陈牧：寡人闻国有运，汉唐皆数百岁，何也？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，盖以道治国，道者，所繇适于治之路也，仁、义、礼、乐，皆其具也，故圣王已没，而子孙长久，安宁数百岁，此皆礼乐教化之功也。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。
chenmu：i‘veheardthateverydynastyhadalifespan，thehanandtangdynastieswereallhundredsofyearsold，sirtaughtmewhy？
xiaofan：ithink，thisisbecausethecountryisgovernedintherightway，andthesewaysaregoodforthegovernanceofthecountry，itincludesbenevolence，righteousness，etiquette，andmusic，thus，afterthedeathoftheholyking，theirdescendantswereabletostabilizethecountryforhundredsofyears，thisisallduetoindoctrination。
chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧：今朝议汹汹，寡人当如何处之？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，天下之祸不由于外，皆兴于内。是故虞舜先除四凶，然后用十六相，明恶人不去，则善人无由进也。今乱起于赵、魏，此皆衅发萧墙，而祸延四海者也，贼党虽盛，不足为庙堂忧也。臣之所惧，在于治水不自其源，末流弥增其广耳。大王仁德宽容，多所不忍，故阉竖弄权，忠臣不进，汉唐之鉴犹在前耳，大王宜思虞舜四罪之举，速行谗佞之诛，则善人思进，奸凶自息矣。
陈牧：非先生之言，寡人几不悟也，当为卿斩之以靖天下。
chenmu：nowadays，thereisalotofseriousdiscussioninthemeeting，howshouldihandlethis？sirtaughtme。
xiaofan：ithink，intheworld，mostdisastersoccurinternallyratherthanexternally，therefore，shunfirstkilledthetraitorsbeforeappointingthecourtiers，forifthetraitorisinpower，thenthesaintwillnotcomeout，now，therewasachaosinzhaoandwei，thisisbecauseproblemswithinthegovernmenthavetriggeredexternalchaos，althoughtherearemanythieves，youdon‘thavetoworry，whatifearisthatproblemswithinthegovernmentwillnotberesolved，thentheexternalchaoswillexpand，youareverykindandtolerant，soyoucan‘tbeartodothat，butiftheeunuchisinpower，thenthesagewillnotcomeout，youknowthelessonsofthehanandtangdynasties，sodon‘trepeatthemistakesofthepast，therefore，youshouldfollowshun‘sexampleandkilltheeunuchs，onlyinthiswaycanthechaosbesolvedandthesagescancomeout。
chenmu：withoutyoureducation，iwouldnothavebeenabletowakeup，forthesakeofnationalstability，iimmediatelyorderedtheirexecution。
陈牧：今天下承平，赵、魏何故反也？寡人甚惑之，先生教我。
萧凡：臣讯其反状，咸言：赋敛过重，百姓莫不空单。京师遥远，告冤无所，民不聊生，故聚为盗贼尔。大王当移书告示，各使安其资业，招抚荒散，蠲复徭役，诛斩渠帅为大害者，简选良吏试守诸县，岁间荡定，百姓以安。
陈牧：使百姓流离，此乃寡人之不德也，谨奉先生之教。
chenmu：today，theworldisatpeace，butwhydidthepeopleofzhaoandweirebel？i‘mveryconfusedaboutthat，sirtaughtme。
xiaofan：ihaveinterrogatedseveralpeople，theysaythetaxesaretooheavytoafford，theywantedtoappealtheirgrievances，butthecapitalwastoofaraway，people‘slivesaresodifficultthattheycan‘tsurvive，sotheyhadnochoicebuttorebel，youshouldorderthelocalgovernmenttoresumeproduction，andtorecruitandappeasedisplacedpersons，youshouldreduceyourservitudeandkillthemaincriminalleaders，thenyousendthesagestogovernthecounties，inlessthanayear，itwillsettledown。
chenmu：it‘smyfaultthatpeoplehavesuffered，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧：今将军王楷兵围清河，自六月至八月而不拔，朝臣奏征其班师，寡人当如何处之，先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，昔秦用白起，燕任乐毅，皆旷年历载，乃能克敌。王楷讨清河已有功效，引师东指，方略已设；临军易将，兵家所忌，宜假日月，责其成功，愿大王勿有廉颇之憾。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。
chenmu：ithadnowbeentwomonthssincethegeneralwangkaihadbesiegedqinghe，butithasnotyetbeenconquered，therefore，theministersadvisedmetoretreat，whatshouldidoaboutit？sirtaughtme。
