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My elder brother had a constitutionally deficient physique and suffered from frequent illnesses. In my treatment to regulate his health, the prescriptions used were none other than those of Guipi Tang (Restore the Spleen Decoction) or Buyuan Jian (Tonify the Origin Decoction). One day, he sent a messenger to urge me to visit. Upon arrival, it was nearing dusk. My brother was curled up in bed; he rose and told me, "This morning, my teeth suddenly began to ache severely, unbearable to endure, and the pain has persisted until now. I fear it is complicated by wind-heat as an external pathogen, so I have suspended the previous medications. I trouble you to examine me, to temporarily resolve the exterior pathogens." I palpated his pulse and found it deep, fine, and powerless. Observing his symptoms of aversion to cold and cold feet, I said, "This belongs to deficiency-cold, not related to external contraction. Merely using tonification is insufficient; one must also employ warming methods." Therefore, I imitated the ancient formula Shengdi Huang Wan (Eight-Ingredient Rehmannia Pill), adding Gusuibu (Drynariae Rhizoma). After one dose, the pain ceased.

The grandson of Mr. Zhi was three years old. After recovering from smallpox, he developed a 'Ghost Swelling' (a type of abscess) on the side of the Quchi (LI11) acupoint on his left hand. The lesion ulcerated for over a year. Surgical treatments failed to close the wound, so he consulted me. At that time, his elder brother, Mr. Langyu, and colleague Mr. Ye Dianyáng were present. Both gentlemen understood medical principles. After examining the patient, I informed them, "Pathogenic toxins arising in the hands and feet generally do not endanger life. However, prolonged ulceration with excessive discharge of pus injures Qi and Blood. His complexion is sallow, muscles are emaciated, spirit and form are fatigued, eyes lack luster, and the Tianzhu bone (cervical spine support) droops. This presents a picture of severe deficiency, which is most concerning. Whether the ulcer can heal is secondary." Mr. Langyu said, "Since the syndrome is deficiency, deficiency should be treated with tonification." I replied, "Not only tonification, but also warming is required." Mr. Zhi said, "Currently, the summer heat is steaming hot; using overly warm herbs may cause the patient discomfort." I said, "When treating diseases, if a physician encounters a cold syndrome in midsummer, they use hot medicines; if encountering a heat syndrome in deep winter, they use cool medicines. This is known as 'abandoning the season to follow the syndrome.'" If the disease is deficient but not cold, simple tonification might yield results. Now, since it is deficient and accompanied by cold, only warming-tonification can achieve efficacy. Thus, I prescribed Renshen Yangying Tang (Ginseng Nourishing Ying Decoction), adding Fuzi (Aconiti Lateralis Radix Praeparata), Lurong (Cervi Cornu Degelatinatum), Gouqi (Lycii Fructus), and Duzhong (Eucommiae Cortex). This aligns with the meaning in *Neijing* (The Yellow Emperor's Inner Canon): "For those whose form is deficient, warm them with Qi [acrid/warm substances]; for those whose essence is deficient, tonify them with Flavor [sweet/heavy substances]." The two gentlemen saw the prescription and praised it. After the first dose, his spirit slightly improved; after the second dose, his neck bone no longer tilted. He continued taking dozens of doses. As Qi and Blood recovered, the ulcer closed, and this case was cured. Although my adherence to principle without flattery played a role, it also relied on the assistance of these two gentlemen.