晋略

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。

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？

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，WhentheXiongnukingwasa

ogant，FanKuanwassoangrythathewantedtofightbackimmediately，Hedidnotlosehisdisciplineasaminister，ButJibustillthinksheshouldbeexecuted，NowDunhuangisastrategicfortressinthenorthwest，Anditisthedefenselineoftheuntry，FromThetimeofLiuBangtoLiuChe，ournorthwestdefensivelinewasestablished，ThereasonforthiswastontaintherightwingoftheHuns，Itisalsopracticaltoday，Theseministersdidnotwanttoresisttheenemy，butgaveupte

itory，I‘mnfusedaboutthat，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‘veheardthatntentmentisalwayshappy，Sirtaughtmewhy？

xiaofan：Ithink，Ifyouarenotsatisfied，youwilllosewhatyouwant，Onlybybeingntentcanyoubefulfilledandhappy，Lookatexamplesofprevioussuccessesandfailures，andpredicthowgoodo

adthefuturewillbe，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：Iorderpeopletoremendtalent，butveryfewpeopleareremendedeverywhere，Sirtaughtmewhy？

xiaofan：Ithink，Theremustbeloyalandfaithfulpeopleinadozenorsofamilies，Theremustbemyteacherindealingwithpeople，Thisishappeningnowbecauseyourdecreescannotbenveyedtothelocalities，andthesagescannotbeselected，Youshouldissueadecreerewardingthosewhoelectthewiseandpunishingthosewhoobstructthewise，Onlyinthiswaycanthestatusquobechanged。

chenmu：Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

xiaofan：Ithink，Thisisbecausetheuntryisgovernedintherightway，Andthesewaysaregoodforthegovernanceoftheuntry，Itincludesbenevolence，righteousness，etiquette，andmusic，Thus，afterthedeathoftheHolyKing，theirdescendantswereabletostabilizetheuntryforhundredsofyears，Thisisallduetoindoctrination。

chenmu：Sirisright，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

ogatedseveralpeople，Theysaythetaxesaretooheavytoafford，Theywantedtoappealtheirgrievances，butthecapitalwastoofaraway，People‘slivesaresodifficultthattheycan‘tsurvive，Sotheyhadnochoicebuttorebel，Youshouldorderthelocalgovernmenttoresumeproduction，Andtorecruitandappeasedisplacedpersons，Youshouldreduceyourservitudeandkillthemaincriminalleaders，Thenyousendthesagestogoverntheunties，Inlessthanayear，itwillsettledown。

chenmu：It‘smyfaultthatpeoplehavesuffered，Irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

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：寡人闻国有运，汉唐皆数百岁，何也？先生教我。

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。

y，WhatIfearisthatproblemswithinthegovernmentwillnotberesolved，Thentheexternalchaoswillexpand，Youareverykindandtolerant，soyoucan‘tbeartodothat，Butiftheeunuchisinpower，thenthesagewillnoteout，YouknowthelessonsoftheHanandTangdynasties，Sodon‘trepeatthemistakesofthepast，Therefore，youshouldfollowShun‘sexampleandkilltheeunuchs，Onlyinthiswaycanthechaosbesolvedandthesagescaneout。

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‘mverynfusedaboutthat，Sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：Ihaveinte

chenmu：Nowadays，thereisalotofseriousdiscussioninthemeeting，HowshouldIhandlethis？Sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：Ithink，Intheworld，mostdisastersoccurinternallyratherthanexternally，Therefore，Shunfirstkilledthetraitorsbeforeappointingtheurtiers，Forifthetraitorisinpower，thenthesaintwillnoteout，Now，therewasachaosinZhaoandWei，Thisisbecauseproblemswithinthegovernmenthavetriggeredexternalchaos，Althoughtherearemanythieves，youdon‘thavetowo

chenmu：IthadnowbeentwomonthssincethegeneralWangKaihadbesiegedQinghe，Butithasnotyetbeennquered，Therefore，theministersadvisedmetoretreat，WhatshouldIdoaboutit？Sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：Ithink，WhentheStateofQinappointedBaiQiandtheStateofYanappointedLeYi，ittookthemalongtimetonquertheenemy，GeneralWangKaihasalreadyachievedsomesuccessinthisbattle，Hehadledhisarmytoattacktheenemy‘seasternflankandpleteditsstrategicdeployment，Itisnotappropriateforyoutochangethegeneralnow，Ifyougivehimsomemoretime，hewilldefinitelynquerit，Ihopeyoudon‘tregretit，Becauseofthereplacementofgenerals。

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。

陈牧：非先生之言，寡人几不悟也，当为卿斩之以靖天下。