Preface
Among the great conferrals in 1955, there was a heroic female general, she was Li Zhen, who was born in Liuyang, Hunan. Her husband was the well-known legendary general Gan Siqi . People called this couple "Couple Generals". The revolution is arduous. During the Long March , Li Zhen once gave birth to a son, but the child unfortunately died. Since then, Li Zhen has never been pregnant again. Seeing the children of her comrades around her, she felt deeply guilty, so she filed for divorce from Gan Siqi, hoping that Gan Siqi would start a family again. Faced with his wife's "great love", how did Gan Siqi respond?
Tragic Marriage
In the late autumn of 1908, a poor family in Liuyang County, Hunan Province, had another baby girl. She was Li Zhen, but her father, who was nearly 40 years old, was deeply worried because this was already the sixth girl in the family. Life was tight and it was difficult to get by. In desperation, he had to send the young Li Zhen to be a child bride. Li Zhen had no name, so people called her "Dan Meizi".
If it were not forced by life, which parent would be willing to make this choice? Seeing the tearful Li Zhen, her mother had no choice but to say: "I don't have a daughter, and I really want to have a daughter. You went to someone else's house to be a daughter!" Li Zhenxin believed it was true, but after arriving at that house, she learned her mother's "lie". There was already a girl in the house. She told Li Zhen, "You were sold to my brother to be a mother-in-law!" When Li Zhen heard this, her heart was twisted like a knife, and she cried sadly. In her husband's house, Li Zhen not only did laundry and cooking, but also carried water and chopped firewood. Every time she made the slightest mistake, she would be scolded and scolded endlessly.
The miserable life of a child bride has sharpened Li Zhen's character. In the dead of night, she always lies in bed and thinks: Why can old landlords get something for nothing? Why can I only be a child bride for others? Unwilling to be humiliated, she decided to break through the feudal prison and pursue the light. In 1926, 18-year-old Li Zhen heard about the formation of a local women's organization. Her heart was stirred up. She went to the Women's Association to get a form, and crookedly filled in "Li Zhen" on the form. From then on, she had her own name.
In October 1934, the Second Red Army Corps and the Sixth Red Army Army joined forces and moved to Xiangxi to open up new base areas. In order to consolidate and develop the new base areas, He Long led the main force eastward, and Ren Bishi led the remaining troops to mobilize the masses. As the organization minister, Li Zhen devoted himself wholeheartedly to his work. One day, when Li Zhen just returned to the dormitory, she suddenly heard a knock on the door. When she opened the door, she saw that the person who came was Chen Congying, Ren Bishi's wife. Li Zhen hurriedly invited her to sit down in the room, served tea and water, and entertained her.
Chen Congying and Li Zhen chatted about work for a while. Li Zhen seemed very excited when talking about work. Chen Congying said: "Bi Shi told me that I would go down once and do some practical work when I have time. He said he would learn from you!" Chen Congying was very busy doing confidential work . Li Zhen asked: "Your job is not ordinary, can you leave? And Bi Shi Comrade Shi is not in good health and needs you to take care of her. "Chen Congying said: "Women have more things to do when they get married, but they can't always live alone!"
Chen Congying's words reminded Li Zhen of the unbearable past. She suffered a lot when she was a child bride. For her, such a marriage was nothing but painful. Fortunately, when she was desperate, she joined the Women's Association and embarked on the road of revolution. In March 1927, Li Zhen joined the Communist Party of China. Her timid husband-in-law was worried that she would be implicated, so they signed a letter of divorce to sever the relationship. Li Zhen finally got rid of her shackles and could freely participate in revolutionary activities.
Li Zhen met Zhang Qilong, who was then secretary of the Yonghe District Committee of the Communist Party of China. Zhang Qilong took good care of Li Zhen. When Li's mother fell ill, Zhang Qilong took out all his allowances and asked comrades from the Women's Federation to transfer them. Due to timely treatment, Li's mother was quickly out of danger, so Li Zhen thanked this "leader" from the bottom of her heart. However, the reactionaries extended their butcher's knife to the family members of the Communists. Zhang Qilong's father, uncle, and cousin were brutally killed one after another. Li Zhen showed care and secretly sent hot meals and dishes to Zhang Qilong, and also washed his clothes. They cared about each other in life and supported each other at work. Gradually, feelings emerged between the two, and in 1932, with the approval of the organization, they tied the knot.
