On October 30, 1916, it rained heavily, and Cai E, the founding father of the Republic of China, died on this day.
The news spread, and the whole country was grieved. Liang Qichao, Kang Youwei and other celebrities wrote elegies for his untimely death.
Sun Yat-sen commented on him: : He was a generous guardian throughout his life, and he was able to protect him even if he was thousands of miles away.
Subsequently, Cai E was buried in Yuelu Mountain with a state funeral. He was the first person to receive a state funeral during the Republic of China. Since then, burial in Yuelu Mountain has become the highest courtesy for the martyrs of the Hunan Army.
Cai E's Tomb
The Woman Behind the Hero
Before his death, Cai E married two wives, the eldest lady Liu Xiazhen, and had an eldest daughter, Cai Zhulian, who was married to Shi Chaobai, the son of a good friend.
When Cai E was studying abroad, Liu Xiazhen had been doing housework at home and taking care of Cai E's mother. After Cai E died of illness, she raised her children and died alone.
The second wife Pan Huiying is beautiful, received Western education, and has an open mind. She raised the eldest son Cai Duan, the second son Cai Yongning, and the third daughter Cai Shulian.
Cai E was seriously ill, and Pan Huiying accompanied Cai E to Japan to seek medical treatment. When Cai E died, she was only in her early 20s. She was extremely sad about her husband's death and vowed to remain a widow for the rest of her life.
Both women were extremely loyal to Cai E and remained widowed for him throughout their lives.
Cai E is even more grateful to the eldest lady Liu Xiazhen, not only because Liu Xiazhen took care of her parents for Cai E, but also because she married Cai E on behalf of her elder sister Liu Changgu.
When Cai E was young, his family background was not very good. He often followed his father Cai Zhengling, running around doing small businesses.
The Liu family was rich and powerful in Shaoyang at that time, and the two families were not in the same family.
However, Liu Huige, the master of the Liu family, saw the four-year-old Cai E selling tofu with his father. He saw that he was smart, responsible and good-looking at a young age, so he had the idea of getting married to him.
Cai E, Pan Huiying (left), Liu Xiazhen (right) took a group photo with their children
So Liu Changgu, the 9-year-old daughter of the Liu family, became Cai E’s fiancée.
Later, with the help of the Liu family, Cai E was able to receive a better education and was able to study in a private school and no longer traveled around for a living.
Little Cai E lived up to expectations. He was admitted as a scholar at the age of twelve and admitted to the Changsha Current Affairs School at the age of 16. Here he became a student of Liang Qichao and was appreciated by him. The two established a deep teacher-student friendship.
Even when Yuan Shikai was restoring the monarchy and Cai E was under house arrest, he was also determined to safeguard the achievements of the Revolution of 1911. After Cai E planned to leave Beijing, he launched a vigorous movement to protect the country.
With the support of the Liu family, Cai E first studied at Nanyang Public School.
Cai E
went to Japan to study in 1899. After Cai E returned from school at the age of 22, he did not forget the support of the Liu family, nor did he give up his engagement with Liu Changgu, the daughter of the Liu family.
When the sedan chair came to the door of Liu's house to marry the bride, the proud and arrogant Changgu Liu would rather die than obey.
She truly despised Cai E, who was originally from a poor family, and thought marrying him would be an insult.
There was no way, and the Liu family was unwilling to give up the marriage at this time. After all, Cai E was already a very popular figure at the time. Many people wanted to get married, but they missed their daughter but were unwilling.
In desperation, Liu Huige, the master of the Liu family, thought of his adopted daughter Liu Senying. At Master Liu's request, Liu Senying covered her head and walked into the sedan chair.
Cai E was very grateful for Liu Senying's rescue, so on their wedding night, he changed her name to Xiazhen, which symbolizes her chivalry and loyalty.
The two were happily married, but there was always an irresolvable solemnity between Cai E's eyebrows.
Liu Xiazhen understood her husband's lofty ambitions. With her encouragement, Cai E gave up his family and went out to seek a way to save the country.
