Yan Zi was a famous prime minister of the State of Qi during the Spring and Autumn Period.

The coachman's wife had never seen Yan Zi before and wished to have a look at him. She peeped from behind the door. "Ah, here comes Yan Zi!" She got the impression that though he was the prime minister of the State of Qi, he talked and behaved with great modesty.

One day, Yan Zi went out in a carriage driven by his coachman.

But her own husband? Haughty and arrogant, he sat under the big canopy driving the carriage for Yan Zi, yet considering himself unexcelled in the world. She was much ashamed of her husband.

As soon as the coachman returned home, his wife asked for a divorce. The coachman was baffled, unable to make head or tail of this, and asked angrily:

"A divorce? What is your reason?"

The wife answered:

"Yan Zi is less than 6 chi (Chinese unit of length, 1/3 metre) tall, but his heart is filled with aspirations and his mind with knowledge. Though he is the prime minister, he is courteous and treats people prudently when he goes out. But what about you? You are fully 8 chi tall, but you forget that you are only a coachman. By the side of the prime minister, you dare to look so cocky, consider yourself always in the right, and brandish the whip to urge the horse on in utter complacency. You are so immodest that I can't live with you any longer."

The coachman told Yan Zi his wife's criticism in detail. At this, Yan Zi was deeply moved. Later Yan Zi recommended him to be a da fu (a senior official).

Upon hearing his wife's words, the coachman felt much ashamed. Thereafter he became very careful and prudent in doing things and treated people modestly.

Yan Zi noticed the big change in the coachman's behavior and couldn't understand why. So he asked the coachman.