In 1981, Deng Yingchao, then a member of the Politburo, received a letter from Yan Jinwen. Yan Jinwen was a secret agent of the Kuomintang military command, and in the letter he expressed the hope that he could change to retired status. Although there is only a one-word difference, there is a world of difference between the treatment of retirement and retirement. The staff believed that Yan Jinwen's request should be denied given his criminal record. But Deng Yingchao unexpectedly instructed: "Don't treat him badly." Why did Deng Yingchao make such a decision? What kind of contribution did Yan Jinwen make before and after the founding of the People's Republic of China, so that he got such a special encounter? What kind of magnificent history is hidden behind it?
The ambition of a farmer's child
Jiangyin, Jiangsu Province, is known as the "land of fish and rice". It is not only rich in grain, but also has unique water conservancy conditions, and is a place with developed fisheries. However, in this rich land, there are still a large number of poor peasant families living in dire straits.
In 1914, Yan Jinwen was born in an ordinary peasant family in Jiangyin County. His father, Yan Yuchang, was a hard-working and kind farmer, and his mother, Zhang, was a simple and kind woman. The family lives on farming and living a self-sufficient life.
Despite the poverty of the family, Yan Jinwen's parents did not give up on their children's education because of this. Whenever night fell, Yan Yuchang would take out the few old books he had at home and patiently teach his son to read and write. Yan Jinwen has shown extraordinary intelligence since he was a child, not only can memorize texts by heart, but is also good at composition and character practice.
It's a pity that the good times didn't last long, Yan Jinwen only reached the second grade of primary school, and his family fell into poverty because of consecutive years of poor harvests. In order to maintain the family's income, Yan Yuchang had to take his son back from the school and let him help with farm work at home. Since then, Yan Jinwen has worked hard in the fields with his parents and spent a cold year.
Despite the hardships of life, Yan Jinwen did not give up his thirst for knowledge because of this. Whenever he had free time, he would secretly flip through the few old books left by his father. The book depicts inspirational stories about the legendary experiences of many ordinary people who changed their fate with their wisdom and courage.
Yan Jinwen was deeply fascinated by it, and he secretly decided that one day he would step out of this small village like the characters in the book, show his strength in the outside world, and change his destiny.
In 1927, 13-year-old Yan Jinwen saw the outside world for the first time. In that year, the Northern Expedition of the National Revolutionary Army reached Jiangsu, and many revolutionary aspirants came to Jiangyin County to propagate revolutionary ideas to the local peasants. Although Yan Jinwen was still young, he was also deeply impressed by the heroic deeds of the revolutionary army.
"If we want to change our fate, we must have the courage and wisdom of the revolutionary army. Yan Jinwen secretly made up his mind in his heart. From then on, he began to pay close attention to domestic affairs, and was even more eager to learn about the news of the revolutionary army's fighting.
In 1929, when Yan Jinwen was 15 years old, a group of "aspiring youths" from Shanghai came to Jiangyin County to promote the concept of "rejuvenating China" to local farmers. They vividly described how Shanghai became the Pearl of the Orient and called on aspiring young people to seek a bright future for development.
Yan Jinwen was deeply impressed, and he felt that this was a good time for him to change his fate. So, he secretly made up his mind to leave Jiangyin and go to Shanghai, a coveted place, to realize his ambitions.
In the face of the dissuasion of his parents, Yan Jinwen insisted on his own opinion and finally left his hometown. Before leaving, he said to his parents: "I must get ahead in Shanghai, and if I have achievements in the future, I will definitely come back to honor you!"
In this way, a farmer with a dream, with infinite longing for the future, came to this bustling city. However, he never imagined that what awaited him ahead would be a bumpy and bumpy life course.
Join the "Xingzhong Society"
Shanghai Tang, the Pearl of the Orient, was once Yan Jinwen's dream place. However, when he actually set foot here, he found that the reality was far more cruel than he imagined.
Yan Jinwen, who had just arrived, had nothing, and even food and clothing became a problem. He originally thought that as long as he came to Shanghai, he would be able to find a good opportunity for development with his ingenuity. Who knows, in this cosmopolitan city, an obscure country kid has nowhere to step in.
