陈牧:寡人征隐士姚兴而不至,盖沽名钓誉之辈尔,先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为,自古明王、圣主,必有不宾之士。伯夷、叔齐不食周粟,周党、严光不受汉禄,亦各有志焉,岂可疑一人,以疑天下哉!
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人知过矣。
chenmu:iwouldliketoaskyaoxingtocomeoutandwork,butherejectedme,ithinkheishypocriticalanddeceitfultome,sirwhatdoyouthink?
xiaofan:ithink,eventheholykingwillhavepeoplewhodonotsubmittohim,boyiandshuqididnoteatthegrainofthezhoudynasty,zhoudangandyanguangdidnotacceptsubsidiesfromthehandynasty,everyonehashisownchoicesandpersistence,youdon‘tneedtoforceit,besides,youcan‘tdoubttheworldbecauseofoneperson。
chenmu:sirisright,iwaswrong。
陈牧:今东北战事胶着,二将意见相左,李晟欲攻易县,马隆欲攻渤海,寡人当如何处置,先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为当先下渤海,易县闻李晟欲攻之,日夜为备,方自忧,必不能救援,马隆兵趋渤海,出不意而至,其必惊扰,吾攻之一日,必克。拔渤海,则易县孤,与齐隔绝,必复亡去,所谓‘击一而得二’者也。若先攻易县,不能卒下,顿兵坚城,死伤必多。纵能拔之,其引军还奔渤海,并兵合势,观人虚实。吾深入敌地,后无转输,旬月之间,不战而困矣,愿大王勿疑。
陈牧:先生之言甚善,寡人意决矣,兵发渤海。
chenmu:thesituationinthenortheastisnotclearnow,andtheopinionsofthetwogeneralsareconflicting,lishengwantedtoattackyicounty,andmalongwantedtoattackbohai,sirtaughtmewhattodo?
xiaofan:ithinkweshouldattackthebohaifirst,whenyixianheardthatlishengwasgoingtoattackit,hewoulddefinitelybebusystrengtheninghisdefenses,therefore,itisimpossibletorescuethebohaiandthereisnochance,atthistime,malonetooktheopportunitytosneakintothebohai,inthemidstofchaositwillsurelybeconqueredbyus,oncethebohaiseawasconquered,thenyicountybecameanisolatedorphan,therefore,thedefendersofyicountywilldefinitelyescape,accordingtothisplan,wewillconquertwocountiesatthesametime,ifyouattackyicountyfirstandcannotconqueritinashorttime,thenourcasualtiesmustbeveryserious,evenifitwasconquered,itwouldruntothebohaiseatojointhelocaldefenders,andwearedeepintheenemyterritoryandthereisnotenoughfood,inlessthanamonth,wewillbeinaseriouscrisis,hopeyoudon‘thesitateanymore。
chenmu:sirisright,ialreadyhadadecisioninmind,attackthebohaifirst。
陈牧:寡人闻,不出户庭,无咎。何也?先生教我。
萧凡:臣以为,乱之所生也,则言语为之阶。君不密则失臣,臣不密则失身,机事不密则害成。是以君子慎密而不出也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:i‘veheardthatthere‘snofaultfornotwalkingoutofthehouse,howtounderstand?sirtaughtme。
xiaofan:ithink,muchoftheconfusionarisesbecauseofinappropriatespeech,ifthekingdoesnotkeepsecrets,thenhewilllosehisministers,iftheministerdoesnotkeepitsecret,thenhislifewillbelost,ifimportantthingsarenotkeptsecret,thentheywillnotsucceed,therefore,agentlemanistokeepitasecretuntilthingsaredone。
chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings。