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Yang was a high-ranking official in ancient China. His daughter-in-law had been married into the family for several years but had not yet borne any children. One day, while Yang was working at home, he suddenly saw an old lady with disheveled hair and tattered clothes walking straight into his son's bedroom. Perplexed, he asked her who she was, but she ignored him. After a while, she came out and said, "Master Hu has sent me to inform the lady that he will visit tomorrow. They will have a feast together, so please prepare." Enraged, Yang ordered his servants to drive her away, but as soon as she stepped out, she disappeared. Yang summoned his daughter-in-law and inquired about the incident. She explained, "The old lady claimed that a young master surnamed Hu wanted to feast with me in the bedroom. I was about to scold her for talking nonsense when she suddenly vanished."
The next day, a dense fog enveloped Yang's house, obscuring visibility, especially around his son's bedroom where the fog was thickest and emitted a pungent odor, making it hard to breathe. The door became unopenable. For hours, they heard laughter, music, and revelry emanating from inside. When the fog gradually dissipated in the afternoon, they opened the door and questioned the daughter-in-law about what had transpired. She recounted, "A young man accompanied me, offering delicious food, exquisite clothing, and beautiful jewelry. There was enchanting music, and I felt so joyous that I forgot I was part of the Yang family." She seemed dazed as she spoke. Alarmed, Yang sought the help of an expert in ghost hunting, but even he couldn't resolve the issue.
Later, Yang heard of an official named Sun who was adept at using talismans against ghosts. He invited Sun to investigate the matter. Sun inspected the scene and remarked, "This ghost is on the verge of transcending into an immortal. His temple is thirty miles to the southeast. Why would he dare to engage in such behavior?" Sun wrote two talismans and affixed them to the door of the daughter-in-law's room, advising, "The ghost knows I am here today, so he won't come tomorrow. But the day after, he will definitely return. You must have your son and a few maidservants stay inside the room. If the ghost can't enter, he will transform into frightening entities outside, attempting to lure you out. Whatever happens, do not go outside, or else the cure will be impossible."
As predicted, the ghost returned the next day. Despite the thick fog, he couldn't penetrate the room. The daughter-in-law wanted to check on him but was stopped by others. Shortly afterward, the fog dissipated, and the Yang family returned to normal. Sun and Yang then went to a secluded place, where Sun performed a ritual at a makeshift altar. From that day forward, the ghost never returned. Sun claimed to have imprisoned the ghost in a stone house in the middle of the sea.