第八章

    陈牧：今东宫简陋，寡人欲营之，可乎？先生以为如何？萧凡：臣以为，克俭节用，实弘道之源；崇侈恣情，乃败德之本。是以凌云概日，戎人于是致讥；峻宇雕墙，《夏书》以之作诫。昔赵盾匡晋，吕望师周，或劝之以节财，或谏之以厚敛。莫不尽忠以佐国，竭诚以奉君，欲使茂实播于无穷，裨益于国家耳，且今日东宫，唐时营建，睹之者尚讥其侈，见之者犹叹甚华。何容于此中更有修造，财帛日费，土木不停，何益于国？愿大王察之。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。chen mu：today， the palace where the prince lives is very simple，i want to expand it，sir， what do you think？xiao fan：i think，frugality promotes moral development，luxury corrupts moral standards，there are many such cases in history，zhao dun assisted the jin state，lu wang assisted the zhou dynasty，they all persuaded kings to be thrifty rather than extravagant，they did their best to assist the king in governing the country，today， the palace where the prince lives was built during the tang dynasty，people privately talk about it as extravagant，so it is not necessary to expand it，and it is not beneficial to the country either，i hope you will consider this carefully。chen mu：sir is right，i was wrong。陈牧：近来大臣上书谏者少，赞誉寡人者多，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，自古有国有家者，咸欲修德政以比隆盛世，至于其治，多不馨香，非无忠臣贤佐也，由主不胜其情，弗能用耳。夫人情惮难而趋易，好同而恶异，与治道相反。《传》曰，‘从善如登，从恶如崩’，言善之难也。人君承奕世之基，据自然之势，操八柄之威，甘易同之欢，无假敢于人，而忠臣挟难进之术，吐逆耳之言，其不合也，不亦宜乎！故明君寤之，求贤如饥渴，受谏而不厌，抑情损欲，以义割恩，则上无偏谬之授，下无希冀之望矣。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：recently， there have been fewer people making suggestions，and they started praising me，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，ancient kings wanted to govern their countries well，and to be famous all over the world，however， the results were not ideal，there are a lot of talent and loyalists in their country，but， the king did not adopt their opinions，people tend to do the easy things rather than the hard ones，so they usually go against established state policy，learning well is hard， but learning badly is easy，the king is noble and majestic，therefore， it was difficult for him to accept the suggestions made by the ministers，however， the holy king learned his lesson，he hoped someone could give him advice，and he accepted it very sincerely，at the same time， he was able to restrain his emotions，in order to ensure fairness and justice。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人读晋史，见何曾讥武帝偷惰，知天下将乱，何其明也！先生以为如何？萧凡：臣以为，何曾讥武帝偷惰，取过目前，不为远虑，知天下将乱，子孙必与其忧，何其明也！然身为宰相，知其君之过，不以告而私语于家，非社稷之臣也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：i have read the history of the jin dynasty，he zeng laughed at emperor wu for being lazy，and he predicted that the world would fall into chaos，he was really too wise，sir，what do you think？xiao fan：i think he does seem wise，because his predictions were accurate，however， he is the prime minister of the country，he saw that the king had made mistakes，and， he did not help the king correct it，he just told his family，on this basis， he is not a qualified prime minister。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：今天下尚浮华，寡人甚忧之，先生何以教我？萧凡：臣以为，凡有天下者，莫不贵尚敦朴忠信之士，深疾虚伪不真之人者，以其毁教乱治，败俗伤化也，魏晋是也，先帝深疾浮伪，欲以破散邪党，常用切齿；而执法之吏，皆畏其权势，莫能纠擿，毁坏风俗，侵欲滋甚。窃见当今年少不复以学问为本，专更以交游为业；国士不以孝悌清修为首，乃以趋势游利为先，世之质文，随教而变。兵乱以来，经学废绝，后生讲趣，不由典谟。岂训导未洽，将进用者不以德显乎！其郎吏学通一经，才任牧民，博士课试，擢其高第者，亟用；其浮华不务道本者，请罢退之！愿大王察之。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：hypocrisy is now a social norm，i am very worried about this，sir taught me what to do？xiao fan：i think，kings throughout the ages valued people of integrity and loyalty，and they hate hypocritical people，because these people make social mores worse，the wei state and the jin kingdom are such cases，your father also hates hypocritical people，but officials are afraid of the powerful，so， they are powerless to change the status quo，today， students are no longer focused on their studies but on making friends，moreover， talent no longer makes character a priority，but personal gain，so， social customs are getting worse and worse，in addition， the country went through war，many classics were burned，later people did not understand even more，and there are also problems with our policy orientation，i hope you can change that，you have to promote talented people who understand the classics，and you want to remove hypocritical and inpetent officials，i hope you will think about this。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：蜀王数从汉中入寇，寡人欲由斜谷伐之，诸将数道并进，期以大克，先生以为如何？萧凡：臣以为，昔魏武帝曹操，至阳平攻张鲁，多收豆麦以益军粮，鲁未下而食犹乏。今既无所因，且斜谷阻险，难以进退，转运必见钞截，多留兵守要，则损战士，不可不熟虑也，愿大王屯田关西，疲敌于汉中，我无粮草之忧，敌须千里馈粮，虽诸葛复生，无能为也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：the king of shu often set out from hanzhong to invade the border，i want to attack him through the slope valley，sir，what do you think？xiao fan：i think，emperor wei once reached pingyang to attack zhang lu，however， the transportation of grain is inconvenient，it almost failed，now， we are not in that situation，the sloping valley is steep and therefore inaccessible，they will definitely attack our grain and grass，in addition， it causes unnecessary casualties，you have to think about it carefully，i want you to let the army plow in kansai，and you send troops to constantly harass hanzhong，only then will we not worry about food，however， their transport lines will be lengthened，even if zhuge liang is resurrected， they will not be able to change the status quo。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人愿闻，君子何以自进？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，见善，必以自存也，见不善，必以自省也，故非我而当者，吾师也，是我而当者，吾友也，谄谀我者，吾贼也，故君子隆师，而亲友，以致恶其贼，虽欲无进，得乎哉？陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i want to know，how a gentleman improves himself？sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，seeing good things， they will learn from them，seeing bad things， they reflect on themselves，if someone points out my mistake， then he is my teacher，if anyone supports my reasonable behavior， then he is my friend，if anyone flatters me， then he is my enemy，gentlemen respect teachers and are close to friends，at the same time， they stay away from villains，through this， they improve themselves。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。