01
Jiang Menglin, a figure in the history of Peking University, acted as the president of Peking University three times from 1919 and officially became the president of Peking University in 1930, accumulating more than 20 years, making great contributions to the development of Peking University.
Jiang Menglin is a relatively rational person, and there are also literati frank and crazy, mainly manifested in his last two marriages.
Like most celebrities of that period, Jiang Menglin's first marriage was a matchmaker by his parents, marrying a girl from his hometown named Sun Yushu.
Jiang Menglin could not say that he liked it, nor did he say that he did not like it, and he married according to his parents' wishes and gave birth to a son and a daughter. Then he went to study in the United States, for nine years.
After returning to China, he did not abandon his original match, and gave birth to two sons and a daughter, a total of five children, of which the eldest daughter died prematurely, and there were three sons and a daughter.
The two people have lived for more than twenty years without being salty, and seeing that the two have reached middle age, it is likely that they will live their lives like Mrs. Hu Shi who guarded the little foot. In fact, he was restless inside and had always longed to be a partner with a knowledgeable woman who understood him.
At that time, it was common for an intellectual who had returned from abroad to divorce his original partner and marry a cultured woman. Jiang Menglin's second marriage caused an uproar because the intellectual woman he married was the widow of his friend Gao Renshan. There is a saying that a friend's wife should not be deceived. Although a friend has passed away, people still feel emotionally unacceptable when they marry a friend's wife.
Gao Renshan, who is eight years younger than Jiang Menglin, studied at Columbia University in the United States, and Jiang Menglin studied for a doctorate at Columbia University, and the two are considered alumni. After returning to China, both of them taught in the Department of Education of Peking University. Zhang Zuolin occupied Peiping, Jiang Menglin fled from Beijing, and his colleagues Li Dazhao and Gao Renshan were killed by Zhang Zuolin.
Jiang Menglin, Cai Yuanpei, Hu Shi and Li Dazhao took a group photo
Two old friends were killed, and Jiang Menglin was in a deep mood.
Li Dazhao's funeral was presided over by Jiang Menglin, who initiated donations to purchase cemeteries and personally did it himself. After the murder of her husband, Tao Zenggu, Gao Renshan's widow, entrusted a pair of children to her in-laws, and she served as the secretary of Jiang Menglin, the minister of education, on the recommendation of a friend. Jiang Menglin took extra care of her because she was the wife of an old friend.
The two spent a long time together, and their feelings warmed up.
Jiang Menglin wants to divorce his original partner and marry Tao Zenggu.
02
Although the republic of China law stipulates that both husband and wife have the right to divorce, in the conservative countryside, people still cannot accept divorce. Jiang Menglin's relatives were very unsupportive of his behavior, and Sun Yushu did not want to divorce her husband, but she knew that her husband was determined to divorce, and she could not do anything.
Jiang Menglin also felt guilty about Sun Yushu, and he tried his best to compensate Sun Yushu in terms of property and reputation. He left all his property in his hometown and the property he might inherit in the future to Sun Yushu, and the cost of the education of his four children was borne by him. Sun Yushu divorced and still lived in the Jiang family, participating in all the affairs of the Jiang family as the daughter-in-law of the Jiang family.
All he asked for was to legally break off the marriage contract with Sun Yushu and give Tao Zenggu a legal identity.
Sun Yushu was loyal in temperament and did not suffer any loss of property, so he agreed to Jiang Menglin's divorce request.
They broke up peacefully and didn't make a fuss about moths. Their second son, Jiang Renyuan, who was in elementary school, saw the news of his father's marriage to Tao Zenggu from the Yaojiang Daily and went home to tell his mother. Sun Yushu looked calm, but just murmured, "Your father has changed his heart." ”
Jiang Menglin "changed his heart" to the original match, still fulfilled his father's duties to his children, and assumed a series of responsibilities for his children's education and employment, and the children sympathized with their mothers and expressed forgiveness for their fathers' behavior.
They believe that the gap between parents in culture and social status is getting wider and wider, that mothers cannot adapt to this change, and that divorce is unavoidable.
In order to make his remarriage appear solemn, Jiang Menglin specially asked his old friend Hu Shi to witness his marriage.
