Hu Shi once said: Yang Yuting does not die, and the northeast is not lost.
Who is Yang Yuting? He was a heavy minister and military master during Zhang Zuolin's period, and like Bai Chongxi, he was awarded the title of "Little Zhuge Ge" because of his resourcefulness.
But after Zhang Zuolin was killed in a bombing on June 4, 1928, Yang Yuting also soon ushered in his own doom – being shot by his master's son, the next "King of northeast China" Zhang Xueliang. The news shook the northeast and shocked the whole country.
What mistake did this Yang Yuting make? Is sin great enough to die?
On January 7, 1929, three days before Yang Yuting's death
On this day, the Yang Mansion in Shenyang was illuminated in front of the door, and the traffic was busy. In addition to many prominent figures in the northeast, Chiang Kai-shek, Yan Xishan, Bai Chongxi, and the heads of warlords in various places, there were also Japanese political dignitaries who sent representatives one after another.
It turned out that it was Yang Yuting's father's big birthday.
Zhang Xueliang also took Yu Fengzhi to the scene to wish for a happy birthday. Yang's adjutant saw this and shouted loudly: "The commander-in-chief has arrived!" ”
But the living room was full of greeters, only a few stood up to greet them, and most of the others were half up and half seated, or slightly indebted. It can be seen that they did not pay much attention to the newly appointed "King of the Northeast".
After a while, I only heard the adjutant shout again: "Yang Supervisor has arrived!" ”
The whole living room was suddenly quiet, and when Yang Yuting strode into the living room, all the greeters immediately stood up and greeted him. It was completely different from the attitude towards Zhang Xueliang just now.
Stills of "Young Marshal": Zhang Xueliang brought Yu Fengzhi to be a guest of Yang Yuting's father's birthday banquet
This is not nothing, the whole banquet, the guests are extremely complimenting Yang, and Yang, also a natural look, seems to regard himself as a leader in the northeast.
These scenes, Zhang Xueliang naturally looked in his eyes. At first, he was patient with himself, but then he left the table with a stomachache.
Back to the Shuai Mansion. Yu Fengzhi, who has always been known for his virtuousness and virtue, couldn't help but get mad: "Where are you like the master of the northeast, Yang Yuting is the real master of the northeast!" Look at his virtues, does he still have you in his eyes? ”
Yes, does he still have me in Yang Yuting's eyes? Since the death of the old marshal, this problem has plagued Zhang Xueliang for a long time. After such another appearance, the idea that has been brewing in the mind is about to ripen.
And Yang Yuting did not perceive the approaching danger at all, and did another thing to let himself die quickly.
On the afternoon of January 10, he took Chang Yinhuai to the Shuai Mansion to meet Zhang Xueliang, saying that he would set up a "Northeast Railway Supervision Office" and that Chang Yinhuai would be appointed as the superintendent. Moreover, Yang Yuting had already drafted the official document and asked Zhang Xueliang to sign it immediately.
Where is this still consultation and instructions? Obviously, it means "I have decided for you, you just need to sign it".
Chang Yinhuai, in addition to being the chairman of the Fengtian Traffic Committee at that time, was also the chairman of Heilongjiang Province, and he was already in power, and now he was going to be the inspector of the Northeast Railway, Zhang Xueliang was not stupid, how could he agree?
So at about 7 p.m. that day, Zhang Xueliang summoned Yang and Chang to the conference room of the Tiger Hall of the Marshal's Mansion.
As soon as the two men entered the house and took their seats, they were shot and killed by six guards led by police commissioner Gao Jiyi and the bodyguard adjutant who broke through the door and were shot and killed on charges of "embezzling military pay, delaying the opportunity, and plotting to misbehave".
It is said that Yang Yuting was a very superstitious person, and a few days before he was killed, he asked the warlock for a blessing, and he had to say: Sure enough, within a few days, "Yang Chang" left.