xiaofan：ithink，whenthestateofqinappointedbaiqiandthestateofyanappointedleyi，ittookthemalongtimetoconquertheenemy，generalwangkaihasalreadyachievedsomesuccessinthisbattle，hehadledhisarmytoattacktheenemy‘seasternflankandcompleteditsstrategicdeployment，itisnotappropriateforyoutochangethegeneralnow，ifyougivehimsomemoretime，hewilldefinitelyconquerit，ihopeyoudon‘tregretit，becauseofthereplacementofgenerals。
chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。
陈牧：今西北兵乱不解，征发天下役赋无已，侍郎以为宜弃敦煌，寡人当如何处之，先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，侍郎当斩，昔樊哙以冒顿悖逆，愤激思奋，未失人臣之节，季布犹曰‘哙可斩也’。今敦煌西北要冲，国家藩卫。汉高之时，使郦商别定陇右；世宗拓境，列置四郡，议者以为断匈奴右臂，今亦然也，侍郎不念为国思弭之之策，乃欲割弃一方万里之土，臣窃惑之！若使契丹之虏得居此地，士劲甲坚，因以为乱，此天下之至虑，社稷之深忧也，当谴车骑将军郭况镇之。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人意决矣，置安西都护府，以断契丹之右臂。
chenmu：nowadaystherearefrequentwarsinthenorthwest，therefore，thetaxesundertheworldarealsoveryheavy，someministersadvisedmetoabandondunhuang，whatshouldidoaboutit？sirtaughtme。
xiaofan：ithink，theseministersshouldbeputtodeath，whenthexiongnukingwasarrogant，fankuanwassoangrythathewantedtofightbackimmediately，hedidnotlosehisdisciplineasaminister，butjibustillthinksheshouldbeexecuted，nowdunhuangisastrategicfortressinthenorthwest，anditisthedefenselineofthecountry，fromthetimeofliubangtoliuche，ournorthwestdefensivelinewasestablished，thereasonforthiswastocontaintherightwingofthehuns，itisalsopracticaltoday，theseministersdidnotwanttoresisttheenemy，butgaveupterritory，i‘mconfusedaboutthat，ifthekhitanonceoccupiedthisplaceandlaunchedanattack，thentheworldwillfallintowar，therefore，youshouldimmediatelysendgeneralguokuangtorescuedunhuang。
chenmu：sirisright，ialreadyhadadecisioninmyheart，iwanttoestablishamilitarydistrictinthenorthwestwiththeaimofcuttingofftherightflankofthekhitans。
陈牧：寡人闻，知足常乐，何也？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，不知足则失所欲，故知足之足，常足矣，览往事之成败，察将来之吉凶，未有于名要利，欲而不厌，而能保世持家、永全福禄者也。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。
chenmu：i‘veheardthatcontentmentisalwayshappy，sirtaughtmewhy？
xiaofan：ithink，ifyouarenotsatisfied，youwilllosewhatyouwant，onlybybeingcontentcanyoubefulfilledandhappy，lookatexamplesofprevioussuccessesandfailures，andpredicthowgoodorbadthefuturewillbe，insatiablepeopleareunabletoprotectthemselvesandtheirfamilies，theyareevenlesslikelytoattainalifetimeofriches。
chenmu：sirisright，iacceptyourteachings。
陈牧：寡人着令举贤，而各郡荐才甚少，何也？先生教我。
萧凡：臣以为，十室之邑，必有忠信，三人并行，厥有我师，今或至阖郡，而不荐一人，是化不下究，而积行之君子，壅于上闻也，大王当诏令，进贤受上赏，蔽贤蒙显戮，以明古之遗意。
陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。
chenmu：iorderpeopletorecommendtalent，butveryfewpeoplearerecommendedeverywhere，sirtaughtmewhy？
xiaofan：ithink，theremustbeloyalandfaithfulpeopleinadozenorsofamilies，theremustbemyteacherindealingwithpeople，thisishappeningnowbecauseyourdecreescannotbeconveyedtothelocalities，andthesagescannotbeselected，youshouldissueadecreerewardingthosewhoelectthewiseandpunishingthosewhoobstructthewise，onlyinthiswaycanthestatusquobechanged。
chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。