Zhang Xueliang didn't take out the silver dollar in the end. He silently returned to the mansion, staring out the window at the depressed scenery, the winter in the northwest was not the same as his hometown, it seemed to be even more lonely, the snow had melted, the branches were bare, and everywhere was gray.

At this moment, he is in turmoil, he has no idea where to go, and what he has in front of him is a dead end, but if he does not launch a military admonition, it will be a pool of stagnant water, and the dead end can at least be forced through, and there will not even be a sound when the stagnant water is thrown in.

Suddenly, there was a noisy sound downstairs, and the sorghum stalks stomped upstairs: "Report, some brothers of the 57th Army and the 67th Army want to see the deputy seat. ”

Zhang Xueliang hurriedly went downstairs, and when he stood at the top of the stairs, he saw that the hall was full of officers of the Young Zhuang faction of the Northeast Army, all of them were fierce and tense.

"What are you doing here?" Zhang Xueliang was strong in spirit, condescending to scan everyone, since the Northeast Army entered the customs, his prestige as a young marshal has been worse day by day.

A major said, "Deputy seat, we are carrying our heads for you, why didn't we even get a signature in the end?" ”

"If you don't sign, you will resolutely not let Chiang Kai-shek go!" A group of young officers chimed in.

"You don't understand, this is called a gentleman's agreement, forcing Jiang to sign can only backfire." Zhang Xueliang patiently explained, but the officers didn't buy it at all, the Northeast man admitted to death, and all the big things were done, either he signed and painted the pledge and finished it, or he died vigorously in battle, how could there be a reason to admit defeat if he didn't know it.

They were tough, and Zhang Xueliang was also tough, but Yu Fengzhi came out to persuade them for a long time before persuading these officers to go back.

Zhang Xueliang was exhausted, fell on the sofa and closed his eyes, and a scene from his childhood suddenly appeared in his mind, his father rode a horse and galloped on the snowfield, under the fluffy dogskin hat was his father's young and resolute face.

Thinking of this, Zhang Xueliang suddenly felt extremely peaceful in his heart, he knew what to do, a good man does things well, and the mastermind of launching the war is himself, so let himself bear the consequences on his shoulders.

He hurriedly went upstairs into the study, wrote a short message, and handed it to his wife: "After I leave, give this to Yang Hucheng." ”

Yu Fengzhi asked in surprise: "What are you going to do?" ”

"I'll be fine." Zhang Xueliang answered the question, put on a military hat, neatly groomed, and went out to board the car: "Go to the Gao Mansion." ”

Chiang Kai-shek and the others were having lunch, and Zhang Xueliang came straight in and said, "Madam, chairman, Xueliang will send you back to Nanjing." ”

The sudden good news made everyone can't believe their ears, Song Meiling stood up and said, "Han Qing, you ......"

Zhang Xueliang smiled and said, "You eat, let's talk about it after eating." ”

Chiang Kai-shek wiped his mouth: "Eat well." ”

Song Ziwen also said: "Eat well, without further ado, let's go." ”

The two cars carried everyone straight to the airport, Chen Zikun's DC-3 had been filled up with fuel and parked on the runway, Zhang Xueliang personally sent Chiang Kai-shek and his wife to the plane, pulled up the gangway, and said to the adjutant below: "I will accompany the committee to Nanjing, you can go back by yourself." ”

Sorghum stalk was shocked: "Deputy seat, don't do it!" ”

Zhang Xueliang closed the door, the plane engine was already spinning, he turned around, calmly faced Chiang Kai-shek and Song Meiling, and found a seat and sat down.

……

Yu Fengzhi couldn't rest assured, and took Zhang Xueliang's letter to the Northwest Pacification Office, Yang Hucheng read the letter and shouted: "Han Qing is throwing himself into the net!" ”

Everyone was shocked, and Yang Hucheng said with a calm face: "Pick up the CCP delegation for me, quickly!" ”

Zhou Enlai was very shocked after receiving the call, and immediately drove to the airport, and after arriving, he saw Yang Hucheng looking at the sky and sighing, a plane hovering over the airport, presumably Zhang Xueliang was saying goodbye to everyone.

"I still haven't been able to keep Han Qing." Yang Hucheng said gloomily and sighed deeply, "He left a letter before leaving, handing over the command of the Northeast Army to me, and it seems that he doesn't plan to come back." ”

Zhou Enlai was silent for a long time, stunned, as soon as Chiang Kai-shek left, such as letting the tiger return to the mountain, Xi'an was in danger, northern Shaanxi was in danger, and it was in danger.

The plane disappeared into the vast sky, and Zhou Enlai finally sighed: "Han Qing, be ...... willful" Reluctantly boarded the car and left, the airport returned to calm, only the weeds swayed wildly in the wind.

In the cockpit of DC-3, Chen Zikun asked Zhang Xueliang, who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat: "Hanqing, have you thought it through?" It's too late to fly back now. ”

Zhang Xueliang said: "You told me the day before yesterday that there are only two endings if you don't sign, I thought about it, in fact, there is a third ending, this matter started because of me, let me end it alone, I don't sign it, I am afraid of losing face, I personally accompany him back to Nanjing, let him fall, give the face of the leader, even if I am cut Zhang Xueliang with a thousand knives, it doesn't matter." ”

Chen Zikun was silent for a long time before he said, "Han Qing, you are a hero. ”

Zhang Xueliang smiled self-deprecatingly: "Before 918, I was a gentleman, after 918, I was a non-resistance general, I really didn't dare to be the title of hero, I went to Nanjing to confess, all this has the possibility of a satisfactory solution, I stay in Xi'an, there may not be a good result, I take this road, it is completely forced." ”

In the cabin, Chiang Kai-shek and Soong Meiling sat together with their fingers clasped, and Song Ziwen looked at the porthole from time to time, lest an explorator chase after him.

