Zhou Enlai once served as the deputy director of the Political Department of the Whampoa Military Academy. I am an old acquaintance with Chiang Kai-shek, and this trip to Xi'an, burdened with the important mission of peaceful settlement, is naturally humble and sincere, so that the nervous and vigilant Chiang Kai-shek gradually relaxed, behaved back to the leader's bearing, and sat on the sofa and raised Erlang's legs.

"Today, there is no second person who can be the leader of the country except the chairman, and we don't believe in the chairman's sincerity in saving the country, but we can't quickly ...... hate" Zhou Enlai's gentle Huaiyin accent talked eloquently, Chiang Kai-shek nodded from time to time, his expression was slightly relaxed, and Zhang Xueliang's hanging heart also relaxed.

Zhang Enlai finally said: "I came to Xi'an this time to hope that everyone will put aside their prejudices, unite and resist insults, and we are the best in China, and we are willing to seek common ground while reserving differences and fight together under the leadership of the chairman." ”

Chiang Kai-shek said: "I understand what you mean, and in general I am in favor of dropping, but it still needs to be carefully consulted." ”

Zhang Xueliang and Zhou Enlai glanced at each other, and they were both happy, and Chiang Kai-shek finally stopped insisting on a tough position.

Zhou Enlai got up and said, "Chairman of the committee, rest, I will take my leave and come to see you another day." ”

Chiang Kai-shek didn't get up: "Han Qing, you help me send Enlai." ”

Zhang Xueliang sent Zhou Enlai out, shook hands with him tightly, and everything was silent.

After sending Zhou Enlai away, Zhang Xueliang returned to the room and said, "Chairman, I have a few propositions ......"

Chiang Kai-shek stood up and walked to the window, turned his back to Zhang Xueliang and said, "I won't talk to you, and all the problems will be discussed after I return to Nanjing." ”

Zhang Xueliang swallowed his anger and said: "Then, at least let Nanjing stop the bombing, if it goes on like this, I dare not guarantee the safety of the commission." ”

Chiang Kai-shek said: "Okay, I can send a letter to He Yingqin and ask him to suspend military operations, but I can only give him a grace period of two days, and if I can't return to Nanjing within two days, you will bear all the consequences." ”

Zhang Xueliang knew that there was no result in further talks, Chiang Kai-shek was a very smart person, he guessed that he didn't dare to do anything with him, so he deliberately made a gesture to make it difficult for him to ride a tiger.

"Chairman of the National Committee, if there is no result and release the people, do you think it is possible, what do you think I can do to explain to the officers and men of the Northwest Army and the Northeast Army, you can think about it slowly." Zhang Xueliang's tone also hardened, and he left with a word.

The negotiations are still deadlocked, since meeting Zhou Enlai, Chiang Kai-shek's attitude has become more resolute, in short, I don't object to any proposition you put forward, but I don't talk about the specific details, and I don't sign and draw the charge, and hang Zhang Yang and *** there in a hurry.

In the Northwest Appeasement Office, the generals were excited and demanded that Chiang Kai-shek be executed, and Yang Hucheng was also a little skeptical, and said: "Old Chiang is a stone in a pit, smelly and hard, if he knew this, he should have been shot to death." ”

Someone said: "Let's not kill him, let *** kill him, and send him directly to northern Shaanxi to see if he can drag him." ”

Outside, the guards shouted, "The deputy commander has arrived." Everyone immediately stood upright, Zhang Xueliang walked in, looked left and right, and smiled: "You want to kill Chiang Kai-shek?" ”

Everyone expressed their opinions and made generous statements, and listed a lot of reasons for killing Chiang Kai-shek, Yang Hucheng also said: "Han Qing, judging from the current situation, whether to kill or not to kill, we are all facing a dead end, in my opinion, it is better to kill than not to kill, at least the Central Army will lack a strong leader, so that we can break through, Chiang Kai-shek will die, the world will be in chaos, and the crisis in the northwest will be naturally lifted." ”

Zhang Xueliang said: "What about North China, what about Northeast China, China is a plate of scattered sand, who is the biggest beneficiary?" Have you thought about it? It's too easy to kill Chiang Kai-shek, send a private, and solve him with a pistol, it's really difficult not to kill him, we can't be sinners through the ages. ”

Everyone bowed their heads and smoked silently, and the atmosphere was very dreary, very different from the joy when Chiang Kai-shek was first captured.