Hu Shishuang quickly agreed, and Hu Shi's wife, Jiang Dongxiu, did not do anything when she heard it. Jiang Dongxiu hated her widowed husband the most in her life, and she locked Hu Shi at home and did not allow Hu Shi to go out. Hu Shi had to climb out of the window and attend Jiang Menglin's wedding.
The 47-year-old Jiang Menglin was a groom again, full of spring breeze and a flying look, and he said to the guests present:
"I love Brother Gao Renshan the most in my life, so I am willing to continue his volunteer work in education." Because I love my brother, I love the person he loved more, and I love her more, so that I can be worthy of my deceased friend. ”
Jiang Menglin is telling the truth, he has indeed been mainly engaged in education like Gao Renshan in his life, and he has loved Gao Renshan's widow Tao Zenggu until he is old, and he regards Gao Renshan's children as his own. But such an announcement at the wedding still made the guests feel awkward, some people praised him as a gentleman, and some people thought he was frivolous and crazy.
Jiang Menglin gained love in this marriage, but Tao Zenggu's sharp personality offended many peers in the education industry, including Jiang Menglin's good friend Fu Sinian and others.
In 1944, Peking University set off a wave of "overthrowing Jiang Yinghu", demanding that Jiang Menglin step down and ask Hu Shi to be the president of Peking University. Jiang Menglin's good friend Fu Sinian and others are all members of the "Inverted Chiang Faction," and a very important reason why they oppose Jiang Menglin is that they cannot get along with Tao Zenggu, the wife of Jiang Menglin.
Jiang Menglin is also proud of the scene and frustrated in the workplace.
03
In 1958, Tao Zenggu died, and Jiang Menglin was 72 years old.
Many people think that Jiang Menglin is old and impossible to marry again. Before Tao Zenggu died, he was very sober, knowing that although Jiang Menglin loved her, he could not stand loneliness and would eventually pounce on the arms of other women.
She said to a cousin:
"Meng Lin (Jiang Menglin, number Meng Lin) is in good health, and it is too emotional, after I die, he will definitely not be able to keep it; moreover, I can't bear his long-term loneliness; therefore, I hope you can help him find a suitable partner to accompany him..."
Sure enough, it was said by Tao Zenggu.
After Tao Zenggu's death, Jiang Menglin lived with his daughter and son-in-law, because his daughter and son-in-law had their own careers, it was impossible to face each other day and night, Jiang Menglin was lonely and unbearable, people were thin, and their mental state was not good. People introduced him to his wife, he couldn't look at any of them, it turned out that his old husband still had a youthful heart, and didn't want to find a wife to spend the rest of his life, but wanted to find a dream lover.
In 1959, Jiang Menglin went to the Yuanshan Hotel to attend a banquet, met the personable Xu Xianle, fell in love at first sight, and fell in love.
Xu Xianle was born in Wuxi, Jiangsu Province, a famous family, his great-grandfather was Xu Shou, a famous scientist in the late Qing Dynasty, and his father Xu Xianting was the chief teacher of the Two Lakes Academy, and his ancestors were erudite and talented for generations. Xu Xianle has nine brothers and sisters, she is the youngest, the most beautiful, when she went to school, she was a "school flower", graduated from college and worked in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, becoming a "ministry flower".
Smart and beautiful Xu Xianle is a veritable gold worshipper, Xu Xianle, who graduated from the Economics Department of Shanghai Guanghua University, is very sensitive to money, and her first marriage is because of money. She was married to Lieutenant General Yang Jie for seven months, and Yang Jie could not stand her greed for money and divorced her.
Xu Xianle, who tasted the sweetness in the divorce, took a fancy to this way of making money, and she made many boyfriends one after another, asking them for money, and the money was enough, looking for a reason to break up with them. Because the people who fall in love with her are celebrities, they want face, and they are cheated of money by her, and it is not easy to be quiet. Xu Xianle mixed smoothly.
When Xu Xianle met Jiang Menglin, he was over fifty years old, because of proper maintenance, he looked much younger than his actual age, his hair was dark, his skin was smooth, his demeanor was elegant, his speech was gentle, he was still a talented woman, she had a good Chinese skills, she could speak fluent English, and she was a well-educated and well-educated high-society lady.
Jiang Menglin was fascinated by her, and wrote her a lot of love letters and love poems, Xu Xianle put away these love letters and love poems, she knew that one day it would come in handy.
