In November 1949, Chongqing was victoriously liberated. Soon after, with the confession of a self-surrendered agent, the truth about the secret murder of General Yang Hucheng was revealed. A few days later, the remains of Yang Hucheng's father and son were excavated in the garden of the "Dai Gong Ancestral Hall", and an urn was found next to Yang Hucheng.
It has been confirmed that this urn is the container of the remains of Yang Hucheng's wife Xie Baozhen, who carries Yang Hucheng with him wherever he is. When the world witnessed this scene, they all sighed: this heroic couple who have experienced difficulties together have completed "life and death together" in such a tragic way......
How did Xie Baozhen get killed? This question has always plagued Yang Hucheng's painstaking search before his death.
Three years before Yang Hucheng was killed, in 1946, when he was detained in Xiuwen County, Guizhou, he had a premonition that his wife, who was being held with him, would face an unforeseen fate. Initially, the husband and wife were detained in the same place, but as the situation deteriorated, the wife was held in solitary confinement in the Mother Earth Cave.
The Earth Mother Cave is only half a mile away from the Xuantian Cave where Yang Hucheng was imprisoned, but due to the strict guarding of the spies, they have not been able to see each other. In this way, Xie Baozhen in the Mother Earth Cave became a lonely figure.
The reason for the spies' decision was naturally that Xie Baozhen was a former Communist Party member, and she could have an influence on the imprisoned Yang Hucheng; What worries the spies even more is that Xie Baozhen is extremely hostile to the spies. The third reason is that the spies are guarding Xie Baozhen alone, and his mental state is extremely unstable.
Xie Baozhen's emotions are indeed very unstable, which is related to her long-term imprisonment in a dark and damp place, as well as her two births. In prison, Xie Baozhen gave birth to two daughters in succession: the first daughter died after only 8 days of survival, while the second daughter, Yang Zhenggui (Zhengguo), survived without incident.
The reason why Yang Zhenggui was able to survive was related to Xie Baozhen's great sacrifice. In order to provide her daughter with better food, she often got into arguments with the agents. Initially, this worked, and the agents agreed to some of her demands under pressure. Later, however, the impatient agents began to abuse her, and in order to punish her more effectively, they resorted to the aforementioned method of "solitary confinement".
It can be said that keeping Xie Baozhen in solitary custody is a "trick" that the spies came up with after many considerations. They have long found Xie Baozhen's weakness: she attaches great importance to her husband and children. Such a person, once forced to leave her husband and children, is prone to being "dealt with".
After being held in solitary confinement, the spies began to brutally interrogate Xie Baozhen for two purposes: first, to make her admit that she was a member of the Communist Party and confess to her comrades; The second is to make her admit that she was the driving force behind Yang Hucheng's Xi'an Incident.
Xie Baozhen was a staunch revolutionary who would not give in easily. However, there is always a way for the spies, especially since Xie Bao is really a woman! Facing the strong and unyielding Xie Baozhen, the spies began to torture her extremely mentally. Since she had already given birth in prison twice, her physical condition was already weak, and her mental condition was almost collapsed due to the long period of abuse.
During the period when the spies tortured Xie Baozhen, Yang Hucheng often heard screams from the valley, which made him and his children deeply distressed. However, in the face of Xie Baozhen, who was being tortured and was only half a mile away, they could not do anything.
Recalling the situation of Yang Hucheng's family during this difficult period, the spies said: Yang Hucheng often stood at the entrance of the cave with his children, staring in the direction where the crying sound came from in the distance, and tears rained down......
During that time, Yang Hucheng's mind was full of his wife's figure, and the scenes of him and his wife in the past were replayed in his mind like a movie. In order to distract his children, he began to tell them the story of how the two met and fell in love.
