晋太宗宣武帝实录37
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。
chenmu：TheDukeofTaiyuanviolatedthesystem，andIwanttoexempthimfrompunishment，Sirwhatdoyouthink？
xiaofan：Idon‘tthinkthereareanysmallthingsabouttheking，Hisactionsuldnotexceedthelaw，Youarehisfather，butaren‘tyouthefatherofthepeople？Ifso，howdoyouregulatetheworldandsetanexampleforfuturegenerations。
萧凡：臣以为，军势有宜缓以克敌，有宜急而取之。若彼我势均，且有强援，虑腹背之患者，须急攻之，以速大利。如其我强彼弱，外无救援，力足制之者，当羁縻守之，以待其弊。兵法十围五攻，此之谓也。今齐军虽弱，然众未离心，且凭险拒守，上下同心。攻守势倍，军之常法。若其促攻，不过数旬，克之必矣，但恐伤吾士众，当持久以取之耳。
陈牧：先生之言甚善，寡人即刻飞书。
chenmu：NowGeneralMaloneisbesiegingGaoTang，Thegeneralsadvisedmetogivetheorderforageneralattack，HowshouldIhandlethis？Sirtaughtme。
萧凡：臣以为，周公，文王之子也，武王之弟也，又为天子相，其于天下重矣，然尚一沐而三握发，一食而三吐哺，犹恐失天下之士也，吾闻之曰：德行广大而守以恭者荣，土地博裕而守以俭者安，禄位尊盛而守以卑者贵，人众兵强而守以畏者胜，聪明睿智而守以愚者益，博闻多记而守以浅者广。此六守者，皆谦德也。夫贵为天子，富有四海，不谦者，失天下，亡其身，桀、纣是也，可不慎乎？
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。
chenmu：Iheard，ZhouGongtreatsotherswiththeutmostsincerity，Therefore，everyoneintheworldadmiresandadmireshim，Sirtaughtmewhy？
xiaofan：Ithink，DukeZhouwasthesonofKingWenandtheyounge
otherofKingWu，HewasalsotheprimeministeroftheZhouDynastywithaverynoblestatusandgreatpower，Buthedidn‘thavetimetowashhishairandeateverytimeinordertoreceivethesages，Becausehewasafraidthatthesageswouldleave，Iheard，Onlythosewhoarevirtuousandcautiouswillbeglorified，Onlythosewhohavevastlandandarefrugalwillbesafe，Onlythosewhoareofhighstatusandhumblewillbehonored，Onlythosewhohaveastrongarmybutknowfearwillwin，Onlyamanwhoisknowledgeablebutmodestcangofar，Theseareallsignsofhumility，JieandZhouwerenobleemperorsandrichallovertheworld，Buttheylosttheuntryandwerekilledbecausetheydidn‘tknowmodesty，Therefore，youhavetopayattentiontoit。
chenmu：Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧：寡人闻，治国有二机，何也？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，刑德是也，王者尚其德而希其刑，霸者刑德并凑，强国先其刑而后德。夫刑德者，化之所由兴也，德者，养善而进阙者也，刑者，惩恶而禁后者也，故德化之崇者至于赏，刑罚之甚者至于诛。夫诛赏者，所以别贤不肖而列有功与无功也，故诛赏不可以缪，诛赏缪则善恶乱矣。夫有功而不赏，则善不劝；有过而不诛，则恶不惧；善不劝，恶不惧，而能以行化乎天下者，未尝闻也。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。
chenmu：Iheard，Therearetwoimportantaspectstogoverningtheuntry，Sirtaughtmewhatitwas？
xiaofan：Ithinkitismoraleducationandcriminallaw，TheHolyKingadvocatedmoraleducationandrarelyusedpunishment，TheOverlordputsthetwoonanequalfooting，Powerfuluntriespaymoreattentiontopunishmentthanmoraleducation，Ifyouwanttoeducatetheworld，moralityandcriminallawareveryimportant，Moralityisaboutnurturingthegoodandinfluencingthebad，Criminallawpunishesthebadguysanddetersothers，Therefore，theultimateinmoraleducationisreward，Theultimatepunishmentisthedeathpenalty，Therewardanddeathpenaltyarethecriteriausedtodistinguishthegoodfromthebad，Anditisusedtodistinguishbetweenmeritandfault，Therefore，rewardsandthedeathpenaltycannotbewrong，Otherwisetheworldwillbeinchaos，Ifthosewhohavemeritarenotrewarded，thengoodpeoplewillnotmotivateeachother，Ifthesinnerisnotkilled，thenthebadmanwillnotbeafraid，Itisimpossiblenottomotivatethegoodandnottopunishthebadbuttogoverntheuntrywell。
