第三十三章

    陈牧：田将军兵围潼梓，月余而无功，诸将请急攻之，寡人当如何处置，先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，用兵之势，有宜缓者，有宜急者，不可不察。若彼我势敌，外有强援，恐有腹背之患，则攻之不可不急。若我强彼弱，无援于外，力足制之者，当羁縻守之，以待其毙。兵法十围五攻正谓此也。若我尽锐攻之，计数旬可拔，然杀吾士卒必多矣。要在取之，不必求功之速也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：general tian zheng had been besieging tongzi for a month，but it has not yet been occupied，the other generals wanted to launch a general attack，how do i handle this？sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，military policy has both fast and slow tactics，the solution needs to be selected according to the actual situation，if we are about the same strength as the enemy，and they have reinforcements，then we will have to launch a general offensive so as not to be surrounded，if we are stronger than the enemy，moreover， they lack rescue forces，then we should besiege and deter them，this is the essence of the art of war，if we launch a general offensive，in a month or two， we can also win，then our casualties must be large，if you want to win the war，it is not necessary for you to resort to fast tactics。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：待平蜀之后，寡人当如何处置？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，大王宜改蜀王之所为，因其地用其人，免左丞程卓官，以右丞王绪代之，举异才，修废职，课农桑，恤困穷，礼百神，立学校，旌节义，继绝世，则蜀民大悦矣，愿大王鉴之。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：if i capture the state of shu，how should i handle the relevant government affairs？sir taught me。xiao fan：i think，you should correct the policy of the king of shu，and you have to appoint local talent as officials，at the same time， you should remove cheng zhuo and appoint wang xu，you have to select excellent talents to handle specific government affairs，however， you need to encourage agricultural production and rescue refugees，moreover， you will also sacrifice to the gods，build schools，reward loyal people，and appease the orphans，then the people of the shu kingdom will be touched by you。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人为政，常思戒惧，是以天下太平，先生以为如何？萧凡：臣以为，人道恶盈而好谦，凡为天子，若惟自尊崇，不守谦恭者，在身倘有不是之事，谁肯犯颜谏奏？愿大王每思出一言，行一事，必上畏皇天，下惧臣民。以此思之，但知常谦常惧，以称天心及百姓之意也。守此常谦常惧之道，日慎一日，则宗社永固，无倾覆矣，如此，则天下幸甚。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：when i deal with government affairs，i often tell myself to be in awe，as a result， the world gradually settled down，sir， what do you think？xiao fan：i think，as a person， you need to be humble and not placent，as a king， if you are proud and conceited，when you make mistakes，then no one will correct you，therefore， when you talk and do things，i hope you will be in awe of god and the people，only by remaining humble can you gain the support of god and the people，only if you persevere， then the country will be stable and harmonious，the world will also be lucky because of you。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人闻，大禹劳民而民不怨，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，民无食，则不能使也；功成而不利于民，则不能劝也。故疏河而道之，凿江通于九派，洒五湖而定东海，民亦劳矣。然而不怨苦者，利归于民也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。chen mu：i heard，king yu overworked people，however， people do not plain about him，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，if people don"t have enough to eat， then they won"t work for you，if your business doesn"t benefit people，then you can"t persuade them，therefore， king yu built water conservancy projects to dredge the river，during work， people are tired and hard，but people don"t plain about him，because they are the beneficiaries of the work。chen mu：sir is right，i accept your teachings。陈牧：决狱不当，则民受其辜，寡人欲使廷狱平正，先生何以教我？萧凡：臣以为，法令者，所以抑暴扶弱者也，今律、令烦多而不约，自典文者不能分明，而欲罗元元之不逮，斯岂刑中之意哉！其议律、令可蠲除轻减者，条奏，唯在便安万姓而矣，圣王置谏争之臣者，非以崇德，防逸豫之生也，立法明刑者，非以为治，救衰乱之起也。今大王躬垂明听，虽不置廷平，狱将自正，若开后嗣，不若删定律令。律令一定，则人知所避，奸吏无所弄矣。今不正其本，而置廷平以理其末也，政衰听怠，则廷平将招权而为乱首耳。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：if the case is not heard fairly，then innocent people will be harmed，i hope that the court will be fair and impartial，sir taught me what to do？xiao fan：i think，laws were made to protect the weak from harm，today， laws and decrees are so cumbersome that the judge cannot tell，however， you want to make the law more onerous，that is contrary to the original purpose of the law，the law is enough to appease people，there is no need to make it too cumbersome，the holy king appoints ministers who advise him，that was to correct his mistakes， not to praise，the law is the minimum standard for governing the country，if you can handle government affairs diligently， then the law will naturally be fair and just，for future generations， you should make the law simple and easy，only in this way can the weak be protected from harm，nowadays， you only value the law rather than government affairs，it is putting the cart before the horse，this will throw the country into chaos。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人欲使，政平国治，先生何以教我？萧凡：臣以为，大王当命牧伯守宰各举孝悌、廉直、文学、政事，察其所举，得人者赏之，非其人者罪之。如是则人莫敢妄举，而请托不行，士皆自励；虽宗室外戚，无才能者，皆弃不用，以为天下劝，如是则国家不治未之有也。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：i want to govern the country well，sir taught me what to do？xiao fan：i think，you should order local officials to remend talent，who are filial to their parents，people of integrity，honest and learned， pragmatic people，if the person they remend is qualified， then you reward them，otherwise， you punish them，in this way， they will be cautious about remending rather than self-interest，if your relatives are inpetent， you also remove them，only in this way will everyone in the world be self-motivated，the country will also be well governed。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。陈牧：寡人闻，以能问于不能，以多问于寡，何也？先生教我。萧凡：臣以为，圣人设教，欲人谦光。己虽有能，不自矜大，仍就不能之人求访能事。非惟匹庶，帝王之德，亦当如此。夫帝王内蕴神明，外须玄默，若其位居尊极，炫耀聪明，以才陵人，饰非拒谏，则上下情隔，君臣道乖。自古灭亡，莫不由此也。《易》云，劳谦，君子有终，吉。陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。chen mu：i heard，even if i know the answer，i should also ask others for advice，sir taught me why？xiao fan：i think，the holy king instructed people to be humble，even if you have talent，you should also ask others for advice，not conceit，not only ordinary people， kings have to do the same，the king has an opinion in his heart，but he also had to remain calm and silent，because of his high status，he is proud and conceited， and looks down on others，at the same time， he refused to listen to the advice of others，then the munication channels will be closed，there will be conflicts between kings and ministers，many countries perished because of this，therefore， only by maintaining humility can the country be stable and harmonious。chen mu：sir is right，i respectfully accept your teachings。