September 1928, Nanjing. Although it has reached the season of autumn high spirits, Nanjing, which is known as one of the "three major furnaces in the country", does not have any coolness at all, and is still like a fire in the sun, and the heat wave hits people.
In the office of the Military Commission of the Nationalist Government in Nanjing, Chiang Kai-shek was pacing around the room anxiously. Although a fine layer of sweat had already appeared on the door of his shiny brain, he couldn't bother to wipe it.
A few minutes ago, he received a report that his proud protégé and beloved Chen Cheng had suddenly left without quitting.
For him, it was like a thunderbolt on a sunny day.
This man, who had been fighting in the turbulent and vicious seas of Chinese politics for many years, became an iron-fisted figure of China's supreme ruler at that time with his strong faith, abundant energy and changeable power schemes, and was well aware of the seriousness of the current situation.
Although he was now in power and completed the second phase of the Northern Expedition in July, ostensibly becoming the supreme ruler of China, his position was not stable and could be said to be in danger.
At present, Feng Yuxiang in the northwest, Yan Xishan in Shanxi and Hebei, Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi, and Huang Shaohu in Guangxi, and Li Jishen, Chen Mingshu, and Chen Jitang in Guangdong all have hundreds of thousands of heavy troops in their hands and divide one side, and they do not pay much attention to him, the Kuomintang Central Committee and the Nationalist Government, and these people all have political ambitions to compete for central power and are the problems that threaten his ruling position.
In August last year, he had a tragic experience of being forced into exile and exile in Japan, and it was not until January this year that he was "reinstated" with the support of the Huangpu generals and made a comeback.
Within the KMT Central Committee, Wang Jingwei, Hu Hanmin, and other KMT elders also constantly threatened his political position.
Among the only young officers of the Whampoa clan he could trust and rely on, He Yingqin, with his seniority, prestige, and talent, his feathers were getting fuller and fuller, and he had become a bad call, and he also posed a potential threat to his position.
In this dangerous and dangerous situation, he naturally attached special importance to Chen Cheng, who was young and promising, shrewd and capable, and loyal to him. He greatly hoped that Chen Cheng would become his right-hand man and confidant, and that he could restrain and resist He Yingqin among the Huangpu soldiers internally, and that he could become a "killer weapon" for leveling other separatist forces externally.
Chen Cheng ran away, disrupted his overall plan, and failed to live up to his bitter heart, no wonder he felt anxious, anxious, and secretly screaming bitterly in his heart.
Why did Chen Cheng suddenly flee at this critical juncture? This must start from the internal situation of Chiang Kai-shek's system at this time.
After the completion of the second phase of the "Northern Expedition" in July 1928, the National Revolutionary Army underwent a downsizing. The troops under Chiang Kai-shek's direct command were downsized into 6 divisions, namely the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 9th, 10th, and 11th Divisions, with Liu Zhi, Gu Zhutong, Qian Dajun, Jiang Dingwen, Fang Dingying, and Cao Wanshun as division commanders.
Except for Cao Wanshun, the commander of the 11th Division, the other five division commanders were all close associates and love generals brought out by Chiang Kai-shek from the Whampoa Military Academy.
The 11th Division was originally a unit of the Fujian warlord Zhou Mengren, and during the Northern Expedition Cao Wanshun led this force to surrender to the Northern Expedition.
In August 1928, Chiang Kai-shek downsized this miscellaneous army into 4 regiments, which were merged with the 2 garrison regiments under the jurisdiction of Chen Cheng of the Nanjing Garrison Headquarters to form the 11th Division of the National Revolutionary Army.
In order to control this miscellaneous army, Chiang Kai-shek originally wanted Chen Cheng to be the commander of the 11th Division, but he was opposed by He Yingqin. He Yingqin believed that Chen Cheng's qualifications were too shallow and unworthy to sit on an equal footing with Liu Zhi, Gu Zhutong, Qian Dajun and others, and could only make him a deputy division commander.
Chiang Kai-shek also considered that if Cao Wanshun was replaced prematurely, it would affect the demotion of other miscellaneous troops in the future. After thinking about it, he finally decided to temporarily grievance Chen Cheng and let him serve as the deputy commander of the 11th Division.
After Chen Cheng received the letter of appointment, his face suddenly changed from red to white, from white to blue, and he almost fainted.
Because as early as April 1928, Chen Cheng was already the commander of the nanjing garrison command, with 7 regiments under his command, and his strength exceeded 1 army.
Now he was transferred to a miscellaneous army as a deputy division commander, which was not only a demotion, but also an insult to him.
He decided that this matter must be his enemy He Yingqin who tricked the ghost from it and deliberately embarrassed him, so he angrily scolded in anger: "Fuck, the deception is too much, Lao Tzu will not do it!" He then packed up his bags and left for Shanghai, vowing not to be the deputy commander of this nest.
As for the reason for Chen Cheng's departure, Chiang Kai-shek was "dumb and eats tangyuan - he knows what he knows." He couldn't help but secretly complain that Chen Cheng didn't have the foresight, couldn't hold his breath, and failed to live up to his bitter heart.
Since it was the time to employ people, he decided to send someone to find Chen Cheng, comfort him well, and give him a bottom line as soon as possible, so as not to misunderstand deeper.
Thinking of this, he immediately summoned his attaché and ordered: "You immediately take my warrant, go to Shanghai, and get the resignation back, I have something to explain to him." ”
A few days later, Chen Cheng, who was fully dressed and heroic, returned to Nanjing, and when he saw Chiang Kai-shek's face, Chen Cheng was like a wronged child who saw his mother-in-law, and his eyes became wet, and he said in an excited and aggrieved trill: "Principal, I..."
Chiang Kai-shek did not wait for Chen Cheng to continue speaking, so he said to him with a pleasant face: "Resignation, I know that you have been wronged!" But you have to understand my difficulties and grievances. You are a revolutionary soldier, how can you be so willful and play with the temper of a child? Well, this, you don't have to worry about the past. This you went to the 11th Division as a deputy division commander is only a temporary transition, and I will reuse you in the future. Are you still young and worried about not having a chance to be promoted in the future? Well?! ”
Chen Cheng's heart was sweet and warm, and he secretly sighed: After all, the principal understands me the most! He also has his own difficulties and grievances.
Chen Cheng's original grievances and resentments had all disappeared at this time, and only reverence and gratitude for Chiang Kai-shek remained in his heart.
Chiang Kai-shek then told Chen Cheng: The personnel and economic power of the 11th Division are all under your control.
In this way, Chen Cheng's heart was more down-to-earth. He immediately set off for Pukou, the garrison of the 11th Division, and officially took up his post.