In 1951, Du Yuesheng, an urban gangster tycoon who shook Shanghai during the Republic of China, fell ill and died in his home, and died a desolate death.
When he was young, his family was rich and powerful, and he was a "tycoon" known to everyone in Shanghai.
However, in his later years, he was toyed with by Chiang Kai-shek and exiled to Hong Kong as a public servant.
Du Yuesheng
Du Yuesheng delusionally wanted to meet between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, but was tortured step by step by the Kuomintang's "nerve warfare" to the point of neurasthenia.
Even before his death, he made a will to return the body to his hometown, but it was still ruthlessly tampered with by Chiang Kai-shek.
Why did the KMT launch a "nerve war" against Du Yuesheng, and how fierce was the KMT's "nerve war"?
Fled to Hong Kong
Du Yuesheng is a native of Gaoqiao, Pudong, Shanghai, born in 1888. In his early years, his family was poor, but he was talented and studied hard, and became a township talent with a gentle temperament.
In his early years, he worshipped Chen Shichang, the leader of the Qing Gang, and then turned to the black and white golden Rong, and in 1921, Du Yuesheng mixed up and became a Shanghai business magnate and gangster tycoon.
Before the War of Resistance Against Japan, he and Chiang Kai-shek colluded and laundered money, but by the time of the War of Liberation, Chiang Kai-shek did not pay much attention to him, and he could only live his own life in Shanghai until the People's Liberation Army hit Shanghai.
On May 1, 1949, the frustrated Du Yuesheng came to the dock on the South Bund with his entire net worth of about 400,000 US dollars and a large family.
Du Yuesheng stood by the dock and stared, his thoughts did not know where to drift, he looked around the beach, and after half a day, tears quietly crossed the corners of his eyes, and he murmured to himself:
"At that time, I began to work hard in poverty, made a fortune in sixteen shops, became a millionaire, and began to have bad luck again. Goodbye hometown Takahashi! Goodbye to the beach, when can I come back? Listen to God! ”
Until the spring of 1949, the mouthpieces of the Kuomintang covered up the news well, preaching:
"Shanghai is an iron wall, the communist army will never be able to break through the city, and the Kuomintang will certainly eliminate the communist army in Shanghai."
But Du Yuesheng had no confidence in the Kuomintang, and when he heard this news, he only felt a chill in his heart, how could the Nationalist army be an opponent of the People's Liberation Army? These news deceive the people, and he will never believe it.
At that time, he stood in the wrong line, followed Chiang Kai-shek to persecute the Communists, his hands were stained with the blood of the Communists, and when the People's Liberation Army came in, 80% would be liquidated.
As a last resort, Du Yuesheng could only make a painful decision: escape.
In fact, as early as the beginning of spring, Chiang Kai-shek secretly summoned Du Yuesheng and pretended to remind him:
"Do you want to go to Taiwan with me?" You killed so many Communists, they won't let you go."
Chiang Kai-shek
Du Yuesheng was nervous when he heard this, but he did not dare to disobey Chiang Kai-shek in person, but still nodded his head. But in his heart, he made a decision not to go to Taiwan.
Chiang Kai-shek was not a good person, and he could not live a few good days when he went to Taiwan, so he would be put under house arrest in disguise.
In Chiang Kai-shek's mind, he was just a night pot, and after using it, he stuffed it under the bed. He was just a "big hooligan" leader in Shanghai, completely on the table. The Kuomintang's attitude toward his gang was also "banned."
Moreover, going to Taiwan means completely taking sides with the Kuomintang, and now the momentum of the Platon Is irresistible, and if they hit Taiwan, then they really have no way to retreat.
Du Yuesheng just looked loyal to Chiang Kai-shek. In fact, for many years, he has been betting on both ends.
In 1927, Chiang Kai-shek betrayed the revolution and helped Chiang Kai-shek kill communists. However, during the War of Resistance Against Japan, he also collected donations for the anti-Japanese army, quietly assisted the Eighth Route Army in materials and military expenses, and even covered up Zhou Enlai's cousin.
