Chairman Mao received him, the Chen family was very excited, and helped Chen Zikun prepare clothes overnight, some said to wear military uniforms, some said to wear Mao suits, and some suggested wearing suits, and finally according to Lin Wenjing's proposal, they picked a light gray Zhongshan suit that matched the season, ironed it straight overnight, and polished their leather shoes shiny.

This night, Chen Zikun tossed and turned, and fell asleep very late.

Early the next morning, the General Office of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China sent a car to pick up people at the Beijing Hotel, Chen Zikun had an early meal and was ready, and a director surnamed Ye came forward to shake hands with him cordially, and after a brief greeting, he boarded the car and went to Zhongnanhai.

Beijing Hotel is not far from Zhongnanhai, there are few vehicles on Chang'an Street, and it is not uncommon for Chen Zikun to this historic royal garden, which used to be called Xinhua Palace, which is the presidential palace of the Beiyang government, and he has seen Li Yuanhong and Cao Kun two presidents here.

Director Ye didn't know Chen Zikun's experience, and he introduced with great interest: "Zhongnanhai was originally the garden of the Qing Dynasty emperor, and later it was occupied by the thief Yuan Shikai and became the palace......

Chan nodded and smiled from time to time, and the car entered the gate, greeted by a pool of clear water, and the car turned and drove towards Huai Yan Tong, where the chairman will receive Chan.

The reception is not restrained at all, just like the reunion of old friends, Chairman Mao talked and laughed, witty words, pointed to Chen Zikun and said to Zhou En: "Enlai, I was the administrator of the library of Peking University back then, he was the coachman of Mr. Li Dazhao, don't we sit here now to discuss the country, the prince will have a kind of Xiangning, the wise saying." ”

Zhou Enlai said with a smile: "What the chairman said is that General Chen and I have been old friends for many years, in the early twenties, when Xiaoping and I were studying in Paris, we also met, ate bread and drank coffee together, and now I think about it like yesterday." ”

Chairman Mao said: "General Chen is an old friend of our *** people, during the Xi'an Incident and the Anti-Japanese War, you have selflessly helped us, we have this sentiment in mind, and you can mention any requirements." ”

Chen Zikun said: "I am getting older, my energy is getting weaker and weaker, I am afraid that it will be difficult to be competent for the military and political affairs of Jiangdong, and I also ask the central government to reduce my burden and let me retire." ”

Chairman Mao and Zhou Enlai looked at each other and laughed.

Zhou Enlai said: "General Chen, your request makes us very embarrassed, it is the critical time to be revived, how can you pick a child, you are most familiar with the situation in Jiangdong, you don't take the responsibility, let us go where to find the right candidate, other requirements are easy to say, this request is difficult to obey." ”

Chairman Mao also said: "You are an all-rounder, you have grasped the financial and economic construction of the military and the government, and you have governed Jiangdong very well over the years. ”

Chen Zikun felt embarrassed, and said that he had the heart of a villain, and he thought that he wanted to collect power, but he didn't know that people not only didn't accept it, but also greatly delegated power.

After chatting a few more words, Chairman Mao saw that the sky was bright outside, and proposed to go boating in the lake, and the general office quickly prepared a small boat, Chen Zikun wanted to paddle, but was robbed by Zhou Enlai, Chairman Mao sat at the other end and took the oar, Chen Zikun could only sit in the middle of the boat with his bare hands.

Zhongnanhai is the former Taiye Pool, boating in the Taiye Pool, rowing is equivalent to the previous emperor and prime minister, Rao is Chen Zikun This kind of arrogant character can not help but be impressed by the mind of the *** people.

The sun was shining in the sky, the green trees on the shore were shady, the lake was sparkling, the air was extremely fresh, and the mood was also very good. ”

Zhou Enlai said: "It's not completely determined, there are many legends in the outside world, some people say that Double Ten is appropriate, some people say that next year's New Year's Day is appropriate, the beginning of the second half century." ”

Chairman Mao said: "I don't think it's necessary, there is no need to be bound by common sense, as long as the weather is good, any day, when we fight the world, we never look at the yellow calendar." ”

Zhou Enlai said: "So the Central Committee tentatively set October 1, what is General Chen's opinion?" ”

Chen Zikun said: "Okay, this day is very good. ”

Zhou Enlai said: "It depends on the weather conditions of the day, there is another important problem, the Kuomintang spies have left a lot of them in Beiping, and the activities are rampant. ”

Chen Zikun said: "This is a big problem, the Kuomintang Air Force has the strength to rush thousands of miles to Beiping, take off from Taiwan in the early morning, do not take the mainland airspace, take the Yellow Sea, can arrive in Beiping in the morning, and fly back to Taiwan after the bombing, without any delay. ”

"Oh, how?"