He certainly didn't know that Zhang Xueliang had also been superstitious once before deciding to kill him—tossing a coin six times.
The first three times were based on Yuan Da's head facing upwards, and the result was that Yuan Da's head was facing up three times; Zhang Xueliang did not believe in evil and decided to throw it three more times based on the back facing up, and the result was that the back was facing up. It can only be said that Yang Yuting is really destined to die!
Yang Yuting's family history
Yang Yuting, the word Neighbor Ge. Born in Fengtian in 1885, he was brilliant since childhood, and was later admitted to the last xiucai. In 1909, he went to Japan to study, and later graduated from the Eighth Artillery Section of the Chinese Team of the Japanese Army Non-Commissioned Officer School.
Zhang Zuolin first met Yang Yuting when Yang returned to China when he was the director of the Ordnance Factory in the Governor's Office of the Three Eastern Provinces. Once, Zhang Zuolin saw a neatly groomed and disciplined unit on the street, and he thought it was a Japanese army.
The bystander told him that this was the guard company of the ordnance factory, which was trained by Yang Yuting. Zhang Zuolin immediately became deeply impressed with Yang. Soon after, he was brought under his command as chief of staff of the Twenty-seventh Division.
Zhang Zuolin and Yang Yuting
During the period of assisting Zhang Zuolin, Yang Yuting mainly did four major things:
The first is the establishment of the Northeast Navy. At that time, the Northeast Army of the Fengzhi Clan had a full configuration of sea, land and air, which greatly enhanced its combat effectiveness;
The second is to formulate a land endowment system. A large amount of uncultivated wasteland was dug up from the hands of warlords and landlords, allowing peasants to cultivate and develop production, thus enhancing the economic strength of the northeast;
The third is to build a war-ready highway. Because the right of the South Manchuria Railway at that time belonged to Japan, and the war-ready highway was built, transportation was no longer subject to Japanese hostages;
The fourth is to supervise the Fengtian Arsenal. Self-made weapons and ammunition are equipped with the army, which enhances the defensive capability.
It is because Yang Yuting has such strong ability, so he has repeatedly made mistakes, and he has been forgiven by Zhang Zuolin.
For example, during Zhang Zuolin's support for Duan Qirui's formation of the cabinet, he and Xu Shuzheng privately recruited infantry brigades and cavalry brigades under the banner of Fengjun, trying to cultivate private force;
For example, when he was sitting in the military affairs office of Jiangsu, he was beaten by Sun Chuanfang and others and driven out of the city of Nanjing; for example, Guo Songling rebelled against him later, and Yang Yuting executed Guo privately.
Guo Songling
To some extent, Zhang Zuolin is very dependent on Yang Yuting. Because Yang is not only intelligent and cultured, but also understands his personality and psychology.
Many things, as long as the old marshal has a certain idea in his heart, Yang Yuting may have already begun to act, and often can do it well. This kind of capable subordinate, placed today, is also the most important to the leader.
Moreover, Yang Yuting always supported Zhang Zuolin's ambition to expand his territory, from the initial stabilization of the situation, to the later mastery of Ji and Hei'er provinces to become the "King of the Northeast", and then to break into Beijing, and finally became the last head of beiyang.
All of this has the shadow of Yang Yuting participating in the drapery.
In addition, Yang Yuting also worked with Zhang Zuolin to negotiate with the Japanese and adopt delaying tactics against the barbaric terms proposed by the Japanese.
Stills: Zhang Zuolin and Yang Yuting
However, this elderly and important minister who had devoted his life's efforts to the Feng lineage, this able man who even obeyed the words of Zhang Zuolin, a tyrant of a generation, was easily killed by Zhang Xueliang.
If Grand Marshal Quanxia had known, would he have jumped to his feet and scolded like When Guo Songling had rebelled against him: "I and xiao liuzi, father and son in this life, wrongdoers in the past life!" ”
Is Yang Yuting really guilty to death?
