In 1940, a young and beautiful female lieutenant from the Kuomintang (KMT) made her way into a New Fourth Army camp on a dark night. After being captured by the soldiers, she calmly stated, Fourth Army's commander, Ye Fei. of what to make of her claim, feeling half-belief and uncertainty.[1]Who was this female lieutenant from the Kuomintang? Why did she need to meet the commander of our army? What did she say to him? Would he believe her? The beautiful heroine, this female lieutenant, was Zheng Shaoyi, originally named Li Zhenfang. She was born in 1920 in Yangzhou, Jiangsu, a typical Southern girl. However, she was not like most other girls from the south. She had an unusual passion for martial arts and weaponry from a young age.[2]Li Zhenfang was clever and hardworking. Local martial arts masters, impressed by her intelligence and unique physique, took her as their apprentice. At a time when the society was turbulent and unstable, Li Zhenfang, with her righteous heart, became increasingly dissatisfied with the corrupt society around her and decided to join the anti-Japanese resistance.[3]She actively organized and participated in various revolutionary activities and demonstrations. As she got more involved in the revolution, Li Zhenfang became more determined to change the oppressive society and save the suffering masses. In her quest to save the nation, she decided to travel to Yan'an to join the revolution. However, before she could prepare, the Japanese forces invaded her hometown, and the Japanese and puppet forces blocked all routes. Left with no choice, Li Zhenfang had to stay in her hometown.[4]Despite staying behind, Li Zhenfang did not give up. She continued to participate in patriotic movements, but soon her activities caught the attention of the Japanese. Unable to capture her with direct evidence, the Japanese detained her father on fabricated charges. In prison, Li Zhenfangs father met the underground Communist Party member, Xia Lan. Xia Lan often took care of him, and during their conversations, Li Zhenfang's father gradually understood the revolutionary ideas, realizing that to help his daughter join the underground Communist Party, and Xia Lan agreed. In 1939, after being rescued by the Party, Xia Lan remembered what Li Zhenfangs father had said and began looking for her. He eventually found Li Zhenfang and introduced her to the Communist Party. [5]Li Zhenfang was quick to learn and after undergoing a period of systematic training, she became an excellent agent. At the time, the situation in northern Jiangsu was complicated. Han Deqin, a KMT official, had become the governor of Jiangsu Province. He and Chiang Kai-shek shared the same view: they saw the Communist Party as their primary enemy. In pursuit of personal interests, they sought ways to eliminate the Communists despite the dire national crisis.[6]However, Li Mingyang, one of Han Deqin's subordinates, advocated for the war against Japan. He led troops to fight the Japanese, becoming the chief commander of guerrilla forces in the border areas of Su, Lu, and Anhui. Meanwhile, internal conflicts within the KMT grew more intense, with factions undermining each other. To quickly gather intelligence, the central government decided to send Li Zhenfang, under the alias and report any anti-Communist actions.[7]Li Zhenfang entered the army and diligently carried out her mission. Through her efforts, she gradually rose to become a political officer in the command headquarters and earned the rank of lieutenant. In 1939, Ye Fei led the New Fourth Army into northern Jiangsu. From the moment he arrived, he became a prime target of Han Deqin. Whenever there was any news of his whereabouts, Han would seek to eliminate Ye Fei.[8]The Japanese, aware of the KMTs intentions, worked to incite infighting between the KMT and the Communist Party. In 1940, the Japanese launched a surprise attack on the New Fourth Army's position at Wujiaqiao in Jiangdu. Ye Fei's troops bravely resisted the attack, and after a day and night of intense fighting, they retreated to Guocun to regroup. Han Deqin saw this as the perfect opportunity to eliminate the New Fourth Army and immediately contacted Li Mingyang and others, ordering them to launch a joint assault on Ye Fei's forces.[9]Under pressure from their superiors, Li Mingyang's forces, stationed close to Guocun, began their attack. Ye Fei, still recovering from the recent battle, was not yet fully rested. But the New Fourth Army, known for its courage and resilience, was able to manage the situation. When Han Deqin heard that Li Mingyang's forces were struggling to make progress, he quickly ordered reinforcements.[10]At first, Li Zhenfang was unaware of these plans. One day, she saw Li Mingyang gather a group of people for a meeting. Shortly after, several trucks began coming and going. Li Zhenfang, known for her gentle demeanor and amiable personality, approached one of the officers and asked what was going on. He casually explained, soon, the commander wants us to prepare supplies.henfangs heart sank as she realized that they werent preparing for a battle against the Japanese, but rather, against the New Fourth Army. She quickly said goodbye and left, rushing back to the camp to gather more information. Once back, she noticed everyone seemed unusually happy. Curious, she asked a young soldier, Why is everyone so cheerful today? The soldier, shy at the sight of a beautiful woman, answered, Its payday, you should go collect your pay too.[11]Li Zhenfang thought, paying early to ensure they fight for their lives. high-ranking officers to figure out the specifics of Li Mingyangs plan.[12]After piecing together information about the attacktiming, troop deployment, and routesLi Zhenfang realized that Li Mingyang would announce the attack within 12 hours. She rushed to find her contact, but he was out on a mission. Li Zhenfang knew that if she didnt deliver the intelligence quickly, her disappearance might be noticed and she could be pursued and killed. But if she didn't act, the New Fourth Army might be wiped out.[13]In the middle of the night, Li Zhenfang decided to sneak out. She told her assistant that she was going to buy some personal items and left him behind. She changed clothes at a tailors shop and set off, avoiding KMT sentries by taking a rugged path. She crossed thorny roads and streams, eventually reaching the riverbank near Pengjiazhuang, just across from Guocun.[14]Though she was afraid of water, Li Zhenfang pressed on. It took her a long time, but she finally managed to cross the river, exhausted. Her shoes were ruined, and she had to walk barefoot. The night was dark, and sharp branches and stones cut her feet, but she kept going, determined to deliver the message. After what felt like an eternity, she finally saw lights in the distance.[15]The sentry spotted her and, before he could speak, Li Zhenfang said, , immediately pointed his gun at her and sent someone to summon Ye Fei.[16]When Ye Fei arrived, he found a beautiful young woman, drenched and with bloodstained feet. Li Zhenfang revealed her identity as a Communist underground member and shared all of Li Mingyangs plans with him. Just as Ye Fei was about to speak, she collapsed from exhaustion. Alarmed, Ye Fei called for a doctor and convened an urgent meeting. There were doubts about whether they should trust her, but after careful consideration, Ye Fei decided to prepare the troops, just in case.[17]At dawn, Li Mingyang's forces secretly reached Guocun, but the New Fourth Army was ready. They caught the KMT forces off guard and decisively defeated them, thwarting Han Deqin's plan. Sadly, Li Zhenfang, the key person behind the success, remained unconscious and didnt wake up until after the battle was won.[18]To protect her, the organization gave Li Zhenfang the new name Zheng Shaoyi, and she continued to serve in a civilian role with the New Fourth Army. After the founding of New China, Zheng Shaoyi worked in the political and legal system in Zhejiang, rising to the position of Deputy Director of the Judicial Bureau. She lived a quiet life, marrying and raising children, never once mentioning her past revolutionary work.[19]Years later, Ye Fei, while on a business trip to Zhejiang, visited Zheng Shaoyi. In front of her children, he reminisced, deliver the message that night, the New Fourth Army in Guocun would have been in danger... had never spoken of it. She always taught them to cherish the hard-earned peace they enjoyed.[20]In 2002, Zheng Shaoyi passed away in a hospital. Her last words were, coward...
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