He embarked on the Long March as the Acting Minister of the Provincial Committee of CPC Shaanxi-Gansu Region.

Having ascended to key leadership position within the Fourth Army, he went on to participate in the Huangyang Boundary Battle in 1928.

During the campaign, Hong Yongsheng and him flanked and surrounded the Nationalist army group led by Liao Yaoxiang.

[10] Following the capture of Guangzhou on 14 October, Lai was appointed the Guangdong military region's first deputy political commissar.

[11] In December 1949, Lai and Deng Hua were tasked to head the Landing Operation on Hainan Island.

Xue Yue had no choice but to retreat to Taiwan, and the People's Liberation Army took control of the whole Hainan Peninsula.

[13] In September 1950, Lai was made the deputy minister of the Central Military Commission's political cadre department, responsible for the 1955 PLA rank evaluation process.