"April 12 Incident"
The future of staying in Shanghai is uncertain, and going to Taiwan is to be Chiang Kai-shek's dog slave. So where to go?
Du Yuesheng thought of Hong Kong, at this time Hong Kong is still a territory ruled by the British, the lease period stipulated by international law is far from reaching, the People's Liberation Army will certainly not fight Hong Kong, it is a safe place.
Du Yuesheng went to visit his friend Jin Rong again, but Huang was old and unwilling to escape with him.
Golden Rong
On April 27, Du Yuesheng could already hear the cannon outside Shanghai, and he hurriedly packed up his belongings and set off, and before leaving, he left a heart eye and said to his confidant Huang Guodong, the general accounting room:
"You help me take care of my family, the People's Liberation Army enters the city and does not resist, they are regular troops, they will not come chaotically, I have communicated with friends of the Communist Party, and I have the opportunity to come back after liberation, and when the time comes, you will be responsible for the microphone between us."
The long sound of "beep, beep" began, it was time to start the ship, and Du Yuesheng at the dock turned back to his senses and boarded the "Baoshu" bound for Hong Kong with his family.
The Kuomintang and the Communists clashed secretly
Du Yuesheng lives in Hong Kong's Kennedy Terrace No. 18 to rent three bedrooms and a living room, which still relies on his own proud protégé Zhang Luo.
But this is not a small psychological gap for him, he has a number of properties in Shanghai, just a garden villa more than one set, and in Hong Kong, more than a dozen people are crowded in a hundred square meters of houses.
When he first arrived here, Du Yuesheng was quite dissatisfied, and the housekeeper Wan Molin helplessly explained:
"Mr. Du, there are too many people fleeing to Hong Kong, and the house is very tight, but it is also because we don't have much money, so we have to save some use..."
Du Yuesheng's former residence
Du Yuesheng is now 61 years old. Because there are not many acquaintances in Hong Kong, and their legs and feet are inconvenient, they can only stay in their rooms all day long, anxious about the situation outside and their future.
After thinking about it for a long time, only a few months later, Du Yuesheng was like ten years old, his cheeks were deeply sunken, he had lost his former radiance, his skin was unusually dry, and the most uncomfortable thing was the recurrence of asthma many years ago, because the road to Hong Kong was bumpy, and he failed to rest well. Now as soon as he falls ill, he has to rely on oxygen cylinders to survive.
The Kuomintang and the Communists did not give up trying to woo Du Yuesheng, and both began to send people to contact him, the Communists regarded him as the target of the United Front, and the Kuomintang urged him to go to Taiwan, and he became the target of political struggle between the two sides.
Du Yuesheng hoped to be able to influence The Source, but his heart was more inclined to the Communist Party.
Before he went to Hong Kong, he contacted his friends in the Communist Party and asked whether the policy of the United Front had changed, and the friends replied to him: "There is no change, so go back to Shanghai with confidence!" "It gave him hope of returning home."
If you go to Taiwan, it is just Chiang Kai-shek's "night pot", and if you use it, you will lose it.
Chiang Kai-shek often sent people to find Du Yuesheng and invite him to Taiwan. One day, Taiwan's "Minister of the Interior" Hong Youlan came to invite him as usual, and as usual, he shirked his illness:
"My asthma is getting worse and worse, the weather in Taiwan is wet and cold, I am afraid that it is not conducive to treatment, when I am cured in Hong Kong, I will go to Taiwan to carry out the whip, I don't know if Jiang Gong can still answer."
Du Yuesheng (right)
Hong Youlan squinted his eyes to smoke a cigar, looked at the haggard Du Yuesheng, and took out the envelope from the briefcase without hurrying, dangling it in front of Du's eyes:
"Mr. Du, look, this is a letter of entrustment for appointing you as the director of the Hong Kong and Macao Solicitation Committee."
Du Yuesheng took the envelope and found that there was a stack of savings rolls inside, obviously to buy him to take the line.
