Madam Qin gave a cold snort: “It’s not only they who have delayed matters—your muddle‑headedness as a mother is also to blame! You knew Tianfu would one day enter officialdom, yet you thought to keep silent and saddle him with another co‑wife? Never mind his career prospects—have you considered that if the Tian family succeeds, your son’s future marriage will be ruined? What good girl would willingly enter a household with two mothers‑in‑law of equal rank, where propriety itself is in disorder?”
These past days, Sheng Guiniang had been surrounded by Madam Qian and Madam Shen, who spoke only of the benefits of allying with the Tian family for her husband and son. They cited precedents from the founding of the dynasty, when ministers married co‑wives from noble clans to strengthen ties. Even southern plays sang of three people living in harmony, sisters as co‑wives, treating each other with respect. So she thought to cover up the scandal quickly, to keep the peace, never considering the long‑term consequences.
Now her son had, without consulting anyone, submitted a petition for deferment, losing his chance at this year’s imperial exam. If she had known earlier, she would rather have died than allow the Tian woman to enter, disrupting her son’s future.
Madam Qin knew her daughter was too yielding. In her own household, there had never been concubines fighting for favor, so she had raised her daughter too gentle and naive, always thinking the best of others. Entering the scheming Cheng family, how could she be a match for them?
Now that her daughter had returned to the Shengs, Madam Qin could rest easier—she would simply wait for the Chengs to come demanding her back. When they did, she would have her own grand display ready for those wolves.
Meanwhile, Cheng Peinian, after days of hardship, finally reached Yecheng and found his brother‑in‑law, Sheng Xuanhe. There he performed his usual act—kneeling, weeping, begging forgiveness.
Sheng Xuanhe was dumbfounded by his brother‑in‑law’s scandal. Once he recovered, pity for his sister turned to fury, and he cursed Cheng Peinian harshly.
But after venting his anger, Sheng Xuanhe rubbed his temples. Like repairing ancestral tombs, he had to tidy up the mess before him. If it had been a woman from a minor family, it would have been easier—he would have stood up for his sister and raised a storm.
But Tian Peirong was the Empress’s niece. If the scandal broke out, would that not shame the imperial family? So after his tirade, Sheng Xuanhe had no choice but to sit down with his brother‑in‑law and discuss how to smooth things over.
In the end, Sheng Xuanhe thought letting Tian Peirong enter the household was not impossible.
The Shengs were allied with Prince Cining’s household, appearing highly honored. But his daughter was a false one.
Whenever Sheng Xuanhe thought of this, his heart trembled, fearing the prince might one day repudiate them. If he sold the Tian family a favor now, gaining their kinship, it would be another safeguard. The Tian family would owe them gratitude.
Still, Tian Peirong lacked virtue and was fit only to be a concubine. For the Chengs to take a concubine was natural. If his sister refused entirely, she would be branded jealous, leaving her open to gossip.
Thus, Sheng Xuanhe concluded that this arrangement preserved both face and substance and was not such a grave matter.
Cheng Peinian opened his mouth but swallowed back Tian Peirong’s demand not to be a concubine. He hadn’t expected to convince his brother‑in‑law immediately. As long as the Shengs didn’t expose the scandal between the Chengs and the Tians, the Tian family would naturally find a way to pressure the Shengs into agreeing to the co‑wife arrangement.
Having found Sheng Xuanhe, the burden he had carried for days finally eased. He flattered his brother‑in‑law all the way back to the capital, preparing to discuss matters at the Cheng household.
Meanwhile, the elder brother had already notified the Tian family to send someone eloquent and respectable. Once Sheng Xuanhe entered the Cheng residence, they would persuade him to nod in agreement and press his handprint on the marriage papers for Tian Peirong as co‑wife. Then the matter would be sealed, irreversible.
The Tian family held great power at court. Empress Tian was still young; when the Emperor passed, she would surely be revered as Empress Dowager. Even Prince Cining, as heir, could not afford to offend her kin. If Sheng Xuanhe were wise, he would see that only by granting Tian Peirong co‑wife status could all sides be satisfied.
Thus, with the Chengs marrying daughters from both the Sheng and Tian families, they could balance both alliances and remain unshaken—a tale fit for the stage, a “beautiful story” of harmony.