"After all, the Kuomintang does not have B29 bombers, only some light bombers, and the quality of the pilots is not high, night flights are very problematic, if they bomb in the afternoon, it will be difficult for them to fly back, I think with the courage of Jiang someone, at the cost of losing a squadron of bombers, I am afraid that it will not be possible."

Chairman Mao pondered for a moment and said, "Is it possible for the Kuomintang to use the US military airfield in southern Korea?" ”

Zhou Enlai said: "This is a problem, General Chen, you have a lot of dealings with the Americans, you can help us analyze it." ”

Chen Zikun groaned slightly, and said: "Judging from the character of the Americans, they are willing to gamble and lose, they lost to Chinese mainland, and the next step is to consider how to win us over, instead of playing tricks at the founding ceremony and not making tricks that cannot enter the stream, so it is unlikely that the Americans will agree to borrow the base in South Korea, but it is not impossible." ”

Chairman Mao said: "This must be deployed as soon as possible, General Chen, you have been the director of the Aviation Commission of the Republic of China, and you are very familiar with them, it is better for you to preside over the air defense affairs of the founding ceremony, our People's Liberation Army Air Force is in preparation, the central government intends to let Liu Yalou be the commander, I will ask Liu Yalou to discuss with you when I go back, and listen to your opinions and views." ”

Chen Zikun said: "It is incumbent. ”

At noon, Chairman Mao set up a banquet to entertain Chen Zikun, saying that it was a banquet, but in fact, it was a home-cooked meal, braised pork and red peppers, green vegetables and rice, and home-style wine.

……

General Liu Yalou was born at the Frunze Military Academy of the Soviet Union, with shiny leather shoes and a straight military uniform, with the foreign atmosphere of a Russian soldier, and he briefed Chen Zikun on the current situation of the Air Force, the lack of personnel, technology, and aircraft.

"We even have to participate in the founding ceremony of the country with planes on combat readiness, there are too few fighters, and even fewer excellent fighter pilots, to be honest, if the enemy comes to attack the air that day, I really have no recruitment." Liu Yalou is a cheerful person, he has nothing to hide, and he has told all the difficulties.

Chen Zikun said: "To be honest, I don't have any good way, but I still have personal strength, although I am old, but the piloting skills are no less than those young people, if Commander Liu is relieved, give me a fighter with a full load, I will defend the air safety of the founding ceremony." ”

Liu Yalou said: "We all know that General Chen is an ace pilot, but ...... Forget it, I believe you, let's go to the airport, you pick a plane. ”

A platoon of fighters, trainers, and reconnaissance planes stopped on the runway, and when the pilots saw that the chief was coming, they surrounded them, and among them were PLA pilots who had been taught by Japanese instructors from the Northeast Aviation School, and there were also Kuomintang Air Force insurrectionists, most of whom had heard of Chen Zikun's name.

Liu Yalou arranged for an American-made P51 Mustang fighter with the best performance and condition for Chen Zikun to practice, and at the same time arranged for two pilots to fly with him.

Chen Zikun touched the Mustang fighter jet, mixed feelings, his son flew this kind of fighter, and he had piloted it many times, perhaps on the day of the founding ceremony, the Kuomintang Air Force attacked the queue, there was his own son.

"General Chen, try it." Liu Yalou personally handed over the leather flight cap.

Chen Zikun took the lead, put on a flight cap, climbed into the cockpit in a tunic suit, raised his thumb to make a gesture that he could take off, and the ground crew pulled the propeller, and after a puff of green smoke, the fighter plane flew into the sky.

Liu Yalou said to the other two pilots: "You try his skills and lock him." ”

The two fighters followed suit and swooped down on Chan's plane from behind.

For pilots, the most important thing is the number of flight hours, and these young pilots are Chen Zikun's grandchildren, and even his fraction is not enough, so it is naturally difficult to parry, and he is in a hurry.

Half an hour later, three planes landed one after another, and the two young men were disgraced and quietly told Liu Yalou that Chen Zikun's technology should be the best in China, and there was no one.

Liu Yalou clapped: "When the time comes, let Lao Chen press the formation for us, and no one will be afraid." ”

At the pilot's meal at the airport for dinner, everyone gathered together happily, and Liu Yalou took advantage of the strength of the wine to hire Chen Zikun as the chief adviser of the Air Force, and Chen Zikun readily agreed.

When I came back from Nanyuan Airport, it was already half past seven in the evening, Chen Zikun entered the room, and Yao Yilei said: "It's really unfortunate, your friend just left, and I waited for you for a whole day." ”

"Which friend?"

"Li Junqing, I almost can't recognize him, he is old, his face is not old, and those who don't know think he is Mei Lanfang's peer."

Chen Zikun sighed and didn't ask anything more.

Yao Yilei said again: "Tomorrow, Sister Xiaoqing will go back to her hometown to worship her ancestors and visit relatives, will you go?" ”

Chen Zikun said: "The CPPCC is going to have a meeting, so I won't go, and you can accompany Xiaoqing back to his hometown in Cangzhou." ”