The adjutant came in and said, "Deputy seat, Nanjing telegraph." ”

Zhang Xueliang took it and looked at it, and was overjoyed: "There is hope, Mrs. Jiang is about to arrive." ”

……

A Douglas passenger plane flew over Xi'an Airport with Soong Meiling, Soong Ziwen, Chen Zikun, Duan Na and a small entourage on board.

Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng led the generals of the two armies to the airport to greet them, the military band honor guard also came, the pomp was very large, after the plane stopped, Zhang Xueliang personally greeted him under the gangway, and the first to come down was Song Ziwen's guard, who was immediately forced by two soldiers of the Northeast Army with guns, and searched out the matching guns on his body.

Song Meiling got off the plane and said, "Han Qing, I don't have to search my belongings, right?" ”

Zhang Xueliang said: "Where is the lady, please." ”

Then came Song Ziwen and Chen Zikun, when he saw Chen Zikun, Zhang Xueliang smiled: "Others have scuds, but Brother Kunwu has a pair of wings." ”

Chen Zikun said: "A gentleman doesn't stand under the dangerous wall, Han Qing, you still say that I, I don't say hello in advance if you make such a big move, you are not a friend enough." ”

Although it was a joke, what should have been done had to be done, and Chen Zikun took the initiative to hand over his matching gun.

The convoy entered the city in a mighty way, martial law was already under martial law along the way, and the atmosphere was bleak and murderous, Soong Meiling handed a small leather bag to Chen Zikun and said in English: "If the rebels want to be against me, you will immediately kill me with this gun." ”

Chen Zikun pinched the small bag, there was a pocket pistol in it, it seemed that Song Meiling was here to prepare for the worst.

When Song Meiling came to the place of house arrest, Chiang Kai-shek was resting on the bed, and when he saw his wife coming in, he hurriedly got up from the bed, touched the wound on his back, sat back in pain, waved his hand and said, "Why are you here!" What is the difference between coming to Xi'an at this time and entering the tiger's den. ”

Song Meiling burst into tears: "If I don't come, the matter can't be solved, Darling, you suffer." ”

Chiang Kai-shek saw Song Ziwen and Chen Zikun behind him, and said strangely: "Zikun, why are you here?" Zhang Xueliang let you out? ”

Song Meiling said with a smile: "Zikun has always been with me, if it weren't for him to be calm, He Yingqin's gang wouldn't have taken me seriously." ”

Chen Zikun said: "On the day of the incident, I saw the opportunity to act, ran to the airport and grabbed a plane and flew back to Shanghai. ”

Chiang Kai-shek said: "Don't mess up in the face of danger, good, good." The expression on his face was a little unnatural.

The arrival of Soong Meiling was like dripping some lubricating oil on the relationship between Chiang Kai-shek and Zhang Xueliang, and the negotiations were able to continue.

Zhang Xueliang's several proposals were basically to stop the civil war, cooperate with the Kuomintang and the Communist Party, resist Japan by force, reorganize the government, purge pro-Japanese elements, accommodate all political parties to discuss politics together, release political prisoners, and give the people greater freedom.

On behalf of the CCP, Zhou Enlai proposed: The Central Army should stop at Tongguan, discuss the anti-Japanese salvation plan from all walks of life, and convene a peace conference in Nanjing.

Of course, these propositions required Chiang Kai-shek's consent.

Chiang Kai-shek still insisted that he must be released before signing.

The negotiations reached an impasse again, and Zhang Yang could not kill Chiang Kai-shek, nor could he let go, and he had a headache.