Thinking this, Cheng Peinian’s heart, tormented for nights, finally settled. But upon arriving home, he learned that Sheng Guiniang had been forcibly pushed into a carriage by the Sheng girl—and taken back to the Sheng household.
Cheng Peinian nearly collapsed at the threshold, slapping his thigh in panic.
Sheng Xuanhe, hearing of his false daughter’s deed, was dumbstruck. What was this little country girl scheming now? But this meant Madam Qin would surely be alerted.
Cheng Peifeng gnashed his teeth, furious that the Sheng girl had ruined their careful plans.
Cheng Peinian wanted to fetch Sheng Guiniang back immediately, but at the Sheng gates, he was refused entry. Instead, he received word from Madam Qin: the head of the Cheng household must come in person to speak.
The two Cheng brothers exchanged looks—they knew the game was up. Madam Qin had discovered the truth.
Sheng Xuanhe, hearing his sister had returned, hurried back as well, fearing his mother might, in her grief, petition the palace and cause a scandal that would shame them all.
Cheng Peinian, ever cowardly, knew his mother‑in‑law’s temper. He stammered, “Elder brother, I have many duties at the public office these days. Perhaps you should go fetch Guiniang first?”
Cheng Peifeng glared at him: “I wasn’t the one who got the Tian widow pregnant! If you can wait, then wait until her child is born before you go!”
Cheng Peinian, thinking it over, could only send a message to the Tian household. Within the hour, a Tian servant returned with a letter from Lady Huishu. In it, she wrote that she had already persuaded her father to intervene and that she would accompany Cheng Peinian when the time came.
Cheng Peifeng read the letter and sneered inwardly. The Tian women certainly knew how to handle Cheng Peinian’s temperament—afraid he might lose his nerve at the last moment, they had deliberately sent support.
But if Lady Huishu herself came, she would surely have prepared her arguments well. That calculating woman would take the lead, and he could relax.
By the time the two Cheng brothers arrived at the Sheng residence, night was falling. The Tian family’s carriages arrived at the same time.
Tian Peirong had deliberately removed her hair ornaments, dressed in plain clothes, and wore a large‑hooded cloak, appearing pitiful and fragile.
Cheng Peinian hurried forward to help her down: “You’re suffering from morning sickness—why come? I can handle this myself…”
Tian Peirong gave him a faint smile: “How could I bear to watch you be scolded at the Shengs for my sake? Today, not only I, but my father has come as well.”
Cheng Peinian looked up and saw, stepping from another sedan chair, the Imperial Uncle Tian Xianzhong.
Forced by his bold daughter into a corner, Tian Xianzhong had swallowed his pride to come plead at the Sheng gates. His face was dark as thunder, like Zhong Kui hunting demons.
Cheng Peinian was handsome, but his daughter had been bewitched, possessed by obsession, insisting she must marry him.
The Imperial Uncle had never thought highly of the Chengs. But pitying his daughter, young and widowed, unhappy in her former marriage, he resolved to grant her wish this time.
Yet when both families arrived together, there was no one to greet them—only a gate servant led them straight to the main hall.
Inside sat Madam Qin, Sheng Xuanhe, and Sheng Guiniang with her son.
Seeing the Imperial Uncle enter, Madam Qin rose and bowed: “I do not know what business brings Your Excellency to my humble house so late?”
Tian Xianzhong quickly returned the courtesy: “Madam, please sit, no need for formality… Ah, it is all the debts of children from past lives. Today, I bring my wayward daughter to beg forgiveness from Lady Qin.”
Before he could finish, Tian Peirong had already knelt, pressing her forehead to the ground: “Grandmother, Madam Sheng, please forgive Chenglang and me…” Her words broke off in sobs.
Though a widow, she was still in her prime. With her plain face and tear‑stained cheeks, she looked pitiable indeed.
Madam Qin was not like her son‑in‑law, easily swayed by feminine charms. She did not admire such displays, but for the Tian family’s sake, she spoke gently: “Lady Huishu, please rise. You are with child—if you are not comfortable here at the Shengs, we cannot bear the responsibility.”
Ordinarily, when a daughter’s scandal needed covering, she would remain at home, waiting for her parents to negotiate.
