preface
In February 1981, Song Qingling hugged an urn tightly and caressed it affectionately, tears falling on the urn uncontrollably, ticking. She personally designed the tombstone, buried the ashes of this person next to the grave of her parents, and had people engrave the inscription: The Tomb of Ms. Li Yan'e, Song Qinglingli.
More than three months later, When Soong Ching Ling passed away, she did not choose to be buried with her husband Sun Yat-sen, but chose to be buried with her parents in the Cemetery of Nations. Her and Li Yan'e's tombstones stand on either side of her parents, and this decision was arranged by Song Qingling personally.
When Song Qingling was critically ill, he firmly grasped Gu Jinfeng and asked:
"Do you remember what I said?" After I die, I must let the organization send my ashes to Shanghai for burial, and bury me and Sister Li next to my parents..."
(Song Qingling)
First time I met Song Qingling: Madam, I am willing to serve you for a lifetime
Li Yan'e is not famous in history, but she has an extraordinary friendship with the well-known Song Qingling. Li Yan'e is Mr. Song Qingling's nanny, although she is a subordinate, Song Qingling treats her like a sister. The two have been with each other for more than fifty years, not as a family but with feelings that are better than a family.
Like most nannies in our minds, Li Yan'e is also from a poor family, and since her parents died, she can only live with her uncle. At the age of 16, her uncle took the initiative to give her to a husband who did not do his job, and what was more excessive, Li Yan'e was often beaten and abused by her husband after marriage.
Li Yan'e tolerated everything, but she could not get a trace of pity from this tyrannical husband, and she could not bear this torture, so she had to secretly run away from home. After all kinds of dangers, she came to Shanghai alone, and the prosperity of this city dazzled her, and she couldn't help but feel a thousand emotions in her heart.
(Li Yan'e)
She inquired around, and finally found her fellow countryman, Tan Ma. Although the two have never met, But Tan Mama treats her kindly, she told Tan Mama about her experience, Tan Mama is also full of sympathy for her: "Don't worry, Yan'e, your business is wrapped up in me, wait for my news!" ”
Li Yan'e pinned her only hope on Tan Ma, and Tan Ma also lived up to expectations. On this day, Mother Tan took Li Yan'e to a large mansion, which was where Song Qingling lived.
Song Qingling just returned to Shanghai, and he needs a person to take care of him, although Tan Mama was Song Qingling's nanny before, but when she is older, it is not very sharp to work, and the position of Song Qingling's nanny is vacant.
After a short time with Li Yan'e, Tan Mama felt that Li Yan'e was honest and very reliable, so she recommended her. Inside the house, Li Yan'e sat nervously on the sofa waiting for Song Qingling's appearance, and Mother Tan comforted the nervous Li Yan'e:
"Don't be nervous, Madame Sun is very gentle."
(Soong Ching Ling, Sun Yat-sen)
After a while, an elegant middle-aged woman slowly walked out, she sat down next to Li Yan'e, and after seeing her nervousness, Song Qingling graciously took her hand and asked:
"What's your name?" How many people are in the family? Literate or illiterate? ”
In the face of Song Qingling's kind greetings, Li Yan'e also found that this woman was different from the bitter and mean rich wives she imagined, and she told Song Qingling about her situation in 1510. Hearing of Li Yan'e's tragic life, Song Qingling felt pity:
"So pathetic... You'll stay here and do things from now on!" ”
The homeless Li Yan'e was very excited and constantly thanked Song Qingling:
"Madam, I am willing to serve you for the rest of my life."
In order to make Li Yan'e work here at ease, Song Qingling also entrusted the secretary to divorce Li Yan'e and her lazy and tyrannical husband to prevent him from finding trouble for Li Yan'e.
Song Qingling's kindness to her, Li Yan'e silently remembered in her heart, and returned all this to the care of Song Qingling, she took care of the family every day in an orderly manner, and took care of Song Qingling's life and living in all aspects. Song Qingling also had great respect for Li Yan'e and did not fully regard Li Yan'e as a subordinate.