Yang Hucheng told his son, Yang Zhengzhong, that he and Xie Baozhen were officially married in 1928, when she was only 15 years old. With his narration, Yang Zhengzhong seems to have returned to that era. When he married Xie Baozhen, Yang Hucheng was 35 years old, and she was 20 years older than her, and he was the "head" of Taihe County, Anhui Province, where Xie Baozhen worked. When the person who told her that "Yang Hucheng is in love with you" was sent, she already had a crush on Yang Hucheng, and at this time she blushed like a flower.
The introducer blushed when he saw Xie Baozhen, who had always been generous, and suddenly understood in his heart: There is a drama in this matter. In January 1928, the two were successfully married, and she became his third wife.
From any point of view, the marriage between Yang Hucheng and Xie Baozhen can be described as "perfect". Xie Bao is really a staunch revolutionary, she has already joined the Communist Party of China, she is resolute, eloquent, and dares to take the lead in the world; Yang Hucheng, on the other hand, was brave and good at fighting, and was also a staunch revolutionary, very supportive of the CCP's ideas.
Such a marriage could be regarded as a "revolutionary partner" at the time.
After marriage, Xie Baozhen's care for Yang Hucheng was almost all-round, she not only managed his diet and daily life, but also acted as his most effective assistant at work.
Xie Bao is really an extremely hard-working woman, and this tenacity is related to her origin: she was born in a poor family. At an early age, she learned to take care of household chores such as raising pigs, mowing grass, doing laundry, and cooking. Because of her family's poverty, she was forced to drop out of primary school despite her excellent grades. Four years later, she was recommended to continue her studies in the women's sports class at Sun Yat-sen University.
Entering the women's sports class was a major turning point in Xie Baozhen's fate. Here, her mind was influenced like never before. Soon after, she began to participate in propaganda work on the front line, and became acquainted with two old revolutionaries: Liu Bojian and Xuanxia's father.
Under the influence of the two old revolutionaries, Xie Baozhen not only recognized the reasons for the country's poverty and weakness, but also had a clear understanding of the future of the revolution, and was even ready to sacrifice his life for the revolution.
Under the guidance of these two veteran revolutionaries, Xie Baozhen firmly joined the Communist Party. Since then, a tortuous and steep revolutionary road has unfolded in front of her.
Xie Baozhen, who has experienced the baptism of new ideas, has a belief that her revolutionary cause can change the fate of herself and more toiling people in China. It is precisely because of this belief that Xie Baozhen was always full of enthusiasm and passion in the revolution, and her courage, courage and tenacity often made men feel ashamed.
In order to strengthen the revolutionary ranks, Xie Baozhen founded a girls' school in Taihe County, which not only taught cultural knowledge, but also disseminated revolutionary ideas.
It is undoubtedly reasonable that such a tough and promising woman is loved by the great hero Yang Hucheng.
Whenever Yang Zhengzhong talked about his parents' revolutionary ideals, he could always sense the glint in his father's eyes. This light undoubtedly gave him strength.
Yang Hucheng mentioned many times the question he was asked when he got married: "Why did you choose to become husband and wife with Xie Baozhen?" To this, he replied: "Because she is progressive in her thinking and can help me in my work." After hearing this answer, Xie Baozhen added: "I don't want you to swear an alliance, as long as you stick to the revolution." ”
However, revolutions are often accompanied by sacrifices. Yang Hucheng and Xie Baozhen both understand this. However, they did not anticipate that the sacrifices they had made for the revolution would be so great that they would have to give up even the most precious "love".
When a person has given up his love, how can he continue to live? Yang Hucheng has no answer to this question. Unable to find an answer, in a letter to his wife, who was separated and imprisoned by the agents, he wrote:
"The crystallization of love, the end of love, is only complete through the process of tears. I have a lot to say, and I can't finish it, and I don't have the time. Now I can sacrifice everything, I just can't let go of this word 'love'. I prayed day and night for my sister (Xie Baozhen) to get better. Huchen, July 24. ”
The letter was sent in secret, so the letter used cryptic words such as "call dust" and so on. Yang Hucheng wrote this letter to appease his wife and at the same time give her strength. At this time, his wife was being tortured by the spies and was found to be "suffering from schizophrenia".
