Although this banquet was not a Hongmen banquet, it was also a "petition of military power with a glass of wine". During the meal, Chiang Kai-shek announced the abolition of Zhang Xueliang's position as commander-in-chief of the Northwest Suppression of the Communist Party of China, Jiang Dingwen took over. At the same time, Wei Lihuang served as the commander-in-chief of the four provinces of Shanxi, Shaanxi and Suining, becoming Yang Hucheng's boss.
Lao Jiang criticized Zhang and Yang for their ineffective suppression of the Communist Party, and claimed that the Central Army would enter the northwest to be responsible for suppressing the Communist Party soon. After the dinner, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng summoned their respective military leaders overnight to convey the decision to launch a "military remonstrance". After the incident, the Nanjing government divided the peace talks and the crusade factions on how to deal with it.
The peace talks are mainly Chiang Kai-shek's direct supporters, and advocate a solution through peace talks to avoid further stimulating Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng, and strive to save Chiang Kai-shek's life.
The siege faction was led by He Yingqin and others. They regarded this incident as an opportunity and wanted to use it to seize power. Therefore, they advocated sending a large army to attack Zhang and Yang immediately, but in fact they wanted to use Zhang and Yang to kill Jiang.
At the same time, after controlling Lao Chiang, Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng also had differences in their opinions.
Zhang Xueliang never thought about killing Lao Jiang from the beginning. He really just wanted to advise the soldiers.
To a certain extent, Zhang Xueliang can be said to be the only person who has really launched military advice for the sake of military advice. After capturing Chiang Kai-shek, Zhang Xueliang strongly invited Yang Hucheng to meet Chiang Kai-shek with him and persuaded Chiang Kai-shek to agree with their proposal.
However, Yang Hucheng rejected Zhang Xueliang. On the evening of December 13, Yang Hucheng summoned the generals of the 17th Route Army to discuss the problem of dealing with Chiang Kai-shek.
17 Most of the senior leaders of the Route Army believed that they should kill Chiang Kai-shek for this opportunity, otherwise they would let the tiger go back to the mountain, and Chiang Kai-shek would inevitably retaliate against the 17th Route Army. Therefore, it is better to kill Chiang Kai-shek and discuss the plan of jointly fighting against Japan with all forces.
But some people believe that Chiang Kai-shek has a certain influence in the country. If he can agree to stop the civil war and unanimously resist Japan, he may not have to kill him.
Yang Hucheng initially agreed with the majority opinion, so when discussing with Zhang Xueliang, he repeatedly proposed to kill Chiang Kai-shek, but was persuaded by Zhang Xueliang.
As the impact of the incident gradually expands, warlords and international forces in various places have begun to pay attention to this matter.
Dian Army Long Yun, Jin Army Yan Xishan, Sichuan Army Liu Xiang , Qinghai Ma Bufang , Guangxi Li Zongren , etc. all expressed their opinions, and they were basically the same, and they did not want the situation to get out of control and did not want to return to the warlord state of melee.
In the Soviet Union, Stalin also expressed concern about this after learning about the incident.
Under pressure from all parties, Yang Hucheng finally gave up the plan to kill Chiang Kai-shek and began to seek a negotiated solution. This hit it off with the Nanjing negotiating faction, and the two sides began to negotiate on the conditions for releasing Chiang Kai-shek.
In the end, Chiang Kai-shek agreed to the six requirements put forward by Zhang and Yang on unity in anti-Japanese war.
On December 25, Zhang Xueliang planned to personally escort Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanjing. That night, Zhang Xueliang told Yang Hucheng about this idea, but Yang Hucheng was very opposed to this.
It turns out that although Lao Jiang agreed to six requirements during the negotiations, he refused to sign the agreement and was willing to "guaranteed with the leader's personality". He had a very firm attitude and looked like "If you have the affinity, you will kill me". It probably also shows that Zhang and Yang did not intend to kill him.
Yang Hucheng has always been dissatisfied with the results of such negotiations. Now Zhang Xueliang proposes to personally escort Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanjing, which makes Yang Hucheng feel unacceptable.
On the evening of 25, Zhang and Yang had a quarrel over the incident. Many years later, Zhang Xueliang recalled that he and Yang Hucheng had almost broken up on the issue of sending Chiang Kai-shek away from Shaanxi.
Zhang Xueliang finally chose to personally escort Chiang Kai-shek from Xi'an to Luoyang . Unexpectedly, Zhang Xueliang, who had been protected by his personal soldiers, lost his personal freedom from then on and was detained by the Chiang Kai-shek for 54 years.
Therefore, many people think that Zhang Xueliang is too naive and falls into detention for half his life. But in fact, Zhang Xueliang's move reflects his strong political acumen.
Zhang Xueliang escorted Chiang Kai-shek to two aspects. One is that he helped Chiang Kai-shek more or less save face, making "unity against Japan" more like Chiang Kai-shek's independent choice, avoiding pro-Japanese sentencing to attack Chiang Kai-shek's anti-Japanese policy.
