1. 虎皮 (Hǔ pí) - "Tiger Skin"
Literal Meaning: The skin of a tiger.
Idiomatic Meaning (借虎皮 - jiè hǔ pí): This comes from the idiom "狐假虎威" (hú jiǎ hǔ wēi), which literally means "The fox borrows the tiger's might." The fable tells of a fox who walks in front of a tiger, making other animals flee not from the fox, but from the tiger behind it.
In Context: Here, "borrow their 'tiger skin' as a banner" means Jing Shu wanted to use the reputation, authority, and influence of the Medicinal Herb Association to protect herself and gain status. She wanted to make others think she was powerful and untouchable because she was associated with a powerful "tiger" (the Association).
2. 狐狸皮 (Húli pí) - "Fox Fur"
Literal Meaning: The fur of a fox.
Idiomatic Meaning: The fox in Chinese culture is almost universally a symbol of cunning, trickery, deceit, and slyness. It is a trickster figure.
In Context: By saying it now feels like "fox fur," Jing Shu is saying the association feels deceptive, tricky, and insincere. Instead of getting the genuine, powerful protection of a "tiger," she feels she's being wrapped up in the clever, manipulative schemes of a "fox." The Association's smoothness isn't legitimate power; it feels like a trap or a clever plot she doesn't yet understand.
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I pluck this from my footnote on chapter: The Old Master's Birthday Auction, The Cube Queen's Apocalypse Feast, Volume 3: A Torrential Banquet