Chapter 34: The Qin Family's Disappearance (Part 1) Flying Pig Web

  In mid-March 1927, the Northern Expeditionary Army marched towards Suzhou, Changzhou and Songjiang, forming a siege around Shanghai.

  No. 83 and No. 84, Shicang Road (now No. 69 and No. 70, Lane 69, Shanxin Road), a three-story stone gate house facing south to the north, was the location of the Shanghai District Committee.

  "Comrades, the current situation is very favorable to us. After research by our superiors, I, along with Shanghai District Committee responsible person Luo Yinan, Zhao Shiyan and Shanghai General Labor Union Chairman Wang Shouhua, three comrades, have formed a special committee to prepare for the launch of the third armed uprising of Shanghai workers." As soon as Zhou Enlai's words fell, the comrades sitting around him began to discuss with each other in whispers.

  "Everyone, quiet down!" Zhou Enlai took a sip of tea and continued in a calm tone: "The first two uprisings were unsuccessful because we were not well-prepared. Although we initially achieved success, we were suppressed by the enemy. This time, we must learn from our past experiences and make thorough plans. Comrade Wang Shouhua, I also need you to work hard on this. According to reliable information, Zhang Zongchang is planning to use the railway to transport troops into Shanghai. Please organize the railway workers to go on strike and cut off the enemy's reinforcements to Shanghai."

  "Alright! I'll take care of it after the meeting!" Wang Shouhua replied.

  Half an hour later, the meeting came to a close. In accordance with the spirit of the meeting, the attendees dispersed and began their work. At dusk, Lin Ao Feng appeared at the Shanghai District Committee. Zhou En Lai, who was busy, saw Lin Ao Feng suddenly appear and was taken aback, asking: "How did you get here?!"

  Mr. Zhou, Chiang Kai-shek is preparing to take action against us. This is the content of his speech in Lushan! In addition, Chiang Kai-shek met with a representative sent by Japanese Navy Minister Kōki Hirota, Shizuo Koizumi, who was Chiang's teacher at the Japanese military academy.

  "What?!" Zhou Enlai was taken aback, despite having mentally prepared himself. He took the letter and carefully read it under the lamp light. After finishing reading the contents of the letter, Zhou Enlai calmly said: "No wonder Chiang Kai-shek has been acting so strangely since he returned from Lushan, it turns out to be this matter." With a plan already in mind, Zhou Enlai hastily told Lin Ao-feng: "Lin Ao-feng, apart from me and Comrade Mao Zedong, only your father-in-law Qin Guozhong knows that you are a Communist Party member. For the sake of our party's future, from now on you will go into hiding and must not reveal your identity unless absolutely necessary."

  "I understand!" Lin Ao Feng hesitated for a moment, took out a Kangxi Tongbao coin from his pocket and broke it into two halves. He handed one half to Zhou Enlai and said: "If you send someone to find me, let him bring this half of the copper coin."

  Zhou Enlai nodded, took the half copper coin and shook hands with Lin Ao Feng, bidding each other farewell before seeing him off.

  On March 21, the Northern Expeditionary Army's First Division, led by Xue Yue, entered Longhua near Shanghai, while the Twenty-first Division, led by Yan Zhen, occupied Suzhou. The morale of the Shanghai garrison was shaken, and the revolutionary fervor among workers and civilians reached a high point. At noon on the same day, the Shanghai General Labor Union issued a general strike order, and 800,000 workers in the city went on strike and immediately turned to armed uprising. Chinese workers in the concessions also gathered in the Chinese district to participate in the uprising. The workers' pickets then launched fierce attacks on the reactionary military and police strongholds in seven districts: Nanshi, Hongkou, Pudong, Wusong, Xuhui, Yangpu, and Zhabei. Citizens also actively helped the pickets build barricades, transport ammunition, and deliver food. After thirty hours of bloody fighting, the workers' armed forces captured all enemy strongholds by 6:00 pm on the 22nd and occupied Shanghai.

  "Afeng, they succeeded!" Early in the morning, Qin Keqin came to the Lin family and pulled Lin Aofeng out of bed while he was still asleep. Lin Aofeng rubbed his eyes which were still a bit blurry and said: "Keqin, you came so early, isn't it just to tell me that the workers' uprising was successful?!"

  Qin Keqing smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed, nodding: "Yes! Isn't this something worth celebrating?!"

  Lin Ao Feng let out a breath and said: "Celebration is worth celebrating. But haven't you considered the things behind success?!"

  Qin Keqing slightly furrowed her brow and curiously asked: "What else is there?!"

  "I wasn't going to let you know, but since you asked, I don't have to hide it from you anymore!" Lin Ao Feng hesitated for a moment, got out of bed, walked to the desk, opened the drawer and took out a stack of letters from the hidden compartment. He returned to the bed, gestured for Qin Ke Qing to close the door, and said: "These are the letters that Teacher had someone bring to me over this period of time. You'll understand once you read them."

  Qin Keqing took the letter, stared at Lin Aofeng for a while, and finally her curiosity overcame her rationality. She slowly opened the letter and began to read it. At first, Qin Keqing didn't think much of it, but soon her face started to change from red to yellow, from yellow to green, and finally turned pale white. When she finished reading the last letter, Qin Keqing suddenly raised her head and looked at Lin Aofeng, saying: "Aofeng, what should we do next?!"

  "Uncle Zhou already knows, I think he must have made arrangements." Lin Aofeng hesitated for a moment, opened the wardrobe, put on his clothes and washed up briefly. He then took out a wooden box from the bedside cabinet and said: "Keqing, let's go! I'll send you home!" After that, Lin Aofeng put the letter in his pocket and pulled Qin Keqing out of the room.