In fact, Yang Yuting's killing is inevitable.
Originally it was "a son of heaven and a courtier", not to mention Yang Yuting, this person, will not look at the face, all day long arrogant, poor popularity, but also with the attitude of Lao Tzu to treat the new master, the problem people are not your son!
But is this arrogant and rude Yang Yuting really guilty enough to be killed?
I think it should be mainly based on two aspects: one is whether he wants to usurp power; the other is whether he is pro-Japanese.
Zhang Xueliang once said to Yang Yuting: "I can't do it, or you can do it." After Yang listened, he replied arrogantly: "Let alone mention this, your health is not good, and if there is something I will do for you, I will come up with ideas, which is better than anything." ”
If this may be disguised in front of Zhang Xueliang's face, there is one more thing.
It is a dialogue between Yang Yuting and his friend He Zhuguo. He is an alumnus and apprentice of the Yang Japanese Army Non-Commissioned Officer School. He was inducted by Yang Yuting to serve in the Northeast Army, and was the commander of the Third Brigade of the Army.
He and Yang were very close friends, close enough to speak from the heart. He Zhuguo found at that time that Zhang Xueliang's dissatisfaction with Yang Yuting was already evident in his face, but Yang still went his own way and did not know how to restrain himself.
He Zhuguo
So He took an opportunity and bitterly advised Yang: "Supervisor, you are familiar with history, there are many things in history that are worth learning from, the Lord is less suspicious of the country, and the neighboring countries are easy to invade; the merits are high and the Lord is shocked, and the danger is in peace." ”
Yang Yuting heard He Zhuguo's voice, so he immediately confessed emotionally:
"I am loyal to the old marshal, and I am also loyal to the young marshal, and the old marshal has passed away, and I want to take care of this family." First, I want to be worthy of the old marshal, and second, I want to be worthy of the people of the northeast. I have no ambitions, in order to manage this family well, I want to manage human rights, I want to grasp big and small things, but I do not grasp military power, I have not appointed a regimental commander, I know that there are some rumors outside, don't listen. ”
So He Zhuguo recited a few poems from Bai Juyi to Yang: "The Duke of Zhou was afraid of rumors, and Wang Mang was humble and did not usurp the time." Xiang Xiang died in the first place, and who knows the truth or falsity of his life? ”
Yang was silent after listening.
As we all know, Wang Mang was very humble before usurping power, and others could not see his ambition at all. But Yang Yuting is different, since the old marshal was alive, he has always been very high-profile, and if he doesn't like it, he has to say a few words and manage a tube.
Until Zhang Xueliang was in charge of the northeast, he was still like this, not even taking the new young lord in his eyes, and always teaching Zhang Xueliang in the attitude of an elder to a junior.
If he really wants to usurp power, that's too obvious, isn't it? Yang Yuting is such a smart person, it should not be.
But what we can't ignore is that Yang is indeed a very ambitious person: he has always wanted real military and political power, and has made many efforts to do so, all in vain; after Zhang Zuolin became the head of a country, he wanted to supervise and govern the northeast, but he was vetoed by Zhang Zuolin.
Therefore, after Zhang Zuolin's death, it was not completely impossible for Yang Yuting to usurp power and seize the power to rule the northeast from the immature Zhang Xueliang. He desperately used tough means to force Zhang Xueliang to support his close associate Chang Yinhuai, so that his grip on the power of the three eastern provinces could be seen as one of the evidences.
However, all this has become an eternal mystery with the murder of Yang Yuting, and "who knows the truth or falsity of a lifetime".
On the other hand, is Yang Yuting a pro-Japanese faction?
From Professor Zhang Xueji's "Zhang Zuolin's Shogunate and Staff" and Mr. Ding Zhongjiang's "History of the Beiyang Warlords", we can clearly see that Yang Yuting is anti-Japanese.