Du looked at the letter of entrustment, and Du Yuesheng remembered his situation after the victory of the War of Resistance. He traveled thousands of miles from Chongqing to Shanghai to prepare to become the mayor of Shanghai, but Chiang Kai-shek did not allow it, so he retreated to the second place and wanted to seek a position as chairman of the Shanghai Municipal Senate, but Chiang Kai-shek still did not allow it.
I think that this money and official position are just bait for catching him hooked.
But Du Yuesheng did not want to offend Hong Youlan, Hong Youlan was sophisticated, a pair of squinting eyes like he could see through what others thought, if he showed the tendency to return to the mainland, Hong Youlan would be able to detect it, and then report it to Chiang Kai-shek, and there would be no good fruit for him to eat.
Du Yuesheng thought about it for a while, put the envelope on the table, and did not show the intention of taking it:
"Brother Hong, you see how old I am, where can I still do things, I just want to spend the rest of my life in peace, and Jiang Gong will forgive me."
Hong Youlan looked at the envelope on the table, shook his fat face, and did not speak again.
Du Yuesheng (top left)
Later, the Kuomintang sent Lu Jingshi and Wu Kaixian to persuade Du Yuesheng, but Du Yuesheng still had an ambiguous attitude and did not accept or refuse.
Du Yuesheng waited for the price to sell, planning to see who gave the high price of the Two Parties of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party.
Not long after, the Beijing deputies also took advantage of the reorganization of the Bank of China to invite Du Yuesheng and other major shareholders of the Bank of China to return to the mainland, and financial giants Chen Guangfu, Zhan Gongquan, Song Hanzhang, and others came to Du Yuesheng for consultation.
Everyone met in the private room of the hotel, and when the bankers headed by Du Yuesheng sat down, Chen Guangfu opened the door to the mountain:
"The Beijing deputies hope that we will go to Beijing for a meeting to discuss the matter of bank shares, and as to whether or not, it is up to us to decide, as long as we stand in agreement."
Chen Guangfu
"Really?" Du Yuesheng was very excited after hearing this, stood up from his seat, picked up his robe, and paced back and forth in the room.
This is a great thing, he has no money and no power in Hong Kong, and he has suffered a lot. But now that I have finally waited for the invitation of the Communist Party, it is still a giant like Chen Guangfu who has come to invite, which can be said to have given himself enough face.
Du Yuesheng made up his mind to return to the mainland!
Du Yuesheng, afraid of letting people see the joke, narrowed the excitement on his face and decided to talk to the bankers about returning to Beijing.
After three rounds of drinking, everyone had their own opinions, and when everyone had discussed almost everything, Du Yuesheng slowly stood up:
"We are all people who are stranded in Hong Kong and have nowhere to go, and it is difficult to say whether to go to Taiwan or the mainland, but if Beijing asks us to go to a meeting, we will have to accept this Shunshui people's feelings.
The bankers were not sure what Du Yuesheng meant, and someone tentatively asked, "Mr. Du means to return to the mainland?" ”
Du Yuesheng hurriedly waved his hand:
"Now is not the best time to go back, but we can sign a power of attorney and send representatives to Beijing for a meeting."
The eyes of the crowd lit up, this is indeed a brilliant plan for killing two birds with one stone, not only leaving room for maneuver for themselves, but also laying the foundation for returning to the mainland in the future. So everyone finalized the matter.
Du Yuesheng (front row, center)
I can't afford to be sick
There is no impermeable wall in the world, and Du Yuesheng and others have leaked the matter of sending representatives to Beijing to attend the meeting, and the Kuomintang is shocked to learn of this.
One evening in April 1950, Chiang Kai-shek stood in his office in a villa on the outskirts of Taipei, holding Taiwan's latest issue of the Central Daily, his face blue, and an angry "hum" sound from his nose from time to time.
The office was full of officials dressed in the costumes of high-ranking generals, but the atmosphere did not dare to come out, and they all stood up straight, and they came after receiving an urgent telegram from Chiang Kai-shek.
