Love is More than a Word, Chapter 80: Strike First (8)...

Love is More than a Word《识汝不识丁》Shi Nu Bu Shi Ding
Love is More than a Word, Chapter 80: Strike First (8)...

Tao Mo bowed his head, pondered for a long time and then said, “How can I be worthy of the people?” He did not read history, the scriptures and the hundred schools of thought but he knew that only a few officials in the past and present have been able to live up to the expectations of the people. How could he, who had not studied the sages and sages' books since childhood, do it?

Thinking about it, his face paled again.

Gu-She wasn't used to talking to him lying down, wanting to make quick work of it but now had to be patient and enlighten him, “Have you ever heard of a clear conscience?”

Tao Mo: “Heard it.” He never forgot it. So even though he doesn't read, he can still speak in words but sometimes he can't use them properly.

Gu-She said: “Always ask your heart and you'll have a clear conscience.”

Tao Mo: “Just so?”

Gu-She said, “What did you think otherwise?”

Tao Mo looked very torn, “If so, wouldn't everyone be able to do it?”

Gu-She said, “Do you think everyone in the world can regard fame and power as a nothing?”

Tao Mo whispered, “I can't either.”


Gu-She said, “Compared to the people? Who is less important?”

Tao Mo savored it and for a long while, his eyes flashed brightly, as if enlightened, “I understand.”

Gu-She half-lidded, “Understand what?”

Tao Mo said, “To be a good official is to put the people before oneself and oneself behind. You put your conscience before your greed, and fame and fortune behind you. Everything is done according to the law and in an unbiased manner.”

Gu-She nodded in satisfaction, “Exactly, in short, in four words, be a self-less.”

Selflessness.

Tao Mo only felt Gu-She's words hit his soul like a bell, causing his heart and soul to tremble and the aftermath to linger.

“You could do it?” Gu-She asks but with an air of conviction.

Tao Mo: “I'm only afraid of having the heart to do it.”

“I'm most afraid of the power but not the heart.” Gu-She said, “How can an infant, who only cries at birth, learn to read and write when he becomes an adult? By the same token, all the different kinds of officials in the world start from nothing and become all kinds of officials little by little.”

“Officials of all kinds?”

“The innocent, the corrupt, the good, the foolish... It's hard to explain but it's hard to know until you've done it.”

Tao Mo: “I want to be a clean official, a good official.”

Gu-She said, “The two mouths of a nobleman, however, do not come from bragging.”




Tao Mo: “I'll try.”

The corner of Gu-She's mouth was slightly raised.

He doesn't smile much but every time he does, it's pretty as hell. Tao Mo gets a little crazy when he looks at it.

Gu-She's smile was gone.

Tao Mo was shocked, “Are you having a pain in the -ss?”

Gu-She was silent.

Tao Mo went to the bed to see what was going on but was anxious to see what was going on and was like anxious ants in a frying pan.

Gu-She couldn't see it and said quietly, “No harm done.”

“It's all my fault.” Tao Mo crouched down slowly, his eyes level with Gu-She's, “If you hadn't tried to save me, you wouldn't have been killed.”

“What’s the matter with you? You look as if you're doomed?” Gu-She's face is expressionless.

Tao Mo said, “It's not that I don't want to be an official but I'm afraid of getting others into trouble.”

Gu-She was silent for a long time and then said, “You think you got me into trouble, so you don't want to be an official?”

Tao Mo felt bitterness in his mouth and whispered, “Not only you. My dad, Lao Tao, Hao Guozi...” He's done a lot of harm.

Gu-She said, “I don't know how your father got into trouble but I can see that Lao Tao and Hao Guozi don't feel victimized.”

Tao Mo blinked his slightly reddened eyes.

“If you'd like to talk,“ Gu-She frowned a little. He's not one to pry into private matters, or even, you could say, he's not interested in most people's private matters. It's just that it's Tao Mo and he hesitates to say, “It wouldn't hurt for me to listen.”

Tao Mo hugged his knees, leaned back and sat on the floor, his chin resting on his knees as he recounted the events of the past.

It was the most painful memory of his innocence, his ignorance, his stupidity and the irreversible consequences of his innocence and stupidity. He thought it would be too painful to speak of it again.

But when it came down to it, he realized that the memory had been carved into his bones, so that it was scarred, an indelible mark but not as bloody as when he'd first been stabbed with a knife.

Gu-She listened quietly, without interrupting.

It wasn't until Tao Mo got to his father's last words, his voice choked up to the point where he couldn't continue, that he said, “You had a good father.”

Tao Mo buried his head in his lap, letting the tears fall from his eyes.

