The Prime Minister’s Daughter and the Marquis’s Fool – Chapter 167
by Little PandaLip Rouge
On the night of the Yuanxiao Festival1, the Capital City was peaceful and lively. Dusk had barely fallen, yet brilliant lights already illuminated the streets outside.
Lin Xizhao and the others persuaded the elders in the residence to join them at Huxiang Tower2, and even Lin Xirui was invited along.
Zhao Jiayu and Zhu Ming’an bustled about, arranging everything.
The Zhu and Qu families had been friends for generations. When Qu Jixian was in Shoulin, he had met Zhu Ming’an many times and liked her very much. Despite her stutter, it had not affected her standing in his eyes at all.
Zhu Ming’an had not only reserved the banquet tables but also inquired about everyone’s tastes from Lin Xizhao, and even arranged meals for little Zhimu.
Though Jin Yunfei had only met Zhu Ming’an a few times, she was also quite fond of her.
When everyone was seated, fireworks continued outside without pause. The position Zhu Ming’an had chosen allowed those inside to hear the conversations clearly.
“Ming’an, don’t busy yourself. Come sit and eat with us old women.” Jin Yunfei called Zhu Ming’an over.
Zhu Ming’an looked over at the sound, revealing white teeth in a clever, likable smile, and nodded. “Yes.”
“Sit down quickly.” Lin Xizhao held little Zhimu and smiled gently, also inviting her to sit.
Zhu Ming’an nodded toward Jin Mingyi and walked over. Jin Mingyi shifted to make room for Zhu Ming’an to sit beside her. At this moment, she felt rather proud.
When Zhu Ming’an took her seat, Jin Yunfei served her some dishes. “Though your father and mother aren’t here, our Qu family is also your home. Don’t be restrained.”
Zhu Ming’an looked up at these words. She hadn’t been particularly nervous before, but since confirming her relationship with Jin Mingyi, looking at Jin Mingyi’s relatives made her somewhat restrained.
“All right, Aunt.”
Zhu Ming’an picked up her bowl, accepted the dishes from Jin Yunfei, and spoke what was in her heart.
Everyone at the table froze for a moment. Lin Xirui looked at Zhu Ming’an, then glanced at Jin Mingyi, and couldn’t help thinking of when he had watched Lin Xizhao and Qu Sheng.
Lin Xizhao also looked toward Zhu Ming’an from the side.
Jin Mingyi’s hand paused while serving dishes, and her foot stepped on Zhu Ming’an’s under the table.
Zhu Ming’an shrank back in pain and looked at Jin Mingyi, only then realizing she had used the wrong form of address.
She should have called her Eldest Aunt.
Such a mistake shouldn’t have happened, yet Zhu Ming’an had made it. Lin Xizhao fed a bit of rice from her bowl to little Zhimu, and a faint smile appeared on her lips.
They said Zhu Ming’an was good at business, but she felt that in handling relationships, she was also skilled.
The whole table sat together, harmonious and cheerful, talking and laughing. With Qu Zhimu there, everyone wanted to tease her, and the atmosphere at the dining table became lively.
When the fireworks outside temporarily ceased, Zhao Jiayu led the younger generation out of the private room.
When they returned, someone brought in a screen.
Everyone watched the figures moving behind the screen. Qu Yu held his daughter and watched, seeming to understand why Zhao Jiayu had been playing with musical instruments these past two days.
People outside brought things in, set them down, and then two more people entered. When they were seated and the sound of the qin rose, the screen was pulled aside by the servants.
First to appear was Zhu Ming’an in a light silver-white slant-collared velvet jacket. Zhu Ming’an’s fingertips lightly stroked the strings, and the ethereal music flowed out like water. Zhao Jiayu played the vertical bamboo flute3 beside her, harmonizing with the melody, refreshing to the ear.
Everyone’s faces showed smiles, but just as the melody had run through one tuning, two white-clad fairy-like figures entered from outside.
Lin Xizhao and Jin Mingyi held feather fans4 and entered gracefully. The fans trembled and parted in their hands, revealing their true faces to everyone.
Everyone was visibly amazed by what they saw. Lin Xizhao and Jin Mingyi smiled faintly, slowly setting aside their feather fans. They crossed arms and danced together, like white butterflies among flowers, transformed into human form.
“Auntie…” Qu Zhimu in Qu Yu’s arms immediately recognized Lin Xizhao in the butterfly dance, reaching out with her small hands to grab at her.
