Gu Weijun
Zhang Youyi, Xu Zhimo's original match, has been disliked by her husband since she got married, studied with her husband and was forced to divorce, and after the tragic death of her young son, she became angry and strong, achieving the name of a strong woman in the business world, attracting the admiration of her ex-husband, remarrying in her later years, happiness and beauty.
Zhang Run'e, Gu Weijun's original match, her husband did not like the words of the matchmaker, never touched her, was forced to divorce with her husband to study abroad, and became a nun in her old age, and only had a praise from her ex-husband for "tolerance, patience and innocence".
Why do two women with highly similar backgrounds have very different endings?
In Gu Weijun's life, there were 4 marriages, originally with Zhang Run'e, tang Baoyue, huang Huilan, third marriage, and Yan Youyun.
There is a saying that the Zhang clan laid the foundation for its studies, the Tang clan helped it open up the door, the Huang clan helped it soar, and the Yan clan and its love grew old.
These four wives naturally have their own advantages, but when it comes to contributions, Zhang Run'e's advantages are really not remarkable, so we guess that the reason why she is compared with the last three Qianjin Girls may be to rhyme?
It is not impossible.
Huang Huilan
Returning to the truth, at that time, social turmoil, the division of the land of China by various forces, and the serious crisis made it difficult for the people to survive, while on the other hand, it was the increasingly luxurious life of a small number of groups with wealth.
The huge gap between rich and poor makes Zhang Run'e's family situation comparable to that of a hugely rich family, nor is it comparable to ordinary small households.
Her father, Zhang Yunjun, from a family of traditional Chinese medicine, is one of the best medical saints in Shanghai, and even now, he must be a high-level private hospital president-level figure, which can be imagined to be extremely valuable.
However, this old Chinese medicine doctor was well versed in the acupuncture points of illness, but he also committed the problem that it was difficult for doctors to heal themselves, and ideologically and spiritually, he was properly a stereotypical and decadent feudal patriarch.
Qing feudal house
As a result, in the cultivation of children, there are few options to keep up with the times, and in the future, the tragic endings of Zhang Run'e and Gu Weijun are mostly derived from this.
The marriage contract between the two families originated from a visit, that day Zhang Yunjun was invited to the Gu family to see the fourth young master of the Gu family, as soon as they met, he was surprised by the appearance of the noble man of this son, and talked with the people of the Gu family on the spot to discuss the marriage contract.
Of course, if in a few years, Gu Rong's identity rises with the promotion of the old owner, and this marriage will naturally not be able to turn on the head of the Zhang family's daughter.
But it just so happens that the Gu family is now in the time of transformation, and the family is not well-off.
At that time, Gu Weijun's father, Gu Rong, was gaining momentum and was working in full swing at the Steamship Merchants Bureau.
Gu Weijun (front row, second from left) with his family
However, although his people are quite talented, they are frequently separated from their colleagues, and they only serve as passenger and cargo services on freighters, and although the life of the Family has been greatly improved, it is far from the point of great wealth and nobility.
Such a family lineage, and the Zhang family's marriage, can also be regarded as a door-to-door pair, and even the Zhang family has vaguely suppressed the Gu family.
Of course, this is only in terms of the family, and for the two parties, this marriage contract has not had any impact on them for the time being.
When the unmarried couple had just been engaged, Zhang Run'e was 10 years old and Gu Weijun was 12 years old.
Although the Gu family followed the rules of the old ancestor and booked the marriage of the fourth son early, it did not hinder Gu Weijun's choice too much.
He was talented and cared about the country, and at a young age he had the idea of going out and breaking through.
But at that time, going abroad was no better than today, all kinds of scholarships and subsidies were enough to support an international student, at that time, there were constant disasters everywhere, extremely uncertain, and high-quality educational resources were very precious, so travel expenses and study abroad funds needed to be raised by individuals.
This was a considerable expense, and at that time, only the aristocrats and gentry could afford it, and there were very few international students from poor backgrounds.
For the Gu family, this is also a big problem.
It is rumored that when the Zhang family heard the news, although they were also shy, in order to cultivate this future aunt, they still gritted their teeth and funded a lot of expenses free of charge.
Of course, this rumor has no real historical evidence, true or false, and is in the hearts of the people.
Gu Weijun and his mother and brothers
Life abroad is undoubtedly fresh, beautiful and comfortable for Gu Weijun, and even he has forgotten that there is a "fiancée" at home waiting for him to return and get married.
In 1908, when Gu Weijun was 20 years old, he officially received a letter from his family to urge marriage, and in desperation, he had to return to China, but he made a three-chapter contract with his parents, and the marriage was only discussed.
The results are predictable.
A process with most of the young boys and girls in that era who did not accept feudal marriage contracts, good words of persuasion, long talks, negotiations broke down, and unhappy dispersion.
In the end, under the coercion and inducement of the older generation to "cry twice and hang three times", they had to compromise.
