Late on the night of July 17, 1965, Premier Zhou Enlai came to Shanghai to wait to welcome Li Zongren back to China. At this time, Li Zongren's plane was departing from Pakistan to Guangzhou, and Zhou Enlai suddenly received news that the Taiwan side planned to lay an ambush on the Burmese border and lay down Li Zongren's plane at all costs.
The "Kashmir Princess" massacre 10 years ago is still engraved in the heart of Premier Zhou, who stayed up all night and waited quietly next to the telephone until he received a call telling him that Li Zongren's plane had safely entered China's territory, and then he went to bed to rest.
From 1955 to 1965, after an exceptionally long and difficult process, Cheng Siyuan, who participated in this work, once said: "The whole process of Mr. Li Zongren's return was infiltrated by premier Zhou's painstaking efforts. "
In October 1964, Li Zongren wrote a letter to two of his friends, Wang Yachen and Gao Ling, describing the reasons why he wanted to return to the mainland:
In recent years, my brother's stubborn body has become very weak, that is, two meals a day is unable to help. And Neizi Dejie has been plagued by diseases since the end of the year, and the easy work of housework is also difficult. After more than ten years of wandering in a foreign land, the twilight of the day is so poor.
Pictured| Li Zongren, vice president of the Nationalist government, and his wife Guo Dejie, dressed in military uniforms
Li Zongren came to New York in December 1949 with his wife.
He and Chiang Kai-shek had a deep grudge. Forced by pressure at home and abroad, Lao Jiang once pushed Li Zongren out to engage in "peace talks" and regarded Li Zongren as a scapegoat, and Li Zongren became the culprit of "losing the mainland" in Lao Jiang's mouth.
On March 1, 1950, Chiang Kai-shek announced his "reinstatement" in Taipei. After receiving the telegram, Li Zongren was very surprised; he had already seen through the true face of Chiang Kai-shek's "dictator," and Chiang Kai-shek himself declared that his reinstatement was an illegal act, and Li Zongren immediately sent a telegram to criticize him.
Truman hosted a banquet for Li Zongren and called Li Zongren "president," allowing Li Zongren to earn enough face. Truman also comforted Li Zongren: "I have no contact with Chiang Kai-shek. "
Truman ignited Li Zongren's hopes, but when Li Zongren talked to Truman about specific matters, Truman began to think about him again.
Li Zongren bought a villa in New Jersey and planned to settle in the United States first, and there were many policemen carrying batons and guns in front of Li's house, and he still had unrealistic illusions about the United States at that time.
In 1952, Chiang Kai-shek's father and son adopted various means to strengthen the control within the Kuomintang, and the strength of other factions of the Kuomintang gradually weakened, and after the collapse of the "new Gui family", Li Zongren no longer had political confidence.
In 1954, the Taiwan authorities impeached Li Zongren for "violating the law and dereliction of duty" and removed him from his post within the Kuomintang. Li Zongren bid farewell to the officialdom completely, and the US government withdrew its protection from him overnight, no longer responsible for his life safety, and Li Zongren became a leisurely official.
Li Zongren's eldest son studied in the United States in his early years and married an American woman as a wife. His thinking had been fully Westernized, and he returned to China to work for a while in 1947, because he could not adapt to it and eventually came to the United States, he already had his own family, and he would not live with Li Zongren.
Li Zongren's second son lived with them at first, but later had a job and set up his own portal.
At first, some old subordinates in the United States came to see Li Zongren, but fewer and fewer people came later. Li Zongren was stubborn and reluctant to learn English, saying it was "aphid language" and preferred to speak Guilin dialect.
Picture | August 8, 1949, Shamian. Bai Chongxi, Li Zongren and U.S. Embassy officials
Li Zongren, who has been surrounded by people in the official arena for half a lifetime, suddenly seems to be forgotten by everyone, and the negative emotions of frustration and loneliness always plague him.
However, Guo Dejie is still relatively free in the United States, she learned English for a while when she was in Guilin, and after coming to the United States, she has made great progress. She also learned to drive her own car, and is free to drive to find friends or go shopping.
