After taking Mayor Lin’s pulse, Li Xu asked about his condition.

"Doctor Li, to be honest, both my father and my grandfather had high blood pressure. You could say I have a family history of it."

Mayor Lin added.

"I see..."

Li Xu nodded and asked, "Do you normally take your blood pressure medication on schedule?"

Mayor Lin gave a wry smile and shook his head. "Not always. I’m usually so busy with work that I often forget to take my medicine."

Li Xu summarized, "Mayor Lin, you have a flushed complexion, a red tongue with a greasy white coating, and your pulse is thin and rapid. Combining these with your symptoms, this is a classic case of liver and kidney yin deficiency complicated by phlegm-dampness."

He paused, then continued his explanation. "Mayor Lin, you mentioned you are fifty this year. This aligns with the saying from the *Inner Canon of the Yellow Emperor*: ’At forty, the yin energy is halved.’ The root of your illness is this liver and kidney yin deficiency.

It’s like how a tree’s branches and leaves wither when it lacks water; the human body is the same.

The deficiency in liver and kidney yin causes the liver yang to lose its restraint, allowing it to rise rebelliously. This is why you experience dizziness, a throbbing headache, and irritability.

Your flushed face and red tongue are direct manifestations of this ascendant liver yang.

When you become agitated, this excessive yang hyperactivity can generate internal wind, causing the kind of vertigo that makes you feel like the world is spinning."

"The liver opens into the eyes, and the kidneys open into the ears.

When there is a deficiency of liver and kidney yin, the eyes and ears are not properly nourished. This is why you also experience tinnitus and dry eyes.

Your thin and rapid pulse is clear evidence of yin deficiency.

Furthermore, insufficient yin-blood means the heart is not nourished, leading to palpitations and insomnia.

The waist is the ’mansion’ of the kidneys, and the knees are the ’mansion’ of the tendons. When kidney essence is depleted, it naturally results in soreness and weakness in the lower back and knees."

Mayor Lin nodded repeatedly as he listened.

It was only then that he realized the various discomforts he had experienced over the years were all intricately linked to his high blood pressure.

Li Xu’s clear and thorough analysis gave him a much deeper understanding of his condition.

"However, Mayor Lin, there is another key layer to your condition."

Li Xu’s tone shifted. "You often feel nauseous, which indicates the presence of ’phlegm turbidity.’ Hyperactive liver qi affects the spleen and stomach, causing the spleen to lose its transportive function. This leads to the internal generation of phlegm turbidity. This phlegm blocks the spleen and stomach region, preventing clear yang qi from rising to the head, which is what makes you feel nauseous. Your greasy white tongue coating is a classic sign of this internal obstruction by phlegm-dampness."

"In short, your syndrome is ascendant liver yang, obstruction by phlegm turbidity, and wind generated by yin deficiency. The root of the problem lies in three organs—the liver, kidneys, and spleen. This is classified as a case of root deficiency and branch excess.

Now that the pathogenesis is clear, the treatment must be a two-pronged approach, addressing both the root and the branch.

We must pacify the liver and anchor the yang, nourish yin and extinguish wind to treat the root cause, while also transforming phlegm and harmonizing the middle to treat the symptoms."

As he spoke, Li Xu picked up a pen and paper. He wrote out a prescription with fluid, elegant strokes and explained, "I have formulated this by modifying and combining the Banxia, Atractylodes, and Gastrodia Decoction with the Zhen Gan Xi Feng Decoction."

"In this formula, the Purified Pinellia, Dried Tangerine Peel, and Poria Cocos have the effects of drying dampness to transform phlegm and regulating qi to harmonize the middle. They directly target the phlegm turbidity, treating your ’vertigo’ and ’nausea’ at their source.

Gastrodia is a crucial herb for treating vertigo caused by wind-phlegm. Paired with Banxia, it forms a classic TCM combination for ’expelling wind, transforming phlegm, and stopping vertigo.’"

"Raw Atractylodes and Poria Cocos strengthen the spleen and tonify qi, which eliminates the source of phlegm production.

The licorice tablets have the effect of tonifying the spleen, replenishing qi, and harmonizing the other herbs in the formula.

Your condition worsens with fatigue. In TCM, the spleen governs the muscles. Overexertion damages the spleen, and a deficient spleen easily generates phlegm-dampness. This formula strengthens the spleen, which is perfectly suited to treat your constitution."