Lin Xizhao looked up, her brows curving slightly. After dancing with Jin Mingyi for a while, several supporting dancers entered from outside.
The two of them stood out brilliantly in the crowd. Jin Yunfei quickly recognized this as the Jin family’s Butterflies from a Garden of Flowers Dance5, though the music seemed different.
When Zhu Ming’an played the qin, her gaze fell on Jin Mingyi, glowing brightly. Jin Mingyi also looked at Zhu Ming’an whenever there was a pause.
Zhao Jiayu lowered her eyes, as if afraid that losing focus would make her forget how to play the vertical bamboo flute, so she dared not look elsewhere.
The music was graceful, the flute ethereal. Their dance was clearly not performed casually. Jin Mingyi’s dance naturally came from the Jin family’s training, but Lin Xizhao’s dance… Jin Yunfei had known her for so many years, yet had no idea she possessed such solid technique.
When the piece ended, the four did not perform a second one. Under everyone’s amazed gazes, the four stood together and bowed in unison. Jin Yunfei called for them to sit. Qu Zhimu saw Lin Xizhao and Zhao Jiayu approaching and looked eagerly at Lin Xizhao, waiting to be held.
Zhao Jiayu walked over first. Qu Yu adjusted her skirt hem for her. When Zhao Jiayu reached to hold her daughter, she discovered her daughter wasn’t looking at her at all — she was tilting her head, looking past her at Lin Xizhao.
Zhao Jiayu realized she was blocking her daughter’s view and helplessly stepped aside. Lin Xizhao was also looking this way.
“Auntie…” Qu Zhimu bounced anxiously on Qu Yu’s lap, reaching out for Lin Xizhao to hold her.
Lin Xizhao walked over with curved brows, bent down, and picked her up. Her breath from dancing hadn’t yet settled. Seeing Qu Zhimu’s little mouth open, waiting to kiss her face, she turned slightly and let her kiss her cheek.
“Oh my, daughters really can’t be kept at home6.” Zhao Jiayu teased from the side.
Lin Xizhao glanced at her, walked to Zhao Jiayu’s side holding Qu Zhimu, and said, “Kiss Mother.”
Qu Zhimu heard this and leaned over to kiss Zhao Jiayu. Zhao Jiayu wanted to hold her, but after just a quick kiss, Qu Zhimu hurriedly turned back and wrapped her arms around Lin Xizhao’s neck, lying against her, afraid of being separated from her again.
Jin Yunfei was speaking with Zhu Ming’an and Jin Mingyi at this moment. Jin Mingyi always revealed a shy affection when looking at Zhu Ming’an. After a few exchanges, Jin Yunfei seemed to notice something between the two.
Lin Xizhao sat down holding Qu Zhimu, and Jin Yunfei asked her about how she knew how to dance. Lin Xizhao explained everything, though she didn’t mention the marriage.
Though the banquet was held outside, today was happier than New Year’s Eve, especially since Jin Yunfei learned that Lin Xizhao could dance.
Though she was older now, she had captured Qu Jinian’s heart with her dancing back in the day. The two had been loving all these years, rarely ever arguing. If everyone hadn’t been present today, she would have wanted to teach Lin Xizhao everything she knew.
After the banquet, everyone returned home, the carriages stretching in a long line. Qu Yu returned to the residence with everyone else. Lin Xizhao and Zhao Jiayu escorted Jin Mingyi and Zhu Ming’an back to the small courtyard before returning to the residence.
But as soon as Lin Xizhao returned, Jin Yunfei sent someone to summon her.
At the Northern Frontier military camp, night fell, and the entire camp was shrouded in darkness. Dark clouds covered the moon, and even the wild northern wind couldn’t blow away the thick accumulation of clouds.
Earlier, the Chemu Tribe had sent envoys to the camp asking for an antidote. Qu Sheng not only refused but had them beaten and thrown out of the camp.
The Chemu Tribe prince had been poisoned by Qu Sheng’s arrow. Qu Sheng was giving him a taste of his own medicine. Qu Jinian still hadn’t awakened, Qu Ting was still trapped in his own dreams — how could Qu Sheng not hate? And how could she let the Chemu Tribe prince return safely to his camp?
The poison the Chemu Tribe prince had been given was from Liu Wuxiang. This poison wouldn’t kill, but the victim couldn’t tolerate any wind or light.
In sunlight, his skin would ulcerate. In wind, his body would ache unbearably. As long as he stayed peacefully indoors, he would be fine. Liu Wuxiang was a physician and didn’t want to kill, so Qu Sheng had requested this prescription.