Day after day, Li Zongren could only read books and newspapers for recreation, and when he was really bored, he invited several Chinese housewives who Guo Dejie did not object to to rub mahjong at home, which was three days and two nights, making the family smoke miasma.
The only thing to look forward to is the weekend every week, because on this day the son and daughter-in-law will bring their granddaughters to visit Li Zongren, who insists on teaching his grandchildren Chinese.
Li Zongren showed some happy looks at this time and played games with his granddaughters. And Li Zongren can think of only a few games to play with his granddaughters, the language is not clear, and the granddaughters are not happy to play, and he is in a state of pity.
Li Zongren spends most of his time with Guo Dejie, and over time, their opinions of each other have grown. Li Zongren remembers the past and often reminisces about the past in front of Guo Dejie, sighing long and short; while Guo Dejie only wants to chase a new life, pursue fashion and a new way of life. After living in the United States for a few years, she applied for American citizenship, and Li Zongren was unwilling to change her nationality no matter what, so the two did not argue less.
Li Zongren has been paying attention to the situation on the mainland, and when China's first atomic bomb explosion was successful, Li Zongren excitedly posted an article, and Guo Dejie was indifferent.
In 1956, Li Zongren moved to a simple house, and he could no longer afford to hire a cook, a housekeeper, or a guest.
In 1957, Lin Dai, the daughter of Li Zongren's old department Cheng Siyuan, won the best actress in two Asian film festivals and came to the United States to study and study, and has often visited the Li family since then.
Pictured| Li Zongren, Guo Dejie and the younger son
When Lin Dai returned to Hong Kong the following year, Li Zongren entrusted her with sending some of the cultural relics she had preserved to the mainland and donating them to the motherland.
Watching her husband do nothing every day, dull and negative, Guo Dejie advised Li Zongren several times that he could write a memoir and leave a precious historical material. Li Zongren suffered from poor writing and never started, and later, with the support of Columbia University, Dr. Tang Degang of the Research Institute helped Li Zongren complete the compilation of his memoirs, and Li Zongren's memoirs were published.
The memoir begins with Lee's family lineage and lasts until he met with U.S. President Harry S. Truman in 1950. He had an objective and positive attitude towards the overthrow of old China and the rise of new China. As he said in an interview with the Italian newspaper Euroweek: "I am a loser like Chiang Kai-shek and the Kuomintang, and the only difference is that I do not take this matter to heart at all." As an individual, I don't matter myself, and I can't stand in the way of China's future and its progress. I am happy because of my own failure, because from my mistakes, a new China is being born. When did we ever have such a China as we have today? "
Li Xueshi, the granddaughter of Li Zongren, once mentioned the process of Li Zongren's ideological transformation, mainly because of three major events. The first was the strength shown by the Chinese Volunteers in the Korean War, driving the American troops back from the Yalu River; the second was the Indian army invading Chinese territory, and the Chinese army not only drove out the invaders, but also almost hit Calcutta; the third was that China successfully exploded the atomic bomb.
Putting aside his personal prejudices, Li Zongren had to admit that the Communist Party of China was leading the people to achieve great achievements, and he finally realized that the Chinese Communist Party's laying the foundation of the world was the inevitable development of history. Thinking that 20 years ago, the Kuomintang relied on the Americans for everything it did, and today New China can rely on itself, and as a loser, he can't help but feel proud in his heart.
In 1959, Cheng Siyuan was invited to Beijing to participate in the celebration of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. Cheng Siyuan mentioned Li Zongren to Premier Zhou Enlai and explained his desire to return to China. Zhou Enlai was very appreciative, but told him that the time had not yet come.
Zhou Enlai also talked about Li Zongren's living arrangements and work problems after returning to China, and asked Cheng Siyuan to send Li Zongren $100,000 to take care of Li Zongren's life in the United States.
In 1960, when Kennedy entered the White House, Mr. Lee wrote to him to urge him to establish diplomatic relations with New China. Soon after, Li Zongren received a letter from the White House, completely answering the question.