But the good times did not last long. Zhang Qilong was quickly and wrongly labeled as an "AB group member." In order to avoid Li Zhen being implicated, he unilaterally filed for divorce. Li Zhen was heartbroken and burst into tears. She proposed her wish to the Security Bureau and asked to maintain a marital relationship with Zhang Qilong, but was rejected. A loving couple was forced to separate.
Li Zhen was deep in thought, and Chen Congying seemed to see her thoughts, so she said earnestly: "It's over, don't think about it too much, just find someone else!" Li Zhen shook his head: "I haven't thought about this." Chen Congying continued to persuade: "Now that the environment is stable, it's better to find someone to take care of you!" Li Zhen said no more, but in her heart, she had to admit that what Chen Congying said made sense. Chen Congying started matchmaking: "How about I introduce someone to you?" Li Zhen asked, "Who?" Chen Congying said, "Gan Siqi, Director Gan!" A peasant family in Ningxiang County, Jiangsu Province, joined the Communist Party of China in 1926. In 1927, he went to study at Sun Yat-sen University in Moscow. In 1930, he was appointed by the Central Committee and came to the Hunan-Jiangxi Soviet Area in China. He was transferred from the Political Commissar of the Independent Division to the Provincial Propaganda Minister. After taking office, Gan Siqi learned that the organization originally planned to let Li Zhen take this position, but Li Zhen considered that her education was not high and asked for adjustment, so Gan Siqi was able to take over. Although Gan Siqi had not met Li Zhen at this time, he left an excellent impression on her.
One day, Gan Siqi and several comrades from the Political Department of the Military Region went to the Red Army School to inspect the work. As soon as they entered the school, they saw the trainees lining up neatly and singing revolutionary songs. The conductor was a female comrade who was strong and energetic. Gan Siqi could not help but be attracted. At this time, this lesbian came running to report to the leader of the inspection: "Li Zhen, director of the political department of the Red School, reported that the students have gathered, please give instructions from the head!" Hearing this, Gan Siqi was shocked: she is Li Zhen! After returning to the station, Gan Siqi quietly wrote Li Zhen's name on the title page of his diary. After
, Gan Siqi learned more about Li Zhen's experience and couldn't help but admire her even more, and her heart also felt ripples of love. When the provincial party committee was meeting, Gan Siqi took the opportunity to find Li Zhen, invited her to the station for detailed discussions, and helped her write a report reflecting the study and work of the Red Army school. Li Zhen was deeply moved when she saw that Gan Siqi was young, knowledgeable, and approachable, and cared so much about her work. One time, Li Zhen learned that Gan Siqi was ill and quickly used her subsidy to buy a pack of eggs and went to visit.
Li Zhen had a very good impression of Gan Siqi, but she had never thought about marrying him. Therefore, when Chen Congying tried to matchmaking, Li Zhen strongly objected: "She studied in the Soviet Union, and I am a Born as a child bride." The implication was that Li Zhen felt that she was not worthy of Gan Siqi, but Chen Congying said: "Don't be so absolute, Director Gan has a very good impression of you!" Li Zhen lowered her head shyly after hearing this.
In 1931, Li Zhen was transferred to work in the military region. As a result, she had more opportunities to come into contact with Gan Siqi. On New Year's Day in 1935, under the introduction of the organization and in the smoke of battle, He Long personally presided over the marriage. Gan Siqi and Li Zhen got married and officially became revolutionary partners.
The Long March was a great test for every soldier. Li Zhen was pregnant at this time, and the difficulties were imaginable. The organization had advised her to stay in the base area, but she firmly opposed it: "I have fought and endured hardships and can accept any test. Please feel free to organize!" In order to streamline the organization, there are only three cadres left in the Legion Organization Department. The staff is small, but the workload is heavy. Li Zhen is serious and responsible. After every battle, she will learn about the soldiers' situation immediately and listen to the opinions of all parties. She is busy all day long.