"Ocher, Dragon Bone, Oyster, and Shi Jueming are all shell-based substances with a sedating and descending nature. Their medicinal properties forcefully pull down the ascendant liver yang, making them very effective for ’upper excess’ symptoms like your dizziness, throbbing headache, and irritability.

Huai Niu Xi has the effect of guiding blood downward. It also tonifies the liver and kidneys, embodying the principle of ’guiding the fire back to its source.’ It is an essential channel-guiding herb for treating ascendant liver yang."

"Vinegar Turtle Shell, Xuanshen, Asparagus Root, and white peony form the ’foundation’ of the entire prescription.

This group of herbs powerfully tonifies the yin of the liver and kidneys, nourishing yin and enriching the blood. The intent is to nourish the liver wood, preventing it from becoming overly yang-dominant due to yin deficiency.

This directly targets the root of your ’lower deficiency’ symptoms, such as tinnitus, dry eyes, dry mouth and throat, and soreness in the lower back and knees."

"Finally, the fried Chinese toon seed and malt are important herbs from the Zhen Gan Xi Feng Decoction.

Because many of the cloying, enriching, and sedating herbs in the formula might affect the function of the spleen and stomach, as well as the liver’s dredging and draining function.

Chinese toon seed has the effect of clearing liver fire, moving qi, and stopping pain; malt can soothe the liver and harmonize the stomach.

Used together, they ensure the entire formula is tonifying without causing stagnation and descending without causing depression. This aligns with the physiological characteristic of liver wood, which prefers to be free and unobstructed, allowing the medicinal effects to be more comprehensive and gentle."

Li Xu handed the prescription to the secretary. It read:

Purified Pinellia, Gastrodia, Poria Cocos, Dried Tangerine Peel, Raw Atractylodes, licorice tablets, Huai Niu Xi, Ocher, Dragon Bone, Oyster, white peony, Xuanshen, Asparagus Root, Vinegar Turtle Shell, fried Chinese toon seed, malt, Shi Jueming. A total of 3 doses. Decoct in water and take three times a day for 3 days.

At the same time, Li Xu sent a photo of the prescription to Song Sisi, asking her to prepare the medicine at the clinic.

Ding Kaifang immediately arranged for a driver to rush to the clinic and pick up the medicine.

About twenty minutes later, the driver returned to the pharmaceutical factory with three packaged doses of the herbal medicine.

By this time, Mayor Lin’s inspection of Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory was just coming to an end.

On the way back, Mayor Lin sat in the car with his eyes closed, resting.

Li Xu’s words echoed in his mind, and he was once again astounded by the young doctor’s medical skill.

He opened his eyes, looked at his secretary in the passenger seat, and asked, "Xiao Wang, what do you think of this Doctor Li?"

The secretary thought for a moment before replying, "Mayor Lin, I’ve read many reports and news articles about Doctor Li. They all say his medical skills are superb and his reputation is excellent. After seeing him in person today, I feel he truly lives up to his name."

Mayor Lin smiled and asked, "So, do you think these three doses of medicine can cure my high blood pressure?"

Hearing this, the secretary chose his words carefully. "Mayor Lin, high blood pressure is a chronic illness. It has a long course and requires long-term treatment. Even with modern medical technology, it requires continuous medication to keep it under control. Although Doctor Li is impressive, the possibility of him completely curing high blood pressure with just three doses of medicine... I think it’s not very likely."

Mayor Lin nodded in understanding. "I agree, it’s unlikely. But Doctor Li does have a great reputation, so the medicine he prescribed should have some effect. Please brew it for me when you get back."

"Of course, Mayor Lin," the secretary replied respectfully.

...

Ding’s Pharmaceutical Factory.

After seeing Mayor Lin and his entourage off, Ding Kaifang breathed a sigh of relief and said happily, "Doctor Li, now we can roll out our hemostatic cloth quickly."

Li Xu was also pleased. "That’s right. Once they experience its effects, they’ll definitely come to rely on our hemostatic cloth. By the way, we shouldn’t just acquire Willow Catkin in Feng City. We need to expand nationwide and buy up as much as we can. Otherwise, we’ll have to wait until next year."

Ding Kaifang nodded. "Don’t worry, Doctor Li. I already gave the orders yesterday. We’ll acquire Willow Catkin from all over the country, no matter the cost."