Pictured| Li Zongren and Mao Zedong shake hands on the tiananmen Tower
After Zhou Enlai learned about the situation, he asked Cheng Siyuan to bring Li Zongren to the kennedy government and not to have any illusions about the Kennedy administration, and there could be no change in their China policy.
Cheng Siyuan traveled from Hong Kong to Beijing five times for Li Zongren's return to the motherland. Li Zongren actively maintains contact with the mainland, while Guo Dejie is not willing to return to China, nor does she plan to return to China, she has become accustomed to life in the United States, and her breast disease is repeated from time to time.
As early as the time of the War of Resistance, Guo Dejie had already felt breast abnormalities, Li Zongren had reminded her to go to the hospital for examination, she was ashamed to show people, and every day she applied it with a million gold oil.
After arriving in the United States, in order to stay young forever, she tried to find someone to collect estrogen and inject them regularly. Doctors had warned her not to inject for long periods of time, and she didn't feel anything, who knew that in 1962 she was diagnosed with breast cancer.
Fortunately, the cancer was still in its early stages, and the doctor arranged for her to be hospitalized and prepared for surgery, while Guo Dejie, fearing that she would lose one breast, ran away on the eve of the operation. In 1965, the condition had reached an advanced stage, and both breasts had to be removed.
After the operation, the doctor clearly told Guo Dejie that you still have 8 months to live.
Guo Dejie finally saw through overnight that the prosperity of a foreign country did not belong to her, and she proposed to Li Zongren to return to China together, and Li Zongren was very happy.
Guo Dejie did not tell Li Zongren the news of his short death, and Li Zongren still thought that he could return to his homeland with his wife and grow old with a white head.
In June 1965, Li Zongren set out from New York to Zurich, Switzerland, where he wandered around for two days in the name of tourism, getting rid of two American agents who were following him.
Li Qingquan, Chinese ambassador to Switzerland, and Xu Tanlu, chief counsellor of the Embassy, received an urgent telegram from the CPC Central Committee, hoping that they would meet with Li Zongren and tell him that if he was determined to return to the motherland, he could make demands on the motherland, and after returning to China, he could also look at it and go back again, and come and go freely.
After Xu Tanlu and Li Zongren met, they talked for 3 hours. Li Zongren expressed excitement about China's achievements and helplessly spoke of the current situation in the United States. He said that the "fraternity" that Stuart Redden preached to him was hypocritical, that the so-called "freedom" and "democracy" of the United States were all deceptive talk, and that he regretted his cronies and others, and now he no longer has any illusions.
Li Zongren wanted to hold a press conference before returning to China, and he wanted to return to China in a fair and honest manner. However, considering the safety of Li Zongren's life, the embassy suggested that Li Zongren had better not hold a press conference abroad and wait until after returning to China to discuss everything. Li Zongren readily agreed.
On June 23, Guo Dejie sold her house and furniture in the United States, disposed of some of her property, and came to Zurich to prepare to return to China with her husband.
Picture | Li Zongren and his wife (guo dejie on the left and Li Zongren on the left) returned to China and visited the elderly He Xiangning
On July 13, li Zongren boarded a plane from Zurich to Pakistan according to the pre-arranged itinerary, stayed in Pakistan for a few days to rest, and Our ambassador to Pakistan Ding Guoyu personally sent them safely to the airport, took a plane from Pakistan to Guangzhou, and finally arrived at Shanghai Hongqiao Airport the next day.
Li Zongren and Guo Dejie finally ended their 16-year life in the United States and returned to the embrace of the motherland. This news shocked the world, and the domestic and foreign media did a lot of reports.
As soon as Li Zongren and Guo Dejie returned, they became very busy people, and the reception of party and state leaders, the visits of relatives, friends, and old subordinates, as well as the interviews of reporters were overwhelmed.
Everything in New China was novel to them, and they tirelessly participated in activities and visited everywhere accompanied by comrades from relevant departments.
On July 26, Li Zongren was visiting a textile factory in the eastern suburbs of Beijing when someone suddenly came to inform him that Mao Zedong was waiting to receive them in Zhongnanhai.
After hearing this news, Li Zongren had tears in his eyes, and he was excited for a moment and did not know what to say.