The Qu family’s fate had been full of misfortune. Liu Wuxiang had also been moved to compassion, hoping the Chemu Tribe would withdraw from Tiansheng territory soon.
After Qu Sheng had the man beaten, she also let him hear things he shouldn’t have heard. But these words had been arranged by Qu Sheng beforehand.
Tonight, the five kingdoms were gathering their forces, planning to destroy Tiansheng’s grain and supplies while the camp was empty.
The camp Qu Sheng led stretched for dozens of li7, with grain and supplies at the center. The intelligence the Chemu Tribe received was that Qu Sheng was leading troops to launch a surprise attack on three enemy cities on the night of the Yuanxiao Festival.
The cities closest to the Tiansheng army were far apart from each other. To take them all simultaneously would require half their forces.
Soldiers needed to be elite, but also numerous. The Chemu Tribe saw this opening and thought that even if Qu Sheng left half her forces to guard the grain, they couldn’t withstand a surprise attack from her main army.
As long as they took Tiansheng’s grain, Qu Sheng’s army would fall into chaos. Originally, the five kingdoms had fought the Tiansheng army with an even split, but after losing so many cities recently, they found victory increasingly difficult. This heaven-sent opportunity was fleeting — even knowing it might be a trap, they had to gamble.
Besides, the man thrown out had been unconscious. No one knew that after being thrown out, he had risked his life to report everything. They thought the credibility reached ninety percent.
Tonight was dark and windy — heaven itself was granting favorable conditions!
The Chemu Tribe prince couldn’t go to war. The one leading the troops was likely that strategist. Qu Sheng had people ambush outside the camp and ordered the left and right armies to stand ready. Anyone who made a sound would be killed on the spot. The soldiers monitored each other.
At midnight, sounds came from the camp. The place where Qu Sheng was stationed had a slope behind it. Though this was a military taboo, a small force was also stationed behind the slope, making it seem less risky.
Both camps were pitch black.
Soon Qu Sheng saw the black flags moving in the distance. Her eyes narrowed as she watched the enemy army quietly enter her trap. Before they could set fire to the fake grain and supplies, she had already drawn her sword and signaled the archers to shoot flaming arrows at the piles of oil and dry grass in the camp. In an instant, the camp became a sea of fire.
As ten thousand arrows flew, Tiansheng soldiers shouted from outside the camp and charged toward it.
Qu Sheng stood on the high slope, watching the enemy soldiers burn in the camp, horses neighing and running wild, fire-covered figures running everywhere. The hatred in her heart showed no sign of fading — instead, it rose higher.
“Leave no Chemu Tribe soldier alive!”
Soldiers from other kingdoms could be annihilated or captured when they surrendered, but the Chemu Tribe was ambitious, inciting the five kingdoms to invade their territory, shooting her father with a poisoned arrow, killing her uncle, capturing her brother. They could never be forgiven!
The battle lasted until the sun rose. Even after two hours, the smell of burnt corpses still hadn’t dissipated from the camp.
In this battle, Qu Sheng burned 350,000 enemy troops, completely shattering the main force of the five-kingdom alliance and capturing 150,000 surrendered soldiers.
The Chemu Tribe strategist was captured alive, flayed, and had his tendons extracted in public — a warning to the other four kingdoms’ generals.
Qu Sheng gave the four kingdoms’ generals a path to life: take their remaining forces and withdraw from Tiansheng territory. If they were captured again, they would end up like this man — or worse.
Some of these generals were stubborn, while others hastily agreed.
Qu Sheng didn’t torture the stubborn ones either. She simply had them tied up and made them watch how she killed their soldiers, one by one.
Qu Sheng released two of the kingdoms’ generals, allowing them to take their captured soldiers back. The soldiers of the other two kingdoms, because their generals refused to surrender, were ordered by Qu Sheng to be buried in pits.
Their generals wouldn’t surrender, causing the soldiers to lose their lives. No matter how much merit or respect they had, at this moment, they were all murderers pushing the executioner’s blade.
Qu Sheng had only killed a few thousand when one general gave in. Qu Sheng kept her word and released his kingdom’s soldiers.
As for the other one, Qu Sheng used words to mock him until he lowered his head.
“I heard before that when your warhorse died, you wept for it. Today so many soldiers lost their lives because of your stubbornness — why don’t I see any pity in your heart? When you return to your country, will the elders in the city eat your flesh and blood to quell their hatred? Can your king calm the public’s anger and protect your life? And your family’s lives?”
