In Yanbei, the ideal husband that unmarried young ladies dreamed of was someone like Yun Wenting or Yun Wenfang – an elegant young gentleman. However, in the hearts of married women, there stood an insurmountable mountain that no one could surpass – the old heartthrob, the Yanbei Prince.

The Yanbei Prince himself probably didn’t know how good his reputation was. In Yanbei, wherever there were women, no one dared speak ill of the Yanbei Prince, or the consequences would be severe.

“The Second Young Master is also good. I heard he also has no concubines and only married a Ren.”

“The Second Young Master has only been married for a few years? There’s still a long time ahead. Whether he’s truly good or not, we’ll see in a few more years.”

“Speaking of which, that vixen your husband brought from Yunyang City is also surnamed Ren. Could she be related to the young mistress of the Xiao family?”

Upon hearing this, Gao Shi’s hand holding the teacup paused, but she shook her head: “They only share the same surname. How could that be possible?”

“That’s true. What kind of family is the Ren family? How could they raise such a shameless woman?”

Another young woman was more cautious: “It’s still better to investigate clearly. If she is related to the Xiao family’s young mistress, you’ll need to be more careful in how you handle things in the future.”

Gao Shi smiled upon hearing this: “Don’t worry, I’ve already asked my brother from my maternal family to investigate clearly. The Xiao family’s young mistress only has one concubine-born sister. This concubine-born sister was disliked by her father and driven out of the family long ago. She died last year – it’s recorded in the official household registry. As for the main Ren family, there are only a few countable daughters. Apart from those already married, there’s only Fourth Miss, Seventh Miss, and Eighth Miss. Fourth Miss is devoted to Buddhism and has been eating vegetarian meals and chanting Buddha’s name in the temple. Seventh Miss married into Shunzhou in July this year – arranged by her maternal Su family. Eighth Miss is in poor health and hasn’t been betrothed yet. When I was in Yunyang City, I saw her from afar once.”

The other two ladies felt relieved upon hearing this.

Gao Shi didn’t stay out long, as Zhou Wen would be having lunch at home today. After sitting for a while longer, she returned home.

As soon as she entered the second courtyard, a senior maid who had stayed home hurried up to her and whispered in her ear: “Miss, the master has returned. Just now, that person in the west room made a scene again. This servant could hear the sound of cups being smashed even from the main room. The master is also losing his temper.”

Gao Shi paused in her steps but only smiled: “Later, get Concubine Ren a new tea set.”

The senior maid pursed her lips: “How many times has this been? The master’s household belongings aren’t enough for her to smash.”

Gao Shi said indifferently: “It’s nothing precious. If she likes to smash things, let her. This time use porcelain from the Zhou family kiln in Shunzhou – it makes a crisp sound when broken.”

The senior maid said indignantly, “Miss, why do you need to indulge her in everything? The master rarely goes to her room now. Do we still need to fear her?”

Gao Shi still spoke in her gentle voice: “She’s just a plaything. There’s no need to argue with her. Without her, there would still be other concubines. I’d rather it be someone like her.”

Another senior maid who had just returned with Gao Shi covered her mouth and laughed: “Miss is right. If it weren’t for Concubine Ren this time, Miss, you wouldn’t have been able to come to Yizhou with the master so smoothly. We should thank her.”

When men are posted away from home, which woman would be willing to stay in their hometown serving parents-in-law while letting other women have their husbands? It’s only due to filial duty. Gao Shi had originally planned to find a way to come after Zhou Wen had been in his post for two months, but she happened to be diagnosed with pregnancy. Gao Shi was a smart woman who knew that for women, offspring was more important than a man’s favor, so she stayed in Yunyang City to give birth before using Ren Yaoying to make the Zhou family actively ask her to come to Yizhou.

Gao Shi smiled: “Where is the master now?”

The senior maid smiled: “The master is in the main room. When you weren’t back, the master asked three times when you would return.”

Gao Shi nodded and quickly walked toward the main room with her maids.

Ren Yaoying had been having a very unpleasant time recently. She regretted it. She regretted that she shouldn’t have seen Zhou Wen become an official and, still harboring old feelings for her, escaped from the He family marriage to follow him to Yizhou.

Although everyone in the Zhou household said Gao Shi was a tolerant and virtuous person, Ren Yaoying knew that Gao Shi was formidable. Gao Shi seemed to do nothing, yet she constantly suppressed her. When Gao Shi hadn’t come to Yizhou, her maid was already quite capable. Now that Gao Shi had come to Yizhou herself, no one in this rear courtyard would listen to even half a sentence from her. Whatever she wanted to do, the maids in her room had to ask Gao Shi for permission first.

What’s more, Zhou Wen’s novelty with her had already passed. Previously, when she threw tantrums, Zhou Wen would still coax her, but now he would leave without saying a word. Ren Yaoying felt extremely wronged.