Since then, Cai E and the eldest lady Liu Xiazhen have been together less and more apart.
Most of the time, Cai E was fighting everywhere, while Liu Xiaying took care of the elders at home. With such a virtuous wife, Cai E had no worries when he was fighting abroad.
In 1904, Cai E was invited by the Governor of Yunnan and Guizhou Li Jingxi to serve in the military in Yunnan, where he met his soul mate Pan Huiying.
Pan Huiying is pretty, pretty and cute. The two of them are talented and good-looking, and they fall in love with each other. Their union once became a good story.
Pan Huiying was born in a gentleman's family in Yunnan. When she was young, she received traditional Confucian education in a girls' private school in Yunnan. When she grew up, she received new Western education.
's similar educational experiences led to her and Cai E having many common topics, and the two found a spiritual connection.
After the Huichang Uprising broke out in 1911, Cai E and Li Yuanyuan, the general manager of Yunnan Lecture Hall launched the Chongjiu Uprising in Kunming.
But when he wanted to further develop his ambition, he was stopped in his tracks.
In 1913, Yuan Shikai, who had long wanted to become an emperor, was afraid that the local leaders would rebel, so he transferred Cai E to Beijing in the name of re-employment.
This trip was a complete Hongmen Banquet, and Cai E was placed under house arrest by Yuan Shikai.
At first, Cai E still had hope for Yuan Shikai. When the Japanese proposed to sign a series of treaties with Yuan Shikai that would be humiliating and humiliating the country, Cai E hoped to unite forces to resist powerful enemies.
However, Yuan Shikai acted against his will and supported Cai E's ideas on the surface, but behind Cai E's back he signed the "Twenty-One" with the Japanese at the Japanese Embassy.
After Cai E found out, he was very angry. He was completely disappointed with Yuan Shikai and beat his chest. For a while, the patriotic soldiers had no way to serve their country. Cai E felt so sad for the revolutionary cause that he shed tears.
Yuan Shikai
"General, Beijing city is full of spies."
Cai E slowly turned around and said quietly : "I can't leave, I want to keep the power of Yunnan."
He knew that if the "Twenty-One Articles" were recognized, China would be so big that there would no longer even be a place to live.
Although Cai E was under house arrest, he did not give up on saving the country. While dealing with Yuan Shikai, he secretly contacted the Alliance patriots under the strict supervision of Yuan Shikai, seeking a patriotic way out.
Not all Chinese people are weaklings who bow to submission.
During his time in Beijing, Yuan Shikai called Cai E to talk from time to time to test whether Cai E supported Yuan Shikai's upcoming proclaimed emperor.
's conversation with Cai E was full of traps.
The clothes Cai E wore during his lifetime
"Liang Qichao is your teacher, so I want to ask you for advice. How does he know that I refuse to maintain the republic?"
"Literati, from ancient times to the present, the president may or may not listen."
Yuan Shikai said again : "There are also a few southern generals who have achieved great success."
Faced with Yuan Shikai's aggressiveness, Cai E immediately asked: "Who does the president think highly of so much?".
Yuan Shikai looked at Cai E with a smile: "It's you"
"I am a retired governor, unarmed, and my words are light."
"But some people say that you are the soul of the Yunnan Army!"
Cai E was speechless, just right When the two fell into silence, Yuan Shikai's secretary came in from outside.
Liang Qichao
Yuan Shikai walked up to Cai E and patted Cai E's shoulder gently and said sincerely: "I will never be the emperor, but if one day I have to take on the important task of the rise and fall of the world, at this time , I have to rely on you!"
Cai E did not answer, he just saluted silently and turned around to leave.
Cai E can certainly hear the implication of Yuan Shikai's words. From beginning to end, Cai E disagrees with Yuan Shikai proclaiming himself emperor and trampling on the achievements of the revolution.
That is the victory that many soldiers exchanged for their blood! There was no way he could stay in the capital, so Cai E secretly planned to leave.