When Chiang Kai-shek saw that everyone had arrived, he angrily threw the newspaper at them: "Show me everything!" Your old friend Boss Du is a co-bandit! ”
Taiwan's "Finance Minister" Yu Hongjun picked up the newspaper with a hard scalp and saw that it said that the Bank of China would hold a meeting of directors and supervisors in Beijing, and that Du Yuesheng, Chen Guangfu, Zhang Gongquan, and others had signed a power of attorney and would send representatives to attend.
Du Yuesheng was an old acquaintance of the officers present and Chiang Kai-shek, and he did not have less dealings in Shanghai at the beginning, and their friendship with each other was not bad, but he did not expect that he was now going to take a group of old bankers to accept the Communist Party's united front! Isn't this slapping Chiang Kai-shek's face!
Chiang Kai-shek knew very well that Du Yuesheng had set his sights on the Communists and no longer had any illusions about him.
So Chiang Kai-shek ordered that agents be sent to Hong Kong to carry out "nerve warfare" and force Du Yuesheng to come to Taiwan or to Japan, in short, he was not allowed to go to the mainland, nor was he allowed to stay in Hong Kong.
The purpose is to kill the chicken and the monkey and torture him! Let others dare not hold the illusion of accepting the Communist United Front!
On March 11, 1951, the Kuomintang's "nerve war" began, and Chiang Kai-shek first asked Taiwan's "Central Daily" to forward the China News Agency's Hong Kong telegram:
"Du Yuesheng, Qian Yongming, and others are ready to apply to go to Taiwan."
JoongAng Daily
This hand is to confuse the Communist Party, I heard that you Du Yuesheng wants to return to the mainland? As soon as this news comes out, will the Communist Party still believe you? Even if you really believe it, you must verify the truth of the news before you dare to let you go. What the Kuomintang wants is that Du Yuesheng has a hard time arguing!
Du Yuesheng heard the news in Hong Kong, anxious to break into a cold sweat, Taiwan's move is too cruel, now he can not go to the mainland, watching his body deteriorate, the chance of returning to Shanghai is becoming more and more slim.
The appetizer was over, and Chiang Kai-shek made another move. In April of the same year, a Kuomintang agent quietly sneaked into Du Mansion and told Du Yuesheng a message:
"The Communists are negotiating with the British to take you back to the mainland!" Soon it will be the anniversary of the April 12 Incident, you are the main culprit in that massacre, and they will criticize you at the meeting! The mainland has already sent people to Hong Kong, and if the extradition fails, you will be shot in Hong Kong! ”
At first glance, Du Yuesheng didn't quite believe it, but when he saw the agent's anxious look, it didn't seem to be a fake.
The agent acted very seriously, rubbing his hands and looking out the window, as if checking for enemy guards.
"Is this news reliable?" Du Yuesheng asked hurriedly.
"The mainland's assassination team is already in Hong Kong! If you don't leave for Taiwan, it's too late! ”
The agent said in a low voice.
Du Yuesheng (first from left)
The Kuomintang agent said that he had a nose and an eye, and he was shocked to hear it. But thinking of the April 12 incident, he was indeed in a blood debt, and the worker leader Wang Shouhua was not buried alive on his own order?
That night, Du Yuesheng lay on his bed and could not sleep, thinking about how to decide, what to do, to go or stay? But I didn't have a clue when I thought about it, but my head swelled and hurt, the old disease also recurred, I coughed incessantly, and I quickly called my wife and installed a ventilator for myself, which barely caught my breath.
For several days in a row, Du Yuesheng was worried about the communist assassination group that the secret agent said, but whenever there was any wind and grass, it made him tense his nerves.
Wang Shouhua
It didn't take long for him to develop a nervous breakdown, unable to hear knocking on the door, and unable to sleep.
Taiwan's "nerve war" is not over. In late April, when Du Yuesheng was having breakfast with his family, a message came from the radio:
"The Green Gang tycoon Du Yuesheng has shaken off the CCP's entanglement and arrived in Taipei, where he is meeting with senior Kuomintang government officials in Songshan."
