One day in 1959, Peng Dehuai, who had just returned from a foreign inspection, received a notice that an enlarged meeting of the Politburo was held in Lushan in July.
Peng Dehuai was exhausted this time, and he did not want to attend the meeting, but his deputy, Huang Kecheng, then chief of the General Staff and vice minister of defense, raised an objection: "President Peng, this meeting is an enlarged meeting of the Politburo chaired by Chairman Mao, you are a member of the Politburo, how can you not go?" ”
Peng Dehuai couldn't refute it after hearing this, but what Huang Kecheng didn't expect, his reminder unexpectedly ended Peng Dehuai's political life.
Huang Kecheng was not a member of the Politburo at this time, he was not eligible to participate, and after the Lushan meeting began, Huang Kecheng was still doing his work in Beijing.
Half a month later, Huang Kecheng suddenly received a notice asking him to go to Lushan to attend the meeting.
The moment he received the notice, Huang's keen political instincts told him that something bad might have happened.
On July 18, 1959, Zhou Enlai met Huang Kecheng in Lushan, and he said meaningfully: "You are one step late, if you go to Lushan before July 14, President Peng's letter will not be taken out." ”
That night, Huang Kecheng was arranged to live in the same house with Peng Dehuai, that is, Villa No. 176, one of them lived in the east and the other in the west.
Knowing that Huang Kecheng went up the mountain, Peng Dehuai was a little excited, and the first time the two met, he asked calmly: "Have you read the letter I wrote?" What do you think of the writing? ”
Huang Kecheng looked at Peng Dehuai and seemed to have a thousand words to say, but in the end he just sighed and said: "Look, this letter is not well written, if you have an opinion, you can mention it in person, why write the letter, and some of the references and words in the letter are not appropriate." ”
Peng Dehuai: "The actual situation is so serious, no one dares to say sharp words, I just want to pay attention." ”
In helplessness, Huang Kecheng was touched by Peng Dehuai's straightforward character, and he sighed again: "Mr. Peng, you are always emotional, you have worked with the chairman for many years, you should know each other deeply, how can these words not be said to the chairman in person, you have to write a letter?" ”
Peng Dehuai was suddenly speechless and choked.
The next day, July 19, 1959, Huang Kecheng attended the group meeting, and although he criticized Peng Dehuai's approach, he chose to support Peng Dehuai on the whole.
Huang Kecheng said: "The spirit of President Peng's letter is good, and as for some formulations, the words and phrases can be studied. ”
After Huang Kecheng finished speaking, everyone attending the meeting was shocked on the spot.
On July 23, Chairman Mao severely criticized Peng Dehuai's "opinion paper" at the meeting, calling it "right-leaning opportunism."
At such a critical moment, Huang Kecheng still adhered to his original views and continued to support Peng Dehuai's "opinion paper"
Chairman Mao was a little disappointed with Huang Kecheng's performance, and he sent Ke Qingshi to talk to Huang Kecheng, and Ke Qingshi: "Didn't Peng Dehuai also fix you?" ”
Huang Kecheng glanced at Ke Qingshi, shook his head, and said slowly: "I have no stones to fall." ”
In response to Huang Kecheng's uncooperative attitude, Chairman Mao decided to interview him personally.
A few days later, Huang Kecheng arrived at Chairman Mao's residence, Meilu.
As soon as they met, Chairman Mao began to recall the history of the Red Army period, and then Chairman Mao asked Huang Kecheng: "Some people say that you and Peng Dehuai are "father-son relationship".
Huang Kecheng: "In Jiangxi, I was beaten into an "AB regiment", but it was Mr. Peng who saved me, and I have a good relationship with Mr. Peng, but there are also frequent arguments. “
Chairman Mao nodded, and he recognized what Huang Kecheng said.
Saying that, Huang Kecheng said with some indignation: "I, the chief of the general staff, was nominated by you to be the one who asked me to be the one at that time, not Peng Dehuai asked me to be the one, how can I be said that I am his chief of political staff........"
I don't know how much they said, but the two talked about the defense of Siping in 1946.
Chairman Mao asked, "Could it be that the defense of Siping was fought wrong?" ”
Huang Kecheng: "To launch the Siping defense war is to have illusions about the Kuomintang peace talks, and it is not wrong for the enemy to advance towards Siping, we hit him and block the enemy's advance, this is not wrong, but later when the enemy gathered heavy troops to find our main force for a decisive battle, we should not hold on to Siping, at that time I sent a telegram to Lin Biao against fighting the Siping defense war, Lin Biao did not say no, nor did he adopt my opinion..."
The more Huang Kecheng spoke, the more excited he became, and he had only one central thesis, that is, the defense of Siping was indeed a mistake.
Chairman Mao suddenly interrupted Huang Kecheng: "I decided to fight the Siping Defense War. ”
Only then did Huang Kecheng understand the reason why he had generated electricity for Lin Biao and Lin Biao did not call him back.
After a moment of silence, Huang Kecheng: "You decided and it was wrong." ”
Chairman Mao obviously did not expect Huang Kecheng to say this, he was a little shocked, and then he said slowly: "Then let history and future generations comment." ”
At this point, Huang Kecheng's conversation with Chairman Mao broke up unhappily.
When he left Meilu, Huang Kecheng's pace was very slow, and he knew that his fate was about to change.
At the Lushan Conference, because Huang Kecheng supported Peng Dehuai, he was criticized, and after the meeting, the Central Military Commission convened an expanded meeting in Beijing to continue criticizing Peng Dehuai, and Huang Kecheng was criticized again.
At the same time, Huang Kecheng was also removed from the post of chief of the General Staff, deputy minister of defense, and became an "idler"
Peng Dehuai has always been uncomfortable with himself and Huang Kecheng, and during the special period, Huang Kecheng and Peng Dehuai met for the last time, both of them were not in good health at that time, and they were persecuted.
Huang Kecheng was more concerned about Peng Dehuai's physical condition, but as soon as he spoke, Peng Dehuai said again and again: "Don't talk, don't talk." ”
This conversation became the last time in the lives of the two.
In 1974, Peng Dehuai died of illness, and before he died, he was still thinking about Huang Kecheng, and he instructed his niece Peng Meikui: "If you have the opportunity in the future, you will visit Comrade Huang Kecheng on my behalf, and give him all the books I left behind..."
After the end of the special period, Huang Kecheng returned as the executive secretary of the Central Commission for Discipline Inspection, and Peng Meikui handed over Peng Dehuai's hidden memory material in his hometown, "Peng Dehuai's Self-Statement", to Huang Kecheng.
Huang Kecheng took the heavy material with trembling hands, and at the same time, tears fell from the corners of his eyes.
During the revolution, Huang Kecheng was treated unfairly many times, he did not cry, and in Lushan in 1959, he was criticized so much, he did not cry.
However, when Huang Kecheng got Peng Dehuai's self-report materials, his tears flowed several times.
At the end of 1978, Peng Dehuai was rehabilitated, and Huang Kecheng was very excited.