In Gaofan, Linjiang County, there lived a boy of exceptional intelligence and striking looks. At fourteen, he entered the county school, quickly becoming the talk of the town, with every wealthy young lady vying for his hand. Yet, Gaofan held himself to a high standard, finding no one who truly captured his interest. His father, Gao Zhonghong, a man in his sixties, doted on Gaofan, his only son.

Once, an old man named Fan from the East Village had lodged at the Gao residence. Old Man Fan had a daughter, Jiangcheng, the same age as Gaofan. Back then, the two children, just eight or nine, played together constantly, inseparable in their innocent camaraderie. Later, Old Man Fan moved away, and for four or five years, there was no news of them.

One day, Gaofan encountered a breathtakingly beautiful young woman on the street, attended by a small maid of only six or seven. The woman, upon seeing Gaofan, cautiously opened her eyes to examine him, seeming to have something to say. On closer inspection, the woman was none other than Jiangcheng. Their reunion was a source of great joy, and after exchanging a few words, Gaofan took his leave, deliberately dropping a red kerchief as he departed.

Jiangcheng picked up the red kerchief and tucked it into her bodice. Then, she produced a white silk scarf, instructing the little maid, “Young Master Gao dropped something; take this back to him.” The young maid, naive and unquestioning, immediately complied.

Gaofan accepted the silk scarf, his heart soaring. He returned home and declared to his mother, “I intend to marry Jiangcheng.” His mother objected, “Jiangcheng’s family is poor, owning no land or property, and she has been wandering for years. How can she be worthy of you?” Gaofan remained resolute: “This is my own decision. Even if I choose wrongly, I will never regret it.”

His mother pondered for a moment and then said, “Since you are determined, I will inquire on your behalf first. If Jiangcheng is indeed as beautiful as you say, we will discuss it further.” The next day, the mother visited Jiangcheng’s residence. Seeing her bright eyes, pearly teeth, and graceful demeanor, the mother was overjoyed and immediately presented a generous betrothal gift, bringing Jiangcheng into the Gao household as a bride.

The couple enjoyed a harmonious start to their marriage. However, Jiangcheng proved to have a volatile temper, prone to sudden outbursts, coupled with a sharp tongue that was difficult to endure. On one occasion, when Gaofan’s parents were listing their daughter-in-law’s faults in front of him, Jiangcheng, upon learning of it, cursed them loudly. When Gaofan offered a mild rebuttal, Jiangcheng flew into a rage and promptly threw him out of the marital chamber, forbidding him to sleep there.

Hearing of this, the parents were indignant and ordered their son to write a letter of repudiation, sending Jiangcheng back to her maternal home. Ashamed that his daughter had been sent away, Old Man Fan secretly interceded with Gao Zhonghong, but the latter refused to listen.

A year passed. On one occasion, Gaofan was traveling and passed by his father-in-law’s house. The old man invited him in for a proper visit, treating him with great warmth. He then commanded Jiangcheng to come out and greet their guest. The husband and wife met, both filled with melancholy. Gaofan’s old affections rekindled, and after several cups of wine, at the arrangement of his father-in-law, he shared a bed with Jiangcheng, and they reconciled as before.

Old Man Fan was elated. He immediately went to the Gao residence to speak with Gao Zhonghong, requesting that he withdraw his previous decree and allow his daughter-in-law to return home. Gao Zhonghong, unable to withstand Old Man Fan’s persistent pleading, stated, “If my son is willing to accept Jiangcheng, then I, naturally, have nothing more to say.” Old Man Fan smiled: “There is no issue with the son-in-law; he even stayed at my house last night, and he and Jiangcheng were deeply affectionate.”

Gao Zhonghong was surprised to hear this and sighed, “Since my son’s old flame has not faded, what can I say? Since things have come to this, so be it.” Old Man Fan then departed. Gao Zhonghong summoned his son and said, “I do not oppose your reconciliation with Jiangcheng. However, your wife has a fiery temperament, and I am old and cannot tolerate agitation. From this day forward, father and son shall live separately; out of sight, out of mind.” He then arranged for a separate courtyard for his son and assigned him a maidservant for attendance.

Upon her return, Jiangcheng behaved herself quietly for the first first month. But as time wore on, she reverted to her old ways, frequently verbally abusing and physically striking her husband. Gaofan endured endless bullying; his cheeks were clawed by Jiangcheng, leaving them crisscrossed with scratch marks. One day, Gaofan could bear it no longer and went to his parents’ residence to complain. Jiangcheng, hearing this, grabbed a wooden pole and proceeded to beat Gaofan soundly in front of his parents, striking him over fifty times before stomping away. Gao Zhonghong, witnessing his son’s suffering, pitied him yet hated him for his spinelessness, saying, “You chose this path yourself. The suffering you endure is what you deserve. Do not come to me again.”

