Mencius stresses reverence in social exchanges and accepts ritual-compliant gifts, yet rejects stolen loot from murderers. He distinguishes criminal robbers from exploitative lords, explaining Confucius took office for three pragmatic reasons to gradually promote the Dao before departing.
2.24 Confucius said, “Just as to sacrifice to ancestors other than one’s own is presumption, so to see what is right and not do it is cowardice.”