In the Chen lineage of Luocun, there lived a man ugly and dull-witted, who married a woman of surpassing beauty.

The wife, finding her husband lacking compared to others, grew melancholy and withdrawn; yet, she remained virtuous and steadfast in her propriety, living in harmony with her mother-in-law.

One night, the wife slept alone when she suddenly heard the wind howl, blowing open the door. A scholar strode into the chamber, stripped off his clothes, climbed onto the bed, and forcibly took liberties with the woman.

The wife was terrified and struggled desperately, but her limbs felt weak and useless, leaving her no choice but to submit to the scholar's assault.

From that night forward, the scholar returned every night without fail.

A month later, the wife's face had become haggard and withered. Her mother-in-law grew suspicious and inquired as to the cause.

The wife refused to speak at first, but under persistent questioning from her mother-in-law, she finally confessed everything.

Upon hearing the tale, the mother-in-law gasped, "This must be a malevolent spirit."

The old woman exhausted every method she knew to deal with the scholar, but nothing proved effective.

As a last resort, the mother-in-law instructed Chen Dai to hide in the room beforehand, armed with a heavy cudgel, awaiting the event.

Deep in the middle of the night, the scholar duly arrived. He placed his hat on the table, then removed his outer robe and draped it over the stand.

Just as he was about to climb onto the bed for his enjoyment, his face suddenly changed color. "Ill fortune! There is the scent of a living person here."

He hastily pulled his garments back on.

Chen Dai suddenly leaped from the shadows, striking the scholar hard across the waist and ribs with a dull thud.

He looked around wildly, but the scholar had vanished without a trace.

Lighting a bundle of kindling, he illuminated the room. On the floor lay a set of mud-caked clothes, and on the table rested a hat made of mud.