But Tian Peirong, instead, had come bare‑faced, hair half‑loosened, like attending a funeral, to kneel and weep at the Sheng household.
In this way, if the Shengs refused to give face and insisted on making a scandal, Tian Peirong could still flaunt her pregnancy, play the victim, win Chenglang’s pity, and even turn the blame back on the Shengs—accusing them of being heartless.
At this thought, Madam Qin cast another cold glare at her son, who swayed like grass in the wind.
The Chengs had clearly judged her brother’s temperament well. If not for her granddaughter Sheng Xiangqiao’s boldness in abducting her aunt back home, Sheng Xuanhe might already have signed the papers agreeing to Tian Peirong’s entry as co‑wife.
When Sheng Xuanhe returned, his mother scolded him harshly. Now he dared not speak, only folding his hands and bowing his head, waiting to see how she would deal with the Chengs and Tians.
Since the Shengs did not erupt in fury, denouncing their son‑in‑law’s scandal, Tian Peirong’s tearful performance could not continue. So she quieted her sobs and, supported by her maids, sat beside her father.
The Imperial Uncle Tian sighed deeply and said to Madam Qin: “I hold high office and have neglected to discipline my children. My wayward daughter Tian Peirong and your son‑in‑law, in a moment of drunken folly, committed a transgression. When I learned of it, I scolded her severely. Yet her health is fragile. If she were forced to miscarry, it might endanger her life. Her mother died young—if I were too harsh and caused her harm, how could I face her mother in the afterlife?”
His words sounded self‑reproachful, but in fact, he had already closed off the option of miscarriage. If the Shengs demanded it, it would mean two lives lost.
Madam Qin’s expression did not change: “She was married into the Shen family for years, yet bore no child until their son died. Now, after drunken misconduct, she conceives—perhaps Heaven pities a widow. This matter cannot be blamed on her alone. Since Cheng Peinian is also at fault, he must acknowledge it and take her in quickly. My daughter may lack great talent or virtue, but she is not jealous. She can accept a concubine’s cup of tea.”
Cheng Peinian had not expected his stern mother‑in‑law to be so accommodating. His face lit with joy. But Tian Peirong lowered her head, covering her mouth with a soft cough.
The Imperial Uncle glanced sideways at his daughter, then smiled at Madam Qin: “Madam Qin, as the daughter of Duke Jingyuan, you are truly magnanimous. I thank you for granting my girl this favor… Only…”
He paused, then continued: “Peirong holds an imperial decree from His Majesty and is the Empress’s niece. If she enters the Cheng household merely as a concubine, even as a noble concubine, it would disgrace both the Emperor and Empress. Later, when she lives alongside your daughter, how could your daughter manage the balance? Surely we cannot allow an imperial‑decreed lady to be pointed at and mocked as she leaves the Cheng gates. That would trouble the Empress. In my view, since you have agreed to let her enter, why not elevate her further—let her and your daughter be sisters in rank? Our dynasty has precedents for this, each praised as a tale for the ages.”
This “sisterhood” meant raising Tian Peirong to co‑wife, equal to Sheng Guiniang.
At these words, Sheng Xuanhe quickly lifted his head and glared at Cheng Peinian. Back in Yecheng, his brother‑in‑law had knelt and confessed, but had never once mentioned co‑wife status.
Indeed, just as his mother had said—if the Tian family only wished her to enter as a concubine, why would they come again and again? This was all carefully calculated, waiting for him to fall into their trap.
At this, Madam Qin gave a cold snort and said slowly: “Our dynasty may have precedents for co‑wives, but those were generals at the founding of the realm, balancing old ministers and new nobles for the sake of the empire’s stability. The plays praise those old wives for their broad vision, sacrificing their husbands for the peace of the land. But I have never heard of a play that glorifies a woman covering for a man of loose morals, drunk and debauched, by marrying a pregnant co‑wife and disgracing the family’s name!”
Her words were heavy, a sharp change from her earlier magnanimity.
The Imperial Uncle Tian was caught off guard, embarrassed, but forced to suppress his anger: “Madam Qin, do not be upset. I know this request is difficult, but the Tian family is not ungrateful. Cheng’s fourth son is preparing for the imperial exam. He is young and needs protection. The Tian family will do all it can to safeguard him. With another mother of equal rank, there will be more support. Even Lord Sheng will have backing in the court. You know the imperial succession is uncertain—one must not rest too easily, but prepare three burrows for the cunning rabbit.”
