One day in July 1965, Premier Zhou said straight to the point to General Zhang Yunyi in his office: "I am meeting you this time because I have an important matter to discuss with you!"

One day in July 1965, Premier Zhou said straight to the point to General Zhang Yunyi in his office: "I am meeting you this time because I have an important matter to discuss with you!"

Looking at Zhang Yunyi's confused look, Premier Zhou continued: I congratulate you, you will soon be meeting an old friend!

General Zhang Yunyi became even more confused, old friend? Congratulate me? Are you kidding me?

Premier Zhou said seriously: " Mr. Li Zongren, the former acting president of the Kuomintang, is coming back from overseas. The central government has decided that you will pick him up at the airport. This is a very serious political task and very important! "

Li Zongren

Zhang Yunyi whispered Asked: "Li Zongren is coming back?"

"Yes, since the collapse of the National Government in 1949, Li Zongren left the mainland and was not tolerated by the Taiwan authorities. He had no choice but to live in a foreign country for many years. Now he is homesick in old age, and with the patience of our party After enlightenment, I finally got rid of the obstacles in my heart and decided to return to the motherland!" Premier Zhou further explained.

Zhang Yunyi paced back and forth in the room, having a fierce ideological struggle. Finally, he stopped and said seriously to Premier Zhou: "Prime Minister, Li Zongren and I have fought for half a lifetime and sacrificed so many Red Army soldiers. From an emotional point of view, I don't want to see him, but I obey the central government's arrangements and will pick him up!"

Premier Zhou

So, why is General Zhang Yunyi unwilling to see Mr. Li Zongren? What kind of story do they have? Let’s find out briefly!

In early November 1929, the Guangxi Front Committee of the Communist Party of China was formally established in Baise, with Deng Xiaoping as secretary and Zhang Yunyi as standing committee member. Later, Gong Yinbing brought back an important decision from the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China from Shanghai:

"The Central Committee agrees with your proposal to establish the Red Army and revolutionary base areas in Jiangzuo and Youjiang areas of Guangxi. After discussion, the unit number assigned to you is, stationed in Youjiang The troops stationed in Zuojiang were reorganized into the Eighth Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. The central government officially appointed Zhang Yunyi as the commander of the Seventh Red Army, Yu Zuoyu as the commander of the Eighth Red Army, and Deng Xiaoping as the commander of the Red Seventh and Red Eighth Army. General Political Commissar of the Army."

After about 40 days of preparations, December 11 happened to be the second anniversary of the Guangzhou Uprising. Deng Xiaoping, Zhang Yunyi and others held an armed uprising in Baise and announced the Seventh Army of the Chinese Workers' and Peasants' Red Army Established!

Zhang Yunyi

After the uprising began, the revolutionary base area developed rapidly, but it attracted the attention of Guangxi Guangxi warlord leaders Li Zongren, Bai Chongxi and others, making them feel threatened.

Beginning in February 1930, the Seventh Red Army was heavily encircled and suppressed by reactionary warlords. By the end of December 1930, the Seventh Red Army, which originally numbered close to ten thousand people, had only more than 3,000 people left after hard battles! Zhang Yunyi, Deng Xiaoping and others have reflected on it and must adjust their strategies based on the actual situation---if they fight thousands of miles away, they will meet Zhu and Mao!

The Baise Uprising led by Zhang Yunyi and Deng Xiaoping was encircled and suppressed by Li Zongren's Gui clique warlords and failed. This was one of the reasons why General Zhang Yunyi later did not want to meet Li Zongren.

After the "July 7th Incident", Zhang Yunyi went to Guilin on behalf of the Communist Party of Guangxi to negotiate with Li Zongren and others. After discussion, Li Zongren and others agreed with Zhang Yunyi's views, putting the interests of the country and the nation first!

At this time, Zhang Yunyi and Li Zongren put aside their previous festivals and put aside their personal grudges for the time being. Later, Zhang Yunyi participated in the preparation and establishment of the New Fourth Army, and the Anti-Japanese War entered a stalemate stage. At this time, the Guangxi warlords began to continuously create "friction" against the New Fourth Army. The two sides fought and talked, becoming each other's opponents.

During the Liberation War, Zhang Yunyi represented the just side and drove away Li Zongren's reactionary regime. The two were incompatible opponents. However, now, so many years have passed, he is coming back, and he asked himself to pick him up...

On July 20, 1965, Zhang Yunyi and his wife successfully completed the task of receiving Li Zongren and his wife at the Capital Airport, and the two parties smiled when they met. Forget grudges and no longer care about the past!

The main reference material is "The Founding General Zhang Yunyi" written by Hu Suping.