Whether the letter was delivered to Xie Baozhen or not, Yang Hucheng did not know. However, just five months later, Xie Baozhen died suddenly in prison at the age of 34.
Yang Hucheng only knew: Before his wife died, she had been injected by spies. By the time he arrived, she had been wrapped in a white cloth. When faced with his wife's body, he wept bitterly.
The spy noticed: Yang Hucheng's eyes burst with red light, and there was no doubt that he had made up his mind to "avenge his wife". The murderous aura in his eyes terrified the agents, but they still insisted: she died on her own (died of natural causes).
The reason why the spy dared to say that "she died by herself" was because before that, Xie Baozhen, who was determined by the spy to be "suffering from schizophrenia", had indeed committed suicide twice.
When committing suicide for the first time, Xie Baozhen chose to go on a hunger strike. She no longer eats food from prison. The second time she committed suicide, she chose to "swallow gold", and the "gold" she swallowed was said to be her and her husband's wedding ring.
Both of these suicides were ultimately unsuccessful, and the second time she committed suicide, she swallowed gold and was given emergency treatment.
Although Yang Hucheng knew that there must be a secret in his wife's death, he had no way to start. Everything has to wait until the day when "the world is bright".
After the death of his wife, after Yang Hucheng's repeated requests, Xie Baozhen's wedding ring was cremated with her remains. Afterward, with grief and resentment, he made an urn for his wife out of a few old wooden boards.
Holding his wife's urn, he whispered, "Finally together again." After saying that, he burst into tears again.
"Locked up together again" is said because they had been separated and imprisoned before they were held in solitary confinement in Xuantian Cave. That separation took place shortly after Yang Hucheng was detained by Chiang Kai-shek-
Immediately after the Xi'an Incident, Chiang Kai-shek detained Zhang Xueliang, a house arrest that lasted for more than half a century.
Chiang Kai-shek took several steps towards Yang Hucheng's treatment. The first step was to force him to surrender his military power; The second step was exile and sent Yang Hucheng abroad for investigation. Because of his firm belief in the fight against Japan, Yang Hucheng hurriedly returned to the motherland without waiting for the inspection to be completed.
What he did not expect, however, was that as soon as he returned to China, he would be secretly imprisoned in Nanchang by Chiang Kai-shek. Xie Baozhen, who was not traveling with Yang Hucheng at the time, was panicked: she found that she had lost contact with her husband.
Xie Baozhen was a staunch revolutionary, and she knew well what it meant for her husband's disappearance in such circumstances. Sure enough, she soon learned that her husband was imprisoned in Nanchang by Chiang Kai-shek.
In January 1938, Xie Baozhen decided to leave Xi'an for Nanchang with his young son Yang Zhengzhong after a fierce ideological struggle. Before leaving, she said, "He will always be better if I share his pain." ”
Before making this decision, she compared Zhang Xueliang's situation and learned that during Zhang Xueliang's house arrest, his wife Yu Fengzhi had been by his side. Therefore, she hopes that she can also be by her husband's side like Yu Fengzhi. She apparently overlooked an essential difference, which was that "she was once a Communist."
Although Chiang Kai-shek was determined to unite the Communist Party to "unite against Japan" after the Xi'an Incident, deep down, he was always on guard against the Communist Party. Therefore, his attitude towards her and towards Yu Fengzhi will be completely different.
On January 14, 1938, Xie Baozhen resolutely arrived in Nanchang with his young son. Dai Li immediately reported the news to Chiang Kai-shek, and when Chiang Kai-shek heard it, he only said eight words: "Throw yourself into the net and strictly control it."