In their spare time, the two will chat together to relieve boredom, will sit at the same table to eat, they have a common topic, such as many years of close friends, each conversation is very pleasant, and gradually the feelings are getting deeper and deeper. Under the influence of her wife, Li Yan'e will also work hard to learn some advanced ideas and try her best to be the most effective assistant.
Although Song Qingling is older than Li Yan'e, she affectionately calls her "Sister Li".
To know that Song Qingling as a figure of the past, her safety is very important, her unconditional trust in Li Yan'e, let Li Yan'e be grateful, she is determined to use her life to repay this kindness.
Secret agent temptation, Li Yan'e is not afraid
During the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, Song Qingling had different political views from Chiang Kai-shek, and she repeatedly denounced Chiang Kai-shek and forced him to stop infighting and jointly defend against foreign enemies.
Chiang Kai-shek was stubborn and had a blind eye on Soong Ching-ling, and in order to find a way to find out about Soong Ching-ling's actions, he began to prey on the people around him.
Chiang Kai-shek sent people to be close to Li Yan'e, the people in the vegetable market often bullied outsiders, Li Yan'e could not avoid quarrels with them, the female agents fought for her, and the two gradually became acquainted. After spending some time together, the female agent sent her some benefits to intentionally or unintentionally inquire into Song Qingling's news, and during that extraordinary period, Li Yan'e immediately became alert.
With the intention of being responsible for Song Qingling's safety, she told Song Qingling about this matter, and Song Qingling concluded that this person was a secret agent as soon as she heard it, and Li Yan'e immediately cut off contact with him. But how could Chiang Kai-shek give up so easily and come up with more shameless means?
On this day, Li Yan'e went out to buy vegetables as usual, on the way home, a car suddenly crashed into Li Yan'e, Li Yan'e was scraped to the ground, fortunately she was no big deal, but the vegetables were scattered on the ground, and the vegetable basket was also flattened. Li Yan'e did not ease up, and a young man slowly walked down from the car.
He hurriedly ran to Li Yan'e's side, took her hand, and asked with concern:
"Miss, it's all right, I'm sorry to scare you, did it hurt anything?"
Looking at this person's personable and gentle appearance, Li Yan'e's anger subsided by more than half, and she picked up the squashed vegetable basket next to her:
"You pay me!"
One accidentally, the vegetable basket scratched the man's hand, Li Yan'e was a little sorry, for a moment did not know how to be good. The man did not care about the wound on his hand, and also sent Li Yan'e to the door of his home, repeatedly telling him that if there was any discomfort, he must be found. Li Yan'e was touched by his intimacy, and a good feeling also sprouted in her heart.
In the next few days, Li Yan'e always met this man in various places, she thought that this should be the fate of heaven, and the two also had a close relationship. Not long after, the man actually made a marriage request to Li Yan'e, and Li Yan'e was very happy, and she also shared the news with Song Qingling for the first time.
(Li Yan'e, Song Qingling)
Song Qingling had already sensed Li Yan'e's unusualness, and she said in a serious tone:
"I don't have any opinion on your life's events, but Yan'e, if you believe me, bring the young man over to me."
Li Yan'e naturally believed in Song Qingling:
"Madam, I don't believe you can believe anyone else, you just make the decision for me!"
Song Qingling nodded, telling Li Yan'e not to worry first:
"Bring it back first to understand, I have a few questions I want to ask him."
Li Yan'e agreed without saying a word. The next day, Li Yan'e led the young man to the door, and Song Qingling asked in authentic Shanghainese: "Little Brother, which company is Nong driving in?" ”
The young man answered calmly, and Song Qingling asked several questions in succession, and the young man coped with it freely. Suddenly Song Qingling stopped asking questions, and his eyes fell on his feet. The young man suddenly looked panicked, hiding something. Sensing the change in Song Qingling, Li Yan'e was also suspicious and found an excuse to send the man away.
"This man is a spy!"
