Zhang Xueliang, as one of the four princes of the Republic of China, his life is full of legends, with both admirable heroism and embarrassing emotional stories.
Although his personal life frequently appears in various historical records and rumors, what really makes him unable to let go of his heart for a long time may be Pu Jie's wife Tang Yiying.
The complex emotional entanglement between Zhang Xueliang and her has become an eternal scar in his heart, and Zhang Xueliang in his later years recalled her and said:
"If she hadn't been such a 'bastard' at the beginning, I would have married her."
What kind of emotional entanglement did Zhang Xueliang and Tang Yiying experience? And why did he say that in his later years?
Tragic marriage
Tang Yiying was born in a prominent aristocratic family in the late Qing Dynasty, and her ancestors held important positions in the court for several generations, and her two aunts were both favorite concubines of Emperor Guangxu.
Tang Yiying has lived in such a prestigious environment since she was a child, she is smart and witty, lively by nature, likes to break conventions, and always does things in an eclectic way.
In 1908, when Tang Yiying was nine years old, her aunt Concubine Jin brought her into the palace because of her intelligence and cleverness, and she lived in the palace with the little emperors Pu Yi and Pu Jie.
The young Pu Yi was full of affection for Tang Yiying, his eyes were always on her, and occasionally he would show a rare smile because of her liveliness and mischievousness.
As Pu Yi grew up, the imperial family began to choose concubines for him, and as emperor, his marriage was destined to be filled with complex power struggles and exchanges of interests between the royal prince and the nobles.
And Tang Yiying, as a noble girl with a prominent background, was naturally included in Pu Yi's list of concubines, if it goes well, this is indeed a good marriage.
However, Concubine Jin was well aware of the complexities in the court, and Tang Yiying's personality was too rebellious and free, and it was extremely difficult to adapt to the constraints of the court, so she intervened and made Tang Yiying lose the opportunity to become Puyi's concubine.
Subsequently, Concubine Jin pointed out Tang Yiying to Pu Jie, who was three years younger than her, but their marriage was destined to be unhappy.
In the days when she lived in the palace, Tang Yiying liked Pu Yi more than Pu Jie, and Pu Jie didn't have a good impression of her.
Pu Jie's family all felt that Tang Yiying was arrogant and domineering, not easy to get along with, and not what a big family wife should be.
And Tang Yiying thinks that Pu Jie can't meet her needs in all aspects, so she is very dissatisfied with him, all in all, this is a marriage that looks at each other and hates each other.
Tang Yiying didn't really love Pu Jie, although she never deliberately hurt him, she never regarded him as a partner in her life.
She has always been cold to him, seeing him as an appendage in her life, an obedient husband, a "younger brother" who can provide material security, but cannot become a dependence on her soul.
Tang Yiying has always had a hard time adapting to Pu Jie's personality, although he is gentle and courteous, he lacks the strength and charm she needs to resonate with her heart.
In this marriage, Tang Yiying is more like an independent individual, she yearns for freedom and adventure, rather than the same married life.
She had long been tired of Pu Jie, and this indifference and alienation gradually formed an irreconcilable rift between the two.
She began to secretly find her own pleasure and freedom, but Pu Jie never saw the emptiness and uneasiness in Tang Yiying's heart.
Coupled with Tang Yiying's overly rebellious and free personality, this marriage was destined to be a tragedy, but everyone didn't expect that after only 2 years of marriage, Tang Yiying made Pu Jie unbearable.
Secret relationship
Tang Yiying and Zhang Xueliang met at a dinner party, at that time Zhang Xueliang was already a well-known "young marshal", with the reputation of one of the "Four Great Sons of the Republic of China", and had countless followers and admirers.
Tang Yiying, on the other hand, is informal, empty-eyed, and accustomed to standing out from the crowd, and she has long had insight into the hypocrisy and power games of the upper class, and has no intention of becoming a puppet in it.
Tang Yiying was already bored with Pu Jie's wooden and obedient character, and her pursuit of power and desire for freedom made her heart full of unwillingness.
At the banquet that night, Zhang Xueliang and Tang Yiying did not immediately have much intersection, but that short glance had already planted a potential spark in the hearts of the two.
The picture comes from the Internet
Zhang Xueliang stood in the corner of the banquet, his expression was calm, he was dressed in a decent suit, his figure was slender and straight, and his eyes were deep and charming.
When he inadvertently met Tang Yiying's gaze, he noticed the intelligence and disdain flashing in those eyes, as if a fierce aura gave him an unprecedented attraction.
Tang Yiying did not show surprise or excitement, but glanced at Zhang Xueliang coldly, as if she already knew something about this rumored young marshal, but she did not show the slightest enthusiasm and interest.
Her attitude of not seeing each other made Zhang Xueliang curious, he had never met such a woman who dared to look at him and was not afraid.
As time passed, Zhang Xueliang's impression of Tang Yiying gradually turned from initial curiosity to deep infatuation.
Her elusive temperament and her calm self-confidence made him reverie endlessly, as if she were the missing part of his life.
And Tang Yiying quickly realized Zhang Xueliang's special attention to her, and she understood that Zhang Xueliang, a man with a high reputation in society, may be a springboard for her to break through the status quo and pursue freedom.
So, she quietly began to make courtship to Zhang Xueliang, and used her skilled social skills and subtle words to attract his attention.