However, Gu Weijun also has his own way of protesting.
On the day of the marriage, he left the bride and hid in his mother's room for one night, and the next day, he slept in his mother's room for another night, and in the next few days, he repeated the trick and hid around, just not to return to the new house.
And what about Zhang Run'e at this time?
Girls who have just turned 18 are the same age as flowers, and girls who grew up under the education of three and four virtues have not been taught how to get along with a "deviant" husband.
She was overwhelmed, but she did not make a fuss, but quietly abided by her duty as a wife.
Such a Zhang Run'e is undoubtedly distressing.
This led to the fact that even if Gu Weijun was finally driven back to the new house by his mother, he could not bear to hurt her.
The atmosphere of the new house is extremely awkward, and they seem to have not realized that the identity of the two has changed from strangers to the most intimate husband and wife relationship.
Gu Weijun and Tang Baoyue took a group photo
Later, in Gu Weijun's autobiography, he referred to Zhang Run'e as "my formal wife."
Perhaps in Zhang Run'e's mind, she didn't even know what words to use to describe this "strange husband".
Two completely unfamiliar people were forcibly tied together and even asked to study abroad together, and it was obvious that both of them were extremely unaccustomed to this mode of getting along.
Gu Weijun did not want to bring a "drag oil bottle" that hindered his steps.
Zhang Run'e does not want to be a "dumb" in a foreign country.
The farthest door she has ever been, perhaps the distance from the Zhang family to the Gu family on the day of marriage.
The three-inch golden lotus restricted her right to travel, and even if she had a car, she could no longer go out.
Three inch golden lotus shoes
The days abroad made Zhang Run'e feel strange, more of a panic, which was slightly alleviated when Gu Weijun occasionally came to see her, but soared to the peak when he proposed divorce.
She couldn't understand his long speech, it seemed to make sense, but it seemed to be an excuse for what could deceive others and deceive herself, and she couldn't interject, she could only be silent.
"What should I do later?" She asked suddenly.
"Erm... You can continue to study here, I will cover the cost of your studies, you can also go back to your country, work, study, teach, you can do whatever you want, we are all free. ”
"Freedom," which is the word he says the most, "What does freedom mean?" She thought.
The United States in the 1920s
In search of freedom, she made an unprecedented attempt.
For example, learning obscure foreign languages;
For example, try to adapt to the lifestyle of foreigners;
For example, staying for a while after divorce and feeling a completely different cultural atmosphere from the country.
Unfortunately, she failed.
Standing on the U.S. port to China, her ex-husband kindly came to give her a ride, with a smile of joy and alienation that had never been seen before.
She thought she must have failed.
Those exquisite little shoes locked her feet and locked her wings to fly free.
The tragic ending between Zhang Run'e and Gu Weijun is not surprising, and it is only surprising if the two become a pair of immortal couples when They become a pair of gods and immortals.
Tang Baoyue and Gu Weijun's family took a group photo
There is no doubt that for Gu Weijun, breaking away from the shackles of feudal marriage is not a bad thing, and he thinks that he has given the marriage the greatest decency.
But if he had always thought so, there would have been no story of the confessional letter written later.
What does it mean for a woman to end a marriage with her husband?
Is it one and two wide, each safe? Or gossip, finger-pointing?
Here, we have to mention one person, Zhang Youyi.
Compared with Gu Weijun, Xu Zhimo is really harsh in dealing with the original match.
Not only did he bully and belittle his wife on a daily basis, but he even forced her to sign a divorce agreement shortly after she gave birth.
And even if Xu Zhimo goes too far, Zhang Youyi has experienced many rumors after divorcing him.
Zhang Youyi and Xu Zhimo took a group photo
It is worth saying that when Zhang Run'e and Gu Weijun divorced, it was still 8 years before Xu and Zhang made a lot of noise about the "first Western-style divorce case in the Republic of China".
Not to mention that in the past eight years, the tolerance of gender equality and marriage relations in society has greatly improved, let's say that Zhang Youyi's own advantages are far greater than Zhang Run'e.
The first is family lineage.
Zhang Youyi's father, elder brother and younger brother have a prestigious position in the business and political circles, and the prominence of the family lineage is far from being matched by a family of Chinese medicine.
The second is the in-laws.
The Xu family was extremely satisfied with this daughter-in-law and was disgusted by what their son had done, and after Xu Zhang and the two divorced, Xu's father even accepted Zhang Youyi as a righteous daughter.
The most important thing is knowledge.
Zhang Youyi has been studying in a girls' school since she was a child, accepting new ideas and new cultures, although she was scolded by Xu Zhimo as a "dirt bun", but the family was not soiled at all.
Zhang Youyi
After divorcing Xu Zhimo, she studied in Germany for three years and returned to Beijing universities to study, successively serving as a teacher, president of a bank, and general manager of a company.
In all aspects, compared with Zhang Run'e, it is a gap of two points.
