Pei Lun's wife was from the Liu family of Hedong, who had received a good education and was very cultured. Towards the end of the Daye era, Pei Lun became the magistrate of Weiyuan County. When Xue Ju rebelled and the county was attacked by bandits, Pei Lun was unfortunately killed. At that time, Liu was forty years old with two daughters and a daughter-in-law; all three women were beautiful. Liu said to them, "We are facing war and your father has died. I feel I cannot protect you adequately. Our family has always valued reputation and cannot allow those bandits to insult us. I plan to die together with you. What do you think?" Her daughters and daughter-in-law cried and said, "We will follow your arrangement." So Liu jumped into a well to commit suicide, and her daughters and daughter-in-law followed suit, all dying in the well.
Zhao Yuankai's wife was the daughter of Cui from Qinghe. Her father, Cui Hou, was mentioned in the "Biographies of Literature." Their family had a strong tradition of good conduct, and all their children followed the rules. Zhao Yuankai's father was a minister, and their family was wealthy, greatly valuing social status, so he married Cui with lavish gifts. Zhao Yuankai respected Cui very much; even during private banquets, he behaved properly and followed etiquette in his speech, behavior, and attire. During the chaos in the country, Zhao Yuankai followed the court to Hebei, preparing to return to Chang'an. When they reached Fukou, they were robbed by bandits, and Zhao Yuankai barely saved his life. However, Cui was captured by the bandits, who wanted to force her into marriage. Cui said to the bandits, "I am the daughter of a scholar-official and the wife of a minister's son. Today, my family is ruined and people are dead; of course, I can die immediately. Become your wife? That's absolutely out of the question!"
Those thieves tore her clothes, leaving her completely exposed, tied her to the bed, and attempted to rape her. Cui was afraid of being humiliated, so she lied to them, saying, "I have no strength to resist now; I will obey your arrangements, and I won't dare disobey you; please untie my ropes first." The thieves quickly let her go. Cui quickly dressed, grabbed the knife from one of the thieves, stood by a tree, and said, "If you want to kill me, then go ahead and use your swords! If you want me to die, come and force me!" The thieves were furious and killed her with arrows. Later, Zhao Yuankai found the killers of his wife, dismembered them, and used their remains as offerings for Cui's spirit.
The historian said: Ah, when discussing women's virtues, they always prioritize gentleness and obedience; this only represents a moderate level, not yet reaching the ideal! If we talk about women with foresight, determination, noble character, unaffected by external forces, acting only on justice, which era has been without them? Like Princess Lanling, noble as a solitary pine, Princess Nanyang, with a will as firm as a rock, as well as the loyal and brave Xi Shi old woman and filial daughter, Cui and Feng, two mothers as sincere and earnest, all can make those brave heroes feel inferior, and those with noble character also admire them.
Princess Xiangcheng, Lady Huayang, the wives of Pei Lun and Yuan Kai, they have all experienced hardships and difficulties, encountered unfavorable situations, yet willingly shared the hardships with their husbands, remaining steadfast in will, as pure as frost, as bright and upright as the sun. Even the oaths of Gong Jiang in the Book of Songs and Bo Ji's loyalty and sacrifice recorded in the Zuo Zhuan pale in comparison to these women.