Chen Zikun found Zhang Xueliang and asked him: "Han Qing, are you honest, did you think about it before doing this?" ”

Zhang Xueliang smiled bitterly: "I tossed a coin." ”

Chen Zikun said: "Sure enough...... Now that you're going to end up, what's going to happen? ”

Zhang Xueliang said: "It doesn't matter what, I just hope that I don't make mistakes again and again, and bear a lifetime of infamy." As he spoke, he faced out the window with his back, and in just a few days, gray hair had appeared on his temples.

Chen Zikun said: "If the commission insists on not signing, there are only two endings, one is to kill him, and China will fall into chaos from then on, and the other is to let him go, the Central Army will enter Xi'an, you and Yang Hucheng will become prisoners, the numbers of the Northwest Army and the Northeast Army will disappear, and the Central Army will continue to suppress the Communist Party. ”

Zhang Xueliang was silent for a while and said: "I choose the second one, anyway, I don't have the face to see my father under Jiuquan, even if I lose the team, it's nothing, to be honest, now, the Northeast Army has become a burden to me, and I have long wanted to pick a son." ”

Chen Zikun said: "In this case, what else do you have to worry about, anyway, the worst ending is like that, simply let Chiang Kai-shek go, if he is willing to continue the civil war, which is right and which is not his own judgment, you have done what you should do, just have a clear conscience." ”

Zhang Xueliang said: "Isn't there a third option?" ”

Chen Zikun said: "Is there a third option? ”

At the same time, Song Meiling was also bitterly persuading Chiang Kai-shek not to be stubborn: "Darling, the most important thing at the moment is to leave Xi'an, you might as well be hypocritical, after returning to Nanjing, you have the final say on what to do with Zhang Yang." ”

Chiang Kai-shek said: "How can the majesty of the leader be trampled on, if I give in, what will I use to serve the people in the future?" ”

Song Meiling said: "If you die, how can you talk about serving the public or not, don't you know, Nanjing is lively these days, He Yingqin has already telegraphed Wang Zhaoming to return to China to preside over the overall situation." ”

Chiang Kai-shek's face suddenly became very ugly.

Song Meiling hit the railway while it was hot: "You might as well agree verbally first, and you can explain as much as you want after you get out, as long as you publicize it properly, do others believe you or Zhang Yang?" These days, Nanjing has been using high-power radio stations to interfere with the power supply of Xi'an and interfere with the propaganda of the other side, which is also a propaganda strategy, and you should know this better than me. ”

Chiang Kai-shek's face relaxed: "Okay, I'll agree verbally first, with the personality of the leader as a guarantee, if they still insist on signing......"

Song Meiling said: "Then sign, anyway, leave Xi'an first." ”

……

Chiang Kai-shek finally relented, and although he still insisted on not signing, he verbally agreed to stop the civil war, unite against Japan, and reorganize the government to purge the pro-Japanese elements.

Zhang Xueliang breathed a sigh of relief, and rushed to the Northwest Appeasement Office to tell Yang Hucheng the good news, but Yang Hucheng's face was calm and joyless: "Han Qing, do you believe him?" ”

"At this moment, there is only believing." Zhang Xueliang said.

"And what do you mean?"

"Put an end to all this as soon as possible, and send Chiang Kai-shek back to Nanjing at once."

Yang Hucheng slapped the table and stood up, heartbroken: "Han Qing, you have been tricked, Jiang is sinister and cunning, and he has gone back on his word, how can you trust him, you must sign and draw a charge before you can release him." ”

Zhang Xueliang smiled: "Brother Hucheng, you are really smart, confused for a while, Chiang Kai-shek can regret if he doesn't sign, and he will regret it if he signs, this is only in his thoughts, forcing him to sign can only backfire, I would rather believe in his personality guarantee as a leader." ”

Yang Hucheng took out a piece of paper, which was densely signed with his name: "This is a joint letter from officers at or above the middle level of the Northwest Army, strongly demanding that Chiang Kai-shek and Han Qing be released after the incident is completely resolved." ”

Zhang Xueliang fell into confusion again, and subconsciously pinched a Fengtian silver number Xiaoyang in his pocket, when he killed Yang Yuting, he used this silver dollar to make the decision.