To stealthily substitute one thing for another, often for deceptive purposes; to surreptitiously replace people or things to achieve a hidden agenda.
Era:
Ancient
Frequency:
Antonym:
Story:
Once upon a time, there was a gardener who, despite working hard all year, earned very little.
One day, he had a brilliant idea: he grafted branches from two ordinary flowers together to cultivate a beautiful new variety.
He sold this unique flower at a high price, making a considerable profit. Overjoyed, he celebrated by drinking heavily.
While he was intoxicated, others cleverly coaxed his secret of 'grafting flowers and connecting wood' ( 移花接木 ) out of him.
The following year, with his secret exposed, he could no longer sell his special flowers for a good price.