Not only did he join him in resisting Japan's unreasonable demands and adopting delaying tactics against the various aggression treaties proposed by Japan before his death, but he also directly negotiated with Minister Fangze Kenkichi over the Manchu-Mongolian issue, causing dissatisfaction on the other side, so that the Japanese published articles in the Shengjing Times and cursed him for several days.
Photograph of the Japanese invasion of China during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
After Zhang Zuolin was killed, the Japanese felt that the only stumbling block was Yang Yuting, so they began to use various channels to sow discord, hoping to borrow Zhang Xueliang's hand to pull out this hard thorn.
When the commander of the Japanese Kwantung Army, Okamura, in his first meeting with Zhang Xueliang, reminded him to "cherish himself and be aware of some people who are looking at the tiger and secretly plotting, trying to take the place of him";
Kenji Toihara also repeatedly said that Zhang Xueliang "if Yang Yuting is not excluded, the position of commander-in-chief will soon be crisis."
The biggest impact on Zhang Xueliang's heart was the means of Ambassador lin Quanzhu in China. He deliberately spoke in front of reporters that today's situation in Tohoku is very similar to the Tokugawa Ieyasu era in Japan. These words reached Zhang Xueliang's ears and aroused his vigilance.
He went to the bookstore to buy a copy of the History of the Orient and carefully studied the history of Tokugawa Ieyasu's usurpation of power. The more I looked, the more I felt that I was the son of Toyotomi Hideyoshi, the toyotomi Hideyoshi who was finally forced to hang himself, and Yang Yuting was Tokugawa Ieyasu.
Therefore, he was more determined to get rid of Yang Yuting's idea.
There are also some people who believe that Yang Yuting is pro-Japanese, because he was born in a Japanese military academy, managed the Fengtian Arsenal built with the help of the Japanese in his capacity as a supervisor, and asked Zhang Zuolin for support from the Japanese military on behalf of Guo Songling when he opposed Fengfeng.
But this is mostly just speculation, and there is no actual evidence. I think it is more reliable to say that it is still an authoritative expert.
What does Sun Chuanfang, the leader of the warlords directly under his line, say?
Regarding the killing of Yang Yuting, Sun Chuanfang said this:
"Yang Yuting has a way of taking death, is his relationship with Han Shuai a monarch or a friend?" If it is a monarch, it should face north and present itself as a subordinate; if it is a friend, it should be clean and retreat, only for consultation. And now he wants to live above Han Shuai, ask everything about things, and even obstruct Han Shuai by giving orders and giving more obstacles, which is really rare in ancient and modern China and abroad, how can he not die? ”
This passage is really a word that breaks the sky, and the words are pearls. Yang Yuting's death was all because he was not good at himself and blamed himself.
Sun Chuanfang
But we cannot ignore the situation after his death:
When the September 18 Incident broke out, Zhang Xueliang lost the whole northeast without firing a shot; then he was toyed with by Chiang Kai-shek and applauded, and was detained by Chiang Kai-shek in 1936, the Northeast Army was leaderless, and was soon divided and disintegrated by Chiang Kai-shek, and Zhang himself was imprisoned for most of his life, ending his political career.
Therefore, zhang Xueliang once lamented in his later years: The most regrettable thing in his life is to kill Yang Yuting by mistake.
But if Yang Yuting does not die, will the northeast really not be lost? This is also marked with question marks. What if he usurped power? What if he usurped power and returned to Japan? Then the situation in China as a whole is completely different.
But what we can be sure of is that as soon as Yang Yuting died, the era of the Feng family was over.
Finally, to quote a passage from the historiographer Mr. Jin Yudi in the "Biography of Yang Yuting":
"Since Wang Yongjiang died and the karma of Lin has declined, since Yu Ting was killed and served, it is impossible to do anything. What's more! The practice of people surviving in politics and the practice of people dying in government is also a constant rule that is not easy in ancient and modern times. ”
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