Love is More Than a Word

Chapter 1 - Part 8

Chapter 1 - The New Magistrate Takes Up The Post, Part 8

Author: Su Youbing

Translator: xallisonjanex, chiangyushien

Proofreader: Zeraphiel25

"Why do you say such things, Litigator Jiang!?" Wang Pengcheng's litigator immediately jumped out and said, "Wang Pengcheng's mother has been widowed for more than ten years. Wang Pengcheng is her son, has she ever been short of food and clothing?"

"Is being good at serving one's parents only limited to not lacking clothes and food?" Mrs. Liao's litigator said, "I heard Wang Pengcheng kept pet birds, which have never been short of anything, too. Don't tell me that the principle of being filial to one's parents is actually no different from giving to such creatures?"

Wang Pengcheng's litigator called out: "Not being short on food and clothing is only one principle amongst them. Being filial to one's parents is naturally much more than that."

Mrs. Liao's litigator cupped one hand in the other before his chest and said: "I'd like to hear that in detail."

Wang Pengcheng's litigator seemed to have noticed that he lost his calm and had fallen into the mediocre level [1]. Because of this, he quickly adjusted his frame of mind, and said: "How do you enact filial piety? Confucius said: 'Observe a man's ambition during his father's lifetime; observe a man's behavior after his father's death. If a man hasn't changed his eagerness to his father's way, he can be called filial.' As we all know, Wang Pengcheng is a son who has carried on his father's legacy and he manages their textile business in perfect order, which has been well-known in Tan Yang County for more than ten years. Whether this is filial piety or not, everyone can be a witness."

([1] "落了下乘" means "fall into the mediocre level." This refers to mediocre understanding of Buddhism. However, this phrase can be borrowed to describe 'being mediocre' in other fields.)

Mrs. Liao's litigator responded: "Filial piety is being good at serving one's parents. With regard to Wang Pencheng not changing his stance toward being a dutiful son, it is only aimed at his father. Where is his filial piety toward his mother?"

Wang Pengcheng's litigator responded: "You keep on insinuating that he is unfilial, might I ask you, when was Wang Pengcheng unfilial?"

After listening muddle-headedly and ignorantly for so long, Tao Mo finally heard the key points from them and could not help but be shaken by this.

"Disobedience!" Mrs. Liao's litigator spat out the word coldly.

Wang Pengcheng was somewhat uneasy as he knelt continuously, then he quietly took a glance at Mrs. Liao.

Mrs. Liao seemed a little uneasy too, then he secretly took a glance at her litigator.

The litigator was observing his opponent's reaction.

And the opponent...

...was looking at the new county magistrate.

Tao Mo squeezed the gavel in his hand, and slowly moved it to his chest.

At the moment, most people's eyes were on him.

Even Secretary Jin, who watched the whole thing passively, could not help but feel nervous.

...

So are you going to strike it or not?

Their eyes were fixed firmly on Tao Mo's hand that was holding the gavel.