Ding Yuehua lived with her elder cousins
Ding Zhaolan and
Ding Zhaohui in Jasmine Village (茉莉村),
Songjiang ever since her parents died, presumably when she was still young. Her aunt treated her like her own daughter, and the twins addressed her "sister" rather than "cousin". The twins were sons of a military general, and Ding Yuehua also became an excellent fighter with her sword named Zhanlu (湛盧). ==Betrothal to Zhan Zhao==