng Xiaoping Zhang Xingbing once again came to work with Deng Xiaoping.
In a small village in Shan County, Heze Region, Zhang Xingbing finally met Deng Xiaoping, an old chief he had not seen for two years.
As soon as they met, Deng Xiaoping said happily: "Xiao Zhang, you are here, good, good." You have made a secret, you have made great progress, confidential work is very important, and you should protect the party's secrets as if you were protecting your own life. Do you know this? ”
Zhang Xingbing held Deng Xiaoping's hand tightly and nodded his head uncontrollably: "I know! ”
Subsequently, Deng Xiaoping and Zhang Xingbing talked freely for a long time, and after learning that Zhang Xingbing's learning results were very good, Deng Gong showed a satisfied smile.
In the late spring of 1947, when the troops attacked the ancient city of Bozhou, one afternoon, Zhang Ting, chief of staff of the Sixth Column, sent a report to Deng Xiaoping on the situation in Bozhou.
After Zhang Tingfa finished his report to Deng Xiaoping, he noticed Zhang Xingbing and said, "Why haven't I seen you before?" ”
Deng Xiaoping hastily introduced: "His name is Zhang Xingbing, and he has been with me for several years before, and I want to come from Yizhong to make a secret." ”
Zhang Tingfa looked at Zhang Xingbing and then said, "We have a mechanical director there, named Zhang Xingzhao, do you know?" ”
Zhang Xingbing heard the name Zhang Xingzhao and said excitedly: "How do you not know, that is my second brother, we have not seen each other for more than 10 years." ”
It turned out that Zhang Xingbing's eldest brother was an underground party member, and the eldest brother died shortly after taking his second brother out to participate in the revolution, and the second brother later served as an adjutant director in the second office of the Eighth Route Army in Yuncheng, so he took Zhang Xingbing out to join the Eighth Route Army.
After hearing this revolutionary experience of the Zhang family brothers, Deng Xiaoping was very touched and said to Zhang Xingbing: "You two brothers have not seen each other for many years, and you two brothers should be allowed to meet each other!" ”
Then, Deng Xiaoping turned to Zhang Tingfa and said, "Now that there is a war going on, you send a staff officer to take two cavalry squads and send him to make love to his brother." ”
In the face of Deng Xiaoping letting him go to meet his brother, Zhang Xingbing was full of tears of excitement, and before going out at night, Deng Xiaoping called Zhang Xingbing to himself and instructed: "Be careful, if you lose the codebook on your body, you will lose your head!" ”
"I know."
Deng Xiaoping went on to jokingly say, "Brothers, when they meet, you are not allowed to cry there!" ”
Zhang Xingbing scratched his head in embarrassment: "I won't." ”
This time, although Zhang Xingbing and his brother Zhang Xingzhao did not meet for a long time, they were already very happy for Zhang Xingbing.
After the troops laid siege to Bozhou, due to the needs of their work, Zhang Xingbing once again left Deng Xiaoping and returned to Yizhong, while Liu and Deng once again joined forces and jointly commanded the Battle of Northern Henan and the Battle of Lunan.
"How did you come to see me?"
In the years that followed, Deng Xiaoping and Zhang Xingbing always thought of each other, but they rarely saw each other again.
During the battle in Dabie Mountain, Zhang Xingbing occasionally saw Deng Xiaoping on the way to the army or at the meeting of the troops, and every time he saw the old chief, Zhang Xingbing would always take the initiative to come forward and talk freely with the old chief, and when they were separated, they would also hold each other's hands and look forward to the next encounter.
In 1949, after the founding of the People's Republic of China, Deng Xiaoping worked in the Southwest Bureau, and then transferred to the Beijing Party Central Committee, Zhang Xingbing also specially went to Chongqing and Beijing to see the old chief, although the opportunity for the two to meet was less, but Deng Xiaoping always cared about Zhang Xingbing's learning and growth.
In 1963, Zhang Xingbing came to Beijing to study at the Political College of the People's Liberation Army, and after coming to Beijing, Zhang Xingbing specially went to Zhongnanhai to visit the old chief Deng Xiaoping.
After Deng Xiaoping saw Zhang Xingbing coming to see him, he said with some sadness: "Why did you come to see me?" I've been studying in Beijing for so long, and you don't come to see me, I thought you forgot about me! ”
Zhang Xingbing quickly shook his head and said, "How could I forget you?" It's a bit busy studying, so I'll come to see you as soon as I'm free! ”
Deng Xiaoping nodded, "Have you been working well lately?" How to learn? Are you still used to living in Guizhou? ”
Zhang Xingbing excitedly reported to the old chiefs one by one, and after Deng Xiaoping heard that Zhang Xingbing was all right, a satisfied smile gradually appeared on his face.
Although Deng Xiaoping was very satisfied with Zhang Xingbing's work and study, he still instructed: "You must always pay attention to study, the people's army is a big school, you cattle herders, in the past because you were poor and could not afford to read, now as long as you continue to study, you will continue to make progress!" ”
After Zhang Xingbing and Deng Xiaoping talked freely for a long time, because they were afraid of disturbing the old chief's rest, they took the initiative to say goodbye, and before leaving, Deng Xiaoping tightly held Zhang Xingbing's hand and said: "You have time to see me!" ”
Zhang Xingbing nodded heavily and said, "I will definitely come to see you often." ”
Then, in the years that followed, Deng Xiaoping and Zhang Xingbing had few opportunities to see each other because of their busy schedules, but they always thought of each other.
But whenever he thought of the old chief Deng Xiaoping, many past events instantly came to Zhang Xingbing's mind, to which he once said: "When I followed the old chief, I heard and witnessed, and I learned too much. He pays great attention to research and research, and is also very good at asking questions to make people around him think. Every time I talk to him, I can learn a lot from him. ”