chenmu:sirisright,iamdisturbedthatyoudonotaccepttheappointment,ihopeyouwillreluctantlyacceptmyappointmenttohandlestatedepartmentaffairs。
陈牧:今委卿以关东之任,以讨残梁,先生当如何处置,寡人愿闻其详。
萧凡:臣以为,当先破居庸,平洛阳,拒虎牢,长驱汴梁,所谓“疾雷不及掩耳”。吾当亲督万众,星夜继发,舟车粮运,水陆俱进,大王勿以为忧也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人当亲帅三军以为后继,同先生会猎中原。
chenmu:ihaveappointedyouasthegovernorofkantoaffairstofightagainsttheliangkingdom,iwanttoknowwhatyourstrategyis。
xiaofan:ithinkthatthejuyongfortressshouldbeconqueredbeforeattackingluoyangcity,firstoccupythexingyangfortressandthenblitzthecityofbieliang,iwillcommandthewholearmytosetoffinthestarrynight,andgrainandgrassareparalleltolandandwater,youdon‘thavetoworryaboutit。
chenmu:sirisright,iwillleadtheremainingarmytosetofflater,andhuntwithyouinthehinterlandofliangguo。
陈牧:夫礼,禁乱之所由生也,犹防止水之所自来也,故寡人颁《通礼》于天下,以厚风俗,不亦可乎?先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为然也,朝觐之礼,所以明君臣之义也,聘问之礼,所以使诸侯相尊敬也。丧祭之礼,所以明臣子之恩也,乡饮酒之礼,所以明长幼之序也,婚姻之礼废,则夫妇之道苦,而淫僻之罪多矣,乡饮酒之礼废,则长幼之序失,而斗争之狱繁矣,丧祭之礼废,则臣子之恩薄,而背死忘生者众矣,聘觐之礼废,则君臣之位失,而背叛侵陵之败起矣。
陈牧:先生之言是也,寡人受教矣。
chenmu:etiquetteeliminatesthesourceofchaosfromtheroot,soipromulgateduniversaletiquetteintheworldforsocialharmony,no,itdoesn‘twork,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:ithinksotoo,theetiquetteoftributecanclarifythedistinctionbetweenkingsandministers,theetiquetteoftheenvoysallowedthedukestorespecteachother,funeralsallowministerstodeepentheirfeelingsfortheking,theetiquetteofdrinkingalcoholcandeterminetheorderoftheelderandtheyoung,onthecontrary,theworldisinchaos。
chenmu:sirisright,iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧:今梁地初定,刘斌恃功骄纵,邀求无厌,又以寿春久不下,潜有贰心,必为国患,寡人欲因势除之,先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣以为,汝南之盟,不可负也,若其为难,罪由于斌,今事未有形而杀之,人必谓我王忌惮其功能,大王方收揽豪杰以隆大业,不可示人以狭,失天下之望也,藉彼有谋,大王以智防之,无能为也。
陈牧:先生之言是也,所谓骄则速败,其焉能为患,彼有大功,杀之不义,先生之论何似郭嘉之言?开寡人心怀也!
chenmu:nowliangguohasjustbeenpacified,generalliubinwasproudandindulgentbecauseofhismerits,andaskedmeforalotofrewardsendlessly,becauseshouchuncityhasnotbeencapturedforalongtime,thereisariskthathewillbetrayme,he‘sboundtobeahiddendangertothecountry,soiwanttotaketheopportunitytokillhim,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:idon‘tthinkyoucanbreakthecovenantofrunan,ifhebetraysthenthechargeishis,nowkillhimwithoutthefactofbetrayal,theworldwillthinkthatyouarejealousofthevirtuous,youshouldrecruitheroestocreateagreatcause,andyoucan‘tbenarrow-minded,otherwiseyouwilldisappointtheworld,evenifhewantstobetrayaslongasyouwatchoutinadvance,there‘snothingtolose。
chenmu:sirisright,pridecanacceleratefailuresohecan‘tmakewaves,hehadmerit,anditwasimmoraltokillhim,sir‘swisewordsuntiedtheknotinmyheart。
陈牧:先生凯旋,寡人欲加先生大司马,以都督中外诸军事,先生以为如何?
萧凡:臣今以元相之重,储傅之尊,端右事繁,司马任大,总督戎机,出纳帝命,今文武两寄,巨细并关,以伊、吕、萧、邓之贤,尚不能兼,何况臣哉?
陈牧:寡人方混壹四海,非卿谁可委者?先生切莫推辞,前有刘备之于孔明,苻坚之于王猛,今有寡人之于先生,岂不快哉!
chenmu:sirtriumphantly,iwouldliketoappointyouasgrandmarshalinchargeofallmilitaryaffairs,sirthoughtso?
xiaofan:iamalreadyaveryhonorableprimeminister,andihavealotofthingstodealwith,thegrandmarshalisinchargeofthemilitarywithagreatresponsibility,nowyouhaveaskedmetodealwithbothinternalaffairsandthemilitary,evenasaintmaynotbecompetent,letaloneme?
chenmu:i‘mabouttocalmtheworld,noonebutsircandoit,youdon‘tprevaricate,itrustyoujustlikeliubeibelievesinzhugeliang,that‘saveryhappything。