Gu-She said, “So you shouldn't fail him.”

Tao Mo's hands tightening around his knees.

“To avenge him.” Gu-She spoke in a normal tone, “...and to being Huang Guangde to justice.”

Tao Mo raised his head, his teary eyes flaming but the flame hid a hint of uncertainty.” Me?”

Gu-She said, “You should have avenged yourself.”

“But he's the Prefectural Magistrate."

“So what?” Gu-She asked rhetorically.




Tao Mo whispered, “That's a big official.”

Gu-She said: “So what? One day, you'll be something more.”

Tao Mo raised his head. The tears that had fallen from his eyes had faded from Gu-She's usual high-minded indifference and looked hazy and tender. He blurted out, “Will you stay with me?” His face flushed red, his eyes blinked several times, the tears fell and his vision was clear. But, even so, Gu-She looks very gentle.

“If it's what your heart wants,” Gu-She waved his hand, “Yes.”

Yes?

To be there for him?

Master Advisor or...

Tao Mo's dizzy mind was so muddled by his words that he couldn't make any sense out of them and could only stare at Gu-She as if there was only one thing left to do in the world.

“Go wash your face.” Gu-She regained his senses.

Tao Mo raised a hand to his face, a hand damp, the red flush that hadn't faded a little deeper, stood up hastily, took a step outward, retreated and whispered, “Your injury...”

“It doesn't matter.” Gu-She was lying down but she looked as if she was sitting.

Tao Mo hesitated, then asked, “Can I still come see you?”

Gu-She nodded slowly at the look of anticipation in his eyes.

Tao Mo grinned widely, the corners of his mouth almost touching his ears and went out happily.

In the corridor, Master Jin, Lao Tao and the others knew that Gu-She would have a plan as soon as they saw his face.

Sure enough, Tao Mo stood in front of Master Jin, gave a deep bow and said, “Master Advisor, please give me more advice in the future.”

Master Jin leaned to the side, avoiding his salute and said, “Why do you do this, Master Tao? Are you blaming me for not being diligent before?”

Tao Mo quickly straightened up, waved his hand and said, “Not at all.”

“If you don't want to, why do you have to bow? Since I've received your salary, I'll do my best for you.” Then Master Jin took half a step back and bowed and said, “I am sorry that I have brought you into disrepute and I beg you to punish me.”

Tao Mo picked him up and said, “Master Advisor, don't worry. This is my doing, not Master Advisor's.”

Master Jin said, “If it hadn't been for me...”

Lao Tao couldn't help but interrupt as he heard the two of them going at it endlessly, “In that case, why don't Master Jin be the host and have an apology banquet.”

Master Jin smiled, “Rightfully so.”

Tao Mo wanted to say more but Lao Tao stopped him with a look.

Since Gu-She was still in bed, the reparation dinner had to be postponed. After all, Gu-She was the biggest victim of the accident.

But as soon as they're done, the Tang City Prefecture’s Magistrate is very upset. He had sent the bailiff there as a test but he didn't want the bailiff to be sent back so easily and he was getting more and more uneasy.

The Master Advisor was afraid to go home, so he had to frown with him.

Finally the Prefectural Magistrate slammed the table, shouted, “Whatever. I'm gonna shake something or other out of Huang Guangde and maybe we'll be better off.”

The Master Advisor was quick to stop him: “My lord, do not be rash.”

the Prefectural Magistrate glared at him, “Hard to believe I'm going to sit on my hands?”

“Then Gu Xianzhi's identity is still a mystery. What if it's a fake, would that offend Huang Guangde for nothing?” Master Advisor.

The Prefectural Magistrate: “How to verify the authenticity? Do I have to go all the way to ask Minister Xiang to verify it?”

The Master Advisor knew that he was angry and dared not play tricks on him, saying, “Gu Xianzhi calligraphy and painting are famous throughout the world and anyone who knows anything about calligraphy and painting can tell the difference between the real thing and the fake. If we could get our hands on Gu-She calligraphy, we would be able to verify its authenticity.”

The Prefectural Magistrate heard in his heart and said, “How do I get the word Gu-She?”

The Master Advisor said, “It's better to be lenient than to do anything about it.”

“You mean...”

The Master Advisor said, “Why don't you just ask for a picture? Then Tao Mo is directly beneath you and will not disgrace you.”

The Prefectural Magistrate felt justified and said, “I'll leave this to you.”




The Master Advisor looked bitter but he had to say, “Yes.” He now wishes Gu-She had stood far enough away to hear that it was he who persuaded the Prefectural Magistrate to make the move.





~ Love is More than A Word ~



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