SUMMARY
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The story uses traditional Chinese style to dictate the flow of the narrative, with hairpins representing the emotional development between the characters.
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Each character's relationship with the bow represents their intentions and level of authority, emphasizing their status and trust.
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The value of bows given by different people to Maomao express their gratitude and sorrow, facilitating the tradition of expressing gratitude.
Although it does not fulfill its historical obligations, the novel contains the essence of the popular Chinese tradition. The author shows how these customs are used to dictate the narrative process, and in particular, hair braiding is related to Chinese customs. However, the story mainly uses this device to show the emotional development between characters.
This anomaly is compounded by nothing but prevarication and the discrepancy continues as the story progresses. Proving that the franchise is one of those misunderstood traditions, only the average viewer can partially decipher its historical significance. Therefore, it is important to understand the intention behind each episode in this gift.

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The First Hairpin: Jinshi and Maomao
Mixture of Love and Protection
After Jinshi lends a hairpin, a crimson shade overcomes the prince's face, hinting at the pin's purpose. However, this action ends up relieving the protagonist, who misinterprets it as a get-out-of-jail-free card. After all, not everyone is eager to explore their customs, and Maomao's is no exception.
With a hairpin many connotationsXiaolin pointed out only one. An example is when Maomao calls out to Lihaku without understanding what else the pin has to offer. However, historical data puts things in perspective as it suggests that the device functioned as a sign that the wearer had reached adulthood.
And in fact, it might justify Jinshi's actions, considering how the prince felt when he learned of Maomao's past. Perhaps this was Jinshi's way of honoring Maomao for withstanding the horrors of the world.
But of course this is considered the opposite of what fans have come to accept. As even the most unsympathetic viewer can understand, Jinshi's feelings for Maomao are more than just an “I miss you” moment. Episode 8 builds on this claim, when Jinshi's anguished voice is revealed when the prince confronts Maomao for choosing Lihaku as his guarantor.
So, I lost the consulting award? Huh?
Therefore, it can be concluded that, in this context, the hair flower indicates Jinshi's affection for Maomao. After all, history suggests that hairpins are closely related to the idea of romance in Chinese culture.
Second hairstyle: Lihaku and Maomao
Courtesy of a Knight in Blue
In the next episode, Maomao's fans reveal that Jinshi's hair is not the only one with Imperial Lihaku's. However, between the two, the value of the gift cannot be the same. This difference comes from the beauty of late China, and from the author's knowledge of the Imperial court which gives the aspect Status for portability.
This means that the bow gives Maomao an advantage that he would not be able to use without it. This is because the wearable represents the trust of the sender to its user. And the higher the sender's rank, the higher the power given to the receiver.
For example, if Maomao had used Jinshi's hair instead of Lihaku's, the given days would have been much longer than originally given. Fans can justify this claim by acknowledging that Jinshi, as a person of high status, has the authority to replace an imperial officer like Lihaku:
Hairpins with Rose Quartz and Silver!? Of course, they came from people far above me
In the officer's opinion, Lihaku is a simple man who sees it as his legitimate duty to braid his hair so that no one feels left out during the garden party. This can be seen in the reckless behavior of the Imperial officers during the movement of these hairpins. This lack of common sense also explains why Lihaku accepted Maomao as a guarantor for simple bribery. Therefore, it can be concluded that Lihaku's intentions are hardly shared there is no equality with Jinshi.
The Final Hairpin: Lihua and Maomao
Returning the favor of the past
The Hairpin factor doesn't end with Lihaku, as Maomao immediately gets another pin from Lihua's Wife. And as the plot suggests, the audience understands that Lihua has no romantic interest in Maomao. In fact, unlike Lihaku, there is no evidence that the concubines are moving around without meaning. Now, it may raise questions as to why Lihua did this act, but if fans re-watch the previous episode, this act starts to make sense.
It was revealed in the events of episode 4 that Lihua desperately cares for Maomao to save his life. This sense of indebtedness to the person drives the concubine to make this transaction, despite the can be annoying the concubine Gyokuyou and her husband's anxiety in waiting.
Simplifying the concept
Contemporary Philosophy
According to the story, it is reasonable to say that the intention is to value this tradition. This claim is supported by examining how the meanings corresponded to the senders in the mentioned cases. However, if the concept is still too difficult to understand, fans should consider the hairpin similar to Modern chocolate what people get on Valentine's Day.
Different chocolates can mean platonic appreciation from a friend, a loving gesture from your loved one, and a respectful gesture from a stranger. This interpretation not only simplifies the subject, but also applies to all three cases, leaving no room for confusion.