Chapter 6, Naming

Plagiarizing the poetry of "later generations," whether to use future technology for personal gain while inadvertently promoting societal development, or to leverage historical knowledge to influence political situations, all of these are in stark contrast to her own character. Why must she change herself according to the conventions of time travel? She does not wish to become a talented woman, does not aspire to be an inventor, does not want to earn a fortune only to rack her brains to preserve it, and certainly does not want to be caught up in the whirlpool of political struggles.

Tong finally realized: "So that's how it is." However, when she brought up matters at home, she couldn't help but feel a bit down. Seeing his wife upset, Zhang Bao quickly comforted her: "Don't worry too much. In the future, when we return to the capital and you get promoted, your mother will see her grandchildren and naturally be happy. How could she still give us a hard time?"

Tong blushed and said: "Husband, your praise is excessive, it makes me feel quite embarrassed."

Zhang Bao looked at her delicate demeanor, and his heart stirred. However, with the children still present, it was rather inconvenient. He merely smiled and cast a glance at his wife without saying a word. Tong Shi felt her ears flush from his gaze and quickly turned her head, saying, "The name 'Shu Ning' is also pleasant; let it be as my husband wishes." After saying this, she called for the second maid to carry their son, who was already drowsy, while she took their daughter back to the room. Then she found a comb to tidy her hair and adjust her clothes before slowly returning to the room. As for what the couple did afterward, no one knew.

Liu Xixi learned that her name would be Shuning. Upon first hearing this name, she felt utterly dismayed. Fortunately, she did not have the surname Guo Luoluo, nor did she have two good friends named Erchun and Yuanqi, otherwise, it would have been unbearable. Although she was named Shuning and would have a great opportunity to participate in talent shows in the future, she would never follow the path of that little master.

Upon reaching this thought, she could not help but feel a sense of clarity in her heart. Having traversed time, names and identities no longer mattered; the key point was that she now possessed a life that was entirely different. Why should one always deliberately think of using elements from a past life to influence the present self? Regardless of whether she utilized those future elements, her very soul originated from the future. Her thoughts and personality were cultivated in modern life, deeply influenced by contemporary society. In this sense, she was already utilizing the future, so why should she still intentionally ponder how to leverage modern knowledge?

Zhang Bao touched the little bit of goat beard and thought for a moment, saying: "Let's use the character 'Shu' (淑), hoping that she will grow up to be a virtuous woman, suitable for home and family"

Tong said with a smile, "Then why not simply call it 'Yining'? That would be even more appropriate."

Since her father, a former governor of Shandong, completed his term a few years ago, he has been unable to secure a good position, and his influence in the capital has significantly diminished, forcing him to rely on his clan brother. Her father and brothers are unwilling to help her rise, fearing to offend their in-laws, leaving her with no choice but to endure in silence. Later, when she gave birth to a son, she hoped that life would improve, but to her dismay, her circumstances did not change, leading her to feel disheartened. Zhang Bao was assigned to Fengtian, and she, not wanting to remain in that oppressive household, decided to accompany her husband on his official duties. At this time, reminiscing about the past in the capital evokes a sense of sadness. Zhang Bao feels guilty that his wife has endured much hardship alongside him; he is filled with tender feelings and tries every means to bring her joy, yet he neglects their son.

What she desires is likely a life free from material worries, with leisure time to learn music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, to cultivate her emotions, engage in some interesting handicrafts, read books, enjoy delicious food, and occasionally go out to appreciate the scenery. She hopes to have a few close friends with whom she can occasionally share tea and chat about gossip. Oh my, such a life would be truly perfect!

Er Mo understood that her master was intentionally picking at her faults, so she did not dare to respond, lowering her head and remaining silent. Seeing her submissive posture, Tong Shi felt somewhat appeased, and she embraced her daughter, coaxing her to call her "Mother".

Seeing him like this, Tong felt somewhat embarrassed and shifted the topic: "We have digressed. Which character do you think would be suitable for our daughter? Earlier, you suggested a few characters: 'Shu' (淑), 'Xian' (贤), 'Yue' (悦), 'Yan' (嫣), and 'Jue' (珏), all of which are appropriate for a girl. Which one do you think is the best?"

Tong knew that her youngest daughter could call out to people, and at first, she was very pleased. However, upon hearing that her daughter called for Erma, she felt a pang of bitterness. Since her son had been frightened on the street, she had harbored some resentment towards Erma for not taking proper care of him. Thus, she suppressed her joy and said lightly: "At least she has finally spoken. Other families' daughters can talk by the age of one, yet little Niuniu has only just begun to speak, which troubles me greatly. I originally asked Xiaotao to attend to her, hoping she would learn to talk sooner, but you always suppress Xiaotao and prevent her from speaking, which is why Niuniu has been so slow to start. Nevertheless, this is still a happy occasion, so I will not blame you for it."

You are bringing up the rules again. Between the two of us as husband and wife, why must we speak so politely? It does not feel like we are family.