His mother, soft-hearted and unable to bear her son’s distress, secretly bought him a house, saying, “Live here for now. You cannot return to your wife’s side just yet.” While comforting her son, she sent someone to summon Old Man Fan, commanding him to properly discipline his daughter.

Old Man Fan went to his daughter’s residence and tried to persuade her earnestly, but Jiangcheng would not listen, responding with cold mockery and showing her father no respect. Old Man Fan returned home filled with anger and disappointment, confiding in his wife, “Our daughter is so unfilial; we should have nothing more to do with her.”

Not long after, Old Man Fan and his wife both passed away. Jiangcheng, her anger still unquenched, even refused to attend their funeral. Every day, she went to her in-laws’ residence and shouted curses over the wall.

Meanwhile, Gaofan lived alone, overcome by loneliness. He begged the matchmaker, Old Madam Li, saying, “Madam, you are always out and about. Are there any exceptionally talented and beautiful young ladies in the brothels you could introduce to me?” The matchmaker agreed.

From then on, Gaofan frequented the courtesans, and this news soon reached Jiangcheng’s ears. Jiangcheng was furious and personally stormed into Gaofan’s study, shouting harsh reprimands. Gaofan desperately defended himself, swearing to the heavens that he was wronged. Jiangcheng could find no concrete proof at the moment, so she angrily retreated, but secretly prepared for battle, diligently searching for any incriminating evidence against him.

Coincidentally, the matchmaker was returning from the study that very day and ran into Jiangcheng. Seeing her, the matchmaker’s face turned pale with guilt. Jiangcheng grew more suspicious and snapped, “Old hag, I can see right through your secret dealings. You’d better confess honestly, or I’ll pluck out your eyebrows.” The matchmaker stammered, “In the last half-month, Young Master Gao has barely interacted with any women, save for Li Yunniang from the brothel, who visited twice. Just now, the Young Master mentioned seeing Madam Tao on Mount Yusi, and said that Miss Tao has beautiful feet, and asked me to arrange a meeting for him—I don’t know if it will work out.”

Jiangcheng said coldly, “It’s good that you’re telling the truth. Listen to me: I need you to do one thing for me. This evening at dusk, go to the study, blow out the lamp, and then tell a small lie, saying, ‘Miss Tao has arrived.’ Don’t concern yourself with what happens next; I will handle it.” The matchmaker agreed. When darkness fell, she followed Jiangcheng’s instructions, entering the study to deceive Gaofan, saying, “Young Master, the person you were looking for, I have brought her for you.”

Gaofan was ecstatic and laughed, “Is that so? Quickly invite Miss Tao in.” Jiangcheng gave the matchmaker a meaningful look and motioned her away. Then, without a word, she stepped into the room. Gaofan was still in the dark, grasping Jiangcheng’s arm and inviting her to sit by the bed, saying, “Miss Tao, since that fleeting glimpse on Mount Yusi, my heart has been consumed with thoughts of you.” As he spoke, he reached out and gently stroked Jiangcheng’s ankle. Jiangcheng suppressed her rage and remained silent. Gaofan continued, “My long-cherished wish is finally fulfilled. It is a shame, though, that the room is pitch black, and I cannot see your face.” He stood up, lit the lamp, and upon looking closely in the candlelight, was shocked to see Jiangcheng herself. His soul fled in terror, his hands trembling so violently that the candle fell to the floor.

Jiangcheng seized Gaofan’s ear and dragged him back home. She produced silver needles and stabbed wildly into the flesh of Gaofan’s legs. Blood gushed out, and Gaofan screamed in pain, howling like a butchered pig.

From then on, Gaofan feared his wife like a tiger, living in constant anxiety, utterly exhausted. Even their intimacy in bed was hurried and perfunctory; his vigor was diminished. Jiangcheng, hating that he was so useless, slapped him several times and banished him to sleep alone.

Jiangcheng had two older sisters, both married to scholars. The elder sister was kind-hearted but poor at socializing, so Jiangcheng didn't care for her much. The second sister was married to a scholar named Ge, who was cunning and eloquent. Although her appearance was inferior to Jiangcheng’s, her ferocity and spirited nature were even more pronounced.

One day, Gaofan visited the Ge residence as a guest. The two men drank until they were thoroughly intoxicated. Scholar Ge, emboldened by the wine, remarked, “I hear Brother Gao is afraid of his wife. What is the reason for this?” Gaofan laughed, “Many things in this world are hard to explain. For instance, my fear of my wife stems from her great beauty, making me indulgent in everything. But some gentlemen, whose wives are clearly plain, are just as afraid of their wives as I am—how do you explain that?”

