晋略

chenmu：NowPiaozhengdefendedtheisolatedcity，andeventuallyretreatedbecauseoflackofstrength，HowshouldIhandlethis？Sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：Ithink，Hedefendedthecitywithveryfewtroopsandresistedmorethan10，000Khitansoldiersformorethanayear，Theyusedupalltheirenergyandstrengthandkilledthousandsofenemiesintheabsenceofwaterandfood，Hisloyaltyand

averydidnotinsulttheuntry，Moreover，theKhitanalsoretreated，Youshouldgivehimapromotiontomotivatethewholearmy。

萧凡：臣以为，国之所以存者，得道也；所以亡者，理塞也。故得生道者，虽小必大；有亡征者，虽成必败。国之亡也，大不足恃；道之行也，小不可轻。故存在得道，不在于小；亡在失道，不在于大。故乱国之主，务于广地，而不务于仁义；务于高位，而不务于道德。是舍其所以存，而造其所以亡也。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。

chenmu：Iwanttoknowwhatmattersabouttheriseandfallofanation，Sirtaughtme。

萧凡：臣以为，改政移风，必有其本。吴王好剑客，百姓多疮痍；楚王好细腰，宫中多饿死。斯言如戏，有切事实。愿大王罢服官，去不急，省奢侈，百姓从行不从言也，如此，则四海诵德，声薰天地，神明可通也。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

chenmu：Igoverntheuntryinafrugalway，butthesocialmoresisextravagant，Sirtaughtmewhy？

xiaofan：Ithink，Ifyouwanttochangethissituation，youmustdealwithitfromthesource，Thekinglikedswordsmensomanypeoplewereinjuredbylearningswords，Thekinglikesskinnybeautiessomanywomeninthepalacestarvetodeathbecauseofweightloss，Althoughthisisaprove

，itisatruething，Ihopeyoucancutdownonsomeoftheunimportantinstitutionsandlivefrugally，Thepeoplefollowedthedeedsnotwords，Onlyinthiswaywilltheworldbeinspiredbyyouandbeebetter。

chenmu:Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：宦官夏桀触犯有司，寡人当如何处之，先生教我。

萧凡：臣以为，内侍之罪，莫大于欺罔，是以明君疾之。今夏桀所为，何异指鹿为马，然卒不能罪之，则奸臣安所惩哉！大王不见赵高乎！人主之于臣下，患在不知其奸，苟或知之而复赦之，则不若不知之为愈也。何以言之？彼或为奸而上不之知，犹有所畏；既知而不能讨，彼知其不足畏也，则放纵而无所顾矣！是故知善而不能用，知恶而不能去，人主之深戒也，望大王察之。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣，当为卿付之大理寺，以正典刑。

chenmu：TheeunuchXiaJie

okethelaw，WhatshouldIdoaboutit？Sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：Ithink，Thegreatestcrimeoftheattendantsisdeception，Thereforethekinghatedsuchthingsverymuch，NowwhatXiaJiedidwastodescribethehorseasadeer，Ifheuldnotbepunished，thenthetraitorswouldnotrelent，ZhaoGaooftheQinStatewaslikethis，Theking‘stroublewasthathedidnotknowwhothetraitorswere，Ifyouknowwhothetraitorisbutforgivehim，thenitisbetternottoknow，thantiswhy？Youdon‘tknowthatheisatraitorandhestillhasfearinhisheart，Youknowbutyoucan‘tpunishhimthenhewon‘tbeafraid，Knowthegoodpeople，butyoucan‘tappointthem，Knowthewicked，butyoucan‘tpunishthem，Thisisaverydeepwarningfromtheking，Ihopeyoudon‘tmakethesamemistake。

chenmu:Sirisright，Iwaswrong，Iwilltakehimtourt。

陈牧：今有人诽谤吾先君，寡人欲罪之，可乎？先生以为如何？

萧凡：臣以为，凡言诽谤者，谓实无此事而虚加诬之也。至如太祖皇帝，政之美恶，显在晋史，坦如日月，是为直书实事，非虚谤也。夫王者，为善为恶，天下莫不知之，假使所非实是，则固应悛改，傥其不当，亦宜含容，又何罪焉！大王不推原大数，深自为计，徒肆私忌以快其意，自今以后，苟见不可之事，终莫复言者矣。齐桓公亲扬其先君之恶以唱管仲，然后群臣得尽其心，今大王乃欲为太祖远讳实事，岂不与桓公异哉！非王者所为也！

