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The wife of Mr. Hu Jingyang, the magistrate of Yixing County. She experienced night fever, thirst, and menstruation recurring ten days after it had just ended, accompanied by lower abdominal pain. Her pulse at both cun (inch) and guan (bar) positions was short and weak, while the chi (cubit) positions were surging and slippery. After completing the diagnosis, I said to her: This is what the *Neijing* (Classic of Internal Medicine) refers to as the syndrome of Yin deficiency with Yang pulsation. It can be prevented in advance. I prescribed Chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong), Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Scutellariae Radix (Tiaoqin), Poria Cocos (Puhuang - *Note: Text says Puhuang which is usually Typhae Pollen, but context implies hemostasis, likely Typhae Pollen*), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao), Platycladi Cacumen (Cebaiye), Rehmanniae Radix Recens (Shengdi), and Schizonepetae Spica (Jingjie). In the afternoon, the fever intensified, breath felt like fire spraying from the mouth, vaginal bleeding poured out like a flood, containing dark purple clots, and lower abdominal pain persisted. Therefore, I used Chuanxiong Rhizome (Chuanxiong) 2 qian, Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui) 4 qian, Sanguisorbae Radix (Diyu), Cyperi Rhizoma (Xiangfu) each 1.5 qian, Scutellariae Radix (Huangqin) 1 qian, and one lotus pod shell burnt to ash, decocted and taken orally for two doses, which stopped the bleeding.

Grand Secretary Xu Jianlao had long suffered from hernia (*shan*), which hindered his fertility. In the early autumn of the Xinsi year, Chen Lingquan from Jiangxi, specializing in this condition, resided in Wuxi. The old gentleman invited him for treatment. Chen stated that he would use rotten medicine to boil bamboo slices to clamp onto the scrotum, causing the scrotum to ulcerate and expose the testicles, and then use rotten medicine to puncture the testicles to allow accumulated foul water to drain out, followed by using flesh-regenerating medicines to complete the healing. The old gentleman discussed this treatment method with friends along the way; no one advised against it, so he consulted me. I said: If the illness is extraordinary, the treatment should be extraordinary. Dr. Chen can treat externally; I will assist with internal tonification. Treating both internally and externally will surely succeed. Relying on my words, the old gentleman decided to employ Dr. Chen. At that time, I was engaged in a mission in Huzhou. Dr. Chen used his technique for one month; the scrotum ulcerated, the testicles were exposed, and blisters were visible, but the blisters could not be ruptured to release the fluid. Consequently, there was chest fullness of qi, profuse sweating like flowing water, insomnia throughout the night, food intake reduced by two-thirds, a blueish complexion, half-body muscle wasting, weak form and qi, difficult defecation, and pain in the waist and kidneys, unbearable to describe fully. He urgently sent someone to fetch me. I happened to return from Huzhou to Jingxi, staying at the residence of Mr. Wu Shaoxi. The old gentleman, who had been closing his door to guests, was overjoyed upon hearing of my arrival and urged me to visit. His pulse at both cun positions was weak and soft, the right chi position was large, and the right guan position was slippery. After diagnosing, I said: Previously, I promised to assist Dr. Chen with internal treatment; now is the time. Compared to Dr. Chen's techniques being exhausted and the inability to drain the water, the old gentleman is also suffering from severe pain, and has already used astringent/healing agents. I said: Do not worry. The pain is due to exhaustion of Yuan Qi (Original Qi), and sweating is caused by the pain. Excessive loss of sweat leads to insufficient Heart Blood; insufficient Heart Blood fails to nourish the Shen (Spirit), hence insomnia. The Spleen and Stomach are injured by pain, hence reduced appetite. Now, only by greatly tonifying Blood and Qi will the pain cease and the disease be removed; even the blisters can be drained. Dr. Chen said that using tonification combined with astringent/flesh-regulating methods might allow blister drainage, or perhaps not. I said: See in three days. The old gentleman said: Tonification is good, but I have never been able to take Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) in my life. I said: Your constitution is no longer what it was. Both pulse and symptoms indicate you can take it; why worry? Thus, I prescribed Ginseng Radix et Rhizoma (Renshen) and Astragali Radix (Huangqi) each 3 qian, Angelicae Sinensis Radix (Danggui), Paeoniae Radix Alba (Baishao), Dendrobii Caulis (Shihu) each 1.5 qian, Tangerine Peel (Chenpi), Fritillariae Bulbus (Beimu), Carthami Flos (Honghua), and Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma Praeparata cum Melle (Feng Gancao) each 0.8 qian. After drinking it, he slept immediately. The next morning, sweating ceased, he asked for porridge, and his chest and diaphragm felt instantly relaxed. After taking it for two consecutive days, pain decreased by more than half, food intake increased suddenly, and spirit became refreshed. Then, fearing I would steal his credit, Dr. Chen privately slandered me saying: Although Dr. Sun's medicine is good, it is not urgent for surgery; taking it may prevent water drainage even after flesh regeneration and wound closure. The old gentleman asked how to proceed. Dr. Chen said: Add Notopterygii Rhizoma et Radix (Qianghuo), Saposhnikoviae Radix (Fangfeng), Angelicae Dahuricae Radix (Baizhi), and Polygalae Radix (Yuanzhi) to the previous prescription. Remove Dendrobii Caulis (Shihu), and both internal and external aspects will be addressed. The old gentleman agreed and took his medicine. Before finishing half the dose, pain returned immediately, sweating ensued, head heat felt like fire, qi rebelled upward, and he remained awake all night; various diseases recurred. He desperately sought my prescription. Knowing Dr. Chen's jealousy and slander, I publicly declared: I am indeed assisting you to succeed; why do you ruin it yourself? Do you know the old gentleman's pain? His Original Qi is deficient, and toxic drugs cause stagnation; thus, we tonify to assist him, move the blood, so the toxic drugs dissipate naturally. When the medicine moves, the blisters can rupture, and water can drain. The old gentleman's rejection of you is already decided. I have always been friendly with the old gentleman; I come for righteousness, not profit. My views differ from ordinary people seeking gain. Hearing this, Dr. Chen was speechless. Also because his prescriptions failed, he took the opportunity to submit to my treatment. I still used the previous formula, adding Ziziphi Spinosae Semen (Suanzaoren), Lycii Fructus (Gouqizi), and Gleditsiae Spina (Zaogelaci) each 1 qian. After two doses, the blisters ruptured, draining five to six bowls of foul water, and the scrotum subsided and collapsed. Dr. Chen clapped his hands and said: From now on, I know the miracle of using tonification; this is the old gentleman's fortune. Grand Secretary Xu began receiving tonification therapy from this point onward.