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Brother Cao De's eldest son, aged fourteen, suffered from edema. The physician administered diuretic herbs without effect, leading to a distended abdomen like a drum, feet cold as ice, swelling of the head and whole body, a shiny scrotum appearing ready to burst, panting upon movement, with the condition being critical. The pulse was deep, fine, and powerless. I said to him: This is a disease of internal deficiency in the Spleen, Lung, and Kidney organs. When the Lung is deficient, Qi fails to transform essence into fluids but instead transforms into water-dampness; when the Spleen is deficient, water-dampness lacks control and counter-attacks the Spleen; when the Kidney is deficient, water-dampness lacks mastery and runs wild. Shenqi Wan (Kidney Qi Pill) from Zhang Zhongjing's *Jin Gui Yao Lue* (*Essential Prescriptions from the Golden Cabinet*) acts like Yu the Great controlling the waters, guiding them naturally without force, which is indeed an appropriate and unchangeable prescription. However, given the prolonged illness, emaciated form, excessive consumption of medicines, and ruined true Yuan (Vital Energy), it may be difficult to rescue. Brother Cao De firmly requested treatment, so I used the original formula. It showed efficacy after ten days, and he recovered within a month.

Brother Yong had congenital insufficiency, with a thin physique and weak constitution. In summer nights, he indulged in cold exposure and engaged in sexual intercourse while intoxicated. Pathogenic factors took advantage of the deficiency to lie dormant, manifesting in autumn. At the first consultation, the pulse was fine, limbs were cold, tongue coating was white, complexion was bluish-green, there was aversion to cold without fever, lower back pain, and no sweating. The prescribed formula was Fuzi Liyin Decoction (Aconite Decoction for Nourishing Yin). After taking it, high fever occurred at night. On the second day, during follow-up, I told his father: Your son's condition is Cold Damage with Yin involvement (Jia Yin Shang Han). There is a risk of pathogenic factors sinking inward. Medication should warm the Middle Jiao and expel pathogens outward, hoping for recovery like cloud evaporation and rain transformation. He was instructed to stick to the original formula. By the sixth day, the illness had not subsided, causing great anxiety for the family. I said: With deficient righteous Qi and heavy pathogenic factors, elimination is not easy. The fact that the symptoms have not changed recently indicates efficacy. We must wait through two five-day periods (Hou) before expecting a turning point. Ginseng, Goji Berry, and Eucommia Bark were added to the formula to focus entirely on protecting the True Yuan, without mixing any exterior-releasing drugs. Upon the due date, sweating occurred, and fever subsided. His family thought he was cured, but chills and fever recurred that night. The next morning, upon examination, I said: Malaria has developed. Brother Yong said: I have never suffered from malaria in my life. I fear it will become lingering. Please cure it by cutting off the attacks. I said: Your illness is severe Cold Damage. Relying on warming and tonifying agents, we guarded the gates of the Three Yin channels, preventing the pathogens from sinking inward. The classics state that Shaoyang serves as the pivot. Now, the unresolved pathogens are exiting via the Shaoyang pivot, which is a favorable sign. How can we speak of cutting it off? Thus, Bawei Wan (Eight-Ingredient Pill) was administered in the morning, and Buzhong Yiqi Tang (Decoction for Supplementing the Middle and Augmenting the Qi) in the evening. After more than ten episodes, it stopped. I advised caution to prevent recurrence. Ten days later, malaria indeed relapsed. Yangying Tang (Nourishing Blood Decoction) was used, combined with swallowing Bawei Wan, until he recovered. Note: The syndrome of Tai Malaria (Fetal Malaria) is rarely mentioned in books. Patients often suffer from lingering illness, lasting over a month in mild cases or several months in severe cases. If treated improperly, it may develop into Consumption (Xu Lao) or distension/swelling. Even those with solid constitutions may accumulate Malaria Mass (Nuomu), becoming a lifelong affliction. Moreover, while Chang Malaria (Common Malaria) may not enter the Yin channels, Tai Malaria often does. Chang Malaria rarely recurs after cure, whereas Tai Malaria frequently recurs. Investigating the reason for its lingering nature, it seems due to unfamiliarity with the meridian pathways, making it difficult for pathogens to exit. Later, reading *Huixin Lu* (*Records of Heart-to-Heart Understanding*), it states: For commonly recurring malaria, pathogens exit through familiar pores, making recovery easier. For Tai Malaria, however, the meridians lack ventilation mechanisms, and pores are not familiar routes, making recovery difficult. This confirms that the words of past sages align with my thoughts. Analyzing the syndrome further, it resembles smallpox/variolae, which everyone cannot avoid. Humans take shape from parents' essence and blood. The reason one inevitably suffers from variolae is likely because "libidinous fire" is planted before physical form exists and manifests after life begins. It is unknown what the root cause of Tai Malaria is. The book unfortunately does not detail this. Some say it is named Tai Malaria because wind-pathogens were contracted in the womb. I do not believe this theory.