One day in 1951, Chairman Mao received a letter from Qingjian County in northern Shaanxi.
After Chairman Mao read it, he frowned, and then instructed his secretary Tian Jiaying: "You go to the accounting office to find Xiao Zheng and let him take 300 yuan of manuscript fees." ”
Tian Jiaying was very curious after hearing this, because Chairman Mao has always regarded his own writing fees as the property of the people, and usually only when the family's expenses are really insufficient, he is willing to take out a little bit of the manuscript fee to subsidize the family, and now how can he be willing to take out a sum of money equivalent to his salary for most of half a month?
Chairman Mao seemed to see through his thoughts, so he explained: "This money is to be sent to a small comrade, who has followed me for many years and escorted me all the way from Yan'an to Beijing. But he went back to his hometown two years ago to get married, and now he has difficulties in life, and I have to help him. ”
The little Zhang in Chairman Mao's mouth was none other than Zhang Ruiqi, the head of his guard squad at the time, and when he returned home to get married, Chairman Mao personally sent someone to give him a gift!
1. Chairman Mao's personal bodyguard
In February 1936, the Red Army arrived in Qingjian County in northern Shaanxi and took a 16-day rest.
During this period, the strict military discipline of the Red Army overwhelmed countless local people. Therefore, many ordinary people enthusiastically joined the army, including Zhang Ruiqi from Qingjian County.
After Zhang Ruiqi joined the army, he performed well in battle, and was later transferred to the 4th Company of the Central Guard Regiment.
In 1944, when Chairman Mao temporarily moved the party Central Committee organs from Yangjialing to Zaoyuan due to office needs, Zhang Ruiqi was transferred to Chairman Mao's side as a personal guard.
As he spent more and more time with Chairman Mao, Zhang Ruiqi admired Chairman Mao's wisdom and virtues and felt that it was a great honor for him to be able to serve Chairman Mao. Since then, Zhang Ruiqi has regarded the protection of Chairman Mao's safety as more important than his own life.
It was precisely this kind of conviction and consciousness that made Zhang Ruiqi soon promoted to the head of the guard squad, responsible for Chairman Mao's personal security.
At the beginning of 1947, Chiang Kai-shek ordered Hu Zongnan to lead more than 200,000 troops to attack northern Shaanxi, while our army had only a few tens of thousands of troops in northern Shaanxi at that time.
Faced with the situation in which the enemy was outnumbered and outnumbered, Chairman Mao immediately made a decision, believing that if necessary, he could take the initiative to abandon Yan'an.
But giving up Yan'an means giving up northern Shaanxi, which is the base area that everyone has been operating for more than ten years, and many of the fighters in Yan'an are from northern Shaanxi, and everyone not only can't think straight, but also can't accept this emotionally.
Therefore, in late March 1948, before leaving northern Shaanxi, the Party Central Committee made a decision: if comrades in northern Shaanxi were not willing to leave their hometowns, they could stay and continue to fight guerrillas in northern Shaanxi or be demobilized and return home.
Zhang Ruiqi fell into contemplation after getting this news, originally according to his identity, he should not have the slightest hesitation. But when he thought of a girl in his hometown who had previously made a relationship with him and waited for him for many years, he hesitated again.
It turned out that Zhang Ruiqi was almost thirty years old and still a bachelor. His parents, fearing that his family was the only one in the family, would cause some mistakes in the war outside and lead to the death of the old Zhang family, they set up a family affair for him, and then often urged him to be demobilized and return home to become his own son.
Earlier, Zhang Ruiqi dragged this out for several years on the grounds that his task of defending Chairman Mao was arduous. Now there are regulations in the organization that when you go home at this time, you are not considered to be fleeing from the battlefield.
Chairman Mao was somewhat aware of Zhang Ruiqi's family affairs, so he specifically talked to Zhang Ruiqi once before leaving, saying: "Xiao Zhang, we are leaving northern Shaanxi now, you have been with me for many years, you can stay." When you get home, solve your marriage problem as soon as possible. Otherwise, if you follow me farther and farther away, your daughter-in-law who has not passed through the door of your hometown will have to wait for you again. ”
As soon as Zhang Ruiqi heard this, a strong sense of shame immediately dispelled his previous thoughts. Chairman Mao thinks so much about himself, but he is thinking of leaving Chairman Mao and returning to his hometown to get married, is he still a guard?
