What is history: it is the echo of the past to the future, the reflection of the future on the past. - Hugo
The past of the Republic of China is wonderful, all kinds of forces are competing for the world, but also produced a lot of or miserable, or touching, or interesting love stories, in the past Chinese old society, men have more than one wife and many concubines is a very common thing, but in the late Qing Dynasty, China's feudal thought was impacted by Western culture, so it caused arranged marriage and free love confrontation scene, countless men have experienced both arranged marriage and free love, today the protagonist of our story Li Zongren is one of them.
Born in 1891, Li Zongren was a native of Lingui, Guangxi, and later became vice president of the Republic of China by his own efforts, playing a crucial role in the Northern Expedition, but today we want to talk about his emotional life, which is not too much ink on his career.
Li Zongren's original wife was named Li Xiuwen, also from Lingui, Guangxi, and as old as Li Zongren, both were born in 1891, under the auspices of both parents, the two married in 1911, but Li Zongren learned martial arts at the army school since he was a child, and was determined to serve the motherland, so he could not stay at home and live an ordinary married life with Li Xiuwen.
After the marriage, Li Zongren went south and north outside, and Li Wenxiu stayed at home to take care of housework and take care of the elderly, and also gave birth to a son for Li Zongren, named Li Youlin. Li Zongren was busy with military affairs and did not accompany Li Youlin's mother and son much, but during the time he was traveling outside, he met a woman named Guo Ruxian.
Guo Ruxian is a native of Guiping, Guangxi, who has a spirit of not accepting defeat since she was a child, and her heart is so proud that she wants to take the first place in everything she does, so in the early 20s, she ignored the opposition of her family and the strange eyes of everyone, determined to make an outstanding and different new woman, and resolutely went to the girls' school to study.
In 1922, the troops led by Li Zongren came to Guiping, Guangxi, and were introduced to the brave and generous Guo Ruxian, who admired Guo Ruxian's personality, so he often found various reasons to invite her to dinner, one after another, Guo Ruxian also liked this heroic and sassy chief, so the two fell in love, and in 1924 entered the marriage hall, Li Zongren also changed another name for Guo Ruxian and called Guo Dejie.
But there is no impermeable wall in the world, Li Xiuwen was very sad after learning that her husband was marrying another bride outside, and ran to question Li Zongren, Li Zongren only let her take care of her children at home and take good care of the elderly, saying that she married her daughter-in-law because she could help herself in her career, Li Xiuwen was a woman raised in traditional thinking, although she was jealous in her heart, but there was nothing she could do.
Li Zongren and Guo Dejie were very happy after marriage, Li Zongren continued to do his own business, Guo Dejie became his assistant, engaged in various social activities, and had good relations with the wives of many generals, so they only knew in their circles that Guo Dejie was Li Zongren's commander's wife, and did not know that there was also a Li Xiuwen.
Putting aside the emotional problem, Guo Dejie is indeed a very good wife, she has strong self-esteem, often follows Li Zongren to the north and south, acts decisively not inferior to men, not only can take care of Li Zongren, but also boost morale, in addition, she also built a welfare home, the children who lost their parents in the war are concentrated to take care of and so on.......
After the founding of New China, Li Zongren took Guo Dejie to the United States, and before leaving, he met his original wife, Li Xiuwen, but he told her, saying: "Monogamy is practiced there, so don't go there." So Li Xiuwen was once again left behind and left alone in Guangxi, because her son had already gone to the United States.
In 1958, Li Xiuwen's son took her to live in the United States, although Li Zongren was also in the United States, but the husband and wife have not seen each other much, in 1965, Guo Dejie was seriously ill, Li Zongren took her back to China, in 1966, Guo Dejie died, in 1969, Li Zongren died, in 1973, Li Xiuwen returned to China to settle down, and lived healthily until 1992, at the age of 102. As a woman, she is deeply hurt by arranged marriages, but being able to enjoy her old age in peace is also a kind of return from God to her.