Song Qingling solemnly explained to Li Yan'e what was suspicious about him, first of all, his profession, and then a driver wearing such expensive shoes, which was suspicious. Song Qingling said apologetically:
"Yan'e, I may make you sad when I say this, but if you think about it, the beauty of Shanghai is like a cloud, he looks good, and his dress is good, why did he choose you, is it really because he likes it?"
Li Yan'e suddenly realized, regretted in her heart, and almost joined the Kuomintang party. Since then, Li Yan'e has more conscientiously protected Song Meiling, and no matter what means the agents use, Li Yan'e has never yielded.
In order to protect Song Qingling, she never married, and has always been with her wife, never abandoning.
Li Yan'e was injured, and Song Qingling felt guilty
In 1941, when Japanese planes bombed Hong Kong, Li Yan'e disregarded her own safety and set up an escalator to help Song Qingling cross the wall and hide in the air raid shelter next door.
In the long revolutionary years, the two were not only dependent families, but also comrades in arms who suffered together, and Song Qingling also called them "guards who do not hold guns."
Of course, the second half of Li Yan'e's life has not been smooth sailing since then, and she has almost died in Song Qingling's family. This happened to a person named He Yuanguang, who was a staff member of Song Qingling's side, who was not very honest during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, but Song Qingling had a broad mind and did not punish him, and after the end of the War of Resistance, Song Qingling transferred him to the back kitchen.
In the process of work, Li Yan'e gradually found that this person's hands and feet were not clean, and she often did some petty theft. Once, Li Yan'e weighed the purchased meat and food in advance before handing them over to He Yuanguang. Sure enough, when Li Yan'e went to check again, there were fewer things, and she immediately reported it to the guards, and under cross-examination, he also admitted what he had done.
But this caused He Yuanguang to remember and hate, when Song Qingling went to Beijing, He Yuanguang had no fear. On this day, Li Yan'e had just stepped into the kitchen, He Yuanguang rushed in viciously with a kitchen knife in hand, and Li Yan'e was powerless to dodge and fell into the blood wave.
Fortunately, the guards were on guard, rushed in to subdue He Yuanguang, and sent Li Yan'e to the hospital in time, saving a life.
Hearing this news, Song Qingling rushed back to Shanghai overnight, looking at Li Yan'e, who was tightly wrapped in bandages on the hospital bed, Song Qingling couldn't help but shed tears:
"Follow me and make you suffer!"
Li Yan'e comforted:
"I do!"
After the founding of New China, Song Qingling served as vice president of the state, and the government affairs became busy, she lived in Beijing all year round, while Li Yan'e lived in Shanghai, helping Song Qingling take care of the housework.
The two have been separated for many years but this has never affected their feelings, and they often exchange letters to keep in touch.
Song Qingling often sends some hometown specialties to Li Yan'e, and she clearly remembers Li Yan'e's birthday, and every time she has a birthday, she will prepare birthday gifts for her. In 1971, Song Qingling also wrote a letter to entrust the administrator of the Shanghai apartment to send some apples, bananas, cooked chickens and other gifts on Li Yan'e's birthday, and Li Yan'e was very moved.
The two have gone through decades of ups and downs together, and Li Yan'e is no longer the little girl she looked like when she first arrived, and the years have left indelible marks on the faces of the two of them. Song Qingling is worried that she is not by Li Yan'e's side, she is too lonely alone, and she deliberately let her adopt the daughter of her late staff, but Li Yan'e can finally rely on Song Qingling.
On this day, the two of them ate in the small office building, and there was a small square table in the room, and a chair on the west and south sides. Song Qingling pulled open a chair and let Li Yan'e sit on the south side, but Li Yan'e politely refused:
"Madam, you are the leader, how can I sit here..."
Song Qingling smiled and said:
"I have a high score, so you sit in the south, and after we balance, we will not wrestle together!"
Li Yan'e still felt inappropriate, and Song Qingling said in a serious tone:
"Sister Li, you have followed me for decades, and we have long been sisters."
A short sentence, let Li Yan'e's tears can't help but swirl in the eye sockets, time flies, decades have passed, the two have two sideburns, but their feelings are more and more solid in this road.
