We read all the lead to present a different history.
As we all know, Chinese has always paid attention to gratitude, and there is also a saying that "the grace of dripping water should be repaid by the spring". For example, the famous general of the early Han Dynasty, Han Xin, who has the reputation of "soldier immortal", was praised by the world for a thousand years because of his righteous deed of "giving a thousand gold to a drifting mother". In fact, not only did the ancients have such a benevolent heart, but there are also many role models among modern figures, such as Zhang Zuolin, the leader of the Fengzhi warlords, who is actually a person who knows how to be grateful.
▲Shenyang Zhang Shuai Mansion
Zhang Zuolin was born in the first year of Guangxu (1875 AD) in Xiaowatun, West Xiaowatun, Majiafang Village, Haicheng County, Fengtian Province (present-day Haicheng, Liaoning Province), and his father Zhang Youcai did some small business in the county seat, barely able to maintain his family's livelihood. In the fourteenth year of Guangxu (1888 AD), the 13-year-old Zhang Zuolin was sent to a private school by his father to study under Yang Jingzhen. Unexpectedly, Zhang Zuolin had only been studying for three months, and his father, Zhang Youcai, was beaten to death for arguing with gamblers. Upon learning of his father's tragic death, Zhang Zuolin immediately escaped from the school, and together with his second brother Zhang Zuofu, he found a gambler who wanted to avenge his father, but accidentally shot and fired during the dispute between the two sides. After the Zhang brothers beat people to death, the second brother Zhang Zuofu took the initiative to take all the charges, and then went to prison, and Zhang Zuolin, who was afraid of revenge, rushed to Zhen'an County (that is, Heishan County) overnight to seek the protection of his grandfather, along with his mother Wang Andi and his sister.
▲ Zhang Zuolin's old photos in his youth
However, the Wang family is not a big family, there is no way to support the Zhang family brothers and sisters, Zhang Zuolin had no choice but to go out to earn a living. During this period, the young Zhang Zuolin was full of human warmth and coldness. In the seventeenth year of Guangxu (1891 AD), the 16-year-old Zhang Zuolin wandered to the Yingkou area, at which time he was empty and almost starved to death. Fortunately, when he arrived at Yingkou Gaokan Town, there were many "Sun widows" in the local area, and seeing that Zhang Zuolin was in a difficult situation, he could not bear to give him food and let him survive, so Zhang Zuolin regarded him as the most important benefactor in his life.
▲Old photos of rice harvesting scenes during the Republic of China period
This "Sun widow" is the local Sun family's second-room wife, the second-room boss died of illness in the early years, and she was also called "Sun Widow" by the townspeople. When Zhang Zuolin arrived in Gaokan Town, it was a busy agricultural season, and the Sun family, who owned many fields, hired a large number of short-term workers to help their family harvest crops. Every day at noon and in the evening, the Sun family's housekeeper would take his subordinates to the field to deliver food, and Zhang Zuolin was already hungry and dizzy, so he had the courage to take the opportunity to mix among the short-term workers and receive the Sun family's dry food to fill his stomach. Since many of these short-term workers were not locals, did not know each other well, and had a large number of people, the Sun family housekeeper could not recognize all the hired workers, so Zhang Zuolin was confused and passed the customs for several days.
▲Old photos of women during the Republic of China period
However, this was not a good method, and within a few days, Zhang Zuolin's trick was discovered by the Sun family steward, and the Sun family servants caught him and beat him badly. At that time, Sun Widow happened to be entertaining helpers, and when she saw that the thin Zhang Zuolin was beaten to the point that her nose was blue and her face was swollen, she moved her heart of compassion, hurried to stop the beating of the servants, and told Zhang Zuolin that she could find herself every day to receive a meal. Zhang Zuolin, who has experienced the cold and warm of the world, is naturally full of gratitude for the kindness of The Widow Sun, and when he learns that the Widow Sun has no children and no daughters under her knees, Zhang Zuolin immediately recognizes her as a dry bride. Soon, Zhang Zuolin left Gaokan Town to break out, but he never forgot the kindness of Sun Widow.
▲Zhang Zuolin stills
Decades later, Zhang Zuolin became famous and became the real ruler of the three eastern provinces, known as the "King of the Northeast". After the development, Zhang Zuolin rushed to Yingkou to personally find the former savior. After finding Ganniang Sun's family, Zhang Zuolin prostrated his head in public to thank her, and also bought many houses and land for Ganniang in the local area, and on the days of festivals in the next few years, Zhang Zuolin would generally take time to visit and accompany her to relieve her boredom. After Sun's death, Zhang Zuolin, who was on the front line, sent someone to solemnly bury him, and afterwards he went to the sacrifice many times. As the saying goes, "heroes are afraid to see their hometowners", after many once-fallen tyrants have made their way, the first thing they think of when facing their former benefactors is often not to repay the favor, but how to cover up their previous shameful experiences. In contrast, Zhang Zuolin's character deserves the world's respect and study.
Resources:
The Biography of Zhang Zuolin