Du Yuesheng couldn't hold back after listening to it, disregarding the image of the usual elegance, angrily dropped the rice in his hand and shouted loudly:
"Why? Outrageous! This is blatant rumor-mongering, too absurd! ”
Du Yuesheng and his family
A number of newspapers in Hong Kong published this heavy headline, and Du Fu instantly became lively. The reporters ambushed at the gate of Du Fu, hoping to harvest more explosive news, letters and telegrams from all sides filled the mailbox, and even Du Yuesheng's relatives and friends asked: "Is there really anything wrong?" ”
Du Yuesheng finally understood that this was Taiwan's "nerve warfare," and Taiwan had created a series of sensational news that left him stranded at home unable to move, and could only be tired of coping, forcing him to go to Taiwan.
After several "nerve wars", Du Yuesheng's spirit was on the verge of collapse, he had already suffered from heart disease, and he was an old man with inconvenient legs and feet, who suffered successive blows, and finally fell ill.
Du Province
Du Yuesheng, who was bedridden, was very vocal and would over-interpret any news.
Just at this time, Premier Zhou Enlai sent a letter encouraging him to return to the mainland and talking about the current situation of his good friend Jin Rong. Today's Golden Rong has actively responded to the slogan of "glorious labor" in New China and used street sweeping work to reform itself.
Premier Zhou's intention was to hope that Du Yuesheng would realize his previous mistakes and pluck up the courage to return to the mainland, but he did not think that Du Yuesheng, who had a nervous breakdown, became extremely suspicious.
In the letter, he saw that the former gangster tycoon Jin Rong had actually gone to sweep the streets, and he remembered the rumors and rumors of the Kuomintang, and he couldn't help but scare himself, it seems that the Communist Party wants to liquidate him is not empty! The continent is definitely not going back!
Du Yuesheng and Jin Jinrong
True and false wills
Du Yuesheng's health is getting worse and worse, Taiwan's "nerve warfare" destroyed his original desire to survive, his legs and feet are somehow paralyzed, he has to stay in bed, every day can only look at the small room, lifeless.
The family persuaded Du Yuesheng to take the injection and take the medicine, but he did not want to see a doctor, he knew that entering the hospital was just to suffer more, and the Kuomintang would not give up until he died, he sighed and said to his family:
"I have a number in mind, so get ready for the aftermath!"
Du Yuesheng and Madame
Du Yuesheng's condition deteriorated quickly, he loved face the most in his life, lying in bed was not what he wanted, his spirit and body were destroyed to the limit by "nerve warfare", and now he only wanted to arrange the inheritance.
On August 7, 1951, Du Yuesheng was once again unconscious, and when he woke up, he called his confidant secretary Hu Xuwu and planned to dictate his will. At this time, family and friends came to Du's side, and his wife came forward to help him sit up.
At this time, Du Yuesheng described it as withered, his face was miserable, he was struggling, it was difficult to say complete words, and the people around him all shed tears when they saw it. Du rested for half a day after every word he said, and it took a long time to dictate his will.
"My time is short, and I hereby classify all my inheritances for my wives and children..."
The entire estate is a matter of inheritance of property, and not a single word is involved in politics.
After Hu Xuwu finished writing it down, he re-read it to make sure that it was correct, and Du Yuesheng signed the word "Du Yong" with trembling hands. After making the doctor's advice, Du Yuesheng fell into a deep sleep.
Another day, Du Yuesheng's situation took a sharp turn for the worse, and the doctor shook his head at the family after seeing it:
"Mr. Du is dying, his internal organs have lesions, he is already resurrected and lacking in surgery, and I will only delay some time when I treat him."
Du Yuesheng's family
Finally, Du Yuesheng woke up from his coma one afternoon, lying on the bed, his mouth pursed, but he couldn't make a sound, and tears flowed down his sunken cheeks.
His wife, Yao Yulan, saw that Du Yuesheng still had something to worry about, put her ear to his mouth, and finally heard Du Yuesheng's slight voice.