Li Yan'e was seriously ill, and Song Qingling wanted to be buried with him
As Li Yan'e grew older and her health was not as good as before, Song Qingling was worried about her body, not only did not let her take care of herself, but also specially hired a nanny to take care of Li Yan'e. When Li Yan'e was sick, she would sometimes personally give her medicine and take care of her, but sooner or later people would have to face the barrier of death in this life.
In 1979, Li Yan'e was diagnosed with cervical cancer, and Song Qingling, who received the news, was very sad, and she was already an 86-year-old man at that time.
She tried to calm her mood, and immediately sent someone to take Li Yan'e to Beijing, arrange the best hospital for her, invite the best doctor, and fantasize about using her best efforts to keep Li Yan'e.
However, these are all dead sheep to make up for, after the doctor's diagnosis, Li Yan'e was diagnosed with advanced cancer, has come to the end of life, unable to return to heaven.
Song Qingling couldn't bear to tell her the news, so he let everyone hide it from her. After she got better, Song Qingling took her to her house and enjoyed this last time with her.
The staff also knew that Li Yan'e had reached the last moment of her life and took good care of her. Li Yan'e did not like the feeling of being served, and asked them with a little dissatisfaction why they were so good to her, and a staff member replied:
"We envy you and dedicate your whole life to madame."
Li Yan'e was secretly hurt:
"I didn't do anything for madame, but I don't understand why madame would be so nice to me as a nanny."
During these days, Song Qingling took as much time as possible to accompany Li Yan'e, she hid her sad mood, pretended to be calm, and did not know that every time she returned to the room, she silently wiped her tears.
The winter in Beijing was too dry for Li Yan'e to bear, and although she could not let go of Song Qingling, she reluctantly returned to Shanghai.
Whenever she thinks of Li Yan'e's condition, Song Qingling is grief-stricken, she can no longer tell Li Yan'e the words of confidant, she can only confide in other close friends. In her letter to Maheed, she wrote:
"My housekeeper was suffering from a terrible illness, which upset me... I don't know how she felt when this illness tormented her, I was afraid she would die..."
She also wrote to Epstein:
"In recent days, I have been distraught by my housekeeper's illness... She's not just my housekeeper, she's been with me for fifty years, more like my loved ones..."
Song Qingling weakly confided in her friend that she didn't know what else she could do, she could only fall into this endless pain and despair...
In 1981, Li Yan'e finally could not bear the torment of illness and passed away. Her eyes were filled with tears, and the one she couldn't put down the most before leaving was Song Qingling:
"I'm gone, who will take care of you, the last thing I can put down is you..."
Song Qingling in front of the hospital bed held her hand tightly, and she had long been unable to cry.
After Li Yan'e's death, Song Qingling said that she had promised to bury Li Jie's ashes next to her parents, and she personally drew a pattern of Li Yan'e's tomb, and said that her future tomb would be exactly the same as this. She held Li Yan'e's urn and caressed it reluctantly, and she gently pressed her face to the urn wet with tears, making a final farewell to Li Yan'e.
More than three months after Li Yan'e's death, Song Qingling also passed away, ending her life.
In the cemetery, the tombstones of Li Yan'e and Song Qingling are accompanied by the tombstones of Song Qingling's parents one left and one right, and the tombstones are the same size and style, without any difference.
Just like the feelings of the two people, there is no distinction between master and servant, no impurities, although the two have different lives and different ages, but this friendship is precious.
Life is short, death can only take away a shell, that deep feeling from the heart, but can stay in every corner of the world forever.
Zhou Hekang once left a piece of information: when he and Li Yan'e went to visit the grave of Song Qingling's parents, Li Yan'e also pointed to the tomb with a proud face and said:
"Comrade Zhou, you see, in the future I will be buried next to my wife's parents..."
Zhou Hekang said that she was thinking about this too early now, but Li Yan'e said to herself:
"Madame has already arranged for me, she is on the left and I am on the right, we will never be separated in life and death, you see how lucky I am..."