Qu Sheng’s words struck at the heart. When that general looked at Qu Sheng, his expression changed again and again, until he finally lost heart.
Qu Sheng ordered him untied and allowed to take his soldiers and leave.
“Tiansheng has such a young and wise general. Heaven truly favors you.” This general, before leaving, sat on his warhorse and sighed to the heavens.
The Qu family army also shouted in unison as the prisoners were disarmed and released from the camp.
“Long live General Qu! Long live General Qu! Long live General Qu!”
In Tiansheng, no one but the Emperor could be called “long live.” But after the Qu family army shouted, the other soldiers all joined in.
Qu Sheng led troops as if heaven helped her, never suffering defeat, winning against greater numbers countless times. This time, with thunderous force and minimal casualties, she defeated the five-kingdom enemy force and persuaded four kingdoms to withdraw from Tiansheng territory. Such a divine general — how could she not inspire worship?
Qu Sheng sat on her warhorse, watching the released enemy forces depart. There was no arrogance in her expression. There was still one urgent matter to attend to.
That was the Bei’an army waiting by the Mushui River for the thin ice to melt.
In Lingyi.
Since returning to their territory, the Jin family had been unhappy everywhere. Jin Mingjun, having failed to obtain Lin Xizhao, locked himself in his room all day.
On the day of the Yuanxiao Festival in Lingyi, he didn’t go out either. He couldn’t understand who Lin Xizhao had set her heart on.
Among the soldiers who went to the Northern Frontier with Qu Sheng, there were many unmarried men of similar age, but none matched Lin Xizhao. He thought his appearance wasn’t bad — compared to those crude warriors, he was a hundred times better.
When Lingyi was besieged, he had also gathered soldiers and fought bravely in defense. He had both courage and strategy, definitely no worse than those rough men who went to the Northern Frontier with Qu Sheng. How could Lin Xizhao not even want to look at him?
Was it really just because he was a widower?
Jin Mingjun couldn’t figure it out and also regretted his decision back then. If he had personally gone to the Capital City to see Lin Xizhao back then, he certainly wouldn’t have listened to his mother and married the daughter of the Feng family.
“Son, why suffer over a woman like this? When your uncle returns from the Northern Frontier, the women of Tiansheng will be yours to choose from.”
The Jin family had already guessed what the Qu family was planning. If Qu Jinian became emperor, they would be the Empress’s family. The Jin family was also a marquis house. Now countless families were rushing to propose marriages. If that day truly came, as his mother said, there would be countless women for him to choose from.
“Mother, don’t speak carelessly.” Jin Mingjun heard his mother’s words and hurriedly looked up to stop her.
Aunt Jin heard her son speak and smiled, pushing open the door. Seeing her son hadn’t even washed or changed clothes, her heart ached. She put on a smile and said, “Son, that Lin Xizhao doesn’t know what’s good for her. Later we’ll find someone better than her.”
“I don’t want to.” Jin Mingjun glanced at his mother and refused directly.
“How can a man not have a woman? When we pass away in a hundred years, you’ll have no one to take care of you — how can we rest easy?”
“Mother!” Jin Mingjun was annoyed that his mother was saying such things again.
Back then, thinking of how the Feng woman had borne him two sons, though they had been unhappy while she was alive, he had sworn to observe three years of mourning for her. She hadn’t even been dead a month when his mother discussed remarriage with him, angering him greatly.
Later, she had arranged a marriage proposal with the Lin family behind his back. If he had gone to propose after his wife had been dead for a full three years, perhaps the Lin family wouldn’t have been so unwelcoming. Seeing his mother bring this up again, Jin Mingjun frowned, very displeased.
“I won’t marry anyone else.” Jin Mingjun turned away, turning his head aside.
“Son, you can’t say such things. Lin Xizhao is at most somewhat pretty. Her brother is just a Vice Minister — though your uncle promoted him, I don’t think he has much ability. His career will stop there. And that brother of hers holds a grudge against our Jin family as if we have some deep hatred. He’s all harm and no benefit to you. I think you should choose a family of equal status8.”
Aunt Jin analyzed earnestly, trying to persuade him.
Jin Mingjun frowned. He knew his marriage needed to be with a family of equal status, but the Lin family were kings — they still outranked them. Even if the Lin family didn’t welcome him, there was still the Qu family.
The Qu family had taken Lin Xizhao as an adopted daughter. In the future, Lin Xizhao would be a princess. His aunt and cousin cared so much about Lin Xizhao — they would never let her suffer. If the Jin family married Lin Xizhao, the blood relationship that already existed between the two families would bind them even more tightly together.
