He Long was a Marshal of long standing. He had once served as brigade commander of the Sichuan Local Garrison, in 1925 became Garrison Commander of Lizhou in Hunan, in 1926 commander of the Twentieth Army of the Northern Expedition, and in 1927 served as commander-in-chief of the Nanchang Uprising. Of the ten marshals, Mao addressed only Zhu De, He Long, and Peng Dehuai as “Lao Zong” (Old Chief). He Long was falsely accused by Lin Biao and Kang Sheng of plotting a “February military coup” to assassinate Mao. At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, he was isolated and placed under formal investigation. After severe mistreatment, he died of serious illness in 1969. After the Lin Biao incident in 1971, Mao said in 1973 that He’s case had been mishandled. In 1975, at the ceremony for the interment of He’s ashes, Zhou Enlai bowed seven times. In 1982, a central Party document fully rehabilitated him.

More than forty years after Mao’s death, whenever he thought of He Long’s unjust death, he felt deep guilt and wished to apologize in person. Arranged by the Jade Emperor, the two spirits unexpectedly met in the underworld.

Mao came straight to the point: “The Cultural Revolution wronged you. You had no real problem, yet you were isolated, formally investigated, and tormented to death. When you died, you were using an alias, and even your family could not see you. The responsibility lies with me. I have come today to apologize.”

He: “I was hot-tempered and could not endure injustice. Once isolated and tormented, my illness worsened, and I could not receive proper treatment. Even my strong constitution could not withstand it. Before long, I died.”

Mao: “At the beginning of the Cultural Revolution, Lin Biao said you were plotting a ‘February military coup’ against me. I did not quite believe it. I saw that Lin had grievances against you, so I told you to go speak with him, hoping to resolve matters.”

He: “I went to speak with Lin and sought his views. Lin said: ‘Your problem can be big or small; the key is whom you support and whom you oppose.’ Our words did not align, and there was nothing more to say.”

Mao: “Since you failed to reach agreement, and I had to rely on Lin, I had to listen to him at least halfway. He said you were Luo Ruiqing’s backing. Of course, the decision was mine. I told Zhou Enlai to isolate you, and from then on you were sent to Xishan. I did not expect you to die so quickly—even earlier than Liu Shaoqi. But at that time I no longer needed you. You may as well have gone to heaven early and rested.”

He: “You had long disliked me. At the Eleventh Plenum of the Eighth Central Committee, at the start of the Cultural Revolution, you asked whether I had spoken. I said no. You asked why I had not said anything. I replied, ‘Reporting to Chairman, I cannot raise it to the required political level.’ You must have been displeased, thinking I did not support the Cultural Revolution. I truly could not understand how so many counterrevolutionaries suddenly appeared.”

Mao: “To be frank, ever since 1964, when you and Zhou Enlai went to Moscow to attend the anniversary of the October Revolution, and the Soviet Defense Minister said in front of you, ‘Why not join hands to get rid of Mao Zedong?’ I became wary of you both, fearing collusion with foreign powers. I told Zhou I would no longer protect you. He dared not say a word in objection, lest he be implicated.”

He: “I was loyal to you. I rebuked that defense minister on the spot. But you always harbored suspicion. There was nothing I could do.”

Mao: “Your background was rooted in local warlord forces, formerly under Chiang Kai-shek’s army. Only after the Nanchang Uprising did you join the Communist side. For a long time, people had the impression of you as a bandit-bearded local warlord, unlike the direct lineage of my Central Red Army. That circumstance affected you greatly.”

He: “And my expressions of personal admiration for you were far less extravagant than Lin Biao’s high-pitched praise. That may have made you feel uncomfortable, even disrespect.”

Mao replied perfunctorily: “In short, you were not at fault. You were wronged.”

He: “I was persecuted to death and died unjustly. You say today you will reflect and repent. We shall see how you act. Let us await the just judgment of the Jade Emperor.”

With that, he vanished.

NEXT: 54. Jiang Qing (1914–1991)