Yan Jinwen has visited many trading houses and factories to get a decent position. However, he did not even finish primary school, so how could he be worthy of the jobs that required academic qualifications? In the end, he had to do odd jobs on the docks and construction sites, relying on hard labor to make ends meet.
In this way, Yan Jinwen has been adrift in Shanghai for several years, and his life has not improved. He began to wonder if he had really made the wrong choice, and whether it was better to return to his hometown and keep to himself.
Just when Yan Jinwen was about to give up, a turning point appeared. In 1933, he met a man named Yang Hu by chance, who changed the trajectory of his life.
Yang Hu, originally an old subordinate of Sun Yat-sen, later joined the Kuomintang and became an important member of Chiang Kai-shek's subordinates. In Shanghai, he controls an organization called the Xingzhong Society, which is known as "covering the sky with one hand."
Yan Jinwen admired Yang Hu's personality very much, and was even more impressed by his deeds. So, he resolutely joined the "Xingzhong Society".
At the beginning, Yan Jinwen was just a small minion in the organization, responsible for some miscellaneous work. But he never complained, and did his best to do his part. With his extraordinary wisdom and diligence, he soon showed extraordinary ability and was appreciated by Yang Hu.
Soon, Yan Jinwen was exceptionally promoted and became Yang Hu's confidant. He often served by Yang Hu's side, giving advice and dealing with important tasks in the organization. Whether it is strategy or bravery, Yan Jinwen has shown extraordinary talent and won Yang Hu's respect.
With Yang Hu's support, Yan Jinwen's future will be smooth. In 1936, under the strong recommendation of Yang Hu, he was entrusted with an important task and entered the Kuomintang army to hold important positions. In this way, a peasant boy from a humble background became a cadre of the Kuomintang by virtue of his own ability.
Yan Jinwen was grateful to Yang Hu and respected him as a mentor. He never imagined that this former "mentor" would become the fuse for him to defect to the Communist camp in the future.
At that time, Yang Hu was already playing the role of "covering the sky with one hand" in Shanghai, and his power gradually expanded, and he began to ignore Chiang Kai-shek. In order to show his status, he even built a luxurious palace in Hangzhou with "Qingshan White Residence", which was nicknamed "the palace of the Emperor of the Soil".
This practice undoubtedly angered Chiang Kai-shek. Chiang Kai-shek was determined to rectify the "scorching sun" of Yang Hu. As a result, he began to secretly attack Yang Hu's forces, causing Yang Hu's status in Shanghai to plummet.
Seeing that his territory was being encroached upon, Yang Hu began to seek a new way out. At this time, a group of Communists approached him, hoping that he would turn against him. After careful consideration, Yang Hu finally decided to switch to the Communist camp.
As Yang Hu's confidant, Yan Jinwen was naturally implicated by him. Yang Hu personally explained his decision to Yan Jinwen and hoped that he would follow him and serve the Communist Party.
Faced with this major choice in life, Yan Jinwen fell into deep trouble...
A turning point in life
In 1937, the Japanese captured Shanghai, and the Nationalist government had to evacuate to Chongqing. In this year, Yan Jinwen's life has also undergone earth-shaking changes.
At that time, Yan Jinwen had been following Yang Hu to serve in the Kuomintang army. With his extraordinary wisdom and bravery, he has been promoted step by step from a small minion to an important member of the Shanghai Garrison Command. It can be said that the future is bright, and the dream of getting ahead has finally come true.
However, at this moment, Yang Hu suddenly said something shocking to him. It turned out that Yang Hu had decided to break with Chiang Kai-shek and join the camp of the Chinese Communist Party. He hoped that Yan Jinwen would follow him and jointly contribute to the revolutionary cause.
Faced with this major choice in life, Yan Jinwen fell into deep trouble. On the one hand, he has infinite respect for Yang Hu and regards him as a teacher. On the other hand, he also knew that defecting to the Communist Party meant breaking with the Kuomintang and that his future would fall into an uncertain situation.
Just when Yan Jinwen was hesitating, Yang Hu revealed a shocking secret to him. It turned out that as early as 1937, during the cooperation between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party in Chongqing, Yang Hu had already begun to secretly support the revolutionary cause of the Communist Party.