Flying all the way to the sky over Luoyang, the fighters of the Central Army came to respond, Chiang Kai-shek was relieved, DC-3 landed at Luoyang Military Airport, refueled and overhauled, stayed overnight, during which Chiang Kai-shek and Nanjing telegraphs were in frequent contact, and the next morning, direct flight to Nanjing.

Finally arrived at the Nanjing Dajiaochang Airport, under the instruction of Chiang Kai-shek, foreign journalists, central officials, and social elites in Beijing all went to the airport to greet them, and a red carpet was rolled out on the runway.

The cabin door opened, and Chiang Kai-shek, dressed in military uniform, came out of it with a radiant face, smiling, and calm, and suddenly the magnesium lights lit up.

Chiang Kai-shek got off the plane, his steps were not as vigorous as usual, and he had an extra handbook in his hand, and when he jumped out of the window of Huaqing Chi Xingyuan to escape, he fell and injured his back, and he couldn't straighten his waist, but no one paid attention to this detail, and the civil and military officers lined up and shook hands with the chairman of the committee.

"Jingzhi, you've worked hard these days." Chiang Kai-shek shook hands with He Yingqin cordially, without any unpleasant look on his face, He Yingqin, who was a thief, breathed a sigh of relief, it seems that Lao Chiang does not intend to settle accounts with himself.

In the end, it turned out to be Zhang Xueliang, the culprit of the Xi'an incident, who immediately caused a sensation at the scene, and reporters surrounded him, Zhang Xueliang said that he was sent back to Beijing, and the specific details would be explained at the press conference.

……

Chen Zikun did not follow them to show off, but quietly left the airport by car and returned to his house in Nanjing, Liu Ting had been waiting for a long time, and when he saw him coming back, he stepped forward to take his coat and said: "The newspaper said in the morning that you were coming back, but I didn't expect it to be so soon." ”

"The news is quite well-informed, what is the reaction of all sectors of society when I learn that the chairman of the committee is out of danger?" Chan asked.

"Regardless of left and right, they seem to be relieved, and it seems that in the face of national righteousness, everyone's position is the same."

"It seems that Han Qing's choice is correct, and it will not be good for him to delay any further public opinion and military pressure."

"Even if Zhang Xueliang releases Chiang Kai-shek, he must bear the consequences he has caused, although our committee cannot be called a retribution, but he has never been soft on those who violate the dignity of the leader, such as Shi Liangcai......" Liu Ting sneered.

Chen Zikun slumped himself into the sofa, lit a cigarette, and said leisurely: "Han Qing came back with us." ”

Liu Ting was a little stunned, and then reacted: "This seems to be the best solution, sacrificing him alone, in exchange for the dignity of Chiang Kai-shek's leader and the safety of the Northeast Army, I didn't expect Zhang Xueliang to be such a responsible and courageous man." ”

Chen Zikun smiled bitterly: "Han Qing has been enough of being a turtle with a shrunken head, in addition to playing with women and smoking big cigarettes to ruin the ancestral industry in this life, what beautiful things has he done?" It's time for you guys. ”

Liu Ting said: "If it is not expected, the next few days will be very lively. ”

Chen Zikun said: "What kind of lively method? ”

Liu Ting smiled but said nothing.

A few days later, Chiang Kai-shek held a press conference, saying that Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng had been inspired by his great personality, that Pan Ran had repented and was heartbroken, that the Xi'an Incident had been satisfactorily resolved, and that the committee would not answer other questions such as whether to fulfill his promises, stop the civil war and unite to resist Japan.

At the same time, Mao Zedong, the leader of the Red Army in northern Shaanxi, issued a statement saying that Chiang Kai-shek was able to leave Xi'an safely, and the mediation of the first party played a great role, and urged Chiang Kai-shek to fulfill his promise.

The Northern Bureau of the Communist Party of China issued the "Declaration on the Peaceful Settlement of the Xi'an Incident", clarifying that the incident had nothing to do with the CCP and asking the people of the whole country to demand that the Nanjing authorities stop suppressing the CCP.

The Xi'an side sent a telegram urging Zhang Xueliang to return, but at this time Zhang Xueliang had already been taken to a military court, and after only two days of trial, he hastily sentenced "Zhang Xueliang conspired with the party, and commuted the sentence of 10 years in prison and 5 years of deprivation of public power for the atrocity and coercion of Shangguan." ”

As soon as the news came out, the northwest shook, and the officers and men of the Northeast Army were all inexplicably angry, and the young marshal sacrificed his life to go to Beijing, in exchange for such a result, Chiang Kai-shek was really unkind and unjust!

The Red Army in northern Shaanxi had already begun preparations for war.

Four days later, a dramatic scene appeared, the Nationalist Government issued a special amnesty order, Zhang Xueliang was extrajudicially forgiven, pardoned for ten years in prison, and handed over to the Military Commission for strict control.

Xi'an had hope again, looking forward to it, but did not look forward to Zhang Xueliang, but looked forward to the Central Army, the leaderless Northeast Army had no ability to resist, and when it was dying, Nanjing issued a telegram order: Abolish the Northwest Bandit Suppression Headquarters.

It was January 5, 1937, when the Nanking government and Chiang Kai-shek finally took the first step towards ending the civil war.

Chen Zikun and Song Ziwen went to visit Zhang Xueliang and showed him the newspaper, Song Ziwen patted him on the shoulder and said: "Han Qing, you are the one who turns the tide, you are a great hero, I will accompany you back to Xi'an in two days." ”

"Count me in, I'll fly you back." Chen Zikun said with a smile.