51 years ago today, on October 4, 1974 (August 19, 1974 in the lunar calendar), Mao Zedong proposed that Deng Xiaoping be appointed as the first vice premier of the State Council. On July 18, 1974, Mao Zedong arrived in Wuhan by special train and stayed at the Donghu Hotel of the Hubei Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of China. Through observation of Deng Xiaoping since his resumption of work, and careful thinking since he left Beijing for Wuhan, Mao Zedong finally made up his mind to push Deng Xiaoping to the front line of the leadership of the Party, government, and military of the Central Committee. After Mao Zedong left Beijing, the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee began to intensify preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress. In fact, this work began after the 10th National Congress of the Communist Party of China, and now it has entered a substantive stage. Focusing on the preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress, Zhou Enlai, Deng Xiaoping and the older generation of proletarian revolutionaries waged a resolute and uncompromising struggle against the Gang of Four headed by Jiang Qing. On October 4, Mao Zedong, who was in Wuhan, asked his confidential secretary to call Wang Hongwen, Vice Chairman who was presiding over the daily work of the Central Committee in Beijing, and told him: Mao Zedong proposed that Deng Xiaoping be appointed as the First Vice Premier of the State Council and preside over the daily work of the State Council. After receiving this call, Wang Hongwen was greatly surprised and greatly shocked. He did not immediately inform Zhou Enlai of Mao Zedong's instructions, but first told Jiang Qing, Zhang Chunqiao, and Yao Wenyuan of Mao Zedong's instructions that night. When Jiang Qing heard this, he said angrily: "This is not the chairman's opinion, it is the prime minister's idea." It turned out that Jiang Qing wanted to be a "backstage boss" in the preparations for the Fourth National People's Congress,"form a cabinet" according to her personal intentions, and place members of the "Gang of Four" in important leadership positions in the State Council. Mao Zedong proposed that Deng Xiaoping be appointed as the first vice premier of the State Council, which greatly exceeded Jiang Qing's group's expectations and completely broke Jiang Qing's long-standing plot. Seeing Deng Xiaoping return to work, seeing Deng Xiaoping's position getting higher and higher, seeing Deng Xiaoping's management becoming wider and wider, seeing Deng Xiaoping often meets with foreign dignitaries, and seeing Deng Xiaoping often sees Mao Zedong because he accompanied foreign guests, Jiang Qing Group has long hated and feared it. This time, Mao Zedong wanted Deng Xiaoping to serve as the first deputy premier to preside over the daily work of the State Council. Doesn't this mean that Deng Xiaoping can succeed Zhou Enlai in the future? For Jiangqing Group, Deng Xiaoping's appointment as the first vice premier of the State Council will be extremely unfavorable to them. However, the decision made by Mao Zedong himself could not be conveyed. Wang Hongwen delayed it for two days before reluctantly telling Mao Zedong's instructions to the Political Bureau of the CPC Central Committee and Zhou Enlai. Zhou Enlai was very happy after hearing Mao Zedong's decision. On October 6, he specially invited Deng Xiaoping to talk. Zhou Enlai hoped to entrust all his unfinished business to Deng Xiaoping. Comment: Lao Deng's life was also bumpy! Three ups and three downs.