But even without all that, he still wanted to marry Lin Xizhao.
“I’ll wait for her.” Jin Mingjun seemed to make a decision, turning to look at his mother.
Aunt Jin didn’t understand at first. She blinked for a moment before understanding what Jin Mingjun meant.
“What nonsense are you talking about? If she gets married, are you going to wait?” Aunt Jin’s voice grew stern.
“I’m willing to wait. Wait for her to be divorced or to separate. If she can’t remain single, I’ll wait for her my whole life.” Jin Mingjun gathered his courage and spoke what was in his heart.
“You’re confused!” Aunt Jin grew anxious hearing her son say such foolish things. “What is your status, what is hers? If she’s divorced, how could she enter our Jin family’s door? Don’t even think about it!”
Jin Mingjun’s expression tightened. He pursed his lips and said nothing. His mind was made up.
He had gone to propose marriage and been called a widower repeatedly. Even his aunt had said so. He knew this was his weakness, and Lin Xizhao must care about this too. That was why he didn’t dare to shamelessly propose again.
But if Lin Xizhao’s marriage was unhappy, or if she wanted to separate, or if her husband died on the battlefield — then, he would never let Lin Xizhao go again.
He had lost his wife, and she would have lost her husband. At that point, no one would say his widower status was unsuitable.
A ruthless glint flashed in Jin Mingjun’s eyes.
“Mother, don’t persuade me anymore. Our Jin family already has heirs, and I’ve completed my duties. Mother just needs to carefully raise Weifu and Weizhen. Don’t interfere in my marriage anymore.”
Seeing her son being stubborn, Aunt Jin stomped her foot in anger and covered her face crying. Jin Mingjun stood to the side, his expression tight, paying her no attention.
After the Yuanxiao Festival, the sugar pills Lin Xizhao had been giving little Zhimu were almost finished. Recently, she had noticed her temperament had improved significantly — she hardly ever threw tantrums anymore. Lin Xizhao wrote a letter describing Qu Zhimu’s condition after taking the medicine, filling a full page, then set it aside to let the ink dry.
Recently, Qu Sheng’s letters had become fewer. Though only two days apart, she still felt uneasy in her heart.
She couldn’t help with matters at the border, and she didn’t want to burden Qu Sheng. But her longing grew stronger by the day.
They had been separated for months. Though the weather was still cold, she wanted to go be with Qu Sheng. But without Qu Sheng’s permission, she didn’t dare leave lightly. First, she was afraid of delaying military matters and worrying Qu Sheng. Second, she was afraid that if she left, something might happen with Qu Zhimu. She needed to ask Qu Sheng, and then ask Liu Wuxiang. Only after getting permission could she leave.
“My wife, Qu Sheng…”
Lin Xizhao wrote two full pages of the letter. She dried the ink, stacked them neatly, and hesitated for a moment before putting them in the envelope.
Lin Xizhao stood and walked toward the inner room, glancing at Qu Zhimu, who was sound asleep on the couch. Her expression was gentle, her lips curving slightly as she walked to the dressing table.
Lin Xizhao picked up her lip rouge box9. She opened it, but her fingers hesitated as she lifted them. Lin Xizhao gently bit her lower lip. Looking at herself in the bronze mirror, she blinked softly, then lowered her gaze to the deep red lip rouge. She dipped her fingertip in and applied it to her soft lips.
After Qu Sheng persuaded the four kingdoms’ generals to withdraw their troops from Tiansheng territory, she ordered Qu Jiqin to take some forces and head toward the Mushui River, while she led troops to recover the various occupied cities.
When Qu Sheng arrived with her troops, most of the enemy forces had already withdrawn. Some cities were entered without resistance, while others were taken over after waiting for the foreign soldiers to leave. Only the cities occupied by the Chemu Tribe did Qu Sheng order attacked — the first thing upon entering was to slaughter every Chemu Tribe soldier!
Qu Sheng treated the Chemu Tribe this way not only out of personal vengeance, but to make them understand that invading Tiansheng was like digging their own graves. And not only that — she would lead troops into Chemu Tribe territory, claim it for Tiansheng, and replace their ambitious people with fresh blood.
Qu Sheng recovered most of the cities and ordered the army to rest. When the sun rose tomorrow, they would recover the next city.
Without Qian Shuangying’s care, Qu Sheng’s daily needs were still attended to. When Qian Shuangying left, she had kept Kou Huan behind.
