During the Northern Song Dynasty, there was a family in Chenjiazhuang, Henan. The husband's name was Chen Shimei, and the wife's name was Qin Xianglian. They had two parents and a pair of children under their knees. Although they were well-off, their lives were passable.
This Chen Shimei is a scholar. He has read poetry and books since he was a child, and is full of economy. He wants to rush to become an official and push all the housework to Qin Xianglian. What a virtuous Qin Xianglian, who respects her parents in the high hall, caresses a pair of children, and often takes care of her husband.
Her in-laws all praised her as a virtuous and good daughter-in-law, and Chen Shimei was also happy to have a virtuous wife. Her children all said that she was a good mother.
In the year of the big test, Chen Shimei said goodbye to her parents, wife and children, and came to the capital to take the test. Chen Shimei went to Beijing to take the test, and there was no news for three years. Qin Xianglian worked hard at home, working hard, supporting her in-laws and raising her children. Unexpectedly, even during the famine, her in-laws starved to death. Qin Xianglian buried two old people hastily, and then led her son, Brother Dong, and daughter, Chunmei, all the way through mountains and rivers, begging along the way to the capital (Bianliang) to find her husband.
The hard work paid off, and he won the top spot in the exam all at once. Chen Shimei won the top spot in the exam, and his worth changed all of a sudden, and his heart also changed at the same time. Seeing that the top spot Lang was a talented person, the emperor decided to recruit him as his concubine.
In order to become the prince, Chen Shimei made up a set of lies, saying that her parents died since childhood, she studied poetry and books hard, and she had no marriage. It seems that it is really impossible to do a big thing without lying. Chen Shimei lied to the emperor and became the prince smoothly.
Living in the luxurious Consort's Mansion, there were dozens of children's servants and maids waiting on him during the day, and at night, there were delicate golden branches and jade leaves to accompany him to sleep. She ate delicacies from the mountains and seas, and wore silk and satin. Chen Shimei lived a life like a fairy.
As soon as Chen Shimei left, there was no news for several years. The parents looked forward to their son every day, and Qin Xianglian also hoped for her husband to return as soon as possible. How did they know that in Chen Shimei's file, the parents were already dead souls, and the wife was also a ghost that did not exist.
Then there was a two-year drought, and Chen Shimei's parents died one after another. After Qin Xianglian buried her in-laws, she heard that Chen Shimei had become a high-ranking official in the capital, and her hometown was really unable to survive, so she had to bring a pair of children all the way to the capital.
Needless to say, the first day Qin Xianglian arrived in the capital, she heard from the owner of the inn, Zhang Yuanlong that Chen Shimei had won the No. 1 prize and was recruited as the concubine. When Xianglian heard the news, she was both happy and surprised: the whereabouts of her husband had been revealed, and the surprise was that Chen Shimei had become the concubine. Qin Xianglian had no relatives in the capital, so she had to bite the bullet and came to the concubine's mansion in anger and hatred.
The next morning, Zhang Yuanlong took Qin Xianglian's mother and son to the palace of the concubine Zi Chi Palace to find Chen Shimei, but Chen Shimei did not let them enter the palace.
As soon as they arrived at the door, the goalkeeper saw that Qin Xianglian was in a mess, and heard her say that she wanted to see her husband Chen Shimei, so he looked at people and decided that Qin Xianglian was pretending to be an official, beat and scolded, and wanted to drive away the mother and son. It happened that Chen Shimei was leaving the house at that time, and when she saw Qin Xianglian and her children, she couldn't help but be shocked. When Qin Xianglian saw Chen Shimei, she shouted, "Xianggong! Xianggong!" When the children saw their father, they shouted together, "Daddy! Daddy!" Chen Shimei's face darkened, and she cursed the doorman angrily: "How can you let a mad woman come to the Consort's Mansion to make trouble! Beat me away immediately!" Poor Qin Xianglian was driven away under the stick of the dog leg instigated by her own husband. In an instant, it was really dark, and Qin Xianglian seemed to have fallen into the abyss, how much she wanted to die! But seeing a pair of young children, Qin Xianglian still had to live.
Later, thanks to the help of the door officials, Qin Xianglian broke into the palace. At the Zichi Palace, Qin Xianglian met her husband who had been separated for three years. Chen Shimei refused to take Xianglian and her son and wanted to drive them out of the palace. At that time, although Qin Xianglian was very painful in her heart, she still told Chen Shimei about the misfortune of the famine in her hometown and the starvation of her in-laws, hoping that Chen Shimei could recognize her wife and children. In the face of the kindness of her parents, the love of husband and wife, and the love of her children, Chen Shimei was also slightly moved. But as soon as he touched the black gauze hat on his head and the python dragon robe on his body, he thought of the glory and wealth after marrying the imperial aunt, so he ruthlessly drove Qin Xianglian and her son out of the palace. After Qin Xianglian was kicked out of the palace, she met Wang Yanling, the elder of the three dynasties and the prime minister of the three dynasties, on the street and returned to the palace, so she stopped the sedan and accused Chen Shimei. Wang Yanling was very sympathetic to Qin Xianglian's experience, so he gave her a plan, asking Xianglian to pretend to be a singer and enter the palace to sing on Chen Shimei's birthday.
