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Ms. Zhuang was pregnant for three years without delivery. A physician diagnosed her, stating: "The pulse is quite unusual; I suspect it must be an abnormal entity. Medication should be used to expel it." After taking the medicine, she felt severe abdominal pain and expelled a placenta that cracked upon hitting the ground. Inside was a small snake coiling and twisting, emerging sequentially, which was quickly extinguished. Shen Buyi Lin witnessed this incident personally. (From *Sangang Shilue*.)

Zhang Luyu treated a woman who was six months pregnant. Due to the grief of losing a child, her weeping agitated the fetus. The physician prescribed Huangqin (Scutellariae Radix) and Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma), but two doses were ineffective. The prescription was changed to Xiangfu (Cyperus Rhizome), Zisu (Perilla Leaf), Zhike (Aurantii Fructus Immaturus), and Sharen (Amomi Fructus). After one dose, the fetus pressed upward against the heart and diaphragm, causing chest and epigastric distension, fullness, panting, and bleeding from the mouth and nose. On the third day at dusk, he examined her. Her pulse was rapid and turbulent like a storm, beating more than ten times before pausing, then resuming as before. He advised her: "This pregnancy is inherently not a viable fetus. Tonic therapy will be useless; it is better to remove it to preserve the mother's life." Considering this fetus must have formed by absorbing Zhen Qi (Thunder/Qi of Movement), and Zhen corresponds to Wood in the Five Elements, only Metal can control it. He ordered an iron axe to be heated red and quenched in vinegar. While hot, Mangxiao (Natrii Sulfas) was mixed in and administered orally. At midnight, the abnormal fetus was indeed expelled. Afterwards, her pulse became slightly harmonious, her spirit was confused, and lochia discharge was profuse. Subsequently, formulas for calming the spirit and regulating blood were given. After several doses, she stabilized.

Sun Wenyuan treated Ms. Zhang, aged twenty-one. Upon examination: the Left Cun and Guan pulses were short and weak, while the Chi pulse was slippery; the Right Cun pulse was also slippery, the Guan pulse was soggy and weak, and the Chi pulse was deep and faint. After diagnosis, her husband asked: "How is the pulse?" (Sun did not disclose the original disease.) He replied: "Both Heart Spirit and Spleen Will are severely deficient. There is phlegm in the Lung Meridian. With the Left Cun pulse being so short and weak, how could there be a pregnancy?" The husband said: "It has been seventy days." Asked if she had ever conceived before, he answered: "Twice already; this is the third time." Asked if both previous births were full-term and whether they were male or female, he answered: "The first birth was only nine months; hands, feet, face, and eyes were complete, but there was no cry. When picked up, the body was cold. Upon detailed inspection, it was known that it lacked Water and Fire (referring to the anterior and posterior orifices or their vital essence). The second birth was also at nine months, with no cry either; inspection revealed no tongue in the mouth. Such were the abnormalities of these two fetuses." Therefore, he formulated a prescription focusing on tonifying the Heart and Spleen, advising frequent intake, aiming for one hundred doses. Suanzaoren (Ziziphi Spinosae Semen), Fushen (Poria with Hostwood), Yuanzhi (Polygalae Radix) each 1 qian; Baizhu (Atractylodis Macrocephalae Rhizoma) 2 qian; Baishao (Paeoniae Radix Alba), Danggui (Angelicae Sinensis Radix), Gouqi (Lycii Fructus) each 1.5 qian; Gancao (Glycyrrhizae Radix et Rhizoma) 0.5 qian; Shengdi (Rehmanniae Radix) 0.8 qian; Aixu (Artemisiae Argyi Folium) 0.2 fen; Longyanrou (Longan Arillus) five pieces. Decocted in water and taken orally. She delivered a son at full term. The following year, she conceived again, disregarding past events. At nine months, she gave birth; the infant's form was complete, but a membrane covered its face, which could not be removed, leading to death. Reflecting that the survival of the previous year's infant was due to the medication, he copied the formula and posted it on the wall. From the moment pregnancy was detected, she took the formula according to instructions, and subsequent children were born healthy. (Note: Any congenital deficiencies in infants stem from parental deficiency. This case illustrates the principle of inferring the whole from a part.)

Guo Maoxun's sister-in-law, Lady Jinhua, seven days postpartum, refused food. Initially complaining of headache, after which came heart pain, followed by eye pain described as cutting and stabbing. The pain recurred frequently with very short intervals. During headaches, she desired a large stone to press on her head, calming only after a long time. During heart pain, she scratched walls with ten fingers until blood filled her palms. When pain subsided, eye pain returned, and she dug out her eyes with her hands. This continued for ten days without relief; physicians were helpless. Administering half a pill of Heilong Dan (Black Dragon Pill), the illness alleviated slightly. Taking another dose at midnight, she slept peacefully as usual. At dawn, she passed stool once, approximately three sheng, resembling locust nymphs; symptoms reduced by half. At Si hour (9-11 AM), she passed stool again as before, and was instantly cured. (From *Jiyin Gangmu*.)

In Kaifeng Prefecture, Henan, the wife of an alchemist had a greatly distended abdomen, moving and jumping as if carrying twins. The alchemist told his wife: "If you bear two sons, name them Hu Si'er and Hu Wu'er." One day, when the sky looked like it would rain but didn't, he asked his wife: "Should we go out in clear weather or take rain gear?" Before his wife could answer, a clear voice from the womb responded: "No rain needed." The alchemist, terrified, asked: "Who are you?" The voice replied: "I am Hu Si'er." Before finishing speaking, another voice was heard: "Although no rain falls, there are a few drops." The alchemist asked: "And who are you?" The reply: "I am Hu Wu'er." One day, the alchemist intended to refine elixirs. The wife's womb said: "What you do will ultimately fail. You must know how to place the furnace, how to tend the fire, and how to identify the medicines." Another voice responded: "Those methods are superficial. How to perform minor transmutation, how to perform major transmutation—wait for my mother to do it." The alchemist followed these instructions and ignited sulfur. Suddenly, a guest arrived at the door. The room was neither deep nor wide, and the guest did not enter. The wife and two unborn sons said: "The yellow qi is oppressive, what shall we do?" By nightfall, they died from fumes. (Note: Later generations speak of 'minor transmutation' as a transmission. I believe this might be Heaven's anger at leaking secrets, seeking to silence them. However, it is unknown what demon this was.)

Qian Guobin stated: Zhu Liulu, a soldier from Datong, Shanxi, married Kong Shi. After seven years, she finally conceived. Her abdomen became extremely large; at seven months she could not walk, and at eight months she could not move, lying supine in bed. A physician was summoned. The Right Cun and both Chi pulses were double the normal size. Menstruation had ceased, indicating twin girls. Given the risk of difficult labor, Yi Chan Tang (Easy Delivery Decoction) was prescribed to save the mother. At ten months, she delivered one daughter, but the abdomen remained large. On the third day, abdominal cramps led to the birth of a second daughter, yet the abdomen remained large. Everyone considered this bizarre and feared it would harm the mother. The next day, further cramps resulted in a third daughter, after which the abdomen returned to normal. The first two daughters survived; the third died. (Xiong's Note: This is not truly abnormal. In my hometown, brothers Zhang shared the same mother and all lived long lives, and the mother remained healthy. I also saw Wang Chengyi's wife, who bore triplets who all grew up, though the mother fainted immediately after delivery. *Suiyuan Shihua* records a case of quadruplets born from one lactation, which is indeed strange.)