This wasn’t what Kou Huan wanted, but Qian Shuangying had strongly recommended her. Qu Sheng agreed to let Kou Huan stay so Qian Shuangying could leave with peace of mind.
So when Qu Sheng returned after discussing matters with the generals, hot food was already on the table. Behind the screen in the tent, hot water was being prepared.
“General, please eat.” Kou Huan lowered her head when she saw Qu Sheng enter.
Qu Sheng glanced at her without much emotion, nodded, and walked inside. After she sat down, an assistant commander came forward saying he had received a letter from Qu Sheng’s family.
When Qu Sheng heard it was a family letter, she stood up so quickly she bumped into the desk. She was so hurried that even Kou Huan, waiting to the side, was stunned.
Qu Sheng realized she had lost composure and coughed lightly. “The letter.”
The assistant commander immediately presented the letter in his hands. Qu Sheng wanted to appear unhurried, but her hand reached for the letter too quickly.
Kou Huan couldn’t help but laugh at Qu Sheng’s anxious appearance. Qu Sheng glanced at her. Though her expression didn’t change, she felt a trace of embarrassment inside.
Qu Sheng held the letter in her hand. She wanted to read it but couldn’t do so in front of the two of them. She coughed lightly again and said, “You two go out first.”
Kou Huan understood immediately. She bowed along with the assistant commander who had delivered the letter and went out, telling the soldiers bringing water to wait before bringing more in.
Qu Sheng watched them leave, walking inside as she hurriedly opened the letter. There were two letters — one about Qu Zhimu’s condition, and the other was Lin Xizhao’s letter of longing.
As she read the first letter, Qu Sheng frowned. She couldn’t mention that Liu Wuxiang had taken Qu Jinian to Shoulin. If they were face to face, she certainly wouldn’t hide it, but if a letter fell into the wrong hands, it would cause chaos.
However, before Liu Wuxiang left, he had instructed Qu Sheng on how to handle Qu Zhimu’s condition. If there was improvement, the prescription was working, and she should continue taking it. If the medicine was ineffective, there was another prescription to use.
Qu Sheng finished the first letter and relaxed. She hurriedly opened the other one. As always, words of longing, elegant handwriting — like Lin Xizhao herself, gentle and proper.
When Qu Sheng reached the end of the second letter, she discovered a thin red imprint on the paper. Qu Sheng stared at that spot, examining it carefully. She rubbed it with her thumb, brought it to her nose and sniffed once, then immediately turned it over. Seeing the same lip print, the corners of her mouth lifted uncontrollably.
This was Lin Xizhao’s kiss. Qu Sheng stared at the lip print, her heart surging. As if possessed, she pressed the letter to her lips and kissed it without hesitation.
The faint fragrance remaining on the lip print made Qu Sheng feel, for a moment, as if she were close to her wife.
The author has something to say:
Zhao Jiayu: “You two are so perverted.”
Qu Sheng: “…”
Lin Xizhao: “…”
Footnotes
- The Yuanxiao Festival (Yuánxiāo Jié) is the Lantern Festival, celebrated on the 15th day of the first lunar month. It marks the end of the Lunar New Year celebrations with lantern displays, fireworks, and family gatherings.
- Hòuxiáng Lóu — a restaurant in the Capital City. The name combines 'thick' or 'abundant' (hòu) with 'auspicious' (xiáng).
- The dòngxiāo is a traditional Chinese end-blown bamboo flute, held vertically. It produces a mellow, breathy tone often used in ensemble performances.
- Yǔshàn are traditional Chinese fans made with bird feathers, often used in classical dance performances for their graceful movement and visual appeal.
- 'Butterflies from a Garden of Flowers Dance' (Qúnfāng Huàdié Wǔ) — a traditional dance of the Jin family featuring graceful movements imitating butterflies, performed with feather fans.
- A traditional Chinese saying (nǚ dà bù zhōng liú) meaning that once a daughter is grown, she cannot be kept at home forever — she will eventually marry and leave her parents' household.
- A traditional Chinese distance unit (lǐ). One li is approximately 500 metres, or roughly a third of a mile.
- An idiom (mén dāng hù duì) literally meaning that the 'gates and doors match,' used to describe the traditional ideal of a marriage between families of equal social and economic status.
- Kǒuzhī is a traditional Chinese lip cosmetic, similar to modern lipstick but typically stored in small decorative boxes or pots. It is applied with the finger or a brush.
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