Chapter 35: The Legend

The boatman's name was Wang Sanliu.

What does this name mean? Quite simply, he was born on the sixth day of the third month, hence the name Sanliu (Three Six).

In those years, children from poor families often received such names, partly because of their parents' limited literacy, and partly because they really didn't suit those especially grand and fancy names.

Think about it: a fisherman, practically illiterate, you give him a name like Zixuan or Zihan... Whether he can write it is one thing, but growing up, he might even become the laughingstock of others.

Take, for example, a wealthy family, where the master is low-key, surnamed Yu with the single character "Qian" for his given name, echoing his humble nature. Yet, among the three house servants who did odd jobs for him, one was named Long Aotian, another Zhao Ritian, and the last Dong Batian… what does that say about how the master feels?