In the spring of 1985, the General Hospital of Nanjing Military Region. Xu Shiyou, 80, was lying on a hospital bed with a haggard face. He held his daughter Huashan's hand, and his eyes flashed with reluctance and perseverance. This powerful founding general is facing the final battle of his life. His lips twitched slightly, as if he had something important to say.
[The other side of the big old general]
Xu Shiyou is an interesting person. It looks rough and bold on the outside, but it is actually delicate and sensitive on the inside. He is strict with his children, but he is also full of love. especially dotes on the third daughter Huashan, but never dotes.
This general is usually majestic, but when he returns home, he becomes an ordinary father. He would personally make a list of books for his daughter and ask her to read for six hours a day. When Huashan secretly changed to his favorite novel, Xu Shiyou also turned a blind eye.
The general also had an interesting habit - he liked to take his daughter with him when he went to the country, but rarely sat in the same car. The reason is that Huashan can't help but wander around the market and delay the trip. This iron-blooded general actually has such a warm side.
[From Military School to Battlefield: Father-Daughter Love]
In 1968, Hua Shan entered the Harbin Air Force First Flight Academy to study. At that time, it was a turbulent period of the "Cultural Revolution", and Xu Shiyou was in prison. But instead of bowing to the predicament, he wrote a letter of encouragement to his daughter:
"Now that you have arrived at the military school, you have to stay the course. If you don't think you will survive to graduate, then you have to prepare to die and try to live!"
These words sound a little cruel at first, but they are actually full of fatherly love. Xu Shiyou is well aware of the hardships of his military career and hopes that his daughter can be as strong as him. Hua Shan remembered his father's teachings and became more and more resilient in the face of adversity.
Xu Shiyou did the same himself. In 1958, the central government required senior generals to serve as soldiers. Xu Shiyou didn't say a word and changed into the military uniform of an ordinary soldier. He told the soldiers: "Don't be polite to me, help me get the official position."
This founding general eats and lives with ordinary soldiers, and stands guard and trains together. The soldiers also called him "Chief" at first, and later directly called him "Lao Xu". Xu Shiyou used his actions to explain what is the real general's bearing.
【Political Wisdom at the Wine Table】
Xu Shiyou is not only a good father, but also a political veteran. He loves to drink with Zhou Enlai the most. An old cadre once said that Xu Shiyou was like a junior in front of Chairman Mao and was very restrained. But in front of Zhou Enlai, he is like a brother who dares to say anything.
These words speak to Xu Shiyou's political wisdom. He knows how to show different gestures on different occasions. Maintain reverence for the Supreme Leader and a deep concern for close comrades. It is this wisdom that has allowed him to stand tall in a complex political environment.
After Zhou Enlai's death, Xu Shiyou was grief-stricken. He said to Huashan: "Premier Zhou, such a good person is gone, what am I doing alive!" These words are not only a nostalgia for a close friend, but also a helplessness about political reality.
【Final Request】
In October 1985, Xu Shiyou's condition worsened. He stubbornly demanded to be discharged from the hospital, saying that he was going hunting. The family had no choice but to agree and carry him into the car. Xu Shiyou vomited many times in the car, but still insisted on raising the gun. This is the stubbornness of a warrior and the dignity of a general.
At the last moment of his life, Xu Shiyou made one last request to his daughter: "Flip, flip, let me turn over again......"
This simple request contains a lot of reluctance and attachment. Hua Shan tearfully helped his father turn over, feeling the body that was getting cold. After turning over, a satisfied smile appeared on Xu Shiyou's face and slowly closed his eyes.
Xu Shiyou's life is like a legendary novel with ups and downs. He went from a peasant boy to a founding general. has experienced the baptism of war and political storms. But no matter what the situation, he always maintained his loyalty to the party and the people.