  Because of the students' strike, Qin Guozhong was at home eating breakfast when he saw Lin Aofeng suddenly appear. He smiled and asked: "Aofeng, why did you come so early today? Have you had breakfast? If not, sit down quickly and have some with me."

  Lin Aofeng glanced at Qin Keqing who was following behind him. Qin Keqing gave Lin Aofeng a displeased look, walked to the dinner table and said: "Dad, hurry up and eat. I have something to tell you after we finish eating."

  "What's going on?! Can't you tell me now?!" Qin Guozhong furrowed his brow and put down the bowl in his hand. Qin Keqing also furrowed her brow, pouting as she said: "Dad, just eat first! We'll talk after you're done eating!"

  "Yes! Uncle, you go ahead and eat first! It's not too late to talk after finishing the meal!" Lin Ao Feng put the things on the table and pulled out a stool to sit down.

  "Ah-yo, Ah-feng is here?!" At this time, Qin Keqing's mother walked out from inside. Lin Aofeng hastily stood up and paid his respects, saying: "Auntie, hello!"

  "Sit down! You must not have had breakfast yet, coming so early! You sit for a while first, I'll go get you another bowl of small wontons!" As Qin Keqing's mother was about to head to the kitchen, she was pulled back by Lin Aofeng: "Auntie, no need to trouble yourself! I'm not hungry yet."

  Qin Keqing's mother heard Lin Aofeng's words, looked at her daughter with profound meaning and said: "Good! Wait until you're hungry to say a word, things are ready!"

  At this time, Qin Guo Zhong had also lost his appetite for dinner. After finishing the porridge in three or two mouthfuls, he put down his bowl and chopsticks and said: "Ke Qing, A Feng, you come with me to the study!"

  Qin Keqing, who was walking at the back, walked into the study and closed the door, saying: "Father, Chiang Kai-shek is going to take action against the Communist Party!"

  Qin Guo Zhong smiled and said: "I already knew that."

  "Dad! Aren't you worried?!" Qin Guozhong sat down with a smile and said, "What do I have to worry about? I'm a university teacher, would they dare to lay hands on me?"

  "Uncle, people's hearts are hard to measure!" Lin Ao Feng stared at Qin Guo Zhong and said: "Uncle, anyway my house is big, I think it would be better if your whole family moved into my place, that way we can take care of each other."

  Qin Guo Zhong thought for a moment and shook his head: "A Feng, I appreciate your kind intentions."

  "Father!" Qin Guozhong stretched out his hand to stop him, saying: "Keqing, let me finish speaking." After a moment of contemplation, Qin Guozhong continued: "A'feng, I chose this path of communism long ago, and I knew that one day it would come to this. If the nation's revival requires blood to awaken it, then let me contribute my share as well! Today, I entrust Keqing to you; I hope you will treat her well."

  "No!" Qin Keqing's face was streaming with tears as she shook her head and said, "Father, you're not going anywhere, I'm not leaving either! If we have to die, let's all die together as a family!"

  "Keqin!" Qin Guozhong's eyebrows immediately furrowed. Qin Keqin bit her lip and said, "Dad, you know my temper. Don't push me!"

  Qin GuoZhong sighed and said: "Alright! Everything is up to you!"

  Lin Ao Feng placed the wooden box on Qin Guo Zhong's desk, opened it and pushed it in front of him, saying: "Uncle, since you don't want to leave, and I can't always be by your side to protect you, keep this gun just in case."

  Qin Guozhong smiled and picked up the pistol from the wooden box, looked at it and said: "I hope I won't have to use it."

  On March 26, on the fifth day of the Shanghai workers' armed uprising, Chiang Kai-shek arrived in Shanghai.

  "General Chiang, I am a reporter for The New York Times. Will you take advantage of this uprising to recover the Shanghai concessions?"

  Chiang Kai-shek stopped in his tracks as he was about to get into the car waiting on the platform, turned around and smiled, saying: "I guarantee that I will not use force to change the status quo of the concessions. The concession issue will be resolved through diplomatic channels. In addition, I regret the Nanjing incident, and I will send someone to resolve the Nanjing incident as soon as possible, contact the illegal armed forces, and prevent the occurrence of using force and riots to recover the concessions."

  "General Chiang! General Chiang!" Chiang Kai-shek no longer paid attention to the reporter's entanglement, turned his head and got into the sedan.

  As the car started, Song Ziwen, the new national uncle-in-law sitting next to Chiang Kai-shek, said: "Zhongzheng, was it not a bit too early for you to make that statement just now?"

  Chiang Kai-shek smiled and shook his head, saying: "Although the Shanghai workers' pickets collected 5,000 guns. But compared to my Northern Expedition Army, they are simply a mob. Moreover, there are garrison troops of various countries in the concessions, and the British and Japanese fleets are at Wusongkou, ready to intervene at any time. Are you afraid that they will stir up trouble?"

  Chiang Kai-shek's remarks at the train station soon reached the ears of Zhou Enlai and others. Zhou Enlai slammed his hand on the table in anger, saying: "Comrade Chen Duxiu, didn't you always say that Chiang Kai-shek wouldn't burn his bridges after crossing the river?! Now his ambition is as clear as Sima Zhao's, don't you still see reality?!"

  "Comrade Zhou Enlai! Don't get agitated!" Chen Duxiu said nonchalantly, "Don't just listen to rumors and think it's true. Maybe his remarks are just meant to deceive the imperialist powers."