Usually, the moment people heard a name like Zhaodi[1], they would know that the family favored boys over girls. Little Zhaodi had been no exception. Her family had always wanted a boy. As the eldest daughter, she had been named Zhaodi. Later on, her younger sisters had been given the names Yindi, Daidi, Sidi, Niandi, and Pandi[2]. Because her family had lived on the mountain and didn't have a household register, her mother had given birth to one child every year in the hopes of getting a son.
When she finally gave birth to a son that year, she no longer needed to use names like 'Xiangdi' and 'Laidi[3]'.
Since they couldn't afford to raise so many kids, the next baby girls were given away after being named.
However, this wasn't enough. Now that they had a son, they had to take good care of him. The only daughters left at home to help with the chores, Zhaodi and Yindi, had to be 'sent' away as well.