At that time, Yang Hu became acquainted with Zhou Enlai and other communists in Chongqing and was impressed by their revolutionary ideals. Under the persuasion of Zhou Enlai, Yang Hu decided to change his course and defect to the Communist camp. From then on, he became a close friend of the underground party and secretly worked for the revolutionary cause.
Hearing these words, Yan Jinwen suddenly brightened. It turned out that Yang Hu had already seen through the decay of the Kuomintang and was determined to fight hard for the liberation of the Chinese people. As Yang Hu's confidant and favorite general, Yan Jinwen naturally has to follow in the footsteps of his mentor and contribute his strength to the revolutionary cause.
So, one night in 1945, Yan Jinwen risked his life and successfully rescued two old revolutionaries, Zhang Lan and Liu Longji, who were under house arrest by the Kuomintang. This act marked that he had completely shaken off the shackles of the Kuomintang and defected to the camp of the Communist Party.
Since then, under the leadership of Yang Hu, Yan Jinwen has contributed his strength to the cause of the Chinese revolution. He often gave advice and contributed his wisdom to the victory of the revolution. Sometimes it is also necessary to personally risk your life to carry out some secret missions.
In this way, a soldier who once followed the Kuomintang eventually became an out-and-out Communist. With his actions, he explained what loyalty to the revolutionary cause is.
The key to turning his life around is the words of his mentor Yang Hu. Without Yang Hu's enlightenment, Yan Jinwen might not have been able to see the true face of the Kuomintang for the rest of his life, and he would never have been able to join the ranks of the revolution.
It was the influence of Yang Hu that made Yan Jinwen finally choose the path of revolution. Since then, the trajectory of his life has taken a 180-degree turn, opening a new chapter in serving the people.
Rescue the second elder Zhang Luo
One night in May 1945, Yan Jinwen suddenly received a secret letter from Yang Hu, asking him to go to the mansion on Panlong Road the next day. Yan Jinwen happily went, after all, Yang Hu was not only his boss, but also his confidant and friend in the strange city of Shanghai.
When he arrived at the mansion, Yan Jinwen met Yang Hu and his son-in-law Zhou Lixing. Yang Hu got straight to the point and told Yan Jinwen an astonishing thing - he hoped that Yan Jinwen would come forward to rescue Zhang Lan and Liu Longji, two famous democrats who were under house arrest by the Kuomintang.
Yan Jinwen was taken aback when he heard this, and asked Yang Hu in a low voice about the purpose of his words. It turned out that since the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War in 1937, Yang Hu began to secretly support the revolutionary cause of the Communist Party. In Chongqing, he became acquainted with Zhou Enlai and others, was impressed by their ideals, and decided to join the revolutionary camp.
From then on, Yang Hu became a close friend of the underground party and secretly worked for the revolutionary cause. And the rescue of Zhang Lan and Liu Longji this time is an important task entrusted to him by the underground party.
The reason why Yang Hu found Yan Jinwen was because Yan Jinwen was serving in the inspection department of the Kuomintang Shanghai Garrison Command and was in charge of the specific situation of the detention of Zhang Lan and others. Only with the help of Yan Jinwen can this rescue operation be expected to succeed.
After listening to Yang Hu's explanation, Yan Jinwen fell into deep thought. He knew that once Chiang Kai-shek found out, both himself and Yang Hu would suffer. But after thinking about it, can I just see death without help, and watch the democrats suffer unjustified injustice?
After much thought, Yan Jinwen finally decided to take a risk and help Yang Hu complete the rescue mission. The next day, he received an order from his superiors to take someone to guard Zhang Lan and Liu Longji, who were being held in the Hongqiao Sanatorium, and to wait for further instructions.
At midnight on May 24, Yan Jinwen drove to Hongqiao Sanatorium as planned. He lied that he had received an order from his superiors to escort the two to a nearby pier for "execution". The staff of Hongqiao Sanatorium listened to his lies and handed Zhang Lan and Liu Longji into his hands.
Along the way, Yan Jinwen did not go to the pier, but drove directly to Yang Hu's mansion. However, at this moment, the Kuomintang army discovered the strange situation and immediately ordered Yan Jinwen and his party to be wanted in the whole city.