Immediately, he said firmly: "Chairman, I am not only for myself, but also entrusted by the villagers in northern Shaanxi to defend you." As your guard, how could I leave early at this time? At least let me escort you to your destination! ”
Chairman Mao was also touched after hearing this, and he patted Zhang Ruiqi's shoulder with his hand and said: "The contributions of the people of northern Shaanxi are great, and I will never forget them." You are a good representative of the people of northern Shaanxi. ”
In this way, Zhang Ruiqi escorted Chairman Mao all the way across the Yellow River and from Shanxi to Hebei, never leaving Chairman Mao on the way.
2. Demobilization and homecoming
When the Party Central Committee was stationed in Xibaipo, some of the older guards during the Yan'an period were sent to various places to study and study.
Zhang Ruiqi saw that batch after batch of comrades-in-arms had left, but he did not have any arrangements, and his heart could not help but become anxious, but he did not know that this was Chairman Mao's intention.
Chairman Mao looked for an opportunity to summon Zhang Ruiqi to him and said to him, "There is a reason why you were not allowed to study like other comrades, and I am preparing to let you return to northern Shaanxi." If you are sent to study, when the end of your studies you will be older, which is not conducive to your marriage. ”
Zhang Ruiqi knew that Chairman Mao was for his own good, but he felt that it was still inappropriate to leave now.
Therefore, he told Chairman Mao his true thoughts: "Chairman, I can't go back now, I must send you safely to Beiping." At that time, my task will be successfully completed. ”
Chairman Mao pondered for a moment and then said, "Since you said so, let's go to Beiping together and visit the style of the big city together!" ”
At that time, shortly after the End of the Pingjin Campaign, there were still many enemy elements lurking inside and outside Beiping City, so zhang Ruiqi and other guards still needed to maintain a high degree of vigilance on the road from Xibaipo to Beiping.
It was not until Chairman Mao successfully entered Beijing and stayed at the Shuangqing Villa that Zhang Ruiqi dared to relax a little.
Chairman Mao immediately summoned Zhang Ruiqi to his office and said, "Comrade Zhang, you have now sent me to your final destination, and you can be said to have accomplished your task brilliantly. From today onwards, you will leave your post to rest, first go to the scenic spots and monuments in Beiping City for a few days, and then go through the formalities to demobilize and go home. ”
Seeing that Chairman Mao was so insistent, Zhang Ruiqi had no choice but to obey the order, honestly tour Beiping City, and then go through the formalities to prepare to return to his hometown.
A few days before leaving, Chairman Mao specially invited him to have lunch together.
Chairman Mao said at the table: "Xiao Zhang, when you return to northern Shaanxi alone, it is not convenient on the road, and I am not at ease. It just so happens that Comrade He Long is going to fly to Xi'an these days, and when the time comes, you will take a plane with him. ”
Zhang Ruiqi was so excited for a while that he didn't know what to say, and after a moment he slowly said, "Thank you Chairman!" You work so hard, and you have to worry about me as an ordinary warrior... Usually I didn't take enough care of you, but now I feel ashamed to have such a lot of love. ”
Chairman Mao waved his hand and said, "Don't say this, we are all party members and we are all equal in politics, and I should invite you to have a light meal and then give you a good ride." I wish you a safe journey and go back to greet the people of northern Shaanxi on my behalf. ”
On the day zhang Ruiqi set off, Chairman Mao could not personally come to see him off for some reason, so he specially sent Mao Anying to send him off.
Mao Anying's father gave Zhang Ruiqi a Wutaishan cigarette and a pound of Beijing fruit candy, in addition to a red-skinned book with Chairman Mao's handwritten blessings on the title page.
Zhang Ruiqi fixed his eyes on it, only to see that the title page read: I hope that Comrade Zhang Ruiqi can always be loyal to the people's cause.