She was not in a hurry to confess, but through constant hints, clever words and eye contact, Zhang Xueliang was unconsciously attracted to her, and gradually fell into the love network she set up.
The picture comes from the Internet
The two began to have a secret relationship, Zhang Xueliang is the ideal man in Tang Yiying's heart in terms of appearance, temperament, strength and influence.
As time passed, the entanglement between Tang Yiying and Zhang Xueliang became more and more obvious, and Zhang Xueliang's appearance brought Tang Yiying the passion and freedom she had always longed for.
Zhang Xueliang is not as easy-going and obedient as Pu Jie, but shows that strong personality and independent charm, which makes Tang Yiying very fascinated.
But her relationship with Zhang Xueliang is not out of simple love, but more of a challenge to life and a desire for power.
She gradually relied on the stimulation and emotional control brought to her by Zhang Xueliang, and this dependence could not be satisfied in her marriage to Pu Jie.
But this secret relationship that was not recognized did not go on as smoothly as she expected, and Pu Jie, the husband who had always been silent, gradually noticed the changes in Tang Yiying.
As Tang Yiying's relationship with Zhang Xueliang became more and more close, Pu Jie discovered their secret relationship, but Tang Yiying didn't seem to care at all, but became more indulgent and free, and more alienated from Pu Jie.
Tang Yiying is no longer the well-behaved woman in the court, but has gradually transformed into a "love master", playing emotional games with scheming and wisdom.
And Zhang Xueliang, despite his suave and successful career, has never been able to truly control Tang Yiying's heart.
Emotional whirlpool
Zhang Xueliang's feelings for Tang Yiying are complex and deep, although he and her are not completely in love, but a deep emotional entanglement and desire for her.
He liked her intelligence and rebellion, her uninhibited personality, and her provocative coldness towards him.
Zhang Xueliang began to lose himself in this relationship, although he was full of confidence and suave, but in the face of Tang Yiying, he also became lost and confused.
Tang Yiying always seems to have a way to be there for him and make him feel for her, but she can't fully deliver her emotions to him.
Whenever Zhang Xueliang tried to get close to her, Tang Yiying's heart always kept a distance, and this state of imminent separation made Zhang Xueliang fall into deep self-reflection.
He began to ask himself: Why is it that he has so many beauties in his arms, but he has always been unable to extricate himself from Tang Yiying?
He began to wonder about himself, did he really want to be with Tang Yiying, or was it just because of her indifference and arrogance that he unconsciously pursued it?
Zhang Xueliang's heart was full of struggle, he did not get a response from Tang Yiying, but gradually found himself in an emotional whirlpool from which he could not extricate himself.
Whenever he recalled Tang Yiying's sneer and disdain, his heart was full of anger and confusion, he knew that he couldn't really get her heart, but he was still obsessed and longed for her attention.
He loves her, but he doesn't know how to face her indifference, but Tang Yiying's attitude towards Zhang Xueliang is not as cold as it seems.
She enjoys the excitement and challenges that the relationship brings her, but she doesn't intend to give up her independence and freedom for it.
Tang Yiying clearly knows that she can't find satisfaction in Pu Jie's marriage, and although Zhang Xueliang is charming, the kind of control and restraint he represents is not what she yearns for.
In the end, Tang Yiying's relationship with Zhang Xueliang lasted less than three years, and then she became the lover of Lu Xiaojia, the son of warlord Lu Yongxiang, while Pu Jie went to Japan to study.
Interestingly, Lu Xiaojia, like Zhang Xueliang, is also one of the "Four Princes of the Republic of China".
And Tang Yiying's departure made Zhang Xueliang finally see her true colors: she didn't love him, and what she pursued might only be the power and freedom in this relationship, rather than the emotion between two people.
After Tang Yiying left, she started a new life, she did not look back, nor did she make any promises to Zhang Xueliang.
She continued to pursue the freedom and independence she wanted, and lived a more indulgent life, while Zhang Xueliang remained in the whirlpool of his emotions, unable to get rid of his confusion and regret.
In his later years, Zhang Xueliang was no longer the handsome and chic young man in his prime, but an old man with white hair and the vicissitudes of time.
Despite this, Tang Yiying's figure is still deeply imprinted in the depths of his heart, and whenever he closes his eyes and recalls the past with Tang Yiying, it is still difficult to hide the resentment and helplessness in his heart.
In the past years, Zhang Xueliang has experienced countless women, but whether it is Yu Fengzhi, who is gentle as water, or Miss Zhao Si, who is clever and intelligent, it seems that they cannot replace Tang Yiying's place in his heart.
He understands that Tang Yiying did not really love him, she treated him more of a play and game, and his own feelings for Tang Yiying were more of an untiring knot than true love.
Despite this, Zhang Xueliang still found it difficult to let go of his attachment to her in his heart, and in his later years, when he recalled Tang Yiying, he would grit his teeth and say:
"If she hadn't been such a 'bastard' at the beginning, I would have married her."
At that moment, Zhang Xueliang seemed to have returned to the young marshal when he was young, and to the years when he was in turmoil for Tang Yiying.
He was angry at why he was so deeply involved, but he couldn't extricate himself, and that regret and self-blame became a lingering pain in his life.
In Zhang Xueliang's life, Tang Yiying is undoubtedly the woman who he can't let go of the most, no matter how he hides that memory, it is still like a scar, forever in the depths of his heart.
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