Unfortunately, after Xie Baozhen arrived in Nanjing, she did not meet her husband Yang Hucheng, but was held in solitary confinement with her son Yang Zhengzhong, which was the first time that Yang Hucheng and his wife were separated from each other. During that half a year, they didn't know each other's news, and Yang Hucheng didn't even know that his wife was also being held in a prison near him.
It wasn't until the summer of the following year that Xie Baozhen and his son were able to reunite with Yang Hucheng in Taohuaping, Yiyang, Hunan.
On that day, Yang Hucheng, who saw his wife and children, couldn't believe his eyes, and reproached: "It's not enough for me to be alone, you still come along?" Xie Baozhen cried after hearing this: "If we don't come, how difficult it is for you to be alone!" Then, the family of three hugged each other and cried.
Xie Baozhen's arrival really soothed a lot of Yang Hucheng's pain. However, as the situation became tense, their arrival made Yang Hucheng feel even more dangerous. After his wife was separated and imprisoned again, Yang Hucheng's fear of this danger reached its peak.
After his wife was killed, Yang Hucheng began to worry about the safety of his two children. He thinks that there must be something inside to Bao Zhen's death, and since they are not soft on her, they may also take action against the child at any time.
Just over two years after Xie Baozhen's death, on September 17, 1949, Yang Hucheng, his third son Yang Zhengzhong, and his youngest daughter Yang Zhengguo were killed in Chongqing's "Dai Gong Ancestral Hall" prison. Until the last moment of his life, Yang Hucheng still failed to uncover the truth about his wife's murder.
After the liberation of Chongqing, the spies revealed the details of the killing of Yang Hucheng and others. However, the "truth about the murder of his wife" that Yang Hucheng has been pursuing has not yet surfaced.
It wasn't until the 70s of the 20th century that Yang Zhengying, the daughter of Yang Hucheng and Xie Baozhen, learned about her mother's situation in prison in an article called "Wu Qingzhen". The author of this article, Wu Qingzhen, is Xie Baozhen's caregiver in prison, and she was also Yang Zhenggui's wet nurse.
Soon, Yang Zhengying, who was anxious to find out the truth, contacted the author, and then went to the Xuantian Cave in Xifeng, Guizhou, to learn more about the truth about the captivity of his mother Xie Baozhen.
After an in-depth investigation, Yang Zhengying finally learned the truth that her mother was killed. The reason is that she once committed suicide, and the enemy thinks that since she is seeking death, then her death does not need much explanation.
Wu Qingzhen revealed to Yang Zhengying that Xie Baozhen desperately resisted the spies at that time and tried to commit suicide, all in order to use her own life to keep her husband and children safe. She firmly believes that only by fighting with her own life can her husband and children have a chance of life.
Wu Qingzhen also mentioned: "At that time, she committed suicide by hunger strike and was rescued because the spy asked a doctor to give her glucose. ”
The spies felt that Xie Baozhen's resistance was too fierce, so they lied that she was "schizophrenic". Once labeled "schizophrenic", they could "treat" her in any form.
Subsequently, in the name of curing the disease, the spies tied Xie Baozhen to the bed and injected her with a bottle of "potion". The detailed details about this passage of truth are as follows:
The needle from the skin tube of the medicine bottle pierced her (Xie Baozhen's) calf, and when she was infused, she was struggling in pain, her eyes bulging out, and her face was blue. When the 'doctors' walked out of the room with their belongings, Xie Baozhen had stopped breathing. ”
It is a pity that the truth about Xie Baozhen's murder was not revealed until more than 20 years after she was killed. In order to commemorate her parents, Yang Zhengying published "Remembering General Yang Hucheng" and "Remembering Mother Xie Baozhen" after investigating all the truth.
Today, the revolutionary deeds of Yang Hucheng and Xie Baozhen have been praised by future generations. Their tremendous sacrifices and contributions to the revolutionary cause will forever be engraved in the long river of history!
Heroes may grow old, but true heroes never die!