Seeing this, Zhang Ruiqi's eyes were moist, he did not expect Chairman Mao to attach so much importance to himself, and this kindness he will never forget.
Third, be loyal to the cause of the people
After Zhang Ruiqi returned to his hometown in Qingjian County, northern Shaanxi, his old family talked about it.
It turned out that everyone thought that Zhang Ruiqi had not come back to marry his fiancée for so many years, and it was estimated that he had become a high official outside and looked down on rural girls, so he had been unwilling to come back to fulfill the marriage contract.
But after returning, Zhang Ruiqi was dressed simply, and the luggage he carried with him did not have any valuable items, which disappointed people who wanted to see the liveliness.
"This Zhang family has been out for so many years, how did it come up with such a look?"
"Poor fiancée who has waited for him for so long, he is old, and he ends up waiting for a big soldier."
Zhang Ruiqi didn't care when he heard this, he just wanted to get married as soon as possible, fulfilling the wishes and regrets of his parents and fiancée for many years.
On December 30, 1949, Zhang Ruiqi held a simple wedding at home.
After all, they are villagers, so the villagers have come to congratulate them.
Just when they were about to marry in the church, a warrior in military uniform broke straight in, and the person who came was Ma Hanrong, Zhang Ruiqi's former subordinate.
After he saw Zhang Ruiqi, he first gave a military salute, then handed Zhang Ruiqi a letter, and then said: "Comrade Squad Leader, Chairman Mao knows that today is your big happy day, and he specially asks me to attend your wedding on his behalf. ”
The villagers who were watching were shocked, even though they knew very little about the outside world, but Chairman Mao's name could be said to be thunderous.
What is the identity of this Zhang family doll? It was surprising that Chairman Mao could send someone to congratulate him.
Instead, more people rushed over to see what the chairman's courtesy was.
Only to see Zhang Ruiqi open the envelope, which contained 100 yuan in addition to the wedding congratulations written by Chairman Mao himself.
At this time, the villagers were full of envy, and they should know that 100 yuan was a huge amount of money for them at that time.
At that time, a pound of pork cost 4 cents, but most people were usually reluctant to pay this money. The 100 yuan in Zhang Ruiqi's hand is enough to buy a big fat pig of more than 200 pounds.
However, later Zhang Ruiqi did not live a rich life in the village because of this money, on the contrary, he chose to be a low-key person and became an ordinary farmer.
In 1951, northern Shaanxi suffered a major drought. Zhang Ruiqi's life of farming for a living was really unsustainable, and considering that he now had a family to support, he had no choice but to write to Chairman Mao for help.
After receiving the letter, Chairman Mao attached great importance to it, took out three hundred yuan from his own manuscript fee, and asked Li Yinqiao, the head of the guard, to hand it over to him with money and a reply letter.
Seeing that Chairman Mao was still remembering his old feelings, many villagers suggested that Zhang Ruiqi go directly to Beijing to find Chairman Mao and let him arrange a job for the old man.
But Zhang Ruiqi just smiled and did not speak, because he always kept chairman Mao's teaching on the title page in those years -- always loyal to the people's cause!
To this end, Zhang Ruiqi actively threw himself into the cause of afforestation in his hometown, never mentioning his experience as Chairman Mao's guard.
After decades of struggle, he planted a total of more than 500 acres of woodland, turning his hometown full of loess and bare land into green mountains, and was awarded the honorary title of "Greening Hero" by the county.
After the reform and opening up, the forest planted by Zhang Ruiqi has brought him huge economic benefits under the wave of marketization.
However, Zhang Ruiqi generously gave it all to the villagers, and he did not want a penny.
Zhang Ruiqi lived a hard-working and poor peasant life all his life, and he never took the initiative to extend his hand to the organization except when he wrote a letter to Chairman Mao.
After Zhang Ruiqi's death, Qingjian County erected a monument to him.
This is what Zhang Ruiqi deserves, and after he was demobilized and returned home, he spent the rest of his life practicing the words that Chairman Mao had given him -- always loyal to the cause of the people!