Second, in this way, Zhang Xueliang also expressed himself to Jiang, and his relationship with Jiang has been eased to a certain extent.
In fact, after the peaceful resolution of Xi'an Incident , Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng either hid abroad, otherwise Zhang Xueliang's way of handling it is the best way.
Of course, the relationship between Zhang Xueliang and Jiang is originally closer than that between Yang Hucheng and Jiang, so Zhang Xueliang's approach may not be suitable for Yang Hucheng.
is different from Zhang Xueliang. After the incident was resolved, Yang Hucheng chose to be with his "direct" troops. So is Yang Hucheng's experience better than Zhang Xueliang?
Yang Hucheng after the Xi'an Incident
The answer is no. In fact, Yang Hucheng's later experience is more regrettable than Zhang Xueliang.
In January 1937, shortly after Chiang Kai-shek returned to Nanjing, the Nanjing government announced that Yang Hucheng would be removed from office, and soon after, it simply abolished Yang Hucheng's 17th National Army.
Yang Hucheng seems to be dominant in Xi'an, and his military and political efforts are all in charge, but his strength is too weak among the warlords and is not enough to compete with the Central Army. Therefore, Yang Hucheng's troops did not play a role in protecting him.
In June 1937, Yang Hucheng went to Europe for "inspection" under Chiang Kai-shek's forced , saying it was an investigation, but in fact it was equivalent to deportation.
During the European journey, the July 7 Incident broke out. Yang Hucheng heard the news in France and was eager to rush back to the country to fight the invaders.
At first, Yang Hucheng thought that returning to China to fight against Japan was a move that was very clear about the righteousness, and Chiang Kai-shek would not obstruct it. Unexpectedly, Chiang Kai-shek was very reluctant to return to China and obstructed him in every way. In the end, Yang Hucheng was allowed to return to the country with the help of the Soviet Union.
In November 1937, Yang Hucheng arrived in Hong Kong by boat. As soon as he arrived in Hong Kong, he received a telegram from Chiang Kai-shek informing him to go to Wuhan.
At that time, the National Army lost one after another on the battlefield, and the National Government had moved to Wuhan, so Yang Hucheng did not think much about it and set off for Wuhan.
However, in Wuhan, it was not Chiang Kai-shek who was waiting for him, but the spy leader Dai Li . Dai Li told him that Chiang Kai-shek was waiting for him in Nanchang .
Yang Hucheng still didn't become alert, thinking that Chiang Kai-shek was busy all over the place to coordinate the situation, so Yang Hucheng followed Dai Li to Nanchang again.
As a result, Dai Li took him to a villa in Baihuazhou, Nanchang. Around the villa, spies patrol and military police stood guard. Only then did Yang Hucheng realize that he had been deceived by Jiang.
In December 1937, Nanjing fell, and Chiang Kai-shek left Nanchang for Chongqing. Jiang, who was holding a grudge, did not forget to bring Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng. Under Dai Li's arrangement, both of them were transferred to Guizhou for detention.
Of course, the two were detained separately, among which Yang Hucheng was transferred to the Yanglangba Detention Center of Xifeng County, Guizhou, which was later the Military Commission Xifeng Prison.
Chiang Kai-shek issued an order to Dai Li, and Yang Hucheng must not be allowed to escape or be rescued. Dai Li did not dare to neglect. Yang Hucheng stayed in the detention center for a short time and was transferred to a cave more than ten miles from Xifeng County.
Military Control Commission here specially built two wooden houses for house arrest.
That’s right, it’s not just Yang Hucheng who lost his freedom, his wife and children were also under house arrest.Although Yang Hucheng was not nominally imprisoned, it was actually no different from being imprisoned. He was isolated on the mountain, with military spies outside the house, and the food and clothing conditions were very poor. It was difficult for Yang Hucheng to change into a new set of cotton coats.
After 8 years of hard work, in 1945, Yang Hucheng heard the news of Japan surrendering to in Xuantian Cave. As the saying goes, "It was suddenly said that Jibei was taken away from the sword. When I first heard it, I burst into tears." Although I couldn't do my part in my own efforts, Yang Hucheng was still so excited that he burst into tears when he learned about the victory.
Yang Hucheng once thought Chiang Kai-shek would release him, after all, time has passed, and the War of Resistance Against Japan has been victorious.
In 1946, the military commander informed Yang Hucheng that he would transfer him to Chongqing. Yang Hucheng thought that he would meet Chiang Kai-shek if he went there and then let go of his past grudges.
Unexpectedly, he was sent directly to " Sino-US Special Technical Cooperation Institute " at the foot of Geleshan .
At this point, Yang Hucheng realized that the rest of his life would be spent under house arrest or even detention, and his hope of regaining freedom was shattered.
