steer a cautious course

Sail with the wind

use one's strength to bully the weak

hunt/search for a needle in a haystack

have somebody completely in one's power

imminent danger(most urgent needs)

Powerful and influential

come one after another

be difficult to decline somebody's generous intentions

Shrink from the shoulders

bury oneself in books for a long time

hold power over somebody's life and death

Devils howl and spirits cry.

Song Qiao's life

care for as precious stones

scratch at the place that itches(touch the exact point)

end to end

die willingly

There is peace and stability throughout the country.

same things were very common in history(be again and again repeated in history)