陈牧:楚霸王项羽,世之英雄也,然兵败于垓下,自刎于乌江,折于刘邦之手,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为汉高祖,山东之匹夫也,无有咫尺之土,十室之聚,然能任天下之智力,举大体而不苛,故王天下,莫之能御也。项羽,楚之世将,有重于民,横行天下,然而卒死东城者,何也?有一范增不能用,意忌多疑,不信大臣故也。宽则得众用,贤则多功,信则人归之,愿大王鉴之。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:theoverlordxiangyuwasagreathero,buthewasdefeatedandcommittedsuicide,intheend,helosttoliubang,andiwasveryconfusedaboutthis,sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:ithink,liubangisagrassdwellerinshandongwhohasnothing,buthewasgoodatappointingthewisdomofothers,andheonlyfocusesonthegeneralthingsandisnotharsh,therefore,hecanwintheworld,andnoonecancomparewithhim。xiangyu‘sfamilywasallhonorablegeneralsofthechustate,hewasvaluedbythepeopleandwonnumerousvictories,butwhatwasthereasonheendedupfailing?hehadacounselorfanzeng,butcouldnotappointhim,hewassuspiciousanddidnottrustothers,that‘stherootcause,bybeingtolerantofothers,youcangettheirsupport,appointtheirwisdomandyouwillbeabletobuildmerit,givethemtrustandtheywillsurrendertoyou,ihopeyoulearnfromthat。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人以信义治天下,而臣民不信,何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,欲人之信己,则微言而笃行之,笃行之,则用日久,用日久,则事著明,事著明,则有目者莫不见也,有耳者莫不闻也,其可诬乎?故根深而枝叶茂,行久而名誉远。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人谨受教。
chenmu:igovernthecountrywithsincerityandrighteousness,butthepeopledonotbelieve,sirtaughtmewhy?
xiaofan:ithink,ifyouwantotherstobelieveyou,youhavetobeconsistentwithyourwordsanddeeds,andkeeptryingtodoit,overtime,theresultswillslowlyemerge,peoplehaveearsandeyesandtheywilldistinguishbetweentrueandfalse,soyoudon‘tgetawaywithit,therootsofthetreegrowdeeper,andtheleaveswillflourish,onlyifyoupersistindoingthisforalongtimecanyougetthehonor。
chenmu:sirisright,irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:寡人欲以信义布天下,可乎?先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为大王圣明,夫信由上而结者也。故君以信训其臣,则臣以信忠其君;父以信诲其子,则子以信孝其父;夫以信先其妇,则妇以信顺其夫。上秉常以化下,下服常而应上。其不化者,百未有一也。夫为人上,竭至诚,开信以待下,则怀信者欢然而乐进,不信者赧然而回意矣。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:iwanttospreadintegrityandrighteousnesstotheworld,sirwhatdoyouthink?
xiaofan:ithinkit‘swiseforyoutodothat,thepromotionofthismatteristostartwithyou,thekingtreatshisministerswithintegrity,thentheministerswouldshowloyaltytotheking,thefathereducateshissonwithintegrity,thenthesonwillbefilialtotheparents,ifthehusbandtreatshiswifewithintegrity,thenthewifewillbesubmissivetohim,ifthekingwantstoeducatetheworld,hemustsetanexampleforthepeoplehimself,thekingtreatsotherswithintegrityandsincerity,peopleallovertheworldwillfollowyourexample,eveninsincerepeoplewillslowlychange。
chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:今党项、契丹交媾,寡人欲杀其使者,可乎?先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为,党项与我素无怨雠,为契丹所使耳。今杀一人,结怨一国,非计也。放之必悦,不复为契丹用矣,愿大王察之。
陈牧:先生之言甚善,寡人谨受教。