Xu Xianle initially admired Jiang Menglin's talent, reputation and gentlemanly demeanor, but when she talked to Jiang Menglin about marriage, it was not the power of love, but she found out that Jiang Menglin had a savings. Although Jiang Menglin is not a rich man, she is over the age and her energy is exhausted, her sons are on the mainland, and there is only one daughter around her, and it is easier for her to manipulate.
On the eve of the wedding, Xu Xianle lion opened his mouth and asked Jiang Menglin for 200,000 yuan for clothes and jewelry, and Jiang Menglin gave her 80,000 yuan, and she was very dissatisfied. But the old man's property has not yet been obtained, so she has to suppress her dissatisfaction and continue to play with Jiang Menglin, playing a gentle and considerate fiancée. Such a drama, she has experimented countless times on different men, pure fire, play effortlessly.
Seeing Jiang Menglin fall in love, his old friends were anxious and came forward to persuade him.
Hu Shi, who was a witness to Jiang Menglin in the last marriage, not only did not give him a marriage certificate this time, but also wrote a letter to warn him, so that he would not be confused by Xu Xianle's ecstasy soup, Xu Xianle's method of treating you is exactly the same as the way of treating her ex-husband Yang Jie, and she uses this method to routine a lot of men. A general like Yang Jie who galloped on the battlefield could not deal with her, and you, a loyal and gentle man of letters, could not cope with her. In the future, you will certainly be "penniless, six relatives will not come to the door", "noisy day and night", "public and private affairs can not be done."
He advised Jiang Menglin not to spend the money he spent, and to give up his wealth to ensure peace. No, set up a trust fund and stipulate that the interest generated by the money in the trust fund can only be used by herself, so that she will not marry you.
Song Meiling also heard of Xu Xianle's "big name", and her special status made it difficult for her to persuade Jiang Menglin, so she called Chen Cheng's wife and asked Chen Cheng to persuade Jiang Menglin.
Chen Cheng said to Jiang Menglin: "If you must marry her, then we can't meet in the future, at least, your wife we can't meet." ”
Jiang Menglin presided over the work of the Peasant Rehabilitation Association in Taiwan, and his old subordinates also advised him that when you are older, you can find an old wife and do not marry a young lady. Your savings are limited and you can't afford to splurge, and your future wife can't live in luxury. Your future wife should support your career and not just "love" you, lest your colleagues drift farther and farther away from you.
Jiang Menglin could not listen to a single word of these contrarian advice. The more people persuaded, the more he stimulated his rebellious psychology, and he was bent on marrying Xu Xianle and letting people see that Xu Xianle loved him, not his money.
04
In July 1962, Jiang Menglin held a simple wedding in Taipei.
Although the wedding was simple, Jiang Menglin, who was a groom for the third time, was excited and told his friends that he had done a physical examination before getting married, and his body was normal. He also said that before he got married, an old friend of Peking University wrote a letter to dissuade him, and he didn't look at it and threw it into the wastepaper basket.
This friend is Hu Shi. In order to please his wife, he also could not care about the friendship with Hu Shi for decades, and showed what it was to see and forget friends.
The next day, the news of Jiang Menglin's marriage to Xu Xianle appeared in the news, and the reporter interviewed Jiang Menglin talked about his marriage feelings:
"A person's sound life, reason, emotion, and will, must be properly balanced, and if one is missing, it is out of balance. Gore, whether to learn or to do things, its motivation is weakened. Since the death of Ms. Tao Zenggu, my feelings have no sustenance, so I have to ask for a partner to maintain the spirit of my years of struggle. I believe that Ms. Xu is my appropriate object. ”
Xu Xianle also said half-sincerely and half-falsely, "I feel the affection of Jiang Menglin's money and revel in the spiritual talent of this old educator." He also said that he should take good care of Jiang Menglin, let him have a quiet harbor after work, and let him contribute his wisdom and talents to the social country.
Such a statement made Jiang Menglin very comfortable to hear, and he preferred to believe that Xu Xianle was moved by his "talent" rather than believe that Xu Xianle was moved by his "wealth".