Li Zhen has a horse and a tent, but she always leaves the supplies to those who need them more.Once, a female soldier was sick. Li Zhen gave her his clothes to wear, but he patched them up. In the cold and hungry, Li Zhen finally fell ill. When the soldiers saw that her face was sallow, they asked about her condition, but Li Zhen hummed a minor and said that she was fine. Seeing Li Zhen's persistence, the comrade on the horse said with tears in his eyes: "Minister Li, you are sick." How can I bear to sit on your horse when the love is so serious?" Li Zhen comforted: "Comrade, you were injured for the revolution, and the organization should take care of you!" During the march, Gan Siqi was very busy. When he learned that Li Zhen was seriously ill, he felt extremely ashamed. He Long and Ren Bishi asked him to take care of his wife quickly. Gan Siqi saw that Li Zhen had a severe fever and was diagnosed by a military doctor as having typhoid fever. However, the army lacked medical treatment and medicine, so he took the pen he had won when he was studying in Moscow and sold it at a pawn shop to buy an injection, and Li Zhen's fever subsided. The moon was dark and the wind was strong. Gan Siqi felt sorry for Li Zhen, so he took off his only sweater and gave it to his wife to wear.
When the troops were crossing the grass , Li Zhen was more than 7 months pregnant. It was at this most difficult time that she was born prematurely. The soldiers could only eat bark and grass roots. What good food could a child who had just been born into the world eat? The child was so hungry that he cried. Although the adults took good care of him, the child died before he could walk out of the grass. Li Zhen was heartbroken and became increasingly weak. She had a high fever and often fell into a coma. Since then, Li Zhen has never been pregnant again. The couple made huge sacrifices for the revolution.
Husband and wife generals
After the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, the Red Army was reorganized into the Eighth Route Army. Gan Siqi served as the director of the Political Department of the 120th Division, and Li Zhen served as the chief of the Organizational Section of the 120th Division Teaching Group. In order to provide the female cadres needed in the Anti-Japanese War, the Eighth Route Army established a women's cadre school. Li Fuchun and Ren Bishi recommended Li Zhen to be the principal of the school: "You have served as the director of the political department of the Hunan-Jiangxi Red Army School, you have experience in running schools, and you are a lesbian. You will be in charge of this school!" Li Zhen obeyed the organization's decision, reluctantly bid farewell to the front line, bid farewell to Gan Siqi, and came to the school in the rear. Gan Siqi has been on the anti-Japanese front line, opened up the Shanxi-Hebei-Shandong-Henan base area, and participated in the 100-Regiment War , with great achievements.
In June 1947, Gan Siqi served as the director of the Political Department of the Northwest Field Army, and Li Zhen served as the secretary-general of the Political Department. The couple participated in a series of campaigns to understand and enlarge the northwest. After the outbreak of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, they rushed to the Korean front line together and performed their duties outstandingly on the battlefield filled with artillery fire. In 1950, Li Zhen followed the Chinese women's delegation to Moscow to introduce the glorious deeds of the female soldiers of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army to the Soviet people. She also gave an emotional speech at a report meeting in the Kremlin, and there were bursts of applause from the audience.
In 1953, Gan Siqi and Li Zhen returned triumphantly from North Korea and devoted themselves together to the national defense construction of the motherland and the modernization of the people's army. At the investiture ceremony in 1955, Gan Siqi was awarded the rank of general and Li Zhen was awarded the rank of major general. Zhou Enlai said to Li Zhen: "You are the first female general of New China!" Li Zhen said modestly: "This is an honor given to me by the party and the people. I will never live up to the expectations of the party and the people!" Gan Siqi and Li Zhen were called the "husband and wife generals."
But in Li Zhen's heart, there has always been a regretful thing. Seeing other comrades' children immersed in the joy of being parents, she felt guilty and sorry for her husband, so she said to Gan Siqi: "Lao Gan, take advantage of this." It's not too late now, let's get divorced, marry another one, and give you a child!" Upon hearing this, Gan Siqi said seriously: "What I want is a lover!" Such a simple sentence, without sweet words, was so sincere that Li Zhen was moved to tears.
In 1964, Gan Siqi became ill due to overwork and passed away. However, in his heart, there were still many unfulfilled wishes, and he was still eager to continue to create more brilliance. Li Zhen, who was the deputy director of the Military Procuratorate at the time, was heartbroken, but she understood her husband's thoughts and devoted herself even more selflessly to her work.On March 11, 1990, Li Zhen died of illness in Beijing. She stated in her will:
She would donate part of the 11,000 yuan in deposits and 2,500 yuan in treasury bills she saved in daily life to the Soong Ching Ling Children's Welfare Foundation, and part to Ningxiang County, Hunan, Gan Siqi's hometown, as a school subsidy.
