Xiao Che practically ran all the way back to Kunning Palace.
His excitement and pride were almost overflowing. He didn't look like an emperor who had just finished dealing with state affairs; he looked more like a child who had gotten first place in an exam and was eager to go home to show off his report card to his parents.
"Wanwan! Wanwan, look!"
The person arrived before the voice.
Lin Wanwan was leaning against the soft couch, drinking a medicinal soup to help with her pregnancy, when she saw Xiao Che rush in like a gust of wind, holding a long scroll wrapped in bright yellow brocade, which he treasured like something precious.
"Your Majesty, please slow down," Lin Wanwan was startled by his hurried manner, "What's making you so happy?"
"Great news! Great news indeed!" Xiao Che presented the scroll to her as if it were a treasure, his face beaming with uncontrollable pride. "Our child's name has been decided! I, along with the Grand Tutor and the Hanlin scholars, worked tirelessly for three days and three nights, consulting countless books and quoting classical texts, and finally, we have drafted this unprecedented list of names for them!"
As he spoke, he carefully and slowly unfurled the three-meter-long scroll on the carpet.
The procession was so solemn, it was as if an imperial edict, the Imperial Seal of the State, was being unfurled.
Lin Wanwan also felt a bit curious.
A name that could take a group of the nation's top civil officials three days and three nights to come up with must be incredibly elegant, profound, and meaningful.
She leaned closer, her gaze falling on the very top of the scroll.
There, written in the most vigorous and powerful style, were several large characters: "Imperial List of Heirs (Top Choice)".
Below that line of large characters were several names circled in red ink, supposedly chosen from hundreds of names as "divine selections."
Lin Wanwan took a closer look.
Then, the smile on her face slowly froze.
In the "Optimal Option" column, it clearly states:
Boy's alternative names:
First, Xiao Potian.
Secondly, Xiao Zhanhuang.
Thirdly, Xiao Longao.
Girl's alternative names:
First, Xiao Wufeng.
Secondly, Xiao Qingguo.
Thirdly, Xiao Ling Shuang.
...
Lin Wanwan stared at the row of names before her, each brimming with an aura of dominance, as if they could ascend to immortality at any moment, and fell into a long, profound silence.
She couldn't help but raise her hand and rub her eyes, wondering if she was hallucinating because of her pregnancy.
Xiao Potian? Xiao Longao?
Xiao Qingguo? Xiao Ling Shuang?
Is this...is this for real?
Where did these names come from, quoted from the Book of Songs or the Songs of Chu? They were clearly... clearly copied verbatim from the lists of protagonists in those third-rate online novels she had read in her previous life!
She could even imagine future scenarios:
"Greetings, Your Highness Xiao Aotian!"
"Princess Xiao Wufeng has arrived!"
Lin Wanwan felt as if she had been struck by lightning, and almost choked on her own saliva.
She suppressed the urge to retort that was rising in her throat, and with difficulty raised her head to look at Xiao Che, who was standing to the side with an expectant look on his face, waiting for her praise.
“Your Majesty… these… these names…” she struggled to find the right words, “do they… have some deeper meaning?”
“Deeper meaning? Of course there is a deeper meaning!” Xiao Che was completely unaware of the distortion in her expression. He proudly pointed to the first name—Xiao Potian—and began his vivid “name interpretation.”
"Look at this, 'Breaking the Sky'!" His eyes gleamed with wisdom. "Breaking means breaking with convention; Sky means the laws and principles of Heaven! This name signifies that my son will have the grand ambition to break with the old and create a new world! These two simple words contain boundless domineering power and innovative spirit! Isn't it impressive?!"
The aura... it is indeed very imposing.
It's that kind of protagonist's aura so strong that nothing grows within a ten-mile radius.
“And this one, ‘Long Ao’!” Xiao Che pointed to another name, becoming even more smug. “Long means the true dragon emperor; Ao means looking down on all heroes! This name showcases the supreme nobility of my royal bloodline and the kingly demeanor of ruling the world! Just hearing it, one knows that he is no ordinary person!”
Lin Wanwan didn't want to talk anymore. She felt that if she listened any longer, she would lose control of her吐槽 (tu cao, a Chinese internet slang term for sarcastic or critical comments) spirit.
Xiao Che, still clearly immersed in his own "straight male aesthetic," pointed to the girl's name and continued to boast: "I also put a lot of thought into the girl's name. Look at this one, '倾国' (Qingguo), meaning her beauty is enough to topple a nation; '凌霜' (Lingshuang), meaning her noble character, standing tall against snow and frost! Either one perfectly showcases the unparalleled elegance of my royal princess!"
He spoke with great enthusiasm, as if he could already see his son riding on auspicious clouds and his daughter possessing unparalleled beauty in the future.
Lin Wanwan secretly glanced at the emoji area above his head.
Sure enough, there floated a cute little emperor with his hands on his hips and his little chest puffed out, his face practically screaming "Praise me!", with countless glittering stars as a backdrop.
[Praise me! Aren't I imposing! .gif]
Lin Wanwan looked at the meme, then at the man in front of her who was seriously recommending "Xiao Aotian," and finally couldn't help but burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at?" Xiao Che asked, somewhat displeased. "Is the name I chose not good enough?"
"No, no, no, good, very good." Lin Wanwan quickly waved her hand, suppressing her laughter and trying to make her expression appear sincere. "Your Majesty's intentions are clear to me. But..."
Looking into Xiao Che's bright eyes, which seemed to say "Praise me!", she couldn't bear to directly hurt his fragile "fatherly heart".
She could only express her opinion in a more tactful and subtle way.
She paused for a moment, organized her thoughts, and then spoke softly in a tone full of understanding and care:
“Your Majesty, these names… are all very good, truly.” She first gave them full affirmation, then changed the subject, “It’s just… I’m just thinking, aren’t these names… a bit too many strokes?”
"Is it too much?" Xiao Che asked, puzzled. "I think it's just right, to show its substantial weight."
“It’s not much,” Lin Wanwan said, suppressing a laugh as she continued to guide the child. “But think about it, when the baby starts learning to write in the future… other children may have already finished writing a whole set of the Three Character Classic, while our child may… may still be struggling with the character ‘煌’ or ‘霜’ in their name.”
She paused, then concluded in a tone brimming with maternal warmth and tenderness:
"I'm just worried... I'm worried that it will be a little tiring for the child to write his own name in the future."
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