The delegates from Chengdu acted unusually that afternoon. They talked behind closed doors and not one of them took a nap.
However, all the delegates and staff under the level of commander and commissar from Kunming slept soundly.
Chengdu: the north drill ground.
The weather in May and June was pleasant. After thirty years of management, the military compound was a beautiful place. The grounds were carpeted with green grass and exquisite flowers bloomed outside the office building. However, the inhabitants of the compound themselves couldn't summon any energy. Over the past six months the news that the Chengdu Military Region would be abolished was repeated as assuredly as the news that the Kunming Military Region would be saved. Superficially, the officers in the military compound of Chengdu performed drills, ran, and worked as usual, yet felt that few of their tasks were constructive or advancing. Staff from the personnel department, as well as leaders from every level were busy talking with the officers and soldiers: what was their view on work prospects. Were they willing to either go to Kunming, to retrain, or to transfer to civilian work. This time, when attending the meeting in Beijing, the chief of the Personnel Department took with him a detailed plan, which made arrangements for everyone in the military compound.
The construction of a new, modern-style building in the grounds was suspended. This was especially affecting; it would have been a fine communication and intelligence center. But now the already well dug foundations had to be filled up and negotiations were in progress to cancel the order of two elevators from Shanghai. The money lost in these two endeavors would amount to several tens of thousands of yuan. Yet for what use would the unfilled foundations be, and what would the elevators be used for if they were not cancelled?
On the evening of June 3, the deputy commander and chief of staff received a call from the Jingxi Hotel. It was Commander Wang Hancheng, suspending both the filling of the communication center's foundations and the elevator order from Shanghai cancellation. However, others could not be told of the matter.
This was a mysterious order. What did the "temporary suspension" of these two projects mean? Although the commander had ordered that the news be "strictly confidential" , if he informed absolutely nobody else, the command could not be fulfilled.
The following day, the news spread through the north drill ground as fast as an electric current. Everyone reached the same conclusion: the situation had changed …
Coincidentally, firecrackers were being set off outside the wall of the compound that day to celebrate a wedding. It felt like the fire-crackers were also celebrating the good luck of those inside.
Kunming was one thousand kilometers from Chengdu and the two regions were separated by high mountains. They were only connected by one airline, one road, and one set of telephone lines. There were few official contacts between the two military regions, but many personal ones. The gossip from the north drill ground somehow reached Kunming and spread at the same speed across its military compound. The difference in Kunming was that most people didn't believe it. However, they all seemed nervous and looked questioningly at each other. Even if someone had been celebrating a wedding outside their wall, their mood was such that they would not have been able to hear the firecrackers.
Somebody called the Director of the Military Affairs Department, who was in Beijing attending some meetings: "Hello, is there any news?"
"I don't know."
"I mean, is there any change …"
"I don't know."
The director was keeping quiet; this attitude was an ill omen.
A special plane from Beijing landed in light drizzle at Kunming Airport on June 7. Zhang Zhixiu, Xie Zhenhua and the others who had taken part in the extended meeting of the Central Military Commssion had finally returned. Dozens of cars were already waiting at the airport, and the deputy commanders, deputy commissars and leaders of the three main departments were all present. Almost everyone in the compound had come to receive them. This had never happened before. What was their reason for coming? Was it because this was the final time that Zhang and Xie, acting as commander and the commissar respectively, would return from the meetings in Beijing? Was it in order to obtain any information that bit earlier? Was it because they wanted to console, or be consoled by, the returning delegates?
When Zhang Zhixiu and Xie Zhenhua exited through the cabin door they felt a little surprised. Xie Zhenhua looked at the motorcade and crowd as he walked, estimating their number … There was still one more step before he would be standing on Kunming soil, but he mistook this step for the ground itself, lost his footing and almost fell …
After that it was one handshake after another. Today, both those welcoming and those being welcomed were silent, betraying barely a hint of expression.
The fleet of cars sped in silence towards Kunming.
