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The female relative of the Cheng family, a daughter of the Wang clan from Zangxi, contracted the epidemic seven days after her husband's death from the pestilence. She presented with high fever, headache, thirst, and pain in the chest and hypochondrium. The physician administered Xiao Chai Hu Tang (Minor Bupleurum Decoction). Suddenly, during the night, she dreamed of sexual intercourse with her deceased husband and ejaculated upon waking. Cold sweat poured down, her limbs felt flaccid as if dislocated, and she could barely move. Her spirit was confused, she spoke deliriously, her face was like earth, and her tongue was black and stiff like burnt coal. I was summoned to examine her. The six pulses were deep, wiry, and rapid. Both urination and defecation were obstructed. This is a case resembling Yin-Yang Exchange (a condition where pathogenic factors are transmitted between spouses, often after one has recovered from an epidemic disease). Such symptoms appearing after an epidemic are extremely critical. I prescribed Sheng Mai San (Generate the Pulse Powder) modified with Chai Hu (Bupleuri Radix), Huang Qin (Scutellariae Radix), Gui Zhi (Cinnamomi Ramulus), and Gan Cao (Glycyrrhizae Radix). The decoction was prepared, and she took two doses mixed with ash from her late husband's old undergarment. Consequently, her consciousness cleared, body temperature normalized, sweating ceased, her tongue became soft, and the black coating gradually receded. The next day, the same formula was used with added Suan Zao Ren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen) and Zhu Ru (Bambusae Caulis in Taeniae). Only then could her limbs move, and she began to drink rice gruel. Her only son, aged ten, and daughter, aged fourteen, were subsequently afflicted by the epidemic. Both were treated with Liu Shen Tong San (Six-Unity Dispelling Powder) to induce sweating and recovered. Six other women, including sisters-in-law and maids, were also cured by Liu Shen Tong San. The entire family regarded me as their savior and expressed profound gratitude.

My clan nephew, Tai Xue Cong Ming, suffered from dysentery (Li Ji, 滞下) while staying away from home in early summer. He returned home when his condition had improved by half, but relapsed after eating leftover pork head. He experienced tenesmus (Li Ji Hou Zhong, 里急后重), occurring thirty to forty times a day, becoming increasingly weak and lethargic. Symptoms included thirst, a burning sensation in the chest and epigastrium, hot hands, mild abdominal pain, and scanty urine. Before each bowel movement, he experienced dry retching, nausea, vomiting, and profuse sweating. The stool consisted solely of thick, sticky, purple-black blood without feces. Being knowledgeable in medicine and cautious, he did not readily accept medication from others. He earnestly requested my consultation. His pulse was deep and wiry on the left, and slippery and rapid on the right. His complexion was dark on the outside and yellow within. He could not take food or drink, and his anus burned and hurt. Considering his original constitution was weak and that he had endured travel fatigue, I dared not use harsh purgatives. I tentatively prescribed Wei Feng Tang (Stomach Wind Decoction) with added Huang Lian (Coptidis Rhizoma). After two doses, there was no improvement, and abdominal distension increased slightly. He urged me, saying, "Ancient texts state that no accumulation means no dysentery. The current accumulation is stubborn; do not use tonics. Do not let my weak constitution deter you." I agreed and switched to Huang Qin Shao Yao Tang (Scutellaria and Peony Decoction) for three doses, but the condition remained static. I privately told his nephew, Yuan Liang, "Your uncle's condition involves both excess and deficiency, heat and cold, making it difficult to treat. Moreover, the inability to eat and the dry retching are concerning. We need a wise colleague to consult together." Yuan Liang conveyed this respectfully, suggesting Fang Gudun as a consultant, and other relatives supported this idea. Tai Xue refused, stating, "Do you think I value life less or am stingy with money? Among physicians in Xindu, none surpass my uncle in wisdom. Among my friends, none share a deeper bond with me than my uncle. Whom else can I rely on?" Yuan Liang replied, "Your grandfather is skilled and good at utilizing others' strengths. Consulting with a capable expert will ensure no future regrets." Tai Xue said angrily, "Knowing a person is knowing their heart. I have known your intentions for a long time. Appoint you exclusively; do not doubt." Knowing his trust was firm as metal and stone, I studied the case more deeply. My strategy was first to open the stomach appetite so that new food would help expel old stagnation, then decide whether to tonify or purge based on urgency. I secretly instructed Yuan Liang, "Your uncle requires Ginseng Root (Ren Shen); please keep this secret so I may fully apply my skills." Yuan Liang agreed. Following the method of Zhu Danxi, I used two qian of Ginseng Root and Coptidis Rhizoma, decocted into a concentrated liquid, which he sipped slowly. After just one sip, his appetite opened, and retching stopped. This was due to deficient heat in the stomach rising up. Using this daily, the retching and nausea subsided by more than half. After two consecutive days, he felt chest and abdominal fullness, so I administered Bao He Wan (Preserve Harmony Pill) to address it. When he reported difficulty in urination, I used Qing Liu Wan (Clear Six Pill) to resolve it. For tenesmus, I used Dang Shen (Codonopsis Radix) and Bai Zhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) combined with Huang Qin, Huang Lian, Mu Xiang (Aucklandiae Radix), Bing Lang (Arecae Semen), Hua Shi (Talcum), and Tao Ren (Persicae Semen). The Ginseng was added secretly, unknown to Tai Xue. At every visit, he would say, "The illness has stabilized recently thanks to you. Please do not rush to tonify, lest you undo previous efforts." I replied, "As you command." Unbeknownst to him, he had taken Ginseng for ten days, totaling approximately two liang. Thereafter, his pulse slowed to four beats per cycle, becoming soft and forceless. Recalling Zhu Danxi's words: "When deficiency recovers, dysentery stops naturally," and "For severe Qi deficiency, only Aconite Root (Fu Zi) can facilitate the action of Ginseng," I prescribed Wei Feng Tang modified with Huang Qi (Astragali Radix), Fu Zi, and Jiang Tan (Charred Ginger). After four doses, the bleeding ceased completely, and tenesmus stopped. However, the stool remained loose and unformed, consisting of yellow feces. Realizing the stagnation was exhausted, he wished to regulate the spleen and took Shen Ling Bai Zhu San (Ginseng, Poria, and Atractylodes Macrocephala Powder) for ten days, but the loose stools persisted. He asked, "If tonifying the spleen does not stop the diarrhea, what should be done?" I said, "Based on the pulse, this is deficiency-cold of the lower origin. It is likely Kidney-type Diarrhea (Shen Xie, 肾泄) rather than Spleen-type. Tonifying and warming the lower origin will secure it. The Kidney acts as the gate of the Stomach. I initially avoided purgatives precisely because I anticipated this outcome." I prescribed Tu Si Zi (Cuscutae Semen), Po Gu Zhi (Psoraleae Fructus), Du Zhong (Eucommiae Cortex), Shan Zhu Yu (Corni Fructus), Ren Shen, Da Fu Zi, Bai Fu Ling (Poria), and Ze Xie (Alismatis Rhizoma). After four doses, he was fully cured. The villagers praised Tai Xue for discerning talent, and I for fulfilling his trust.