"When I die, I'm going to wear a robe and a coat... Buy me a good coffin and ship it to Shanghai to be buried next to my parents..."
Yao Yulan's tears could not be contained, and she gently shook Du Yuesheng's hand and said, "Rest assured, you must do what you want." ”
Yao Yulan (middle)
The Kuomintang was well informed, and that night, Hong Youlan rushed to Du Mansion.
When Hong Youlan came to Du Yuesheng's window with a fat face, he saw that Du had turned pale and fell into a deep coma, and he couldn't help but be a little embarrassed, but the task arranged by Chiang Kai-shek had not yet been completed.
He had to run to the bed and clasp Du Yuesheng's hand and shouted:
"Brother Yong, Brother Yong! Jiang Gong asked me to come to see you and wish you a speedy recovery! ”
When Du Yuesheng was dying, he vaguely heard someone shouting at him, but he didn't know who it was, and he replied vaguely: "Good, hello everyone." Then he fell into a coma again.
Hong Youlan saw that Du was silent again, and turned around and went to the living room. He came with Chiang Kai-shek's mission and brought a copy of Du Yuesheng's will from Taiwan.
While pulling out his briefcase, he said to Du's relatives and friends:
"Jiang Gong was very concerned about Mr. Du's posthumous affairs, personally delineated the list of funeral committees, and also brought a will!"
Du Yuesheng (middle)
Du's relatives and friends looked at each other, Du Yuesheng still had a breath, why did Chiang Kai-shek have to tamper with the will?
They had never heard of anything like that. But du fu was already in a coma, and the rest of the people didn't know what to do. Do they have to accept this false will in good conscience?
But can they refuse, Du Fu is missing Du Yuesheng, and he is not at the mercy of the Kuomintang. The butler, Wan Molin, was sleek, played a round field, and said:
"After this 'will' is reported, whether others believe it or not has nothing to do with us, after all, we are only acting according to Mr. Du's will."
Hong Youlan nodded satisfactorily, and then said to Du's secretary Hu Xuwu: "You copy a copy, and when Mr. Du is dead, you will hand it over to the major newspapers for publication!" ”
That night, Hu Shuwu returned home and copied a "fake will" by hand, he was loyal and honest, and he was Mr. Du's confidant, so naturally he did not approve of this nonsensical will.
He shook his head while copying it, this fake will was full of words that smeared the Communist Party, completely unlike the words that the elegant Du Yuesheng would say, how could Mr. Du be blinded when such a will was published?
Du Yuesheng (middle)
Hu Xuwu was worried, and Du's good friend Luo Qinghua came to discuss the matter with him, and both of them felt that Chiang Kai-shek's will was really deceiving people too much.
Therefore, the two deleted and revised the "fake will", deleted the three major paragraphs involving politics, and then polished it slightly, and worked hard for a night before re-issuing the "third will".
Hong Youlan was furious when he learned that his will had been changed, and how could he make a difference if he could not complete Chiang Kai-shek's task? But Hu Xuwu and Luo Qinghua argued with him on the basis of reason, saying that Hong Youlan was a bit self-conscious.
Luo Qinghua
After some quarrels, each side took a step back and added something like "we cannot witness the revival of the Republic of China" to the "new testament." The words of the will are much softer than those in Taiwan.
On the afternoon of August 16, 1951, Du Yuesheng died of illness on his bed, and a generation of gangster tycoons left so undignified.
After hearing the news of Du's death, Chiang Kai-shek was overjoyed and said coldly: "Du Yuesheng, Du Yuesheng, you can't escape the palm of my hand after all, you can never go to the mainland, you can't come back to your hometown!" ”
Chiang Kai-shek used Du Yuesheng's corpse to make a fuss and continued to fight a political war.
On October 27 of the same year, Chiang Kai-shek prevented du fu's men from transporting Du Yuesheng's body to Shanghai, but instead sent someone to transport his coffin to Taiwan.
After Du Yuesheng died, he also failed to get what he wanted and returned to his hometown.