After Bian Que left, Huan Gong said to his subjects around him:

"Your Majesty, your illness has invaded your stomach and intestines. If your do not treat it, your condition will worsen."

One day, the miracle-working doctor Bian Que saw Huan Gong, King of the State of Cai, and said:

"Your Majesty, I think you are ill. But your illness is only under the skin and can be easily cured. If you do not treat it now, I'm afraid your condition will become serious."

"Your Majesty, your illness has invaded your muscles. If you do not treat it now, your condition will become more serious."

"I am not ill."

Huan Gong was displeased with what he heard and did not listen to Bian Que.

"These doctors always like to treat people who are not ill in order to brag about their superb medical skill."

Another ten days later, Bian Que saw Huan Gong and said anxiously:

Ten days later, Bian Que saw Huan Gong again. He said:

Huan Gong still would not listen to Bian Que.

Another ten days later, when Bian Que saw Huan Gong, he turned round at once and left. Huan Gong was surprised and sent someone to catch up Bian Que to ask him for the reason. Bian Que said:

Huan Gong did not believe him. He said:

"When a person gets ill and his illness is only under the skin, it can be easily cured with medical plaster or decoction. When it is between the skin and the flesh, it can still be cured by acupuncture; even if it develops into the stomach and intestines, medical decoctions will still be effective. But when it reaches them arrow, then one can only resign to one's fate, for the doctor can no longer do anything about it. Now His Majesty's illness has penetrated into the marrow. I can do nothing to cure him."

Five days afterwards, Huan Gong felt pain all over his body. He sent for Bian Que. Since Bian Que had anticipated that Huan Gong would ask him for treatment and that he would get into trouble if he couldn't cure the illness, he had escaped to the State of Qin a few days before.

Soon afterwards, Huan Gong of Cai died of his illness.