There was a man who became a county magistrate, and in order to display his moral character he wrote an antithetical couplet as soon as he took the position. "I shall be condemned by God if I take even one coin. I shall also be condemned if I act wrongly out of personal preference once, like thieves and prostitutes do." However, the fact was the official took every bribe, no matter what kind it was. People who were just in character but had no money were turned away. In turn, criminals and tyrant-like nobles could get major punishments reduced to lighter ones if they had money to offer. Several years later, this became a source of discontent. Eventually some people could not hold in their anger and told the government about the message of the couplet. The magistrate replied, "How could I forget it? But the money I accepted was not only 'one coin', and I did not act according to my needs only 'once'."