Unruly Phoenix Xiaoyao

Chapter 73: Sweet-scented osmanthus candy, a young man and a beautiful girl

"Call him Little Red," Ning Xiaoyao twisted around to look at Lou Zigui.

Lou Zigui shook his head.

"Then what are you going to call him?" Ning Xiaoyao asked. Immediately, the russet horse twitched its ears. Big Boss Black turned to look at his Supreme Commander as well.

A battle horse's name should be strong and aggressive, but Lou Zigui couldn't think of one no matter how he tried. Weiwu[1. Weiwu (威武) - "mighty, powerful." Also frequently used to describe stirring battle scenes or soldiers.] was a name already taken by some of the horses in the military. Baqi?[2. Baqi (霸气) - "aggressive, domineering." Also a frequent adjective used to describe cold male leads in Chinese web novels.] Fang Tang's horse seemed to have that name. Then what other names sounded mighty and domineering? Dragon, Tiger, Panther, Wolf--these were all names that sounded fierce, but it seemed like they already had owners as well. Lou Zigui suddenly realized how much he'd missed out on after not yet giving his horse a name.

Ning Xiaoyao's neck was already turning sore from looking up at Lou Zigui for so long. "You can't think of one?"

Lou Zigui tried his best to hold on. "I'll think it over when we get back."

Ning Xiaoyao narrowed her eyes. "Then tell me the ones you've thought up as backups instead?" It wasn't so easy to hoodwink His Majesty Ning. As expected, Supreme Commander Lou couldn't say a word. Ning Xiaoyao's eyes shone with sympathy. How hard could it be to make up a name? Though Supreme Commander looked like the kind of guy who could do everything except give birth, he was apparently useless when it came to names.

Lou Zigui tried to explain himself. "All the good names have been taken already."

"Then just use Little Red," Ning Xiaoyao said. "If you keep on hesitating, someone will take this name, too."

"Old Yellow, keep steady." an old peasant driving an ox cart spoke to his animal, his sons sitting on the cart behind him. They passed by His Majesty Ning and Supreme Commander Lou.

"Look at that," Ning Xiaoyao spread out her arms. "Someone's already using 'Old Yellow' as a name."

So you can't use the same name on a horse, even though it's from an ox? What kind of rules are these? Supreme Commander Lou felt a bit lost.

"I still think Little Red's pretty good," Ning Xiaoyao was persistent with her persuasions. "In the future I'll raise a mare and call her Little Ming.[3. Ming (明) - "bright, brilliant, light."] Little Red and Little Ming, what a great match."

Lou Zigui said, "My horse is a stallion."

"That's right," Ning Xiaoyao looked as clueless as ever. "Little Red is a great name, ah." Little Ming and Little Red were two names that were familiar to anyone who went to school. School textbooks always needed to name the people used for examples inside, the same for school exams. Most of the time, it was always Little Red and Little Ming. What formidable names!

"So my stallion will be Little Red, and your future mare will be Little Ming?" Supreme Commander Lou asked her incredulously. Just how did these names match at all?

"Right, ah," Ning Xiaoyao nodded. (Author: Did you mix up their genders?)

Supreme Commander Lou couldn't help but feel that something was off somewhere. Ning Xiaoyao nuzzled her head against Lou Zigui's chest, feeling a little disappointed. "You don't like it?"

The person sitting in front of him was hanging her head. She'd even stopped grinning foolishly. Lou Zigui's last death throes crumbled at the sight before he caved in. "All right," he nodded. "Then Little Red it is."