Scholar Dong (it should be Dong, as he is the husband of the second sister), hearing this, was deeply ashamed. The maidservant attending them overheard the exchange and secretly reported it to Scholar Dong’s wife. Dong’s wife was instantly enraged and grabbed a wooden pole, coming straight to Gaofan’s place to settle the score. Upon meeting the man, Dong’s wife showed no restraint, striking Gaofan squarely on the head with the pole. Blood poured down, and with another blow to his ribs, Gaofan cried out in pain, limping away miserably.

Upon returning, he recounted the incident to Jiangcheng, who flew into a rage: “My husband, no matter how lacking he may be, does not need outsiders to discipline him!” Without another word, she grabbed a carrying pole and marched to her second sister’s house to retaliate. Dong’s wife came out with a grin to greet her. Jiangcheng, filled with fury, brought the pole down heavily. A scream echoed; Dong’s wife’s cheek was struck, and she fell to the ground, losing four or five teeth, her legs twisted, wetting herself in terror and urine.

Dong’s wife, humiliated and seething with resentment, then incited her husband to seek revenge. Scholar Dong, following her wishes, went to the Gao residence and told Gaofan, “My wife has always been wild; it is rare that Jiangcheng would take it upon herself to teach her a lesson. I am deeply grateful, Brother Gao, rest assured, I will not trouble you.”

Before he could finish speaking, Jiangcheng stormed out, cursing, “Filthy scoundrel! Your wife was bullied, and you stand by idly! A man like this is better off beaten to death!” She raised a broomstick as if to strike him. Scholar Dong was terrified, daring not to linger, and fled at top speed, vanishing in an instant.

Gaofan had a fellow student and close friend named Wang Ziya, who owned a tavern planted with many plum trees. One day, Wang Ziya visited the Gao residence to chat with Gaofan. Their conversation drifted into matters of romance, with his tone becoming coarse and offensive. Jiangcheng happened to pass by the door, displeased by what she heard. Secretly, she slipped croton seeds into the soup. Wang Ziya drank the soup, then ran to the latrine seven or eight times, leaving him weak and breathless. Jiangcheng sneered, “Still dare to be disrespectful?”

Wang Ziya repeatedly shook his head, begging for mercy. Jiangcheng smiled faintly, produced an antidote mixed with mung bean soup, and said, “My heart is soft, so I won't press the matter this time. If you offend again, it won’t be just diarrhea you deal with.” Faced with such a formidable she-devil, Wang Ziya could only accept his fate. With a sigh, he downed the mung bean soup in a few gulps, and the poison was instantly neutralized.

That evening, Wang Ziya hosted a banquet at his tavern, inviting Gaofan. The host and guest drank heartily. During the feast, Wang Ziya said, “I have a famous courtesan from Nanchang at my establishment; I wonder if Brother Gao is interested?” Gaofan gave a bitter smile, “Forget it, Madam, I have a fierce wife at home; how dare I go chasing after other women?” Wang Ziya countered, “Miss Jiangcheng isn’t here, Brother Gao, so why the fear? Unless... you’re not a man.”

Gaofan bristled, “Hmph, you don’t need to provoke me. It’s just a courtesan; I’ve seen them before. Call her out. I want to see what kind of beauty she is.” Wang Ziya clapped his hands twice. A tinkling of ornaments was heard as a girl of seventeen or eighteen gracefully emerged, her features perfectly balanced, her beauty unmatched. Upon seeing her, Gaofan’s heart fluttered. He asked, “What a stunning girl! What is your name?”

The woman smiled, “My surname is Xie, and my given name is Fanglan.” Her voice was charming, her breath fragrant like orchids. Gaofan was delighted and exclaimed, “A good surname, and an even better name. Miss Xie, come sit next to me.” Xie Fanglan agreed, gracefully approaching the table and sitting next to Gaofan. Their eyes met, and affection stirred between them.

Xie Fanglan gently took Gaofan’s hand and traced a single character, “” (Sù - lodging/stay), onto his palm with her index finger. Gaofan understood immediately, longing to be intimate with the beauty, yet fearing discovery and the wrath of the ‘rouge tiger’ at home. His mind was in turmoil; he was unwilling to leave but afraid to stay.

The night deepened, and the patrons of the tavern gradually departed, leaving only one young gentleman who lingered. The gentleman was elegant and refined, accompanied by a young page boy. They drank together by candlelight, finishing three pots of wine. The gentleman tossed a silver ingot onto the table and took his leave, the page boy following closely behind.

A short while later, footsteps were heard. The page boy returned alone and approached Gaofan, saying, “Esteemed Sir, my master requests your presence.” Gaofan laughed, “Who is your master? I don’t know him, so why should I obey him?” As he spoke, he looked up, and his gaze fell upon the boy’s features. At that single glance, Gaofan’s face changed drastically, and he cried out, “Xiao Huan, is that you?” It turned out the page boy was none other than Jiangcheng’s personal maid, Xiao Huan.