Though his words sounded conciliatory, they were full of veiled threats.
Tian Xianzhong, seasoned in politics, wielded both favor and intimidation with skill. Madam Qin and Sheng Guiniang were women, concerned only with their children’s futures, relying on their men. As for the Sheng eldest daughter’s marriage into Prince Cining’s household, whether it was fortune or disaster remained to be seen.
The Emperor had many sons. Why must it be Prince Cining? Even if the Crown Prince died, would not the Empress adopt another heir under her name?
Sheng Xuanhe listened and felt the words struck directly at his heart. The Tian family was powerful now—his mother must not, for the sake of pride, offend them.
Though the Shengs had reason on their side, to bring this matter before the Emperor would be foolish. The Emperor was old, yet still burned midnight oil reviewing memorials. To trouble him with such domestic scandals would only earn his displeasure.
Just as Sheng Xuanhe was about to speak to ease the tension, Cheng Tianfu raised his hands in salute and said calmly: “Thank you, Imperial Uncle, for your concern. But if family affairs are not in order, how can one govern the state and aid the sovereign? I admit my virtue is lacking and must cultivate further. I have already submitted a petition to defer the exam. I will not participate in this year’s grace examination.”
At these words, Cheng Peinian cried out first: “You wretched son… are you mad? Such a great matter, and you act without consulting anyone? You are a talent fit for the top scholar’s rank! You were about to ascend in one leap—how can you throw it all away?”
Sheng Guiniang, long suppressed, finally erupted as her husband scolded their son: “And you still dare to blame Tianfu! If not for your disgraceful conduct, committing such filth, would our son need to sacrifice his future just to prove his innocence?”
At this, Tian Peirong’s tears fell instantly. She sobbed: “Madam Sheng, it is all my fault, not Chenglang’s. If you must scold, scold me…”
Sheng Xuanhe nearly reached for his heart medicine, wishing he could rush over and cover his sister’s mouth.
But before he could, Madam Qin’s voice rang out, rebuking her daughter: “Silence! You failed to guide your husband to cultivate virtue, indulged him until he committed such shameful acts, and now you have dragged down your son’s future. Do you think you bear no blame?”
The Imperial Uncle Tian, seeing Madam Qin scold both sides equally, could not quite grasp her intent. He cautiously asked: “Madam Qin, what do you mean…?”
Madam Qin replied: “Imperial Uncle, our children are grown, each with their own will. If you wish to imitate the tale of Ehuang and Nüying, then it depends on whether our daughters truly share the fate of sisters. Guiniang, what do you think?”
Because of her niece Sheng Xiangqiao’s sharp interpretation, Sheng Guiniang now felt sick at the mere mention of “Ehuang and Nüying.” After returning home, her mother had laid out the dangers clearly, and her son had confided old secrets never before spoken.
When she heard her son’s account of that hidden history, Sheng Guiniang wept until her heart nearly broke. After such bitter tears, her mother’s counsel finally sank in.
Gentle as she was, Sheng Guiniang now had to harden her heart. As her mother said, her children were still young—she could not fail to plan for them. The Tian family pressed relentlessly; the matter of co‑wife was inevitable. If Tian Peirong truly entered, she would not remain the pitiful, tearful figure she now appeared to be.
The Tian family was powerful, and the Shengs could not afford to provoke them. If they could not fight, then they must avoid.
She raised her eyes to her husband, once beloved. Though still handsome in middle age, the way he kept glancing at Tian Peirong was revolting. She thought of how she had once defied her mother’s warnings to marry into the Chengs, believing she would be cherished. Yet Cheng Peinian’s ambitions had grown, deeming the Shengs’ ladder too low. Years of marriage meant nothing to him.
Recalling her mother’s and son’s earnest words over several nights, she finally dried her tears. Following the plan she had discussed with her mother, she spoke: “Since Cheng Peinian disregards his wife’s dignity, secretly meeting another woman until she is pregnant, ruining her reputation, and now forcing my Sheng family to accept her as co‑wife, thereby obstructing my son’s future—then our marriage is finished. Better to divorce here and now. From this day forth, in weddings and funerals, we shall have nothing to do with each other!”
