At a hotel near Cold Mountain, travelers find a book titled Cold Mountain Night Rain in the library. The story goes: One stormy night, two officers escorting a young convict arrive at a house seeking shelter. The master, knowing the prisoner was a dutiful son, welcomes them. Later, a merchant and two travelers also arrive. During the night, a woman visits the convict but, impressed by his virtue, helps him escape. Meanwhile, a woman appears in the merchant’s room, but she vanishes when he calls for help. Later, the travelers rob the merchant, killing an officer, but are killed themselves after trying to assault the women. The convict escapes, and the merchant awakens near an ancient tomb, surrounded by officers and thieves. After finishing the story, a wise man reassures the travelers, saying the author used ghosts and gods to vent frustration with the world.