Gaofan then obediently returned home. When husband and wife met, Jiangcheng’s face was covered in frost. She picked up a whip and fiercely lashed Gaofan where it hurt most. From that day forward, Gaofan’s freedom was curtailed; he lived under his wife’s constant control, each day feeling like a year.

One day, Gaofan was chatting privately with Xiao Huan, and they were enjoying themselves immensely. Jiangcheng flew into a rage, secretly suspecting her husband was having an affair with the maid. She dispensed with niceties, grabbing a wine jar and slamming it over the maid’s head, beating her soundly. Then, she tied Gaofan’s hands and feet with rope, took out scissors, and sliced a palm-sized piece of skin from Gaofan’s lower abdomen. She then performed the same procedure on the maid, swapping the pieces of skin, sewing the maid’s skin onto Gaofan’s wound and Gaofan’s skin onto the maid’s. After more than a month, both wounds healed. The skin and flesh had perfectly fused, leaving no blemish or scar whatsoever.

In the days that followed, Jiangcheng’s attitude toward her husband worsened. She often threw flatbreads onto the dusty floor, stepped on them, and then forced Gaofan to eat them. Such malicious pranks were countless.

Once, his mother came to visit Gaofan and saw how emaciated he was; she returned home nearly dead from grief. That night, his mother dreamed of an old man who told her, “Old Madam, do not worry. This is retribution for past-life karma. Jiangcheng was a white mouse raised by Monk Jingye in her previous life, and your son was a scholar who, while visiting the temple, accidentally crushed the mouse, hence this present-day repayment. Starting tomorrow, if Old Madam recites the Guanyin mantra one hundred times each morning, someone will intervene to resolve this.”

After waking, the mother followed the dream’s instruction, reciting the scriptures devoutly every day. Over a month later, an old monk arrived outside their gate, preaching Buddhist doctrines to a gathering crowd. Jiangcheng also ran out to watch the spectacle, but the crowd was a solid wall, making it impossible to get close. In desperation, she dragged over a chair and stood upon it to see. The onlookers cast cold glares at her; seeing Jiangcheng act so brazenly—not only exposing herself in public as a woman but also standing on furniture—they shook their heads in disapproval of her impropriety.

Jiangcheng, however, was oblivious, focusing only on the old monk’s sermon, her expression dismissive. She spat, muttering to herself, “The old monk is just putting on a show, mumbling nonsense, utterly meaningless.” The monk, whose hearing was extraordinary, heard her words and smiled faintly. He took an alms bowl filled with clear water and slowly approached Jiangcheng. Suddenly, he roared, “Do not resent, do not rage! The past life is real, this life is illusion. Hah! Mouse, pull your head in, lest the cat finds you!” With that, he took a large gulp of water, gathered his breath, and sprayed it entirely over Jiangcheng, soaking her clothes.

The crowd gasped, thinking, That old monk has a death wish; how dare he provoke the female demon? She will surely make him suffer terribly. But they saw Jiangcheng’s expression turn confused. Without a word, she reached out, wiped the water droplets away, turned around, and walked back into her house.

Jiangcheng returned home and refused to eat for the rest of the day. She alone tidied the bed and retired to sleep. In the middle of the night, Jiangcheng suddenly sat up, calling out Gaofan’s name, saying, “Over these many years, I have caused my husband such suffering.” As she spoke, she removed Gaofan’s outer garments and underclothes, exposing his chest covered in scars.

Tears welled in Jiangcheng’s eyes. Slowly, she extended her right hand and gently stroked Gaofan’s chest, sobbing, “There are one hundred and twenty-one scars in total. Now, I shall repay you with interest.” As she spoke, she drew a dagger, moved her wrist, and with a chssst, sliced a several-inch-long wound across the skin. Blood spurted out like a spring.

Gaofan was startled and quickly snatched the dagger, throwing it out the window, and roared, “What are you doing? Jiangcheng, listen to me carefully: if you dare to harm yourself again, I will divorce you immediately.” He paused, then drew Jiangcheng into his embrace, speaking softly, “Let bygones be bygones; no one is to hold a grudge anymore. You are my lawfully wedded wife. No matter what others say about you, in my heart, you will always be my wife.”

From then on, Jiangcheng deeply repented her past actions. She was filial to her in-laws, considerate to her husband, gentle and virtuous, and the family lived in harmony without any lingering discord. Jiangcheng proved adept at managing finances, accumulating ten thousand strings of cash within a few short years. Later, after Gaofan achieved academic success, and with Jiangcheng’s arrangement, he took Xie Fanglan as a concubine. Success in the imperial examination and joy in the bridal chamber; he was utterly content with his life.