Jiang Zemin as general secretary at the beginning that

Jiang received the Secretariat of the emergency notice, asking him to immediately rushed to Beijing. When he rushed to the airport, they found waiting for him was a plane, but the airport in Beijing Nanyuan his car is an ordinary Volkswagen Santana. Until that time, Deng Xiaoping, Jiang was told in the Western Hills house to see him.

When Deng put forward by him as general secretary, Jiang greatly surprised. He expressed his thanks to Deng and party loyalty, that he would do his party to do everything. "I am worried," Jiang said, "I can not afford to give the party a great mission."

Jiang Zemin on the appointment feeling very complex. He is ambitious, but not ambitious. He was happy in Shanghai. At that time, he explained to Deng, he was not in work experience is a central defect, with work that has been central for decades especially when dealing with colleagues. Tang replied: "We all support you and we will help you overcome any difficulties, you do not have to worry about." Night, with the river by a plane back to Shanghai.

When Jiang told the news, Wang Yeping, she was not excited. She and her husband separated after 20 years spent in Shanghai for four years with a happy life will end. She does not have any political and social ambitions, to become China's most compelling women she did not appeal. Wang is a humble researcher, she hopes to stay in his beloved hometown. Moreover, her physical condition has been in decline, the new responsibilities very worried.

Jiang's family, the river heard the news that their rise in relief. From late May, they noted that river no longer appeared in public, afraid that the worst thing to happen. "Party secretary of Shanghai, the disappearance of so long is rare," Jiang Zemin's sister Zehui recalls, "especially in a student protest and political disputes of the time we do not know what happened." When the worried relatives called, Wang Yeping can only say "we without incident," and mysteriously added, "no bad thing." June 24, the message announced, Jiang's family members and Western scholars as a loss.

"If the third brother, as he himself said, was not prepared," said Jiang Zehui, "We do not even prepared! Really let us surprise and my first reaction is to have the burden of history rests on his shoulder on. "

"We did not feel extremely happy," she confided, "We certainly did not celebrate his appointment is not worth celebrating, which is in the 'June', shortly after, the state will not know what direction this is segment very difficult period. "

Jiang Ze-Hui Jiang and his wife have been in touch. Jiang's wife looks resigned rather than based on a cheerful attitude towards fate. "She is very worried that her husband and their future," said Jiang Zehui, "She did not say she was worried, she did not complain, but I know she has for so long, I can feel it."

The news of other family members are also a burden. At that time, Jiang's eldest son, 37-year-old Mianheng, is Philadelphia's Drexel University Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate student. In the "June 4th" incident before this time, Mianheng has focused on learning, away from campus rally. In the "June 4th", he almost completely reclusive. He does not know his father in China, what happened, but he knew his father-son relationship with Jiang Zemin at Drexel University has been well known, especially for those Chinese students. They stopped him and scare him face to face, or give him a hostile phone. Mianheng know his father in Beijing, but do not know why. Telephone contact with his family, usually is very limited (because the line was limited and expensive), then was cut off for several weeks. Perhaps Mianheng also suspect (as he later told a friend) his father may be enhanced, perhaps as the Politburo Standing Committee, or even the prime minister. However, the volatile political situation, anything can happen.

June 24, Mianheng Dean Bruce Eisenstein received an urgent message, so that my soon to his office. "You heard a Beijing news? Your father is the newly appointed Communist Party General Secretary and I have two things to tell you," said Professor Eisenstein, "First, the FBI and local police have been contacted and we They are willing to protect you 24 hours, we do not need them --- we will protect you. Secondly, we will continue to treat you as an ordinary student. "

"This is everything I need." Mianheng said. His attitude, "has won the respect of all my colleagues." On his return to his narrow apartment when the phone has rang. A reporter from the Associated Press wanted to know Mianheng appointment of his father, his father's policy and "Tiananmen incident" response. Mianheng surprise, made a famous wit replied: "My father is my father, I am me." He politely refused another interview. As he explained to a reporter: "I do not want the public before known." When the other party to his strong views, he added: "I really do not want to talk about myself, my father and my family, so I hope You can understand my situation. "Even worse, some students Mianheng continue to look for him. They are mainly for the "June 4th" incident angered the Chinese students. He received unpleasant letters.

From "He changed the Chinese --- Jiang Chuan," [U.S.] Robert Lawrence Schoonhoven book, Shanghai Translation Publishing House, to talk about Zheng translated.