chenmu：ithadnowbeentwomonthssincethegeneralwangkaihadbesiegedqinghe，butithasnotyetbeenconquered，therefore，theministersadvisedmetoretreat，whatshouldidoaboutit？sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：ithink，whenthestateofqinappointedbaiqiandthestateofyanappointedleyi，ittookthemalongtimetoconquertheenemy，generalwangkaihasalreadyachievedsomesuccessinthisbattle，hehadledhisarmytoattacktheenemy‘seasternflankandcompleteditsstrategicdeployment，itisnotappropriateforyoutochangethegeneralnow，ifyougivehimsomemoretime，hewilldefinitelyconquerit，ihopeyoudon‘tregretit，becauseofthereplacementofgenerals。

chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：今西北兵乱不解，征发天下役赋无已，侍郎以为宜弃敦煌，寡人当如何处之，先生教我。

萧凡：臣以为，侍郎当斩，昔樊哙以冒顿悖逆，愤激思奋，未失人臣之节，季布犹曰‘哙可斩也’。今敦煌西北要冲，国家藩卫。汉高之时，使郦商别定陇右；世宗拓境，列置四郡，议者以为断匈奴右臂，今亦然也，侍郎不念为国思弭之之策，乃欲割弃一方万里之土，臣窃惑之！若使契丹之虏得居此地，士劲甲坚，因以为乱，此天下之至虑，社稷之深忧也，当谴车骑将军郭况镇之。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人意决矣，置安西都护府，以断契丹之右臂。

chenmu：nowadaystherearefrequentwarsinthenorthwest，therefore，thetaxesundertheworldarealsoveryheavy，someministersadvisedmetoabandondunhuang，whatshouldidoaboutit？sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：ithink，theseministersshouldbeputtodeath，whenthexiongnukingwasarrogant，fankuanwassoangrythathewantedtofightbackimmediately，hedidnotlosehisdisciplineasaminister，butjibustillthinksheshouldbeexecuted，nowdunhuangisastrategicfortressinthenorthwest，anditisthedefenselineofthecountry，fromthetimeofliubangtoliuche，ournorthwestdefensivelinewasestablished，thereasonforthiswastocontaintherightwingofthehuns，itisalsopracticaltoday，theseministersdidnotwanttoresisttheenemy，butgaveupterritory，i‘mconfusedaboutthat，ifthekhitanonceoccupiedthisplaceandlaunchedanattack，thentheworldwillfallintowar，therefore，youshouldimmediatelysendgeneralguokuangtorescuedunhuang。

chenmu：sirisright，ialreadyhadadecisioninmyheart，iwanttoestablishamilitarydistrictinthenorthwestwiththeaimofcuttingofftherightflankofthekhitans。

陈牧：寡人闻，知足常乐，何也？先生教我。

萧凡：臣以为，不知足则失所欲，故知足之足，常足矣，览往事之成败，察将来之吉凶，未有于名要利，欲而不厌，而能保世持家、永全福禄者也。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。

chenmu：i‘veheardthatcontentmentisalwayshappy，sirtaughtmewhy？

xiaofan：ithink，ifyouarenotsatisfied，youwilllosewhatyouwant，onlybybeingcontentcanyoubefulfilledandhappy，lookatexamplesofprevioussuccessesandfailures，andpredicthowgoodorbadthefuturewillbe，insatiablepeopleareunabletoprotectthemselvesandtheirfamilies，theyareevenlesslikelytoattainalifetimeofriches。

chenmu：sirisright，iacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：寡人着令举贤，而各郡荐才甚少，何也？先生教我。

萧凡：臣以为，十室之邑，必有忠信，三人并行，厥有我师，今或至阖郡，而不荐一人，是化不下究，而积行之君子，壅于上闻也，大王当诏令，进贤受上赏，蔽贤蒙显戮，以明古之遗意。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

chenmu：iorderpeopletorecommendtalent，butveryfewpeoplearerecommendedeverywhere，sirtaughtmewhy？

xiaofan：ithink，theremustbeloyalandfaithfulpeopleinadozenorsofamilies，theremustbemyteacherindealingwithpeople，thisishappeningnowbecauseyourdecreescannotbeconveyedtothelocalities，andthesagescannotbeselected，youshouldissueadecreerewardingthosewhoelectthewiseandpunishingthosewhoobstructthewise，onlyinthiswaycanthestatusquobechanged。

chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。