At that time, a new swimming pool was built in Zhongnanhai, and Mao Zedong met with Li Zongren and Mr. Cheng Siyuan in the lounge of the swimming pool.
When Mao Zedong saw that the guests had arrived, he immediately greeted them warmly and shook hands with them one by one.
Everyone's conversation was more casual, from history to military. When talking about the cooperation between Li Zongren and Chiang Kai-shek, Mao Zedong pointed at Li Zongren and said, "You have mistakenly boarded the thief ship!" "
Li Zongren was speechless for a moment, not knowing how to respond. Cheng Siyuan smiled and said, "Yes." But we took the thief ship again and reached the other shore we wanted to reach. "
Mao Zedong laughed, chatted with them again, and invited Cheng Siyuan to swim with them.
Pictured| Mao Zedong meets Li Zongren and his wife returning from overseas at a swimming pool
In August, Li Zongren and Guo Dejie made a brief visit from Beijing to Heilongjiang, and Guo Dejie, who had not been so excited for a long time, smiled and said to her husband: "Before, I only knew that the northeast was rich, but unfortunately, before the liberation, the old government never thought of development, and went to beg for food with a golden rice bowl." Now we have truly seen the prosperity of the northeast, which is really rich in land and rich in products! "
Li Zongren's mood was even more complicated, and he had to reflect: "We have been engaged in the revolution for more than thirty years, and we have not done a good job in China, and you see that the Communist Party has turned China into a strong country in just a dozen years. "
On September 30, a special press conference was held in the auditorium of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, attended by more than 3,000 Chinese and foreign journalists.
This was the largest press conference since the founding of New China, and Li Zongren talked to the reporters and comrades about his views on the situation in the past two months since his return to China. He issued an appeal, hoping that taiwan's Kuomintang and people from all walks of life overseas "will clearly understand the general righteousness of the nation and the general trend of the times, not make mistakes again and again, resolutely rise up, return home at the same pace, and make contributions to the final reunification of the motherland." "
Guo Dejie really regretted not returning to New China earlier and enjoying this happiness and happiness earlier, because at this time, the cancer cells on her body had spread, and she knew that time was running out.
After the party and the government learned about Guo Dejie's specific situation, they made their best efforts to treat her illness and delay her life. When they visited the peaceful and peaceful rivers and mountains of New China, several excellent doctors followed them at any time to monitor Guo Dejie's condition.
Everywhere they go, these doctors will contact the local medical institutions to carefully adjust Guo Dejie's body, if you want to use drugs, no matter how expensive, the hospital will find a way to find Guo Dejie.
At the end of February 1966, Li Zongren and his wife came to Nanning and met many old subordinates, and everyone was very happy. When Guo Dejie and Li Zongren were visiting Nanning, her condition suddenly deteriorated, she was admitted to the hospital, and before she died, she regretted that she had ended her trip to Guilin in such a hurry.
Photo| In March 1966, Li Zongren and Cheng Siyuan were in the Li River
On March 18, Li Zongren accompanied his wife back to Beijing, and on March 21, Guo Dejie died of ineffective rescue.
Relatives, friends and old ministries came to visit Li Zongren after hearing the bad news, and accompanied his wife of more than 40 years away, and he was alone and alone at home.
Cheng Siyuan couldn't bear to see Li Zongren so lonely, and always wanted to find another wife for Li Zongren. Cheng Siyuan felt that a nurse named Hu Yousong had good character and good looks, and when he was 27 years old, he was not yet married, so he wanted to introduce him to Li Zongren.
When Hu Yousong first met Li Zongren, Li Zongren was already 76 years old, but his waist was straight and his spirit was very good.
A week later, Hu Yousong officially went to work at the Li family, took care of Li Zongren's life as a nurse, and lived in Li Zongren's home.
Li Zongren asked Hu Yousong if he had a boyfriend, Hu Yousong said no, Li Zongren was very happy, and suddenly went forward to kiss Hu Yousong's face.