Jiang Menglin (first from right) married Xu Xianle (second from right), and Gu Weijun and his wife came to congratulate them
On the wedding night, Xu Xianle showed her greedy face and asked Jiang Menglin to make a list of his assets at home and abroad to her, she single-handedly took over the financial power of the Jiang family, and sent Jiang Menglin twenty yuan of living expenses every day.
In December 1962, Jiang Menglin, who had been married for just one and a half years, accidentally fell and was admitted to the hospital with a broken bone. Xu Xianle excused that he was spending too much money and transferred him to a small ward, and then she claimed to go home to make rice cakes, returned home, transferred the property of Jiang Menglin and her daughter Jiang Yanhua and stepdaughter Tao Yanjin to her name, and borrowed 10,000 yuan from the Shimen Reservoir where Jiang Menglin was located. Because of a small matter, he scolded Jiang Menglin's daughter and son-in-law and drove out his colleague Mrs. Shen Zonghan, who was living in Jiang Menglin's house.
Jiang Menglin heard about Xu Xianle's evil deeds and had a big fight with Xu Xianle, and Xu Xianle took the opportunity to move out of Jiang Menglin's residence and moved out of his hukou.
Jiang Menglin woke up like a dream, and finally realized that he had been deceived, he planned to break up with Xu Xianle, and he was willing to provide Xu Xianle with 3,000 yuan in alimony every month.
Where this little money can satisfy Xu Xianle's appetite, she refuses to agree to break up. Jiang Menglin had no choice but to go to court to sue for divorce, accusing Xu Xianle of "insulting my daughter and invading the ancestral chamber; needing to be gathered, hating the old and the poor, and often cursing."
Xu Xianle was not willing to show weakness, and published a long article in the newspaper "I and Jiang Menglin" and a long letter of 10,000 words, refuting Jiang Menglin's accusations against her one by one, which were reasonable and well-founded, and the literary style was remarkable, and the readers could not figure out the true and false, only as a monkey show.
The boiling divorce lawsuit lasted for more than a year, and the exhausted Jiang Menglin had to make concessions and gave almost all of his property to Xu Xianle, who signed the divorce agreement.
Jiang Menglin lost 770,000 yuan before and after marriage, almost hollowing out the coffin.
In any case, after finally divorcing the marriage, Jiang Menglin was in a much more comfortable mood, thinking that he could exert his residual heat and do something for the social country. But he did not know that the disease had invaded his body, and this divorce lawsuit made him physically and mentally haggard, and less than half a year after the divorce, he died at the age of 78.
Instead, Xu Xianle, who squeezed out his old roots, had a tenacious vitality and lived until he was 98 years old.
05
Jiang Menglin, who has been the president of Peking University for more than twenty years, was squeezed out of money by a gold worshipper in his later years, which does not sound funny, in fact, he is an outsider laughing at the insider.
The world's most brilliant liar is not a thief with a mouse's eye, the word "cheat" is written on the door of his head, and the world's most intelligent gold worshipper cannot see any signs of money.
Let's say that Xu Xianle, born into a famous family, went to college, is intelligent and beautiful, has elegant demeanor, and speaks softly. A woman with a spring breeze, even if you know that she has a bad reputation, will still be impressed by her style.
Moreover, she does not make a living by cheating, but has been working in government departments and large companies since graduating from college, and is a professional woman with a stable income. She is between cheating and not cheating for Jiang Menglin, which can be said to be a wife who is proficient in financial management who wants to control family expenses, and it can also be said that a greedy woman wants to swallow her husband's property.
Xu Xianle's ability to easily control Jiang Menglin's property is related to her study of economics and her proficiency in financial issues, and she was a rare female professional in her time.
The woman is too clever, and the man is too naïve.
Jiang Menglin's lifelong dealings were mainly with intellectuals, and the intellectuals of the Republic of China period were a small circle, although they often had bad deeds such as liking the new and tired of the old, in general, their behavior had a bottom line, and they despised to do such things as pit deception and abduction.
Therefore, they have an old-school innocence, although they are seven years old and eighty, their mentality is still similar to that of teenagers, thinking that there will be pure love in the world, thinking that talents are matched with beautiful people, heroes are matched with beautiful women, which is a kind of natural righteousness.
We can't laugh at this mentality of theirs. In this increasingly mediocre world, there are fewer and fewer elegant gold worshippers and naïve old men.
Whether they are deceived or deceived, they are getting rougher and rougher.