At these words, the faces in the hall all changed.
Tian Peirong’s brows relaxed in delight.
Cheng Peinian, though shocked and saddened, secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
The Imperial Uncle Tian wore a polite mask of regret, saying: “This… how could this be allowed?”
Sheng Guiniang sniffled and continued: “Yet all present must know this divorce is not of my own will. I have been forced into such a desperate corner. I may leave the Cheng household, but I cannot neglect my children’s future…”
“…Before signing the divorce papers, I ask that Second Master Cheng divide his estate into three parts, with two portions placed under my son’s and daughter’s names. From then on, they will leave the Cheng household with me. Though their surname will not change and they will remain on the Cheng family genealogy, they will be fostered in the Sheng household. In the future, the Cheng elders and co‑wives need not trouble themselves with their upbringing.”
At these words, Cheng Peifeng immediately objected!
Cheng Peifeng, descended from generations of merchants, was always meticulous about money. His younger brother was an official, too busy to manage the estates, so the combined wealth of both branches was under his control. Now the Shengs demanded that the Chengs compensate the two children with a share of the family property—wasn’t that bleeding him dry?
He spoke at once: “Why speak of divorce? Even if there is divorce, property is never divided like this! A woman leaves with her dowry, that is all. How can she demand money from her husband’s family? A hundred or a thousand taels as compensation, perhaps—but dividing the estate? That is outrageous, like bandits extorting us!”
Madam Qin’s face hardened: “I have heard enough of outrageous words today. I see nothing wrong in my daughter’s request. After the divorce, a new wife will bear children for the Chengs. But poor Tianfu and Deqing will be left unloved. My Sheng daughter asks nothing for herself—the divided property is only to compensate her own children. Is that not fair?”
Cheng Peinian, though not head of the household, knew the Chengs had grown rich through generations of trade, even profiting during national crises. Their wealth was considerable.
From Madam Qin’s tone, it seemed she wanted him to strip himself bare. How could he live afterward? And he realized—such a divorce would reveal that the Tian family had forced him to abandon his wife and marry a widow. What would happen to his reputation and authority then?
So he quickly echoed his elder brother, trying to pull the matter back.
Sheng Guiniang, when she first spoke of divorce, had held a faint hope that Cheng Peinian might repent, value her and their children, and force Tian Peirong to enter only as a concubine.
But Cheng Peinian cared only for his reputation and wealth, showing no concern for her or their children. Her heart, once warm, turned cold.
Cheng Tianfu gently clasped his mother’s hand: “Do not worry, Mother. I will take care of everything…”
Sheng Guiniang’s heart warmed, tears rising again.
Tian Peirong now realized the truth. Though Sheng Guiniang agreed to divorce, she demanded that Cheng Peinian leave with nothing. If she entered the household, what life would she have? What would remain for her children? She quickly whispered to her father, urging him to persuade the Shengs.
The hall erupted in noise, but the Chengs showed no sign of compromise.
Madam Qin gave a cold laugh and suddenly declared: “You gentlemen have listened long enough—please come out now and uphold justice for me!”
As she spoke, the screen at the side of the hall was moved aside, revealing the clan elders of the Sheng family and Duke Jingyuan’s household, who had been seated behind it all along.
This sudden change silenced the noisy hall at once.
Duke Jingyuan had won great merit in battle, and many of the clan’s younger men had once fought under him. Among those who now stepped out were two who had been close comrades of the Emperor himself in the barracks, sharing tents with him. They were venerable elders of high standing and reputation.
From behind the screen, they had listened to the shameless words of the Tian and Cheng families, trembling with rage.
Now, as they came forward, one Qin elder stroked his snowy beard and said to Madam Qin: “Eldest girl, why waste words with them! Put on your official matron’s crown and robes, and we old fellows will accompany you to the palace to speak directly to His Majesty. Has the world changed so much, that demons run rampant? If the Empress learns her kin has produced such a shameless woman, she will surely bestow three feet of white silk and order her hanged from the beam! I do not believe Heaven is blind, to let the Tian family force marriage and trample another’s rightful wife and children. If the court will not act, then we old men will kneel before the palace gates until Heaven and Earth grant justice!”