Yang Naiwu and Little Cabbage

[Late Qing Historical Mystery Case | Classical Tragedy | Suspenseful Injustice]

Beauty is often short-lived, and the lovely Cai Feng was destined to marry an awkward man. Xiao Baicai, whose beauty was unmatched, married the short and ugly Ge Xiaoda and lodged in the home of the licentiate Yang Naiwu. The two developed feelings for each other, but came to their senses before going too far.

A young scoundrel, Liu Zi, lusted after her beauty and laid a trap to take Xiao Baicai by force. When Ge Xiaoda suddenly died, the local authorities seized the chance to fabricate charges, accusing the pair of adultery and murdering her husband.

Tortured and thrown into a dark prison, the victims were forced to endure endless abuse and condemnation. Rumors spread from the towns and villages all the way to the imperial court in the capital. An ordinary murder case stirred the entire Qing bureaucracy, laying bare how powerless ordinary people were under the feudal system.