Yuan Shikai
Designed from Beijing
Seeing that Cai E still failed to express his position, Yuan Shikai arranged for his spy "小风仙" to be placed beside him, testing Cai E at all times.
Cai E knew that if he wanted to escape, he could only let Yuan Shikai relax his vigilance first.
Cai E behaved vulgarly in front of the woman, wandering around the eight alleys every day, as if he was really obsessed with the woman's lust.
Cai E's two wives and old mother are very cooperative. They often embarrass Cai E in public, and even rush to the brothel to smash things.
After the incident got serious, Cai E became furious and sent his mother and eldest son, who were hindering his "future", back to his hometown in Hunan.
Liu Xiaying has been taking care of Cai E's mother, so she was naturally sent to Hunan.
小风仙
Prior to this, Cai E had registered his and Pan Huiying's eldest son, Cai Duan, in the name of Liu Xiazhen and was raised by Liu Xiazhen.
sent the "jealous" Pan Huiying to Kunming together with the other children. At this time, Cai E was the only one left in Beijing.
He saw the right time and planned to leave Beijing. On the pretext of treating throat disease, he traveled east to Japan and then took a detour by water to Yunnan.
began to raise the banner of "protecting the country and fighting against Yuan".
At this time, Cai E was already beyond cure.
Pan Huiying knew that Cai E's body could no longer bear it, so Pan Huiying took her children to Cai E's side to stay with him. The two of them made a vow "If the revolution is victorious, they will never be apart."
Hero passed away
In March 1916, Yuan Shikai could not withstand the pressure and abolished the imperial system.
What a bright spring, the motherland is no longer scorched earth and ashes. Cai E can finally let go of his heavy responsibilities and enjoy a brief dusk and tranquility with his lover.
However, Cai E's throat disease worsened. In order to seek treatment, Pan Huiying and Cai E went to Japan together.
Pan Huiying took good care of Cai E all the way to Fukuoka , thinking that Cai E could have some hope of curing the throat disease. However, less than two months after arriving in Japan, Cai E died in pain while receiving injections of new drugs.
Pan Huiying was heartbroken and in great pain. With tears in her eyes, she cut off a strand of Cai E's hair and braided it into her own bun, and vowed not to marry for the rest of her life.
She was only 22 years old when Cai E passed away. After she made up her mind not to marry, she took her second son Cai Yongning and her youngest daughter Cai Shulian to her hometown in Yunnan to make a living by teaching.
The letters Cai E wrote to Pan Huiying when she was still alive became Pan Huiying's entire spiritual support. She read them over and over again for the rest of her life. Even after the passage of time, she can still feel Cai E's love in those letters.
" Huiying Xianmei Favored" . Whenever Pan Huiying, who is exhausted by life, reads these six words at the beginning of the letter, she can feel warmth rushing through her body, driving away fatigue, no matter how hard the life is. Motivation to keep going.
How much do Cai E and Pan Huiying love each other?
Even when the affair between Cai E and Xiao Fengxian spread, Cai E still did not forget to write a letter to Pan Huiying who was far away in Yunnan.
Cai E wrote affectionately in the letter : "Farewell to Beijing in March, I miss Mi Du... How is my sister's postpartum body shape? Is the baby healthy? I miss her so much... I look forward to sending you letters often to comfort my sister... Suddenly this is the best time to ask."
Every time Pan Huiying saw these words, it was as if Cai E was telling them in person.
Every time Pan Huiying received a letter, in order not to let Cai E wait any longer, she would reply immediately no matter how late it was.
Sons and daughters are all alike
Pan Huiying wanted to follow Cai E, but she gave up the idea of celebrating her birthday when she thought of the children between them. She returned to her hometown in Yunnan to make a living by teaching.
In the film and television drama Cai E and Xiao Fengxian
Pan Huiying raised two children alone. Although it was difficult, she did not relax her children's education. The two children were excellent and their grades were among the best.
Pan Huiying often uses Cai E's deeds to educate her children, telling them that they must inherit their father's legacy, love the motherland, and contribute to the revolutionary cause when they grow up.