Zhou Enlai knew that Li Zongren had hired a young nurse to take care of his life, and wrote him a letter: "Mr. Li, our country is different from the United States, there is no private secretary, even if it is a nursing system, it is a system of commuting to work on time. So if Mr. Li really likes her, he will justifiably marry her. "
Li Zongren did not think so, but Hu Yousong still had some hesitation, and Zhou Enlai specially found someone to do Hu Yousong's ideological work in order to promote this marriage.
Pictured| Hu Yousong and Li Zongren at home
In July 1966, Li Zongren and Hu Yousong held a wedding and went to Beidaihe for their honeymoon.
Hu Yousong was passive in this marriage, and at first, she did not feel much happiness. During the day, Li Zongren and Hu Yousong still communicated as before, and Hu Yousong regarded him as his elder or superior.
At night, Hu Yousong slept alone in a room. Li Zongren agreed to let her sleep in separate rooms, but at night he would go to Hu Yousong's room to have a look and help her cover the quilt.
Hu Yousong was not used to it, saying that he was mentally weak, and every time Li Zongren came, it would affect her sleep. Li Zongren still came to see every night, in order not to affect Hu Yousong, he did not wear slippers, always quietly did not make a sound.
Once Hu Yousong was bitten by a mosquito, Li Zongren habitually used his fingers to dip saliva to wipe her, saying that when he fought in the past, he could only use this method to deal with mosquitoes.
After returning from Beidaihe, Hu Yousong's stomach was cold and painful. Li Zongren heard that a folk remedy would cure it by eating four or two pumpkin seeds, so he wanted Hu Yousong to try it. Hu Yousong refused, sniffing four or two melon seeds is too laborious, how much time will it take to eat it.
Hu Yousong woke up and found that there were four or two peeled melon seeds on the bedside, and it turned out that Li Zongren had drawn one grain at a time.
Hu Yousong cried at that time, she lived for 27 years, and no one hurt her like Li Zongren, tolerated her awkward emotions, and put her health in her heart.
Li Zongren liked Hu Yousong very much, and he developed many photos of the two of them, sent them to friends at home and abroad, and wrote "This is my wife Hu Yousong" on the back of each photo.
Figure| Hu Yousong in his later years
Unfortunately, this cherished time did not last long, and after two years of marriage, Li Zongren's illness worsened.
Before his death, Li Zongren asked Hu Yousong to hand over all the celebrity calligraphy and paintings in his home to the state, and returned to the state the 150,000 yuan sent by Premier Zhou on behalf of the people's government after returning to China.
Li Zongren burst into tears, took Hu Yousong's hand and said, "As a soldier, I have only shed tears twice in my life, once when my mother died, and once when I couldn't rest assured of you." Don't forget to visit my grave on Qingming Festival and let others know that I have a young wife. "
On January 29, 1969, Li Zongren died of illness, and at his memorial service, only Hu Yousong was a relative.
When Hu Yousong married Li Zongren, many people said that she was greedy for Li Zongren's wealth, and after Li Zongren left, the young woman not only refunded the living expenses issued by the state, but also handed over Li Zongren's private savings of more than 200,000 yuan, and also donated a lot of celebrity calligraphy and paintings.
She donated 160 photos of Li Zongren to the National History Museum, saying she did not need any care from the state and hoped to be able to support herself. Her life is very simple, she has donated a lot of money in her life, and when the economy is most difficult, she still keeps Li Zongren's relics, and she knows that these will be precious cultural relics in the future. She and Li Zongren didn't really spend much time together, but the impact on her life was enormous.
In the early 1980s, more than a decade after Li Zongren's death, Hu Yousong got married again, but this marriage was not happy, and it was not long before she chose to divorce.
Li Zongren compared Taierzhuang to his "second hometown" before his death, and in 1996, the taierzhuang general He Maozhi came to Hu Yousong and told her that the people of Taierzhuang were looking for her.
She visited Taierzhuang and was warmly welcomed by the masses, and after returning to Beijing, she donated the last relics left by Li Zongren to Taierzhuang.
Since then, her home has become even more empty. Hu Yousong felt that the things he had been worried about for so many years had finally been completed. She made a rule for herself not to write memoirs or biographies, but to keep some memories in her heart.