The third day of Xianglian's arrival in Beijing, it was Chen Shimei's birthday day. The Purple Chi Palace was brightly lit, drums were played, and guests were greeted. Prime Minister Wang Yanling also took Xianglian into the palace to sing in front of the feast in the name of congratulating the birthday. Although Qin Xianglian cried word by word about her life experience and the suffering of her family and even sobbed; although Wang Yanling politely persuaded many people around, Chen Shimei was a dog's lung and wolf's heart, and he was unmoved. He not only wanted to drive Xianglian out of the palace several times, but also said something to hit Wang Yanling. Wang Yanling, in a fit of anger, handed his white paper fan to Qin Xianglian and told her to go to the Kaifeng Mansion Governor Yin Baozheng Office to complain. Chen Shimei saw Wang Yanling rush out of the palace, afraid of being bad for herself. So she sent a message to the prefectural yamen to drive Xianglian and her son out of the capital, while sending the palace warrior Han Qi to chase Xianglian, Brother Dong and Chunmei, trying to silence her.
In an ancient temple on the outskirts of the capital, Han Qi found Qin Xianglian and her son. But after Xianglian's report, Han Qi suddenly realized that it was not Chen Shimei's enemy who was going to be killed, but Chen Shimei's wife and children! Han Qi was in a dilemma: Do you want to kill Xianglian and her son? Can't bear to do it, don't you want to kill them? There is no blood on the steel knife to prove it. In the end, in order not to be ignorant of conscience and justice, Han Qi finally released Qin Xianglian and her son, and she killed herself with a knife. Xianglian was sad and angry, gritted her teeth and hated Chen Shimei's evil deeds, she picked up the steel knife and rushed to Kaifeng Mansion to complain. At this time, the government of Kaifeng Mansion, Yin Baozheng, was returning from Chenzhou with grain, asking Qin Xianglian to write a statement, while asking the dynasty to deceive Chen Shimei to come to Kaifeng Mansion. Chen Shimei brought Shangfang's sword and came to meet Bao Zheng arrogantly.
At first, Bao Zheng also persuaded him to recognize Xianglian. Chen Shimei didn't appreciate it at all, not only did she resolutely deny it, but she also relied on the imperial power to deceive others. Seeing that Chen Shimei was stubborn, Duke Bao ordered Chen Shimei to beat the drum and rise to court. In court, Qin Xianglian confidently accused Chen Shimei of forgetting his parents, not recognizing his wife and children, and killing his wife and children; the evidence was overwhelming. But Chen Shimei refused to be tried by Kaifeng Palace, and wanted to kill Qin Xianglian in court. Bao Zheng couldn't bear it anymore, so he ordered the executioner to knock off the black gauze hat on Chen Shimei's head, strip off his python dragon robe, and tie him up with a rope. The chamberlain who followed Chen Shimei saw that the situation was not good, and hurried back to the palace to report the news.
The imperial aunt was shocked when she heard the news, and hurriedly set up the carriage and rushed to Kaifeng Mansion to ask for people, but Bao Zheng insisted on not letting Chen Shimei go and must avenge the people. The imperial aunt had no choice but to turn the carriage around and invite her mother and queen. When the imperial aunt arrived at Kaifeng Mansion, she couldn't scare Bao Zheng with threats and inducements, so she was unreasonable and forced Brother Dong and Chunmei to take over; and Lai Zhuan: If you don't let Chen's concubine, you will sit at Kaifeng Mansion and not return to the palace. Seeing that the imperial wife had changed her face, Bao Zheng was in a dilemma and had no choice but to give her 300 taels of silver to Xianglian and persuade her and her children to go home. Qin Xianglian had no place to complain, and complained that Bao Zheng was also an official who protected him, and returned the silver taels. Bao Zheng listened to Xianglian's words and was ashamed and indignant. He would rather give up his official position and avenge Xianglian.
Bao Zheng ignored the resistance of the National Emperor and the Imperial aunt, and took off the black gauze hat on his head with one hand! This Chen Shimei, who was greedy for glory and wealth and ruthlessly killed his wife and children, finally died under the iron-faced and selfless Bao Zheng's tiger head!
Lord Bao enforced the law like a mountain, not afraid of losing his black yarn, but under the great pressure of the Guotai and the princess, he killed the Chen Shimei who bullied the king, and performed a scene of the "guillotine case" that had been passed down through the ages.