When he grew up, Cai Yongning was admitted to Beijing Fu Jen Catholic University. He was as passionate about the revolutionary cause as his father Cai E.
Later, in order to better contribute to the motherland, he resolutely resigned from his position as deputy general manager of Yunnan Fudian Bank and turned to as a lecturer at Northeastern University.
Cai Shulian also successfully entered Zhejiang Agricultural University, and then entered Chinese Academy of Sciences, making her own contribution to China's microbial research.
If Cai Shulian and Cai Yongning were asked about their father's impressions, they would proudly say : "General Cai E, the governor of the Yunnan Uprising in 1911 and a great republican man of the moment, whenever our mother mentions his father's glorious deeds, we It feels like my father has never been far away.”
And Cai Duan, who followed Liu Xiazhen, wanted to know about his father's deeds and could only ask others.
Perhaps because Liu Xiazhen was concerned that Cai Duan was not his biological son, Liu Xiazhen never mentioned Cai E to Cai Duan.
Out of the desire for his father, Cai Duan had a estrangement from Liu Xiazhen in his heart, but it did not hinder his respect for Liu Xiazhen.
Everything is worth it because of Liu Xiazhen.
When Cai Duan was more than ten years old, the Liu family also fell into trouble. Cai E's younger brother Cai Songyuan was ruined and used the Cai family's property as a mortgage after ruining the whole family.
Without a place to live, Liu Xiazhen took Cai E's mother, Cai Duan and Cai Zhulian and moved into a narrow residence at No. 1 Zhangshu Garden, Tianetang, outside the south gate of Changsha. From then on, they lived hard.
Cai Duan has always been very sensible and smart. He was grateful for Liu Xiazhen's upbringing and never mentioned his biological mother Pan Huiying. He also made a decision in his heart to take care of Liu Xiazhen and his eldest sister Cai Zhulian for the rest of his life.
While working hard to live, Cai Duan secretly longed to know the secret of his father Cai E, hiding it for nearly twenty years.
During his college years, Cai Duancai had enough information to understand the entire history of his father Cai E.
He longed to live up to his conscience and be loyal to the country like his father. After graduation, he chose to work in China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Since then, he and his brother-in-law Shi Chaobai, who is also in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, have deepened their friendship through cooperation and made indelible contributions to China's diplomatic cause.
But while Cai Duan was growing up, Liu Xiazhen became old and seriously ill.
When Liu Xiazhen saw Cai Duan taking good care of him, the estrangement between mother and son disappeared.
She took Cai Duan's hand and said : "She is your mother after all. If you want to find her, go find her."
The "she" Liu Xiazhen said refers to Pan Huiying.
This diligent woman may not have truly realized until this time that Cai Duan regarded her as his biological mother.
Conclusion
In the second half of the autumn night, it was drizzling. Liu Xiazhen was lying on the hospital bed, and the scene of her wedding that day slowly appeared in front of her eyes. He, a high-spirited young man, felt awkward in the wedding hall, with helpless eyes.
In the blink of an eye, in the new house, he was saying thanks for the rescue in a brisk tone. I wrote the three words Liu Xiazhen in the marriage contract to remember my chivalry and loyalty today...
Liu Xiazhen, a woman who dedicated her life to the Cai family, passed away in the sound of autumn rain beating leaves.
Although she has never loved passionately in her life, she has been loyal to Cai E throughout her life. She takes care of her parents-in-law and raises children in the Cai family. She deserves to be a good daughter-in-law, a good woman, and a good mother.
After Liu Xiazhen's death, Cai Duan became more aware of the importance of relatives. Then he reunited with his biological mother Pan Huiying, and the family cherished the days together.
Unfortunately, Pan Huiying also passed away in 1956.
She left with a smile and longing for Cai E for more than 40 years.
But the love story between her and Cai E has been passed down forever. The letters home recording their relationship will be forever sealed in the National Museum and become the patriotic memory of an era.