As a Qianjin bridesmaid who grew up in the Shuxiang Mendi family, she broke off relations with her husband, lived in her in-laws' house with an unrighteous name, lived in her mother's house to bear the sarcasm of her brothers and sisters, and became a nun, which was the most suitable way for her.
Zhang Run'e was only 22 years old when she left home.
Ironically, in June of the same year, he married Tang Baoyue, the daughter of the prime minister.
Since then, Gu Weijun's career path has been smooth, and his step-by-step ascension is almost at his fingertips.
Tang Baoyue and Gu Weijun wedding photos
Of course, Gu Weijun's own talent, literary talent, and excellent adaptability are the brightest new stars in China's diplomatic field.
As he grew older, his ability to behave in the world became more visible to the naked eye.
In 1933, he inexplicably remembered Zhang Run'e, who lived in poverty in the Guanyin Temple, so he personally wrote a confession letter, attached 50,000 US dollars, and entrusted someone to give it to this poor ex-wife.
Surprisingly, the money and letters, how to go, how to get back.
We don't know the final attitude of the two sides, but from Zhang Run'e's actions, it is obvious that this girl who once did not understand the world has long transformed into a Buddhist monk who is not stained with dust.
It is a basic principle that people in Buddhism do not like things and do not grieve with themselves.
But does she really not complain?
not necessarily.
Huang Huilan and Gu Weijun took a group photo
Zhang Run'e grew up in a privileged family, and growing up in a feudal and old family made her lose the ability to accept new things, but miss Qianjin's heart was proud, and she did not lack it at all.
Even, she was more arrogant than the average rich family at that time.
Gu family, marriage contract, going abroad, divorce, among which twists and turns, she did not understand for a while, does not mean that she can not understand it for a lifetime.
Only Gu Weijun was a person, she would not understand.
Gu Weijun's third wife, Huang Huilan, was the one who accompanied him for the longest time, and she once described him in her autobiography:
"I don't know him, and he doesn't know me."
"He is a respectable man, someone that China needs a lot, but not the husband I want."
Huang Huilan (right)
Ms. Huang Huilan is a Chinese Indonesian, her father is the richest Chinese in Indonesia, her life is extremely luxurious, and after marrying Gu Weijun, even the life of this diplomat has become luxurious and rich.
Surprisingly, the top family lineage did not cultivate Huang Huilan into a rich lady who only knew how to eat, drink and have fun, in fact, Ms. Huang was a fairly intelligent woman.
In her biography, we are even surprised to find that her prediction of the future direction of international powers is so sharp.
Even Mrs. Song Meiling once said bluntly when others praised Gu Weijun:
"Don't forget that the ambassador's wife also played an important role."
And it is such an excellent woman, and her old age is not happy.
The war caused Zhong Mingding's house to be divided up by various forces, and the end of the war made her eight-sided exquisite place useless, because she was divorced.
Of course, this lady's attitude towards this matter has always been resolute, she never thought that she had divorced Gu Weijun, and in her mouth, she even called Yan Youyun "the outer room".
Obviously, her opinion of Ms. Yan is quite large.
In fact, the two famous ladies who are famous in high society have not looked at both sides for a long time.
It is worth mentioning that in his later years, Gu Weijun compiled a 6 million-word "Memoirs of Gu Weijun", in which very little is mentioned about family affairs, and several marriages are hurriedly taken, which can be described as the most precious diplomatic historical materials.
In the autobiography of Huang Huilan and Yan Youyun, it is much more interesting.
"Memoirs of Gu Weijun" is a total of 13 volumes
Aristocratic secrets, family trivia, enmity, antagonistic truths, and open and dark ironies exclusively between famous and talented women, the most important thing is that you can figure out some secrets from which the benevolent see the wise.
For example, Huang Huilan once told such a story.
After a banquet, she sat down at the dressing table to remove the jewelry.
At this time, Gu Weijun approached her, but his eyes were fixed on the jewelry that had been removed, and he said to her:
"I hope you don't wear anything but the ornaments I bought you."
This shocked Huang Huilan, which made her realize that her husband did not seem to be as blind to the wealth at his fingertips as he thought.
Gu Weijun and Huang Huilan took a group photo
I think I also understand that Gu Weijun was proud all his life, and he was prosperous in his career and rose to prominence, and the only place where he was criticized by others was that he rose step by step with the help of his wife's family.
In his later years, he preferred to risk the dangerous name of late and unsafe to marry Yan Youyun, and her meticulous care won his heart and was publicly praised several times.
Combined with his praise for the original Zhang Run'e's "tolerance, patience and naïve simplicity", we can't help but have a bold guess.
This "modern" diplomat who has been "modern" all his life may have longed for a marriage that has never been a marriage of equal strength, but a gentle and small love.
Unfortunately, when the giant wheel of the new era slowly rolls over the three mountains, and the sad sound of the small stones at the bottom "squeaking", who cares.