“How can Litigation Master Jiang say such a thing!” Wang Pengcheng’s litigation master immediately jumped out in protest. “Madam Wang was widowed for more than ten years. As her son, has Wang Pengcheng ever allowed her to lack food or clothing?”
“Is ensuring food and clothing alone enough to count as serving one’s parents well?” Madam Liao’s litigation master replied. “I have heard that Wang Pengcheng keeps birds as pets and has never deprived them of anything either. Could it be that filial devotion toward one’s parents is no different from caring for livestock and fowl?”
“Providing food and clothing is merely one part of it,” Wang Pengcheng’s litigation master retorted. “Serving one’s parents well naturally involves far more than that.”
Madam Liao’s litigation master cupped his hands politely. “Then I would like to hear the details.”
Realizing he had become overly agitated and lost the upper hand, Wang Pengcheng’s litigation master quickly regained his composure. “What is filial piety? Confucius said: ‘While the father lives, observe the son’s aspirations. After the father dies, observe his conduct. If for three years he does not deviate from his father’s way, he may be called filial.’ Everyone here knows that Wang Pengcheng inherited his father’s cloth shop business and has managed it in excellent order for more than ten years, earning a modest reputation in Tanyang County. Whether he is filial or not, everyone present can testify.”
Madam Liao’s litigation master replied, “Filial piety means serving one’s parents well. Wang Pengcheng’s refusal to deviate from filial conduct applies only toward his late father. But where is his filial devotion toward his mother?”
Wang Pengcheng’s litigation master immediately countered, “You repeatedly claim he is unfilial. Then tell us exactly in what way Wang Pengcheng has been unfilial.”
After listening in a daze for so long, Tao Mo finally heard the key point and instantly became alert.
“Defiance!” Madam Liao’s litigation master coldly spat out the two words.
Wang Pengcheng suddenly looked unable to continue kneeling steadily and secretly glanced toward Madam Liao.
Madam Liao herself also appeared uneasy and quietly glanced toward the litigation master she had hired.
The litigation master, meanwhile, was busy observing his opponent’s reactions.
And the opponent…
Was staring at the newly arrived county magistrate.
Tao Mo slowly lifted the judge’s block in his hand and held it against his chest.
At that moment, nearly everyone’s eyes were fixed upon him.
Even Adviser Jin, who had spent the entire time watching as though enjoying a play, could not help growing tense.
…
Was he going to strike it or not?
Everyone stared fixedly at the hand clutching the judge’s block.
“So in what way was he defiant?” Tao Mo asked while stroking the block.
Seeing that he had no intention of striking it, everyone withdrew their gazes, though for some inexplicable reason they all felt slightly disappointed.
Returning to his senses, Madam Liao’s litigation master declared, “‘According to ritual, there are three forms of unfilial conduct: blindly obeying one’s parents and leading them into unrighteousness is the first; when the family is poor and the parents elderly, refusing to pursue official salary is the second; failing to marry and produce descendants to continue the ancestral line is the third. Of these three, leaving no descendants is the gravest.’ Wang Pengcheng has remained widowed for many years without any intention of remarrying to continue the Wang family line. Furthermore, he repeatedly clashes verbally with his mother over this matter. The Book of Rites states: ‘When a filial son supports his parents, he must bring joy to their hearts.’ Clearly, serving one’s parents well involves not only material support but also obeying their wishes and preventing them from worrying in their old age, losing appetite, and sleeping without peace.”
Shame appeared upon Wang Pengcheng’s face.
Just as Wang Pengcheng’s litigation master prepared to speak, Tao Mo unexpectedly nodded in heartfelt agreement. “Being able to obey one’s mother’s words truly is a blessing.”
No one understood what had suddenly moved him so deeply. Seeing that the situation favored his side, Madam Liao’s litigation master immediately pressed forward. “Since that is the case, please rule against Wang Pengcheng, Your Excellency.”
