Chai Tingbin, a man from Taiping County, had a wife, Lady Jin, who was barren and possessed a jealous nature. Chai Tingbin spent a hundred taels of silver to purchase a concubine, only to have her brutally mistreated by his wife until she died after little more than a year. Because of this, Chai Tingbin harbored deep resentment and refused to associate with his wife for several months.

One day, on Chai’s birthday, his wife dressed impeccably and came to offer her felicitations, inviting her husband to drink at her residence. During the banquet, the wife confessed her fault, saying, "It was wrong of me to mistakenly kill the concubine previously, but considering our many years as husband and wife, please forgive me this once. From now on, no matter how many women you marry, I will not interfere."

Seeing her sincere attitude, Chai Tingbin let go of his grudge, and the two reconciled as before. The wife outwardly offered to help her husband find another companion, but secretly instructed the matchmaker, "This is just for show; delay as much as possible, and under no circumstances take it seriously." More than a year passed, and the matter of taking another wife remained without progress. Chai Tingbin, growing impatient, took matters into his own hands to find a suitable partner, eventually setting his sights on the young lady of the Lin family and bringing her home as his wife.

Miss Lin was exquisitely beautiful and deeply favored by Chai Tingbin, who indulged her every wish regarding food and provisions. However, though beautiful, Miss Lin was unskilled in needlework. The wife seized this opportunity to launch an attack, stating, "The Chai household has always been frugal, unlike the mansions of princes and nobles. How can a woman not know embroidery? Starting today, I will personally take charge and teach you the domestic arts."

During the lessons, Lady Jin was excessively severe. Any slight defiance from Miss Lin resulted in loud scolding, and even whipping or striking with an iron rod. Slapping her face and pulling her hair were commonplace occurrences. Unable to bear the continuous humiliation, Miss Lin fell into despair and hanged herself.

When the tragic news arrived, Chai Tingbin was inconsolable with grief. In his fury and anger, he cursed his wife a few times. Lady Jin, indignant, retorted, "What crime have I committed by disciplining your wife on your behalf?" It was at this moment that Chai Tingbin finally recognized the ugly truth of his wife’s nature. He immediately severed ties with her, turning into bitter enemies, and moved out to live alone.

One day, Chai Tingbin attended a friend's funeral, and at the host's home, he saw a young woman, about sixteen or seventeen, radiantly beautiful. He couldn't help but stare repeatedly. Upon inquiring of his friend, he learned that the lady was surnamed Shao, the daughter of old man Shao. She was young, intelligent, possessed an eidetic memory, studied medical texts extensively, and was highly skilled in medicine.

Since meeting Miss Shao, Chai Tingbin could not forget her. He immediately urged the matchmaker to call upon the Shao household to propose marriage, saying, "If Mother is willing to help, whether successful or not, there will be a generous reward." The matchmaker, coveting the money, readily agreed and proceeded to visit the Shao residence, where Madam Shao and her daughter came out to receive her. The matchmaker scrutinized Miss Shao intently and praised, "What a beautiful young lady! If she were to marry into the Inner Palace, what are the imperial consorts and noble ladies compared to her?" She then inquired, "Is she already betrothed? Who is her intended husband?" Madam Shao replied, "My young daughter is not yet married."

The matchmaker said, "With a face like the young lady's, she will surely marry into a noble family sooner or later." Madam Shao smiled, "We dare not aspire to a family of princes and nobles; being married to a scholar would be enough for me. This daughter of mine is quite particular; ten proposals, ten rejections—I don't know what she is thinking."

The matchmaker said, "Madam need not worry. A beauty like the young lady is not easily appreciated by ordinary men. Just yesterday, Young Master Chai asked me to arrange his courtship to win your esteemed daughter. Hmph, isn't this an ugly toad desiring swan meat?" Madam Shao smiled enigmatically and remained silent. The matchmaker continued, "Madam favors a scholar for a son-in-law, but most scholars are poor. In my humble opinion, a rich young master is better; at least their food and clothing are secure. Ah, speaking of rich young masters, I suddenly recall that Young Master Chai is young and wealthy, seemingly with quite a few savings."

Madam Shao merely smiled again, neither agreeing nor disagreeing. The matchmaker, unable to fathom her intentions, decided to probe further, shifting her tone, "Rich young masters have their merits, but they also have a flaw: they are usually disdainful of others. Take Madam, for example. You are so amiable, the kindest elder in the world. Every time I visit your household, Madam always offers warm hospitality, with plenty of tea and wine. But once your daughter marries into a powerful family, Madam's status will rise accordingly. You’ll ride in a sedan chair for every outing, and it will likely be much harder for me to see you then."

