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Difficult to treat; what prescription can be used?

Mei Ping, a military official, was dismissed due to illness and returned home. His residence was in Guangling. Before traveling two hundred li, he stopped at a relative's house. On that day, the Master happened to arrive at the host's place. The host asked the Master to examine Mei Ping. Upon seeing him, the Master immediately said to Mei Ping: "If you had seen me earlier, you would not have reached this state. Now the pathogenic factor has consolidated, and it cannot be treated. Leave quickly."

Note: Generally, when there is an internal disease, it must manifest externally first. Therefore, physicians consider observation (Wang Zhen) as the primary principle. Bian Que became famous precisely because of his ability to observe. By observing Mei Ping's complexion, the Master knew he would surely die. Although this was based on evidence, it also stemmed from his ability to make decisive judgments. Physicians today do not understand this principle; they rely solely on pulse diagnosis (Qie Mai) as their guide. Thus, even when a patient is near death, they are still prescribing formulas. I have witnessed this situation many times. Alas! (Commentary by Sun Simiao)

If the Gallbladder Qi is cold, therapeutic effects are hard to manifest.

In the past, Guo Yu of the Han Dynasty once said: "Noble persons occupy high positions and look down upon ministers; ministers receive them with fear and trepidation. Treating them presents four difficulties. Being self-willed and not trusting ministers is the first difficulty; being careless with one's body is the second difficulty; having weak joints and being unable to facilitate medication administration is the third difficulty; loving ease and hating labor is the fourth difficulty. Acupuncture has its specific points and timing may have omissions. With a fearful heart and cautious will, even the expert physician Cang Gong could not guarantee complete cure, let alone ordinary patients. This is why they do not recover." It is unknown whether the medical classics possessed by the Master contained these words, which explains why the Master failed to completely cure Cao Cao's Head Wind (Tou Feng). Cao Cao said: "Hua Tuo could cure my illness. This villain cultivates my illness to elevate himself. However, if I do not kill this man, he will ultimately not cut off the root of my disease." Cao Cao's statement likely reflects the meaning of Guo's words: "Noble persons occupy high positions and look down upon ministers." The Master's inability to achieve a radical cure was fully explained by the two sentences recorded in the medical classics. (Commentary by Sun Simiao)

Accumulation of black blood; recovery through intense anger.

Note: Blood stagnation in the Upper Jiao cannot be removed by incision. Only when intense anger occurs does the Liver's driving force become sufficient, causing the stagnation to dissipate naturally. As the qi and blood move upward, vomiting is inevitable. The Master once applied this principle to treat the Prefect's illness. He believed that inducing intense anger would lead to recovery. Therefore, he accepted much of the Prefect's wealth but provided no treatment. Soon after, he left abruptly and sent a letter insulting the Prefect. The Prefect indeed became furious, ordered men to chase and kill Hua Tuo, but failed to catch him. Out of resentment, the Prefect vomited several sheng of black blood and recovered. (Commentary by Sun Simiao)