“Rule against him?”
Wang Pengcheng’s litigation master hurriedly cried out, “Impossible, impossible! I have not yet finished speaking.”
“There is no need to say more.” Tao Mo waved his hand. “Although I do not fully understand what all of you are saying, I do know that defying one’s parents is wrong, and failing to continue the family line is even more wrong. Therefore, this official has decided…”
Madam Liao’s litigation master immediately beamed with joy.
“To sentence Wang Pengcheng to thirty strokes of the rod!” Tao Mo declared.
“……”
The entire courtroom fell silent.
Not only Madam Liao and Wang Pengcheng froze in shock—even the two litigation masters stood stunned.
Cases like this were less about punishment and more about determining right and wrong. According to normal practice, even if someone lost such a case, the punishment would at most involve monetary compensation. Some payments were official, others unofficial—extra income for the magistrate’s trouble in hearing the case. In a place like Tanyang County, overflowing with litigation masters who treated the courtroom like their own backyard, bringing trivial disputes like this before the court was extremely common. Yet no one had ever heard of someone actually being beaten over it.
At last Adviser Jin reacted. Seeing Tao Mo staring blankly at the courtroom as though waiting for someone to begin the punishment, he hurriedly coughed and prompted, “The red command token.”
Since he was serving as adviser, he naturally fulfilled an adviser’s duties. As for everything else, however, it was hardly his concern as merely “one ladle among three thousand weak waters.”
Panicking, Tao Mo grabbed a red command token and tossed it down.
The court attendants happily rushed forward, pinned Wang Pengcheng down, and raised the wooden rods to strike him.
This was profitable work.
As long as they did not hit too heavily, the unlucky person being beaten would understand that the attendants had shown mercy and would certainly offer them gratuity money afterward. That too was standard practice. The attendants had never expected the new magistrate to provide them with such a convenient New Year bonus immediately upon taking office.
Wang Pengcheng was a fairly prominent and respected figure in Tanyang County. There was plenty of profit to be made—why refuse free money?
The first two strikes left Wang Pengcheng too stunned to react. By the third strike, however, pain finally exploded through him and he cried out loudly.
The moment Madam Liao saw this, tears immediately streamed down her face as she repeatedly cried “my precious child.” Yet seeing the attendants refuse to stop, she could only kneel and beg Tao Mo while wailing loudly, “This woman is shallow and ignorant! Please do not lower yourself to my level, Your Excellency. Spare my son! I swear I will never file another complaint again!”
How could Tao Mo possibly withstand her tears? He hurriedly waved his hands. “Stop hitting him, stop hitting him!”
Though reluctant, the court attendants finally stopped.
Madam Liao let out a miserable cry and threw herself onto Wang Pengcheng.
Originally, Wang Pengcheng’s injuries had only hurt moderately. But once she pounced onto him, the wounds instantly burned with fiery pain. His eyes rolled back white, and he nearly fainted on the spot.
Only after the two litigation masters pulled Madam Liao away was he finally able to breathe again.
Tao Mo said earnestly to Wang Pengcheng, “Look how much your mother loves you.”
Wang Pengcheng rolled his eyes.
The two litigation masters exchanged glances and silently reached an understanding. Both immediately cupped their hands and said together, “We ask that Your Excellency conclude the case swiftly.”
Tao Mo looked toward Adviser Jin.
Being highly experienced, Adviser Jin quickly drafted the court statement and handed it to the litigation masters for review.
After reading it, both men found it full of flattering praise about the deep affection between mother and son and were entirely satisfied.
Thus, beneath a round of beatings, the case came to a rather anticlimactic conclusion.
As Wang Pengcheng was carried away, Tao Mo chased after him while calling out, “In the future, you must treat your mother more filially and listen to her words more often!”
“……”
Wang Pengcheng was quickly dragged too far away to be seen.
