A murder accusation leads to a pressured death sentence, followed by guilt and recurring supernatural appearances.
Story Structure — 5 Plot Phases
A Death In The Town
The only son of the town's most influential family is found dead and naked near Cheng Niang's wine shop. The victim's father immediately treats the death as murder.
Key Events
Small Town Setting — The story begins in a small town dominated by an influential local family.
Location: Small town
Influential Family Introduced — The local family is identified as the most influential family in the town.
Location: Small town
Only Son Found Dead — The only son of the influential family is found dead.
Location: Small town
Naked Body Discovered — The dead son is discovered naked at the wine shop associated with Cheng Niang.
Location: Wine shop
Hostess Identified — Cheng Niang is identified as the wine-shop hostess connected to the discovery. Characters: Cheng NiangLocation: Wine shop
Murder Is Alleged — The victim's father insists that the death was a murder.
Location: Small town
Accusation And Disappearance
The victim's father accuses Cheng Niang's husband, who denies the charge. Cheng Niang then disappears while the accusation remains unresolved.
Key Events
Husband Blamed — The father accuses Cheng Niang's husband of committing the murder.
Location: Small town
Accused Claims Innocence — The accused husband denies committing the murder and claims innocence.
Location: Judgment setting
Cheng Niang Disappears — Cheng Niang disappears while the murder accusation remains unresolved. Characters: Cheng NiangLocation: Small town
Case Reaches Magistrate — Magistrate Tang becomes responsible for judging the murder case. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Judgment setting
Judgment Under Pressure
Magistrate Tang takes charge of the case. Old Lin attempts to bribe him, while the accused is sentenced to death and marked for immediate execution.
Key Events
Tang Judges The Case — Magistrate Tang proceeds with the judgment of the accused husband. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Judgment setting
Bribery Attempt Begins — Old Lin attempts to bribe Magistrate Tang during the case.
Location: Judgment setting
Judgment Is Pressured — The bribery attempt seeks to influence Tang's judgment against the accused. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Judgment setting
Death Sentence Imposed — The accused husband is sentenced to death by the judgment. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Judgment setting
Immediate Execution Ordered — The sentence is to be carried out immediately. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Execution setting
Guilt After The Sentence
Cheng Niang learns about her husband's death. The plot then identifies Tang as guilty and shifts from legal judgment toward supernatural punishment.
Key Events
Cheng Learns Of Death — Cheng Niang learns about her husband's death after the judgment. Characters: Cheng NiangLocation: Small town
Tang Becomes Guilty — The plot identifies Magistrate Tang as guilty after the judgment and execution decision. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Judgment setting
First Nightly Ghost — Magistrate Tang begins to see a ghost at night. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Magistrate Tang's residence
The Nightly Apparitions
Magistrate Tang begins seeing ghosts every night. The available account ends with the haunting continuing as the consequence of the earlier judgment.
Key Events
Nightly Hauntings Continue — The ghostly appearances recur every night and intensify Tang's guilt and fear. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Magistrate Tang's residence
Supernatural Aftermath — The available plot account ends with Tang trapped in recurring nightly ghost appearances. Characters: Magistrate TangLocation: Magistrate Tang's residence
Story Breakdown
Small Town Hierarchy — The story begins within a town shaped by an influential local family.
Influential Family — The victim belongs to the town's most influential family.
Local Wine Shop — The dead body is found near the wine shop associated with Cheng Niang.
Murder Discovery — The death of the influential family's only son creates the central mystery.
Dead Only Son — The family's only son is found dead.
Naked Body — The body is discovered naked at the wine-shop location.
Accusation And Absence — A murder accusation is made while Cheng Niang disappears.
Father's Accusation — The victim's father insists that the death was murder.
Cheng Niang Disappears — Cheng Niang vanishes as the accusation develops.
Judicial Pressure — The legal case comes under Magistrate Tang's authority and outside pressure.
Tang Takes Case — Magistrate Tang becomes responsible for judging the case.
Bribery Attempt — Old Lin attempts to bribe Magistrate Tang.
Fatal Judgment — The accused is condemned and scheduled for immediate execution.
Death Sentence — The accused husband receives a death sentence.
Immediate Execution — The sentence is ordered to be carried out immediately.
Guilt And Haunting — The legal decision is followed by guilt and recurring ghostly appearances.
Cheng Learns Of Death — Cheng Niang learns about her husband's death.
Nightly Ghosts — Magistrate Tang begins seeing ghosts every night.
In a small town found the only son of possession, the local, most influential family, dead and naked in vinbutiks hostess, Cheng Niang. His father insists that there is a murder committed by Chai-Tseng Chu, Cheng Niang husband. Tseng claims he is innocent. However, Cheng Niang has disappeared. Old Lin then tries to bribe Magistrate Tang judging Tseng to death and execute him immediately. Cheng Niang learns about her husband's death and freezing. Judge Tang is guilty and begins to see ghosts every night