In 1947, his wife Xie Baozhen passed away with hatred while imprisoned. This was another huge blow to Yang Hucheng. His body began to get worse day by day.
Time came in August 1949, when the Jiang family dynasty was defeated, Chiang Kai-shek, who was preparing to flee the mainland, began to massacre the political prisoners in custody. Mao Renfeng received Chiang Kai-shek's instructions to secretly execute Yang Hucheng.
The people from the Secret Bureau plan to attack Yang Hucheng's family in Songlinpo outside Chongqing. In fact, Yang Hucheng has always been under house arrest in name, and it is not the secret bureau that he will be detained wherever he says he will be taken, so the spy lied to him that he will come to Songlinpo to take a plane to Taiwan.
At 11 o'clock on the night of September 17, Yang Hucheng and his second son Yang Zhengzhong , his youngest daughter who was less than ten years old, secretary Song Qiyun's wife and children, adjutant Zhou Jiming and a nanny, and his group were escorted by personnel from the Secret Bureau to take a bus to Daigong Temple . The people from the Secret Bureau deceived them and said they would stay here for one night.
In fact, the spies have received the order to take action immediately.
Yang Hucheng and his son Yang Zhengzhong walked towards the room where they "stayed" under the spy. Along the way, the spies seemed very nervous and very alert.
This is because Mao Renfeng considers that Yang Hucheng is still well-known in China, in order to cover up and reduce the impact as much as possible, Mao Renfeng asked the spies not to shoot when they attacked.
Therefore, the spies were preparing to kill Yang Hucheng and his group with daggers. This made the secret agents of the Secret Service who were used to using guns a little nervous, afraid that the Yang family would resist.
Since Yang Hucheng is already very sick, the spies' defense targets are mainly seventeen-year-old Yang Zhengzhong.
Two spies leading the way entered the room first, but the lights were not lit. Yang Hucheng felt a little strange, but he did not realize that the disaster was coming.
Yang Hucheng and his son entered the dark room one after another. Yang Hucheng was about to ask the spy to light the light, but he heard his son exclaiming "Dad!"
Yang Hucheng turned back in surprise and saw a heart-wrenching scene.
The two spies following Yang Zhengzhong had already inserted a bright sharp knife into his heart, and Yang Zhengzhong fell to the ground in pain.
Before Yang Hucheng could recover from this scene, the spy's dagger fell on him... In this way, Yang Hucheng and his son were brutally killed.
. Secretary Song Qiyun and his wife and their two children were deceived into a guard room after getting off the car, and were brutally killed by spies with daggers in the guard room.
Adjutant Zhou Jiming, the nanny, and Yang Hucheng's youngest daughter were also killed, none of whom were spared.
In order to cover up, the spies also deliberately used 水水 to destroy Yang Hucheng's face, making it difficult to recognize, and then buried it under a flower bed in Daigong Temple.
Zhang Xueliang's evaluation of Yang Hucheng
Zhang Xueliang was very sad when he learned about Yang Hucheng's death, but he, who was also imprisoned, could not do anything except commemorate him.
In 1991, Zhang Xueliang, who had regained his freedom, accepted an interview with the media, and the interviewer asked about his views on Yang Hucheng and the death of Yang Hucheng.
Zhang Xueliang, who is already in his 90s, said: "I criticize Yang Hucheng for being a 'rough'. He is very fashionable, but he doesn't understand many profound situations. He is a good person, and I want everyone to think that he is a very patriotic person. I am very willing to do this..."
talks about the ending of Yang Hucheng. Although more than 40 years have passed, Zhang Xueliang's tone is still regretful: "I am very sad about Yang Hucheng's death. I still don't understand why that What to do with him? I don’t know if this is what Mr. Jiang means, or what Jingguo means, or what Mao Renfeng made. I don’t know. "
" When he left (referring to Yang Hucheng going to Europe for inspection), I advised him not to come back. It would be no benefit to come back. Just like me, I was not dead. It was Mrs. Jiang who helped me. According to Mr. Jiang’s intention, I was going to shoot me."
Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng, after the peaceful resolution of the Xi'an Incident, faced with the revenge that Chiang Kai-shek would definitely carry out, they each chose different ways of dealing with it.
However, both of them ended up falling into the control of Lao Jiang, ending with a regrettable ending. Some people say that this is because the two are too naive and trust Chiang Kai-shek too ruthlessly. Is this really the case with
? In fact, whether it was Zhang Xueliang who personally sent Chiang Kai-shek or Yang Hucheng's insistence on returning to China after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, what he did was nothing more than national interests.
If they insist on saying something wrong, they can only say that they thought Chiang Kai-shek too well and thought that he was also a person who could ignore personal gains and losses in times of crisis in the country.
Reference
Zhang Xueliang's oral history special Phoenix TV 2016
Thrilling fourteen days China Youth Network 2021
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