Only after Tao Mo realized he could no longer catch up did he awkwardly turn back around, just in time to see Old Tao and Hao Guozi emerge.
Hao Guozi rushed forward excitedly. “Young Master was so imposing!”
Old Tao’s expression, however, was not particularly pleasant as he gave Adviser Jin a meaningful look.
Adviser Jin leisurely rose to his feet and gave Tao Mo a thumbs-up. “For Your Excellency’s very first trial, devising such an unusual tactic truly is admirable.”
“I merely wanted him to remember the lesson,” Tao Mo explained.
Adviser Jin nodded. “Exactly. Such trivial matters never should have been brought into open court in the first place. Your Excellency’s method of killing the chicken to warn the monkey was extremely clever. I imagine no one will dare repeat such behavior again.”
Tao Mo looked utterly confused. “What do you mean by ‘killing the chicken to warn the monkey’?”
Adviser Jin gave him a knowing look before quietly taking his leave.
Seeing Tao Mo still completely lost, Old Tao explained, “He believes Young Master intentionally beat Wang Pengcheng to discourage the county’s people from bringing such petty matters before the court again.”
Tao Mo shook his head. “That was not my intention. It was simply that the moment I heard Wang Pengcheng had defied his mother, I suddenly saw my past self in him and could not help wanting to beat myself severely.”
“……”
So in other words, Wang Pengcheng had become Tao Mo’s substitute target for self-punishment?
One could only imagine what Wang Pengcheng would think if he ever learned the truth.
Old Tao and Hao Guozi exchanged glances, both agreeing silently that this secret was best kept hidden forever.
Old Tao said meaningfully, “Young Master, this matter absolutely must not spread.”
Tao Mo instinctively asked, “Why?”
Old Tao replied, “I fear someone might investigate what happened to Master and stir up another storm.”
Tao Mo nodded gloomily.
Old Tao’s expression softened slightly. “Young Master has sat through court for so long and must surely be tired. Why not return and rest for a while?”
“Alright.” Tao Mo tugged at Hao Guozi’s sleeve. “You, come here.”
Naturally, Tao Mo sought out Hao Guozi because of Gu She.
Unfortunately, Hao Guozi was full of complaints about him.
“Did you see Gu She?” Tao Mo asked expectantly.
Hao Guozi shook his head. “No.”
“Ah? Why not?” Tao Mo immediately grew anxious and restless.
Hao Guozi snorted coldly. “That Gu She puts on enormous airs. Every day countless people submit calling cards outside his residence asking to see him, yet he only chooses one or two to meet.”
“Did you manage to see him?” Tao Mo asked urgently.
“Of course not. I’m only a servant. When the gatekeeper at their residence heard that only I had come, he nearly threw the calling card back out.” It was the first time Hao Guozi had ever received such treatment, and he was still furious about it.
Tao Mo worried aloud, “No wonder he specifically told me to wait outside his residence in person. Sigh. Since I failed to go this time, perhaps he will be angry with me.”
Hao Guozi replied, “Today was Young Master’s very first court session. The entire county knows about it. How could he possibly not know as well?”
“I only hope he can understand,” Tao Mo murmured.
Seeing Tao Mo looking completely lovestruck and foolish, Hao Guozi could not help trying to persuade him. “I don’t think that Gu She seems like a good person anyway. Young Master would do best not to associate with him.”
Embarrassed at having his feelings exposed, Tao Mo awkwardly replied, “I only want to learn from him.”
“What is there to learn from him?”
“I’m not sure either.” After thinking for a moment, Tao Mo said, “But his entire presence gives people the feeling that he is extremely capable.”
“……Actually, Adviser Jin is pretty capable too.”
“Yes. That is why I invited him back.”
Hao Guozi was alarmed. Could it be that Young Master also wanted to invite Gu She? Yet after another thought, he decided someone with Gu She’s personality would probably never agree, which finally reassured him somewhat.
Futile Devices Scans 
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