Chu Xiu had dressed as a man for years without a hitch—until her family arranged a marriage for her. Bewildered, Chu Xiu thought, *"Even though I wear men's clothes, I'm really a woman. How am I supposed to sleep with my wife after marrying her?"* Unexpectedly, her sister-in-law misunderstood her words. *"Who says women can't sleep together? You have hands and a mouth, don't you?"* Chu Xiu, *"..."* To solve her immediate dilemma, Chu Xiu married a stunning bride for five taels of silver. The bride was breathtakingly beautiful—pity she was mute and didn’t even know sign language. On their wedding night, Chu Xiu, still in male disguise, found her smiling bride silent. By morning, both were *very*, *very* satisfied. Chu Xiu mused, *"Though my bride can’t speak, the occasional muffled sounds she makes are enough to drive me wild—more intoxicating than any words."* In the dim bed curtains, Chu Xiu held her bride, stroking her back and kissing her ears again and again, whispering, *"I like you so much."* Years later, Chu Xiu, still disguised as a man, rose to the pinnacle of power as the most influential court official. From her lofty position, she launched reforms to allow women into schools and improve their status. When questioned, Chu Xiu admitted, *"Truthfully, at the very beginning, I just wanted my bride to have a chance to learn sign language at the academy."* [*If you won’t speak, then I’ll say all the sweet words for you.*]