Chapter 6: Clan and Surname

What was the difference between a clan name and a surname?

When Jin asked this, Lu Wucheng made a troubled face.

To him, it was common knowledge, something he had used naturally without thinking.

However, Jin had only a given name and was unfamiliar with both clan names and surnames.

Furthermore, properly speaking, a person should have a surname, a given name, and a courtesy name.

But for Jin, even distinguishing those would likely be impossible.

At this point, even what Fan Dan had meant when he called him “Jin” was unclear.

—Well, matters of given names and courtesy names can wait.

I should answer Jin’s question first.

Thinking so, Lu Wucheng began by explaining surnames.

“A surname represents bloodline.

For example, the Yu Dynasty bears the surname Jiang.

Many rulers across the continent also share the Jiang surname, and those states all branched off from the Yu royal lineage.”

“I see.

Then what is a clan name?”

“That is… somewhat harder to explain.

In short, a clan name also represents lineage.

However, while a surname does not change, a clan name can be created.

Typically, when nobles or ministers establish a household, they take the land or official post granted to them and use it as their clan name.”

“Why make it so complicated?

If it is to show connections, wouldn’t surnames alone be enough?”

Lu Wucheng looked troubled.

He realized how difficult it was to unravel something he had always taken for granted and explain it to another person.

And Jin was not asking to trouble him.

Their basic knowledge was simply different.

“Well, when one becomes a noble or a minister, there are various considerations.

For instance, if a household branches off from a main family, they may hesitate to continue using the same surname.

On the other hand, some adopt a clan name to establish their own identity or independence.

There is no single explanation that applies to all cases.”

“I see…”

“Yes.

Common folk prefer simple things, but the higher one’s status, the more they seem to favor complexity.”

Lu Wucheng answered vaguely.

Then he remembered something else and decided to add it as an explanation.

“There is also a theory that clan names were originally a concept created by historians.”

“Historians?”

“Yes.

Officials who record the events that occur across the continent.

There are many people with the Jiang surname here, as I explained earlier.

Because of that, historical records would be filled with individuals named Jiang something.

To avoid confusion, historians began to write things like ‘so-and-so of the Jiang surname who holds power in such-and-such a place.’

Over time, those descriptive names spread and became clan names.”

Of course, whether this was true or not was uncertain, Lu Wucheng added.

Still, he thought it was a plausible explanation.

“By the way, Lu-dono, is ‘Lu’ your clan name or your surname?”

“It is a clan name.

Though in my case, I simply inherited it from my adoptive father.

I am used to it, and I have no intention of using my surname.”

Jin wondered what Lu Wucheng’s surname might be.

However, since Lu Wucheng clearly had no intention of revealing it, Jin chose not to ask.

After that, Lu Wucheng and Jin continued their journey.

However, Lu Wucheng’s expectation that they would be able to buy at least one horse along the way proved wrong.

Nearly twenty days had passed, and they had traveled more than half the distance, yet they found no place where they could purchase one.

Occasionally, they came across what seemed to be stables, but there were no horses.

They were told that all had been requisitioned by Duke Zhuan or sold off to merchants.

In other cases, there were horses, but the owners refused to sell them, saying they could not sustain their livelihoods without them.

Lu Wucheng grew quietly anxious.

Jin was holding up for now, but he was clearly pushing himself too hard.

It did not seem likely that he could walk the remaining half of the journey.

Lu Wucheng tried to be considerate, slowing his pace as much as possible, but even so, the journey was harsh for a child like Jin.

Moreover, there were hardly any proper inns along the way, so they often had to sleep outdoors.

Even if Lu Wucheng told him to rest easy, Jin could not truly relax enough to sleep soundly.

As for Lu Wucheng himself, though he slept, he remained on guard, unable to fully rest.

Fatigue was building up in him as well.

On top of that, he had to secure food by hunting wild animals.

At present, his only weapons were a self-made bow and arrows and a staff taken from Fan Dan’s house.

With these, he hunted birds and wild dogs, and even had to prepare them for eating, leaving little room for idle conversation.

At first, they had talked while walking, but before long, they found themselves traveling in silence and falling asleep without exchanging a word.

Then, one night, Lu Wucheng made up his mind to travel by night.

The reason was that they were nearing the territory of the Zhi clan.

The place they were currently in lay between Zhuan-controlled lands and Zhi territory, a gap effectively ungoverned by anyone.

He thought it would be easier to buy a horse or find lodging once they entered Zhi territory.

After confirming that Jin had fallen asleep, Lu Wucheng carried him on his back.

Exhausted, Jin showed no signs of waking.

Lu Wucheng decided to press on as far as possible while he could.

However, as he walked along the dark road, the thunder of hooves suddenly woke Jin.

Before tending to him, Lu Wucheng turned to look behind.

There, a boy slightly older than Jin clung desperately to the neck of a galloping horse.

The horse paid him no mind and continued running wildly.

Lu Wucheng quickly stepped aside to avoid being trampled.

The horse, seemingly panicked, failed to notice a dip in the ground and stumbled, falling.

Naturally, the boy was thrown off as well.

Lu Wucheng thought he should help him, but when he listened closely, the sound of hooves had not ceased.

Looking in the direction the horse had come from, he saw three chariots approaching.

Each carried armored soldiers, all fully armed.

They held torches as they advanced.

Without sparing Lu Wucheng or Jin a glance, they headed straight toward the fallen boy.

The atmosphere was anything but calm.

It was immediately clear that the boy was being pursued.