Fortunately, Yan Jinwen's driving skills were good, and under the wild race all the way, he finally got rid of the pursuit of the Kuomintang army, and safely sent Zhang Lan and Liu Longji to Yang Hu's mansion.
In this way, with Yan Jinwen's advice, the rescue operation known as "Hongxing" was finally successfully completed. Zhang Lan and Liu Longji not only got rid of the danger of their lives, but also regained their freedom.
After that, Yan Jinwen completely defected to the Communist camp and served in the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau. Whenever he went to Beijing to report on his work, Zhang Lan would personally host a banquet to express his gratitude to this life-saving benefactor.
This rescue operation seems ordinary, but in fact it is full of dangers. Once there is a slight omission, both Yan Jinwen and Yang Hu will be severely punished. But it was precisely with his sincere heart for the revolutionary cause that Yan Jinwen was able to make a desperate gamble and finally won the fruits of victory.
By 功勋卓
In May 1949, the liberation of Shanghai was imminent. This year is destined to be an important year for Yan Jinwen to turn his life.
At that time, Yan Jinwen was still serving in the inspection department of the Shanghai Garrison Command, serving as the deputy captain of the Third Garrison Brigade. As a special agent of the military command, his main job was to hunt down the Communists and anti-Chiang elements.
However, at this critical juncture, Yan Jinwen made an unexpected decision - he turned to the camp of the Communist Party and made great contributions to the revolutionary cause.
It all started in 1945. That year, at the behest of Yang Hu, Yan Jinwen risked his life and successfully rescued Zhang Lan and Liu Longji, two famous democrats under house arrest by the Kuomintang.
This act marked that he had completely shaken off the shackles of the Kuomintang and defected to the camp of the Communist Party.
Since then, under the leadership of Yang Hu, Yan Jinwen has contributed his strength to the cause of the Chinese revolution. He often gave advice and contributed his wisdom to the victory of the revolution. Sometimes it is also necessary to personally risk your life to carry out some secret missions.
In this way, a soldier who once followed the Kuomintang eventually became an out-and-out Communist. With his actions, he explained what loyalty to the revolutionary cause is.
In 1949, at the critical moment of the liberation of Shanghai, Yan Jinwen played an important role. He used his special status in the Kuomintang army to provide a lot of valuable information for the PLA's offensive. It was with his advice that the PLA was able to win the battle of Shanghai.
After the liberation of Shanghai, Yan Jinwen was arranged by the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China to serve in the Shanghai Municipal Public Security Bureau as a public security commissioner. Since then, he has served the people wholeheartedly and maintained social order.
Whenever Yan Jinwen went to Beijing to report on his work, Zhang Lan, who was already vice chairman of the Central People's Government, would personally host a banquet to express his gratitude to this life-saving benefactor. It can be seen that Yan Jinwen's heroic behavior of saving Zhang Lan and others at a critical moment left a deep impression on Zhang Lan.
Later, Yan Jinwen was stationed in Beijing as the head of the North China branch of the Shanghai Great China Rubber Factory, and was invited to serve as a member of the Xuanwu District CPPCC in 1984. It can be described as a high authority and is highly valued.
However, at the same time that Yan Jinwen's career was successful, his family suffered the impact of the "Cultural Revolution" and the family was ruined. It was not until the 80s that the Party Central Committee implemented relevant policies and gave Yan Jinwen the treatment he deserved.
In 1981, Deng Yingchao, then a member of the Politburo of the Central Committee, received a letter from Yan Jinwen. In the letter, Yan Jinwen expressed the hope that he could change to retirement status.
Deng Yingchao personally gave instructions after reading it: "Don't treat him badly." Mr. Yan Jinwen has made contributions to the Chinese revolution, and we should not forget all those who have done good deeds to our party, country, and people, still less should we treat others badly. According to the party's cadre policy, Mr. Yan Jinwen should enjoy the treatment of retired cadres. ＂
In this way, Yan Jinwen was allowed to spend his old age as a retiree, and the Party Central Committee fully affirmed his revolutionary achievements. A peasant son from a humble background, he finally became a hero of the party and the country with his own efforts.