In the long history of confusion, warlords are always full of legends. Today, I want to talk about the unusual story of Zhang Zongchang, a warlord in Shandong, and his 21st aunt, Zhu Baoxia. In 1928, Zhang Zongchang domineeringly married Zhu Baoxia, who was only 14 years old, and the marriage caused quite a stir at that time. On the wedding night, the drunk Zhang Zongchang pushed the door in, only to find that the bride had evaporated from the world!
Zhang Zongchang, known as the "Dog Meat General", is not only because he loves dog meat, but also because of his arrogance and cruelty in troubled times. His life is full of legends and controversies, and his marriage history, especially his marriage to Zhu Baoxia, is a good story in history.
Zhu Baoxia has an inseparable relationship with her background. Her life has been full of twists and turns since birth. Before she was a year old, her father died of illness, and she lost her mother at the age of two, and was later adopted by an elderly couple who had no children and no daughters. The old couple originally planned to raise her, but when she was six years old, due to life pressure, they sold her to Zhu Jingxian, a drama artist. Zhu Baoxia's childhood can be said to have grown up under the lights of the stage.
As Zhu Jingxian's adopted daughter, Zhu Baoxia has followed her adoptive father to learn art since she was a child, and she made her debut on stage when she was seven years old. Her talent was gradually recognized, and she eventually became famous in the north.
In 1928, at the age of 14, Zhu Baoxia came to Shanghai with the troupe, and this modern metropolis gave her a bigger stage and challenges. Her superb performance conquered the southern audience and inadvertently attracted Zhang Zongchang's attention. Zhang Zongchang, the man of the hour, fell in love with her at first sight and decided to take her for himself at all costs.
Zhang Zongchang's marriage proposal was tempting, with a dowry of up to 10,000 yuan and a treasure chest full of precious stones. This is undoubtedly an astronomical amount for an actor from an ordinary drama group, but Zhu Baoxia hesitated. As a young girl, she instinctively felt fear and uneasiness. Under the dual effect of the head of the regiment and the pressure of reality, she finally agreed to the marriage.
Life after marriage is not as Zhu Baoxia imagined. Although Zhang Zongchang doted on her, she was never able to adapt to the feeling of being drowned in many aunts. In Zhang Zongchang's mansion, every woman is like a chess piece, at the mercy of his wishes. Although she was the 21st aunt, she always felt lonely and helpless in the extended family.
On the wedding night, the situation took an unexpected turn. Zhang Zongchang drunkenly pushed the door in and found that the room was empty, and the bride Zhu Baoxia had mysteriously disappeared. Zhang Zongchang panicked for a while, he didn't expect that the usually docile Zhu Baoxia would behave so boldly. The servants of the mansion were alarmed and searched everywhere, and the whole mansion was in chaos.
In fact, Zhu Baoxia did not really escape, but hid under the bed in a place they didn't expect. At that moment, she was not running away from marriage, but from that sudden sense of fear. When Zhang Zongchang finally found her with the help of the servants, she curled up in the corner, with tears in her eyes, and cried quietly: "General, I'm afraid. This scene deeply touched Zhang Zongchang's heartstrings.
In those days, warlord women often didn't have much choice. Their fate is like a gamble, where the winner holds everything and the loser has nothing. Zhu Baoxia's fear comes from the fear of the unknown and the fear of being unable to control her fate.
Zhang Zongchang's attitude changed at that moment. He hugged Zhu Baoxia and comforted him softly: "Don't worry, everything has me." That night, Zhu Baoxia found some comfort and warmth in Zhang Zongchang's arms, and she finally fell asleep, but the turmoil in her heart did not subside.
In the days that followed, Zhu Baoxia slowly adapted to life with Zhang Zongchang, but she always maintained a vigilant and independent mentality. She learns to find her own space in a world full of intrigue and desire. She is no longer the little girl who passively accepts the arrangement of fate, but begins to try to influence the family in her own way, and even influence some of Zhang Zongchang's decisions.