Xu returned to his hometown, and the central government approved it for two months and mobilized 43 jeeps to accompany him. Unfortunately, it didn't.

"Ask me where my home is, the locust tree in Hongdong, Shanxi." This is the birthplace of Chinese civilization and the common "root" of all Chinese sons and daughters. China's traditional culture pays attention to "returning to nature". Therefore, no matter how far a person goes or how big an official he is, homesickness is always an unspeakable feeling lingering in his heart.

Like others, General Xu has a particularly deep affection for his hometown Dabie Mountain. During the 35 years from 1950 to 1985, he proposed to go home four times, but he went there three times and had a miscarriage.

1952, General Xu, then commander of Shandong Military Region, returned to his hometown to visit relatives for the first time. At that time, there was no car on the road about 30 kilometers to Xujiawa. After Xu and his party arrived in Xinxian by bus, they had to change trains.

Riding a horse is no stranger to Xu. He was the commander of the Red Army cavalry during the 25,000-mile Long March, and riding a horse was only his strength and old job. So he beat the horse and whipped it for more than four hours. When he slowly walked down the hillside, Xujiawa was already in sight. When he looked up, he saw an old lady building an arbor at the head of the village, watching the tourists from a distance.

This old lady is none other than Xu's mother. She is in rags, and her gray hair is swaying on her wrinkled forehead. Although wearing a pair of worn cotton shoes on her feet, she has no socks, revealing the instep that has been wrinkled due to bandaging deformation, and carrying a bundle of firewood on her back.

Facing the poor old man, General Xu seems familiar, but he dare not admit it. But the old lady has a keen eye. First, she asked, "Do you have Deva?" The mother in her seventies recognized her son first.

"Mom, mom!" Then, with a splash, Xu knelt at his mother's feet and kowtowed three times. Soon, he got up again and his hands were busy unloading the bundle of firewood from the old man's shoulder. Then knelt down, mother and son crying.

Xu's actions shocked his followers, as well as the village cadres and villagers who heard the news, leaving them at a loss.

In the face of hometown fathers, Xu spirit not dozen 1 come, shout at top of voice:

"How did your ancestors become? A 70-year-old lady asked her to go up the mountain to cut wood? No matter whose mother she is, she can't be like this at such a big age! "

This time, Xu lived in his hometown for only three days and then returned to Jinan.

1in the winter of 957, Xu and his party 10 left Nanjing to visit relatives in three jeeps. Xu, the secretary and the guard walked in the front in the first car, and other entourage followed closely in the other two cars.

Xu was particularly happy when he entered Dabie Mountain, and introduced to his entourage how he fought local tyrants and guerrilla warfare in the mountains, risking his life. Car to Macheng Futian River area, Xu particularly excited, he said to the secretary:

"Not far ahead is my hometown. I didn't tell anyone in advance. At home, my mother doesn't know I'm back. Today, I want to give her a surprise. "

Car to Futian River, because the road ahead is closed, he had to ask three drivers and cars to stay and lead his entourage to Xujiawa on foot. After two days' trekking, when the sun went down in the afternoon, Xu and his party stepped into Xujiawa, which had been away for five years, and came to their home.

As soon as she entered the door, Xu recognized her mother, wearing a homespun gown and feeding a little pig. Although she is thin, she is still healthy. Xu Youshi gently let out a cry:

"mom! Youde is back to see you! " The sudden return of her son made Xu's mother pleasantly surprised and caught off guard.

Although Xu stayed home for only two days and three nights, he didn't go out one step and stayed with his mother from beginning to end. However, this parting is actually a farewell between Xu and his mother.

Compared with General Xu, young people nowadays go around visiting relatives and friends, partying and spending little time with their parents under the banner of going home to visit relatives. Should they calm down and ask themselves the "original intention" of visiting relatives?

Xu's third trip home was 1959, a natural disaster that never happened in three years. At this time, Xu Mu had passed away.

By the time his mother died, Xu You had been informed of his death. Due to the tense relationship between China and the Soviet Union at that time, the Taiwan Province provincial authorities clamored for a counterattack against the mainland, and he was tied up by military affairs and could not go home. This time, as soon as he entered Xujiawa, he came to his mother's grave for the first time under the guidance of an old villager. He can't afford to kneel, and his eyes are full of tears. He sobbed and said, "Mother, Deva was unfilial and didn't die for your old age. Today she came home to apologize to you! "

Then, he took off his military uniform, asked the villagers to bring a shoulder pole, dustpan and shovel, and personally laid stones and added soil to his mother's grave. With the help of his entourage, he worked for more than two hours. After burying the grave, he reluctantly left.

When he came home this time, when he learned that many people in his hometown starved to death, he borrowed 1000 yuan from Sun Fengyi, the head of the management department of the accompanying headquarters, and distributed it to the villagers face to face. Adult 20 yuan and children 10 yuan ask them to go out and buy something to eat.

The whole village is sallow and emaciated, and Xu feels very uncomfortable. After making money, he sent his secretary to town to buy a pig at a high price. After the slaughter, he cooked two large pots of meat in front of his house, so that all the men, women and children in the village could have a happy New Year.

1In August, 983, 78-year-old General Xu knew that his life was short. This time he will go back to Xujiawa in a special way to have another look. So, he specially asked the Central Military Commission for two months' leave and asked the Nanjing Military Region for 43 jeeps.

Before liberation, a part of Xinxian County belonged to Huang An County, Hubei Province. In the famous jute uprising and long-term revolutionary struggle, * * * took 43 generals out of Xinxian County. Some people are dead, others are still alive. This time, on behalf of 43 generals in Xinxian County, he asked to drive 43 jeeps back to Dabie Mountain to visit relatives.

The 43 founding generals from Xinxian County are: 1: Xu. Four Founding Generals: Zheng Weishan, Wu Xianen, Zhang Chiming and Fan Chaoli. 38 Founding Major Generals: Li Desheng, Wang, Ye Jianmin, Ye Daoyou, Zhu Huohua, Fu Tingxiu, Wu Shi 'an, Yu Shusheng, Xiao Yongzheng, Xiao Yongyin, Xiao Zhixian, Xiao Deming, Zhang, Zhang Baichun, Zhang Zongsheng, Tian Yang, Yang Mingshan, Chen Bo and Fan Chaofu.

It's also a beautiful day. When Xu asked for leave, Wan Li was clear and Wan Li was cloudless. Unexpectedly, just after the car was assembled, it was about to hit the road. Suddenly, it rained heavily, which lasted for more than 10 days. Helpless, he had to cancel the leave of absence from the Central Military Commission.

Who knows that the holiday in the morning was cancelled and the sky suddenly cleared up in the afternoon. At this point, Xu Youshi can't help but sigh:

"God won't let me go back, so I'll never go back."

General Xu's fourth trip home failed.