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Mr. Bai Yangyun's wife would faint upon every fit of anger, requiring her to close the door and sit quietly with eyes shut, leaving no one else in the room. Her hands and feet were cold, she sweated profusely as if from rain, and her breathing was faint. After about an hour, she would recover to her normal state. Originally, due to scrofula (tuberculous lymphadenitis) on her neck, she had taken many herbal remedies prescribed by female folk doctors, as well as toxic substances like Mylabris (Mylabris phaleratae) used by specialists, thereby damaging her Spleen and Stomach and depleting her Yuan Qi (Original Qi). At thirty-eight years old, she had never borne children. Every day, she required two maids to continuously pound her legs until she fell asleep; otherwise, she could not sleep peacefully, only falling asleep after the second watch (9 PM–11 PM). In the middle of the night, her heart often palpitated uncontrollably, and her fingernails lacked color. Two days before her menstruation, she experienced lower abdominal pain; the menstrual blood was dark purple with clots. Although suffering from these ailments, her muscle condition and appetite remained normal as if she were healthy. Various treatments had failed, so she sought my diagnosis out of admiration for my reputation. The pulse at both Cun (inch) positions was short and weak; the left Guan (middle) position was large and forceful; the right Guan position was slippery; the left Chi (cubit) position was slippery; and the right Chi position was deep and faint. Based on the pulse, this indicated Lung Qi deficiency, Liver Wood excess, and Phlegm in the Stomach. I prescribed Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) supplemented with Danshen (Salvia miltiorrhiza), Jiu Lian (Alcohol-processed Coptidis Rhizoma), and Qing Pi (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus). She was also managed externally with Zhu Mu Wan (Pearl Mother Pill) and Du Huo Tang (Angelicae Pubescentis Decoction), resulting in recovery. (These two formulas are cited from *Yi Xue Gang Mu*).

The servant of Mr. Wu Xinyi suffered from forehead pain, intense thirst, high fever, profuse sweating, chest and diaphragm stuffiness, nausea, and mental lethargy. Initially, Chai Ling Tang (Bupleurum and Poria Decoction) was administered with Zhi Ke (Aurantii Fructus) and Jie Geng (Platycodonis Radix), reducing the fever by more than half. The next day, Liu Jun Zi Tang (Six Gentlemen Decoction) was given with Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Bai Shao Yao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), and Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), leading to recovery through regulation. This case illustrates that fatigue-induced Shang Han (Cold Damage) leads to extreme deficiency while pathogens remain unresolved; thus, dispersing pathogens first and tonifying later is appropriate.

Mr. Wu Wenxue Jiayang was a dedicated scholar. Due to excessive mental labor from studying, and because an astrologer had predicted his success in the imperial examinations in the Ji-Mao year—with previous predictions proving accurate—he developed manic psychosis when malaria prevented him from completing the exam during the expected period. He became consumed with worry. During the day, he would alternately weep or sing, clap his hands, or stamp his feet; severely, he would curse without distinction regarding kinship, intimacy, nobility, or lowliness. His uncle invited me to examine him. His complexion was pale with a bluish tint. The pulse at both Cun positions was short and weak; the Guan positions were wiry; the right Guan position was slippery; and both Chi positions were level. I stated: Since the pulse at both Cun positions is short and weak, this indicates insufficiency of the Shen (Spirit) of the Heart and Lung. His aspirations were high but unfulfilled, leading to depression and stagnation. Fluids condensed into Phlegm rather than generating Blood. Furthermore, excessive use of harsh drugs to attack Phlegm further deprived the Heart Shen of nourishment, causing mental confusion and loss of self-control. As the *Nei Jing* states: "If the Ruler (Heart) is unclear, the Twelve Officials are endangered." Therefore, treatment should focus on tonification, consolidating the Heart Shen, and clearing Phlegm simultaneously to ensure complete recovery. I used Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphus Seed), Ren Shen (Ginseng Root), Fu Shen (Poria with Hostwood), Xiao Cao (Veronicae Herba), Dan Shen (Salvia Miltiorrhiza Root), and Dang Gui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix) to tonify the Heart and calm the Shen; Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma) and Zhu Ru (Bambusa Textilis Caulis) to clear Fire from the Liver and Gallbladder; and Xuan Shen (Scrophulariae Radix) as an assistant. Externally, Long Chi (Dragon Tooth), Zhen Zhu (Pearl), Ling Yang Jiao (Saiga Tatarica Horn), Niu Huang (Calculus Bovis), Dan Nan Xing (Arisaematis Cum Bile), Tian Ma (Gastrodiae Rhizoma), Qing Dai (Indigo Naturalis), Chen Sha (Cinnabar), Quan Xie (Scorpio), Bing Pian (Borneolum Syntheticum), Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma), and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) paste were processed into pills, coated with Jin Bo (Gold Foil), and administered for regulation, resulting in recovery.