Bi Xiugu (1856-1930), whose nickname was Asheng, was from Yuhang, Zhejiang. She was the daughter-in-law of the Ge family and was known as "Ge Bishi" in history. She is fair and beautiful; because she wears white clothes and green trousers, she is known as "Little Cabbage". In the twelfth year of Tongzhi (1873), Bi Xiugu and Yang Naiwu were suspected of committing adultery and murdering their husbands. After being tortured, they confessed and were put on death row. The case alarmed the court. Although they were cleared after several trials, the tragic experience of the two men being tortured is still lamentable. This case is known as one of the "Four Odd Cases" in the late Qing Dynasty.

Bi Xiugu was born in Bijiatang Village, Cangqian Town, Yuhang County in the sixth year of Xianfeng (1856). Her father Bi Chengxiang died young. When Bi Xiugu was 8 years old, her mother, Bi Wang, married Yu Jingtian, who worked as a grain clerk in the county government, and she was known as "Yu Wang". The term "Xiaobaicai" is not found in historical records at the time, nor was it used in contemporary notes or reports in Shenbao. According to research, this title was created by writers and artists in literary works after the case was revealed. Many works are based on the fact that Bi Xiugu likes to wear a green coat and a white apron, and she is delicate and agile, so she calls it "little cabbage". Because she was married to Ge Pinlian, a tofu maker, she was also known as the "Tofu Xishi".

Ge Pinlian, Bi Xiugu’s husband, whose nickname is Ge Xiaoda, is from Gejia Village, Cangqian Town. His father, Ge Fenglai, died of illness at an early age, and his mother's surname was Yu. She and Bi Xiugu's stepfather, Yu Jingtian, were distant cousins. Due to the Taiping Army war, the young Ge Pinlian was kidnapped by the Taiping Army. Ge Yu was helpless and his brother married him. In the second year of Tongzhi (1863), he remarried Shen Tiren, a farmer in Yuhang County, and was known as "Shen Yu". " The next year, Ge Pinlian fled back, and his stepfather Shen Tiren recommended him to help in a tofu shop in the county town.

The families of Yu Jingtian and Shen Tiren lived next to each other. When Bi Xiugu was 11 years old, Ge Pinlian's mother Shen Yu and Bi Xiu's mother Yu Wang discussed and planned to hire Bi Xiugu to Ge Pinlian as his wife. Because their fathers were both stepfathers, they had nothing to do with their life-long affairs, leaving it to their mothers to make the final decision. Seeing that Ge Pinlian was an honest person, Bi's mother agreed and would only wait until the two of them were older to get married.

In the 10th year of Tongzhi (1871), Bi Xiugu was 16 years old. She was beautiful and fair with fair skin. This is recognized in official memorials and reports in Shenbao. "Shebao" even said that Bi Xiugu was "beautiful and gorgeous" and "suffered all kinds of torture, but her beauty never faded." Shen Yu also repeatedly said in her confession that she was "beautiful in life", which shows that Bi Xiugu was indeed beautiful. In ancient times, women could get married when they were 15 years old. Yu Jingtian didn't care at first, but he wanted to take the opportunity to ask for more betrothal gifts, and said that a new house was necessary for marriage. Ge Pinlian had no money to meet these demands and was at his wits' end. Fortunately, Ge Pinlian had an adoptive mother, Feng Xu, who was well-off, so she went to negotiate an agreement and was willing to spend 140 yuan in foreign money to arrange the wedding for her adopted son, 80 yuan as a gift to his father-in-law Yu Jingtian, and the remaining 60 yuan to arrange the wedding. Banquet. Yu Jingtian couldn't help being happy, and immediately agreed, saying that he could let Ge Pinlian and his wife live in his own home first, and then rent another house after one month. Therefore, the two families asked Yang Naiwu, a scholar who lived nearby, to choose a wedding date, and the ceremony was scheduled to be held on the fourth day of March in the 11th year of Tongzhi (1872).