It can make all demons' courage crumble;
Its body like bundled silk, its voice like thunder.
One blast makes everyone tremble with fright—
But look back and it has already turned to ash.
English titles, text, and notes are AI-assisted for reading only; for scholarship cite the Chinese and authoritative editions.
Annotation
Sent from the palace by Yuanchun in Chapter 22. The answer is 'firecracker.' It allegorizes Yuanchun herself: a moment of brilliant glory followed by ashes, a thunderous blast then silence—foreshadowing her sudden death.
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