threatening attitude; menacing look; angry look
sweetly smiling; like the smiling of a beauty; gracious
everyone; everybody; ladies and gentlemen
factional dispute; factional strife; rivalry between factions
striking; remarkable; considerable
deviation; departure; omission
frustrated (over a failure, humiliation or injustice); annoyed; chagrined; (bitterly) disappointed; bitter; vexed
to grimace; to make a wry face
to look daunted; to look embarrassed; to be disappointed
to accomplish; to fulfill; to carry out
taking part (in planning); participation
later on; eventually; afterwards
dinner party; ceremonial dinner; dinner meeting (or lunch, breakfast)
meaning; tenor; effect; influence; appearance; aspect
useless messenger; doing only as one is told; fool's errand
like this; this sort; this way
dangerous; perilous; threatening; stern (expression); hostile (attitude); sharp
to be on the verge; to be on the brink; to get close
intimidation; threat; bluster
to call one's ability into question; to weigh one's ability
to (an extent); up to; doesn't amount to doing ...; not significant enough to require ...; even if ...
one's superior; higher-up; boss; senior
reluctantly; grudgingly; unwillingly
to catch sight of; to see; to suppose; to assume from appearances
anti-; antithesis; fanqie; traditional Chinese spelling system in which two characters are used: the first one for the onset, the second one for rhyme and tone
opportunism; waiting and seeing (how the wind blows); sitting on the fence; straddling
to take for granted; to assume; to pretend (to be); to pose (as); to go through with (what one decided to do); to persist in doing
to bend; to flutter; to wave; to yield to; to be swayed by; to bow to
moderate faction; moderates
hegemony; leadership; initiative
suffrage; the right to vote
wiles; trick; artifice; lover (male) (esp. of a prostitute)
the aforementioned; the said; (man, incident, etc.) in question; the usual
attendance (on); chaperonage; attendant; escort; entourage