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Scenes 141 to 146

Scene 141: Xi’an: in Zhang Xueliang’s residence

Song Ziwen comes in and says that he has to see Zhang Xueliang in an important matter. He shows him the protest letter written by the Northwestern and the Northeastern Army. All the generals of the two armies have signed it. Then Song leaves and Zhang goes upstairs to his wife. He asks her to prepare his luggage because he will accompany Jiang Jieshi to Nanjing personally. His wife is worried, but Zhang says that he has to do this in order to save Jiang’s reputation [and guarantee for the peaceful solution of this incident caused by him, which is now in danger]. Then Zhang sits down at his desk to write a letter.

Scene 142: Xi’an: in Yang Hucheng’s private residence “Zhi Yuan”

Zhang Xueliang has come to see Yang Hucheng. Yang is holding the letter Zhang has just written in his hands. It says that the Northeastern Army will be under Yang’s command during Zhang’s absence. Yang tires to persuade Zhang not to accompany Jiang to Nanjing because he does not trust Jiang. Zhang, though, thinks that Jiang will not harm him, but if he should not return, his army will be Yang’s. Yang still does not want to let Zhang go, and suggests to discuss the matter with Zhou Enlai first, but Zhang says that they do not have time for that and asks him to accompany him immediately to the airport.

Scene 143: Xi’an: Zhang Xueliang together with Jiang Jieshi are driving to the airport

Scene 144: Xi’an: in the New City Building, in Zhou Enlai’s room

The head of the guards comes in, accompanied by two soldiers. He tells Zhou Enlai that Zhang Xueliang is on the way to the airport already in order to return to Nanjing together with Jiang Jieshi. They rush off immediately.

Scene 145: Xi’an: Zhou Enlai is driving to the airport

Scene 146: Xi’an: the airport

Yang is watching while Zhang Xueliang, Jiang Jieshi and his entourage are getting on the plane. In the next moment Zhou Enlai and the others arrive, but they have come too late; the plane is taking off already.

The comment draws the “historical conclusion”, stating that the Xi’an incident ended peacefully and the Guomindang and the Communist Party fought against Japan together after the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937 in the Second United Front. The Xi’an incident thus was a great turning point which united the people in the war of resistance and this achievement of Zhang Xueliang and Yang Hucheng will never be forgotten.

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