Madam Shao pondered for a long moment before saying, "I understand the matchmaker's intent; you have come to speak on behalf of the Chai family, is that right? However, I cannot make this decision; it depends on my daughter's wishes." She looked toward Miss Shao and asked, "What do you say?" Miss Shao blushed slightly and replied, "I have met this Young Master Chai. Although his gaze upon me last time was rather intense and perhaps impolite, he does seem to be a passionate man."

Madam Shao asked, "So, you agree?" Miss Shao nodded slightly. Madam Shao laughed, "My daughter is truly peculiar. So many fine men have proposed, yet she refuses them all, insisting on becoming a concubine! Is she not afraid of being ridiculed?" The matchmaker interjected, "It matters not. Once the young lady enters the household and bears a son or daughter, even if the First Wife is fiercely harsh, what can she do?"

Madam Shao sighed and spoke earnestly to her daughter, "The road is yours to choose, do not regret it later." Miss Shao responded, "My fate is thin. If I marry into a good family as a wife, I fear it will shorten my life. A little suffering might not be a bad thing. Besides, Young Master Chai has the countenance of good fortune; his descendants will surely prosper."

The matchmaker was overjoyed and quickly relayed this to Chai, who was equally delighted. He immediately prepared carriages and horses to welcome Miss Shao into his home, offering a dowry alone amounting to one thousand taels of gold. After the wedding, the couple resided in a separate courtyard and did not see Lady Jin. Miss Shao felt apprehensive and spoke to Chai, "How can a concubine not see the principal wife? Hiding away like this cannot last forever. It would be better to return home sooner. There is no one in this world who cannot be placated. As long as I do not commit any offense, why would Eldest Sister become angry?"

Chai Tingbin replied, "That is not so. My wife is the foremost among shrewish women—stubborn and utterly unteachable." Miss Shao countered, "As a concubine, being disciplined by the main wife is part of my duty. Lingering outside forever is not a long-term solution." Chai Tingbin nodded, "What you say has merit. I shall consider this matter slowly." He felt conflicted, caught between two difficult choices.

One day, Chai Tingbin had to go out on business. Miss Shao personally went to the Chai manor to pay her respects to the principal wife. Lady Jin was initially furious, but seeing Miss Shao's voluntary submission, which made her fault somewhat excusable, and observing her humble demeanor, she found it difficult to cause an open confrontation. Thus, she vented all her anger upon Chai, cursing fiercely, "This wicked husband of mine! Always speaking ill of me outside. Hmph! Is marrying a lesser wife behind my back some virtuous act he can boast of?"

Miss Shao interjected, "He has already realized his mistake, but men value face and are too ashamed to apologize to you directly. If Eldest Sister would only soften her expression slightly, even offer him a small smile, the conflict could be resolved. Wouldn't it be wonderful if the family could be reconciled?" Lady Jin retorted, "He adamantly refuses to come home; how can I give him a pleasant look? Forget it, let’s not discuss this for now. As for you, you may stay in the household from now on." She then ordered a maid to clean the bedding for her.

When Chai Tingbin heard of this, he was terrified, fearing Miss Shao had walked into a tiger's den. He rushed back to the residence, and seeing the household quiet with no signs of struggle, he was somewhat relieved. Miss Shao came out to greet him, pleading with Chai to apologize to Lady Jin. Chai looked troubled, but unable to resist Miss Shao's soft entreaties, he finally agreed.

Miss Shao was delighted and went to visit the principal wife, saying, "Husband has returned and is deeply ashamed, unable to face Eldest Sister. I beg Eldest Sister to condescend and speak a few intimate words with him." Lady Jin refused, but Miss Shao persuaded her, "In ancient times, the ugly lady Meng Guang was utterly respectful to her husband, always holding the serving tray at eyebrow level when bringing him his meals. Surely Eldest Sister's beauty surpasses Meng Guang's a hundred times over; is her magnanimity truly inferior?" Lady Jin nodded, "Very well, for your sake, I will see him once."

When husband and wife reunited, Lady Jin cursed, "Faithless man, are you not supposed to have many escape routes? Why have you come back?" Although Chai Tingbin felt displeasure internally, he followed Miss Shao's instruction and forced a smile. Seeing this, Lady Jin's expression softened somewhat. Miss Shao seized the opportunity, ordered the servants to bring wine and food, and after a few cups, the couple mended their broken union and came back together.

Miss Shao was an exemplar of virtuous conduct. Every morning, she would visit Lady Jin’s quarters to pay her respects, manage the household affairs tirelessly and without complaint, never vying for Chai Tingbin’s favor. Whenever Chai Tingbin went to her own quarters to stay the night, Miss Shao would politely refuse, ensuring that the number of times they shared a room in a month never exceeded three.

Seeing how obedient she was, Lady Jin felt ashamed of her own nature, and envy inevitably stirred in her heart. However, Miss Shao was cautious and circumspect, making her virtually flawless; even when occasionally subjected to minor punishments, Miss Shao accepted them submissively.