第二章

    陈牧：今契丹息兵请和，以求安西之地，寡人当如何处之？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，往岁契丹每以犯边而不成者，盖有安西掣其肘也，比者息兵请和，非能慕悦中国之礼义也，直以国多内难，人畜疫疠，恐中国乘其弊，故且屈志求自安。使其国小安，岂能忘四镇之地哉！两汉得之以制匈奴，隋唐据之以制突厥，今兹亦然，愿大王答而绝之，勿效石家小儿之割辽东也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教，吾不能遗恨千古也。chen mu：now the khitan wants to negotiate with us to stop the war，but their condition was for us to abandon the town of anxi，how do i handle this？sir taught mexiao fan：i think，in the past， the khitan often harassed the border but failed，because there is the town of anxi holding them back，they do not do this out of admiration for our manners，there has been a very serious disaster in their country，which led to the deaths of a lot of people and animals，they are afraid that we will take the opportunity to sneak up on them，so they lowered their attitude to negotiate with us，if their country stabilizes， they will definitely invade anxi town，the han dynasty used anxi to balance the xiongnu，the tang dynasty used anxi to balance the turks，the situation is now the same as before，i hope you refuse their request，the shi family abandoned liaodong，and you should not repeat their mistakes。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings，and i don"t want to be a sinner of history。陈牧：今太后抱恙，朝臣议欲修观，以为母后祈福，寡人当如何处之？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，自古失道破国亡家者，口说不如身逢，耳闻不如目睹。太祖高皇帝，大王之父也，拨乱返正，开基立极；官不虚授，财无枉费；不多造寺而有福，不多度僧而无灾，天地垂祐，风雨时若，粟帛充溢，蛮夷率服，国泰民安，名高万古。大王何不取而法之？惠文皇帝，大王之兄，弃祖宗之业，徇女子之意；无能而禄者数千人，无功而封者百馀家；造寺不止，费财货者数百亿，所出日滋，所入日寡；夺百姓口中之食以养贪残，剥万人体上之衣以涂土木，于是人怨神怒，诸侯叛离，被弑于北邙，大王何不惩而改之！如此，福虽不求而自至，祸虽不却而自去。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：now， the queen mother has been ill for a long time，the ministers suggested that i build a temple to pray for the queen mother，how should i handle this？sir taught mexiao fan：i think，many countries do not follow the right path of governance and eventually perished，what others say is not as good as you see it yourself，your father calmed the chaos and returned the country to the right path，since then， he has established a new country，he will not give promotions to people who do not have merit，he would not spend money to build temples，however， he was blessed by heaven and earth，the country became stable， the people became rich， and foreigners looked up to him，he became a great king because of this，you should learn from your father，your brother gave up the career of his ancestors，and trust only his concubines，many people who do not have merit are rewarded by him，he spent a lot of money to build temples，ine and expenditure are unbalanced，he used the people"s money to feed corrupt officials and build projects，therefore， people and god were angry about this，the principalities also betrayed him，eventually， he was killed in bei mang，you should not repeat his mistakes，only then will god bless you。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人愿闻，近来为政得失，先生何以教我？萧凡：臣以为，隋炀帝自恃自强，不忧时政，虽制敕交行，而声实舛谬，言同尧、舜，亦如桀、纣，举天下之大，一掷而弃之，大王所知也，李世民反炀帝所为，抑欲勤政，方有大唐三百年之社稷，愿大王择之。人主莫不好忠正而恶佞邪，然忠正者常疏，佞邪者常亲，以至于覆国危身而不寤者，何哉？诚由忠正者多忤意，佞邪者多顺指，积忤生憎，积顺生爱，此亲疏之所以分也。明主则不然。爱其忤以收忠贤，恶其顺以去佞邪，愿大王因以鉴之，则太平可期也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：i want to know，how well i did dealing with government affairs？sir taught mexiao fan：i think，sui emperor yang was conceited because the country was strong，therefore， he does not pay attention to government affairs，he has issued many decrees that look good，but in reality，he does the same thing as ji zhou，powerful nations go to extinction because of their actions，you know these things，li shi min learned their lessons and worked hard to handle government affairs，thus， the tang dynasty lasted for three hundred years，i hope you follow his example，kings prefer loyal ministers over traitors，but in fact， they are close to villains rather than gentlemen，in the end， the country perished， and they did not repent，why？because loyal ministers often make them angry， and villains make them happy，therefore， they prefer villains to loyalists，the holy king did the opposite of them，the holy king liked loyal ministers to give him advice，and he hates the sycophancy of villains，i hope you learn from this，then，the world will be peaceful。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人愿闻，用法之精义，先生何以教我？萧凡：臣以为，法贵简而能禁，罚贵轻而必行；大王方兴崇至德，大布新政，请除一切碎密，不察小过。小过不察则无烦苛，大罪不漏则止奸慝，使简而难犯，宽而能制，则善矣。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：i want to know，what is the true meaning of applying the law？sir taught me what it is。xiao fan：i think，only simplicity of the law can deter others from making mistakes，criminal law must be light in order to be enforced，you are about to promote your morality and implement new policies，i hope you can repeal those cumbersome laws，and tolerate s mall mistakes，only if you do not care about small things， the law will not be harsh，punishing people who make big mistakes will prevent others from making the same mistakes，the law is simple， but few people break it，the law is tolerant， but it prevents others from making mistakes，it is the true meaning of the law。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人愿闻，何以使天下英才入我大晋，先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，人君苟能修其道义，昭其德音，慎其威仪，审其教令，刑无偏颇，惠泽播流，百官乐职，万民得所，则贤者仰之如天地，爱之如父母，乐之如埙篪，歆之如兰芳，愿大王鉴之。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：i want to know，what can i do to attract talent to my country？sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，if the king cultivates his morality，give favors to the people，lead by example，review decrees fairly and justly，well， the ministers will work hard and the people will admire you，they will treat you like their parents，i hope you can learn from this。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人闻，孙权乃聪明仁智雄略之主，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，纳鲁肃于凡品，是其聪也，拔吕蒙于行阵，是其明也，获于禁而不害，是其仁也，取荆州而兵不血刃，是其智也，据三州虎视天下，是其雄也，屈身于曹丕，是其略也，十八岁而领江东，四十七而建帝业，其天资英伟，神武机断，不下于大王也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i heard，sun quan was a great king，he is wise and benevolent，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，he was smart because he selected lu su from the grassroots，he was clever because he selected lymon from the army，he was merciful because he did not kill yu jin，he was wise because he occupied jingzhou with minimal cost，he is magnificent because he spied the world with three states，submitting to cao pi was his strategy，he already ruled jiang dong at the age of eighteen，when he was forty-seven， he created the nation，as a magnificent and decisive king，he is no worse than you。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。