The history of the piece is somewhat contentious but it was most notably included in the collection Illustrious Words to Instruct the World, written by Feng Menglong, and published in 1620.
There are roughly fifteen 'scenes' that the pair of stories share, and while much has changed the shift in perspective is most notable.
The couple get along well, and when Jiang Xingge sees the pearl shirt that Pingshi kept, he believes that their pairing is divine intervention.
In the fourth, and final act, Xingge departs on a trip for business again, though this time, he gets into an argument in a market.
Generally the piece focuses on the reinforcing of Confucian morals, primarily dealing with social contracts, such as marital obligations.
This serves as an important part of the story, as later, his wife's favor saves his life when dealing with the judge.
A 2004 Chinese television film The Pearl Shirt (珍珠衫), directed by Teng Huatao, was based on the story.