陈牧:寡人闻国有运,汉唐皆数百岁,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,盖以道治国,道者,所繇适于治之路也,仁、义、礼、乐,皆其具也,故圣王已没,而子孙长久,安宁数百岁,此皆礼乐教化之功也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:i‘veheardthateverydynastyhadalifespan,thehanandtangdynastieswereallhundredsofyearsold,sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:ithink,thisisbecausethecountryisgovernedintherightway,andthesewaysaregoodforthegovernanceofthecountry,itincludesbenevolence,righteousness,etiquette,andmusic,thus,afterthedeathoftheholyking,theirdescendantswereabletostabilizethecountryforhundredsofyears,thisisallduetoindoctrination。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:今朝议汹汹,寡人当如何处之?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,天下之祸不由于外,皆兴于内。是故虞舜先除四凶,然后用十六相,明恶人不去,则善人无由进也。今乱起于赵、魏,此皆衅发萧墙,而祸延四海者也,贼党虽盛,不足为庙堂忧也。臣之所惧,在于治水不自其源,末流弥增其广耳。大王仁德宽容,多所不忍,故阉竖弄权,忠臣不进,汉唐之鉴犹在前耳,大王宜思虞舜四罪之举,速行谗佞之诛,则善人思进,奸凶自息矣。
陈牧:非先生之言,寡人几不悟也,当为卿斩之以靖天下。
chenmu:nowadays,thereisalotofseriousdiscussioninthemeeting,howshouldihandlethis?sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithink,intheworld,mostdisastersoccurinternallyratherthanexternally,therefore,shunfirstkilledthetraitorsbeforeappointingthecourtiers,forifthetraitorisinpower,thenthesaintwillnotcomeout,now,therewasachaosinzhaoandwei,thisisbecauseproblemswithinthegovernmenthavetriggeredexternalchaos,althoughtherearemanythieves,youdon‘thavetoworry,whatifearisthatproblemswithinthegovernmentwillnotberesolved,thentheexternalchaoswillexpand,youareverykindandtolerant,soyoucan‘tbeartodothat,butiftheeunuchisinpower,thenthesagewillnotcomeout,youknowthelessonsofthehanandtangdynasties,sodon‘trepeatthemistakesofthepast,therefore,youshouldfollowshun‘sexampleandkilltheeunuchs,onlyinthiswaycanthechaosbesolvedandthesagescancomeout。
chenmu:withoutyoureducation,iwouldnothavebeenabletowakeup,forthesakeofnationalstability,iimmediatelyorderedtheirexecution。
陈牧:今天下承平,赵、魏何故反也?寡人甚惑之,先生教我。
萧凡:臣讯其反状,咸言:赋敛过重,百姓莫不空单。京师遥远,告冤无所,民不聊生,故聚为盗贼尔。大王当移书告示,各使安其资业,招抚荒散,蠲复徭役,诛斩渠帅为大害者,简选良吏试守诸县,岁间荡定,百姓以安。
陈牧:使百姓流离,此乃寡人之不德也,谨奉先生之教。
chenmu:today,theworldisatpeace,butwhydidthepeopleofzhaoandweirebel?i‘mveryconfusedaboutthat,sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ihaveinterrogatedseveralpeople,theysaythetaxesaretooheavytoafford,theywantedtoappealtheirgrievances,butthecapitalwastoofaraway,people‘slivesaresodifficultthattheycan‘tsurvive,sotheyhadnochoicebuttorebel,youshouldorderthelocalgovernmenttoresumeproduction,andtorecruitandappeasedisplacedpersons,youshouldreduceyourservitudeandkillthemaincriminalleaders,thenyousendthesagestogovernthecounties,inlessthanayear,itwillsettledown。
chenmu:it‘smyfaultthatpeoplehavesuffered,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:今将军王楷兵围清河,自六月至八月而不拔,朝臣奏征其班师,寡人当如何处之,先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,昔秦用白起,燕任乐毅,皆旷年历载,乃能克敌。王楷讨清河已有功效,引师东指,方略已设;临军易将,兵家所忌,宜假日月,责其成功,愿大王勿有廉颇之憾。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。