But what use was regret now? Could she still return to the Ren family?

Thinking of the Ren family, Ren Yaoying had a glimmer of hope in her heart. She had secretly left the Ren family, so the Ren family would look for her. If she returned, she could lie and say she had been kidnapped. In Yizhou, Ren Yaoying was unfamiliar with people and places, had no maternal family to support her, and everyone in the Zhou household treated her as a lowly concubine. Ren Yaoying didn’t want to live this kind of life anymore.

After much consideration, Ren Yaoying finally made up her mind to leave the Zhou family and Zhou Wen. If Zhou Wen wouldn’t let her go, she would go to the authorities and accuse him, saying she had been deceived and tricked into coming. If Zhou Wen still wanted to save face, he would have to let her go obediently.

With this thought, Ren Yaoying called a maid to inquire about Zhou Wen’s whereabouts and whether Gao Shi had returned. Learning that both were in the main room, she had the maid help her fetch water to wash her face, re-comb her hair, and then walk arrogantly toward the main room.

When Ren Yaoying entered, Zhou Wen and Gao Shi were both sitting on the kang, very close to each other. Gao Shi’s face was slightly flushed, and her hair at the temples was somewhat disheveled. Having experienced intimate affairs herself, Ren Yaoying naturally understood what Zhou Wen and Gao Shi had just been doing, and her gaze toward Zhou Wen carried hatred.

Zhou Wen felt somewhat embarrassed being looked at by Ren Yaoying like this. He coughed lightly and lowered his head to drink tea.

Gao Shi asked gently: “What brings Concubine Ren to see me?”

Ren Yaoying glanced at Gao Shi and said coldly, “I know the Zhou family can’t accommodate me. I’ve come today to ask to leave!”

Zhou Wen looked up sharply upon hearing this, frowning: “What nonsense are you talking about!”

Ren Yaoying glanced at him and sneered: “I was initially deceived by your sweet words and left my hometown to follow you to Yizhou, but how have you treated me? I won’t say anything else – give me a thousand taels of silver and escort me back to Yunyang City, and we’ll act as if we never knew each other.”

Zhou Wen was baffled by Ren Yaoying’s accusations and also lost face in front of Gao Shi. Zhou Wen felt that Ren Yaoying was being unreasonable. He didn’t think he had mistreated Ren Yaoying. Since she had been with him, her food, clothing, and expenses had all been good. Even when Gao Shi was making clothes, she let Ren Yaoying choose the fabric first. When making jewelry, he had never forgotten Ren Yaoying’s share. Yet Ren Yaoying was still dissatisfied with this and that, finding fault everywhere.

Compared to Zhou Wen’s angry defeat, Gao Shi was much calmer. She smiled and asked Ren Yaoying, “Concubine Ren wants to return to Yunyang City? Are you from Yunyang City?”

Ren Yaoying looked at Gao Shi contemptuously: “I am naturally from Yunyang City. My father, Ren Shimin, is a teacher at Yunyang Academy. One of my two sisters is the young mistress of the Yanbei Prince’s mansion, and the other is the headmistress of the Lei family.”

Zhou Wen’s expression changed upon hearing this.

Gao Shi gently patted Zhou Wen’s hand and said to Ren Yaoying without changing expression: “Now that you put it this way, I know which Ren family you’re talking about. However, as far as I know, the Ren family doesn’t have a daughter like you.”

Ren Yaoying thought Gao Shi was referring to Ren Shimin severing the father-daughter relationship with her, and immediately said loudly: “My father was only temporarily angry with me. As long as I’m willing to return, he will acknowledge me!”

Gao Shi shook her head: “I heard that Teacher Ren has three daughters – one is the young mistress of the Yanbei Prince’s mansion, one is the head mistress of the Lei family, and there was a concubine-born daughter who died last year. There are no other daughters.”

Ren Yaoying was stunned upon hearing this, then shrieked: “You’re talking nonsense! I’m standing here perfectly fine – how could I be dead?”

Gao Shi looked at Ren Yaoying with pity: “Why would I deceive you? When you first came with my husband, I wanted to give you a proper status before having my husband take you as a legitimate concubine, but you were unwilling. However, given my husband’s position, keeping a woman of unknown origins by his side would affect his future career. So I thought since you were a daughter of the Ren family, I would go to the Ren family to ask the head of the family, so you could properly enter the Zhou family with the status of a Ren family daughter. But when I had people inquire, I discovered that the Ren family’s Ninth Miss had already died. I didn’t believe it at first, so I asked my brother from my maternal family to check the household registry at the yamen. It turned out that Teacher Ren had personally gone to the authorities to cancel your household registration. The official documents clearly state that the Ren family’s Ninth Miss encountered bandits and committed suicide.”

Upon hearing this, Ren Yaoying felt the world spinning and nearly fainted. Her face turned pale as she shook her head: “No, how is that possible? I’m alive and well – how could I be dead?”