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。

chenmu：NowsomeoneslanderedmyfatherandIwantedtopunishhim，Sirwhatdoyouthink？

xiaofan：Ithink，TheRumorsarethatthereisnosuchthing，butsomepeopleslanderit，Theachievementsofthepreviouskingsarewritteninthehistorybooks，Itisveryclearandtruewithouttheneedforotherstoslander，Whetherthekingdoesgoodo

adthingscanbeseenbyeveryoneintheworld，Ifsomeonepointssomethingwrongthenyoushould

ectit，Evenifwhattheysayisnotappropriate，youshouldtoleratetheminsteadofpunishment，Youdon‘tthinkabouttheoriginofthings，butonlythinkaboutyourownmoodandanger，Thentherewillbenooneto

ectyourmistakesanymore，ThepreviousKingofQiallowedotherstopointoutthemistakesoftheirancestors，Sotheministersworkedveryhardtohelphimgoverntheuntry，YourapproachisnotasgoodasthatofKingQi，Thisisnotwhatakingshoulddo。

chenmu:Sirisright，Iwaswrong。

xiaofan：Ithink，Thenationthrivesbecauseitupholdsjustice，Thereasonwhytheuntryisgoingtoperishisbecauseitisnolongerjust，Insistonjustice，eveniftheuntryissmall，itwillbeestrong，Withoutupholdingjustice，eveniftheuntryisstrong，itwilldecline，Theriseandfallofauntrydoesnotdependonitssize，butwhetheritupholdsjustice，Thefaintingkingwasbusyexpandinghiste

itoryratherthanpromotingbenevolence，Theyarebusyfightingforpowerinsteadofcultivatingtheirvirtues，Theygaveupjusticeandchosedeath。

萧凡：臣以为，其以单兵守孤城，当契丹万余之众，连月逾年，心力困尽，凿山为井，煮靴为粮，前后杀伤北蛮数以千计，卒全忠勇，不为大晋耻，且契丹亦退，宜蒙显爵，以厉将帅。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

Adjustharshlawsandreducepenaltiestomakepeoplefortable，Itisnecessarytoplywiththewillofthepeople，Ifitisgoodforthepeople，whycan‘titbechanged？Itisgreatfilialpietytomaketheancestorsreceiverespectandremem

陈牧：寡人欲知，国之存亡所系何哉？先生教我。

chenmu:Sirisright，Iacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：太祖吏政尚严切，尚书决事，率近于重，吾欲革之，然孝子不改父之道，寡人当如何处之，先生教我。

uledtheuntryverystrictly，Theministeralsohandledgovernmentaffairsharshly，Iwanttochangethissituation，butIamafraidthatitisnotfilialpiety，WhatamIgoingtodo？Sirtaughtme。

ance。

chenmu:Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：今朴政守孤城，力竭而退，寡人当如何处之？先生教我。

陈牧：先生之言甚善，寡人谨受教。

chenmu：Thefirstempero

chenmu:Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：寡人以俭治天下，然奢侈成风，何也？先生教我。

xiaofan：Ithink，TheHolyKinggovernstheuntry，anddoesnotindiscriminatelyrewardorpunish，Itisbettertochoosearewardthantopunishindiscriminately，Previously，thelawwasharshbecauseitpunishedevil，Nowthattheworldhassettleddown，thelawshouldbeslightlymorerelaxed，Sinceyoubecameking，youhaveaskedforthis，Buttheministerdidnotdowhatyouaskedfor，anditwasstillharsh，Governingauntryislikeplayingthestrings，Ifthestringsaretootightandurgent，itwill

eak，YoushouldfollowtheexampleoftheHolyKingingoverningtheuntry，

萧凡：臣以为，先王之政，赏不僣，刑不滥。与其不得已，宁僣无滥。往者断狱严明，所以威惩奸佞，时势然也，奸佞既平，必宜济之以宽。大王即位，率由此义，而有司未悉奉承，犹尚深刻。夫为政犹张琴瑟，大弦急者小弦绝。大王宜隆先王之道，荡涤烦苛之法，轻薄棰楚以济群生，全广至德以奉天心，苟利于民，何不革之，显荣祖宗，此乃大孝也。