Zhang Bao merely shook his head: "Although the meaning of 'Yining' is good, it is somewhat boyish. This is our eldest daughter; she should be more composed. I hope she is gentle and virtuous like her mother, becoming a graceful lady. Therefore, 'Shuning' is better than 'Yining'. If we have another daughter in the future, we can use the name 'Yining' then"

With this thought, her mood lightened, and she happily looked forward to the arrival of her first New Year after the transition

It turned out that this child was born through a difficult delivery, which nearly cost his mother her life, leading to her ongoing disfavor towards him. Being the third child, just six months after his birth, his mother became pregnant again, thus directing all her attention to the younger son and naturally neglecting him. He was in poor health, unable to master martial skills, and could not achieve military merits like his other brothers to bring glory to the family, resulting in his awkward position within the household.

Tong inquired: "I remember your elder brother's eldest daughter is named Fangning, his eldest son is called Qingning, and his youngest son is named Shunning; as for your second brother's son named Chengning, that is acceptable, but the names of the other few are largely unrelated to their character and virtues"

At this moment, being not yet two years old, one can plan from the beginning what to learn and what kind of person to become. Even without following the path of other time-traveling women, and regardless of engaging in romantic affairs with the digital legion, she can still lead a perfect life. As for future marriage, that is still far off, so there is no need to think about it for now; after all, the boat will naturally reach the bridge when the time comes.

Zhang Baoxiao replied: "In fact, my niece's name should originally have been 'Fang Ning', which means upright character. I initially thought it would be a boy, so I chose this name. Who would have thought it turned out to be a girl, so I had to change it to the homophonic character 'Fang', which signifies a woman's virtue, also emphasizing the fragrance of orchids and irises. Therefore, it is not entirely inappropriate. My elder brother's second daughter is only two years older than our little Niuniu, and her name is 'Wan Ning'; my second brother's little daughter is only one year old, and in the last letter, it was mentioned that she has been given the name 'Yuan Ning', all reflecting the beauty of women. The names of the three nieces were all personally chosen by my mother. As for boys, according to custom, they are named by their respective biological fathers. Both my elder and second brothers are military men and do not enjoy reading. The fact that they could come up with such names is already quite commendable. I heard they also went through several books and consulted others before arriving at these names."

Father Haliqi, in an effort to connect with the nobility for assistance, arranged for his son to marry a daughter from the same clan as Tong Guowei, the uncle of Emperor Kangxi, who had not been selected through the imperial examination. This daughter, known as Tong, was raised by her father's legitimate wife but was actually a concubine's child, with her biological mother being the daughter of a Han official. Tong was brought up by her biological mother until the age of eleven, when her mother passed away, after which she was adopted by her legitimate mother. Zhang Bao's mother had originally arranged a marriage for her third son with a distant niece from her own family, the Irgen Juer clan, but ultimately could not persuade her husband and reluctantly abandoned her original plan. However, she was always dissatisfied with her son's marriage. From the moment Tong entered the household, she took a strong dislike to her, resenting that Tong was literate and thus highlighted the shortcomings of her mother-in-law and sisters-in-law. She also found fault with Tong for not being as clever and likable as other daughters-in-law, constantly assigning her chores while simultaneously nitpicking her efforts.

Liu Xixi, unable to bear seeing Ermo being reprimanded, mumbled a few indistinct "mother" sounds before finally calling out clearly, "Mother." Tong was overjoyed upon hearing this and coaxed her to say it more. After Liu Xixi called it a few more times, she taught her to say "Father," having made up her mind to surprise her husband that evening. As a result, the entire afternoon was spent amidst the sounds of "Mother," "Father," and "Brother."

Zhang Bao said: "Duan Ge'er's full name is Duan Ning, which means having a virtuous character. In our family, children with the character 'Ning' are named according to the rules, and the chosen characters should relate to their temperament and character. Little Niuniu also belongs to the 'Ning' generation of books, so it is important to find a character that is associated with virtue."

Originally, there were many Eight Banner youths like him, and his family might have thought he was just a layabout living off others. In order to prove himself, he dedicated several years to studying and passed the provincial examination, becoming a juren. Since there were not many Manchus who took the imperial examination, and even fewer from noble families, he attracted considerable attention during the palace examination and returned home as a second-degree jinshi. He had hoped that his family would regard him with newfound respect, but in Manchu families, military achievements were still paramount. Although he held an official position, it was lowly and insignificant, and he had no bright future ahead. In the eyes of his parents, he was still less favored than his other brothers. Moreover, because he was a Manchu who did not obtain his position through patronage but instead took the imperial examination, he caused his father and brothers to endure some gossip among relatives and friends.

Before dinner, Zhang Bao returned home and, upon hearing his daughter call him "Amma," was indeed very happy, hugging his daughter and showering her with kisses. After the meal, he continued to hold his daughter while taking his son to the study to chat and laugh. Before long, Tong Shi also came over, and the family discussed what to name the little girl.

"You are indeed a scholar, and it is only fitting for someone educated to be refined. If I were to speak casually, you would say I should behave like a lady, and how could I possibly speak like a shrew? Am I right or not?" Tong retorted, covering her mouth with a handkerchief as she laughed. Suddenly, she caught sight of her son sitting nearby, looking at her with curiosity. Feeling embarrassed, she turned her head, only to see her daughter in her husband's arms, also staring at her with wide eyes, causing her face to flush instantly. She felt shy and had no choice but to lean on her husband, saying, "It is all your doing, yet you make me jest with you in front of our children. I can no longer face them." After saying this, she covered her face, feeling extremely bashful.

Alright, starting today, I will properly be his Shuning!