Gao Shi sighed: “Even if you are the Ren family’s Ninth Miss, now, if we send you back to Yunyang City, how would you explain your whereabouts for this past year or so to the Ren family? To put it bluntly, the Ren family would probably prefer that you had indeed died outside.”

This time, Ren Yaoying truly couldn’t stand steady and stumbled and fell to the ground.

Gao Shi quickly said, “Come quickly, call for a physician.”

After the maids clumsily carried Ren Yaoying away, Zhou Wen said to Gao Shi with a face full of shame: “I… I really shouldn’t have…”

Gao Shi comforted Zhou Wen: “What’s done is done. What’s the point of saying this now, husband? I trust your character. Concubine Ren must have said she couldn’t stay in the Ren family, which is why you risked bringing her away.”

Zhou Wen nodded. Ren Yaoying had written him many letters saying the Ren family was forcing her to marry an old man who could be her grandfather, begging him to take her away. She also said that her previous rejection of him wasn’t from her own will but because she was coerced by her grandmother.

Gao Shi sighed but said seriously to Zhou Wen, “Husband, what has happened cannot be changed, but you now hold an official position. For the sake of your future, you still need to think thrice before acting.”

Zhou Wen quickly nodded: “Madam is right. Your husband will be careful in the future. What about that, Ren? Should we send her back to Yunyang City?”

“Husband, you’re confused again!” Gao Shi gently reproached, “The Ren family’s Ninth Miss is already dead – where would you send her? Since Teacher Ren has already canceled her household registration, it means he doesn’t want her to return to the Ren family. Otherwise, where would the Ren family’s face be? If you eagerly send her back, not only will the Ren family not be grateful, they’ll also bear grudges against you.”

“Then what should we do?” Zhou Wen was somewhat frightened upon hearing this. He didn’t want to make enemies with the Ren family – he still wanted to make it in Yanbei’s official circles.

Gao Shi said gently, “Naturally, let Concubine Ren stay in our Zhou family. However, she’s just a concubine you bought, not the Ren family’s Ninth Miss.”

Zhou Wen was also clever and immediately understood upon hearing Gao Shi’s explanation. The Ren family’s Ninth Miss had already “died,” and even if she hadn’t died, she could only be treated as dead. If she were allowed to go out and cause trouble, the authorities might convict him of abducting a virtuous woman, and then his future would be ruined.

Seeing that Zhou Wen understood, Gao Shi took his hand: “When Concubine Ren wakes up later, you should go and persuade her properly. She has a youthful affection with you, so if you treat her well in the future, I will also treat her as a sister and let her settle down peacefully in the Zhou family. However, if she continues to talk nonsense, for the sake of your future, I can only be the villain and confine her. Concubine Ren is a smart person – she will understand.”

Zhou Wen grasped Gao Shi’s hand in return: “I’ve wronged you.”

Gao Shi smiled with pursed lips: “You speak nicely now, but when I do confine her, don’t blame me for being heartless and bullying your sweetheart.”

Zhou Wen looked at Gao Shi affectionately: “Don’t you know who my sweetheart is? Having such a wife in this life, what more could a husband ask for?”

Gao Shi blushed and lowered her head bashfully.

After Ren Yaoying woke up, she indeed refused to behave and continued making scenes. Gao Shi tried to persuade her several times, but Ren Yaoying wouldn’t listen. Finally, Gao Shi could only order Ren Yaoying to be confined. Ren Yaoying cried and made scenes in her room all day, finally ruining her voice. Later, whenever she spoke loudly, her throat would itch unbearably, and she would cough up blood.

Zhou Wen had originally been willing to sit in her room and try to coax her to change her mind, but gradually his heart grew cold, and he refused to enter her room anymore. After another year, both Gao Shi and the concubine maid became pregnant. Gao Shi took the initiative to take another obedient and beautiful concubine for Zhou Wen. Zhou Wen’s colleagues all envied him for marrying such a virtuous wife.

Although Zhou Wen was romantic, he always respected Gao Shi. Even after Gao Shi aged and lost her beauty, he still spent at least half his nights each month in the main room. When Zhou Wen was surrounded by children and grandchildren and Gao Shi passed away, Zhou Wen was so grief-stricken he couldn’t control himself and fell seriously ill. Thereafter, every year on Gao Shi’s death anniversary, Zhou Wen would write an elegiac poem for his deceased wife. Two of these poems were later revered by posterity as classic works expressing longing for a deceased wife, leaving their mark on history.

As for Ren Yaoying, Zhou Wen had long forgotten such a person existed. Ren Yaoying had bad fortune and died of consumption after only a few years with Zhou Wen. When Zhou Wen occasionally recalled her later, he only vaguely remembered her as a romantic debt from his youth, dismissing it with a smile.