chenmu：Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
xiaofan：Ithink，Somewarsrequireslowingdowntheoffensiveandsomeneedingtospeeduptheoffensive，Differentscenariosareadoptedindifferentsituationsbuttheyservethesamepurpose，Ifthetwosidesaresimilarinstrengthandtheenemymayalsohavereinforcements，Theninordertopreventbeingcaughtbetweentwosides，weneedtospeeduptheoffensive，Ifwearestrongerthantheenemyandtheyhavenoreinforcements，Thenweshouldbesiegethemandnsumethemtodeath，That‘swhattheArtofWarsays，AlthoughtheQiarmyisnowweak，Buttheyoccupiedthestrongholdandmoralehadnotyetbeenreduced，Ifwelaunchanoffensivenowinlessthanamonth，wecanovereit，ButI‘mafraidourlossesuldbeenormous，SoIsuggestyoufightaprotractedbattle，thatismoreappropriate。
chenmu：Sirisright，Iimmediatelygavethemilitaryorder。
陈牧：太原公陈泰违制，寡人欲宥之，可乎？先生以为如何？
萧凡：臣以为，王者无私事，法不可违也，大王为其父，非民之父哉？若如此，何以仪刑四海，取法将来耶？
陈牧：寡人之不明，以至于此乎！多所活宥，赖有先生忠言耳。
陈牧：将军马隆兵围高唐，诸将劝其宜急攻之，寡人当如何处之？先生教我。
陈牧：寡人闻，大乱之后，必有易治之势，寡人当如何治之？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，当以仁义相厉，我有公心焉，则士民不敢念其私矣；我有平心焉，则士民不敢行其险矣；我有俭心焉，士民不敢放其奢矣。此躬行之所征者也。教有道，禁不义，而身以先之，忠仁为上，勤以守之，其成虽迟，君子之德也。谲诈以御其下，欺其民而取其心，虽有立成之功，至德之所不贵也。
chenmu：Sirisright，Iacceptyourteachings。
chenmu：TheemissarywenttoLongxitocheckontheherds，Morethan20，000horseswerefoundhidden，Iwasshockedandangryaboutthis，Therefore，Iwanttoputalltherelevantofficialstodeath，Sirwhatdoyouthink？
xiaofan：Ithinkhumanlifeisprecious，Howcanyoukillmorethanathousandpeoplebecauseoflivestock？I‘mafraidtherewillbepeoplewhohavebeenwronged，Iwanttousemylifeasaguarantee，IaskyoutosendthesepeopletotheurtofJusticefortrial。
chenmu：Ididn‘texpectmetofaintsomuch，TheysurvivedbecauseofyourHonestyandFaithfulness。
chenmu：Iheard，Itiseasytogovernafterchaos，HowshouldIgoverntheuntryatthistime？Sirtaughtme。
xiaofan：Ithink，Youshouldadvocatebenevolenceandrighteousnessintheworld，Aslongasyouhandlegovernmentaffairsjustlyandfairly，thenthepeoplewillnotbeselfishandtreacherous，Aslongasyouadvocatefrugalityandsetanexample，thenpeoplewillnotbeextravagant，Thisistheresultofyouleadingbyexample，Educatetheworldwithbenevolenceandjustice，andsetanexample，Promotebenevolenceandloyaltyanddiligentlypursueit，Althoughthepaceofgovernancewillbeslower，theuntrywillbeebetter，Ifyouusetreacherousmeanstogoverntheuntryanddeceivethepeople，Eveniftheenomycanberestoredassoonaspossible，thefoundationsoftheuntrywillbeunstable。
chenmu：Sirisright，Iwaswrong。
陈牧：寡人闻，周公吐脯，天下归心，何也？先生教我。
陈牧：今御史往陇西检覆群牧，得隐匿马二万馀匹，寡人甚怒，吾欲斩太仆卿及诸监官，可乎？先生以为如何？
萧凡：臣以为，人命至重，大王奈何以畜产之故，杀千有馀人，岂不冤滥乎？臣敢以死请大王丐千馀人命，付之大理寺候审。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。