陈牧：今敦煌危急，朝臣议速救之，寡人甚忧之，先生何以教我？

    萧凡：臣以为，敦煌虽小，城守固备，未易可拔，契丹虽强，攻敦煌不下，其众必疲，疲而击之，全胜之道也，将何救焉！且车骑将军已至酒泉，必有分画处置，臣料不出七日捷报可至。

    陈牧：先生之言甚善，前置安西都护，正为今日，寡人无忧矣。

    chenmu：today，thesituationindunhuangisverycritical，theministersrecommendedimmediaterescue，i‘mveryworriedaboutthat，sirtaughtmewhattodo？

    xiaofan：ithink，althoughdunhuangissmall，itiswellpreparedforwar，thekhitanwerepowerfulbutnotnecessarilyabletoconquerit，onceitcouldnotbeconqueredforalongtime，thenthekhitanwouldbeverytired，itisthebesttimeforustotaketheopportunitytoattack，thereisnoneedtolaunchanimmediaterescue，besides，generalguokuanghadalreadyarrivedatjiuquan，hemusthavemadeastrategiclayout，iguess，thegoodnewswillbedeliveredsoon，aboutsevendays。

    chenmu：sirisright，wesetupthewarzoneforthismoment，ihavenothingtoworryabout。

    陈牧：寡人观今之群臣，罕能贞白卓异者，何也？先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为，盖求之不切，励之未津故也。若勖之以公忠，期之以远大，各有职分，得行其道；贵则观其所举，富则观其所养，居则观其所好，习则观其所言，穷则观其所不受，贱则观其所不为；因其材以取之，审其能以任之，用其所长，掩其所短；进之以六正，戒之以六邪，则不严而自励，不劝而自勉矣。

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

    chenmu：iobservedtheministersandfoundthattherewereveryfewincorruptibleandremarkable，people，sirtaughtmewhy？

    xiaofan：idon‘tthinkyourheartfortalentissincereenough，andtheincentivesarenotstrongenough，youhavetoencouragethemtobejustandfaithful，andexpectthemtodoit，youappointthemtododifferentthingsdependingontheposition，theyarerichandnoble，andobservetheirbehavior，observewhattheyliketodoafterwork，observewhethertheirwordsanddeedsareconsistent，whentheyarepoor，observetheirbottomlinesandprinciples，thenappointthemtopositionsbasedontheircharacteristicsandtalents，usetheirprosratherthantheirdrawbacks，andletthemknowtherelevantrules，onlythenwilltheyencouragethemselves。

    chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。

    陈牧：古云正臣有六，何也？寡人愿闻其详，先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为知之不难，一曰萌芽未动，形兆未见，昭然独见存亡之机，得失之要，预禁乎未然之前，使主超然立乎显荣之处，如此者，圣臣也。二曰虚心尽意，日进善道，勉主以礼义，谕主以长策，将顺其美，匡救其恶，如此者，良臣也。三曰夙兴夜寐，进贤不懈，数称往古之行事，以厉主意，如此者，忠臣也。四曰明察成败，早防而救之，塞其间，绝其源，转祸以为福，使君终以无忧，如此者，智臣也。五曰守文奉法，任官职事，不受赠遗，辞禄让赐，饮食节俭，如此者，贞臣也。六曰家国昏乱，所为不谀，敢犯主之严颜，面言主之过失，如此者，直臣也。

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。

    chenmu：i‘veheardthatcourtiershavesixrealms，iwonderwhatitis？sirtaughtme。

    xiaofan：idon‘tthinkit‘shardtounderstandit，first，hepredicteditbeforeitevenhappened，andhegraspedthemainpointsandcarriedoutthestrategiclayoutinadvance，becauseofthis，hemadethekinghonorable，suchapersonisasaint，second，wholeheartedlyassisttheking，teachkingsjustice，manners，andstrategy，thekingdoestherightthing，thentheywillpromoteit，ifthekingmakesamistake，thentheywillcorrectit，suchapersonisagoodminister，third，heworkedveryhardandoftengaveadvicetotheking，suchapersonisaloyalcourtier，fourth，hedetectedthecrisisinadvanceandremediedit，eventuallyheturnedbadthingsintogoodthings，andsavedthecrisis，suchamanisaministerofwisdom，fifth，abidebythelawanddohisjob，hedoesnotacceptbribesandisveryfrugal，suchapersonisachastecourtier，sixth，thekingfaintedanddidmanywrongthings，hecorrectedtheking‘smistakesandwasnotafraid，suchapersonisanuprightcourtier。

    chenmu：sirisright，iacceptyourteachings。

    陈牧：寡人思欲进忠良，退不肖，十有余载矣，徒闻其语，不见其人，何也？先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为，此乃言之是而行之非也。言之是，则出乎公道，行之非，则涉乎邪径。是非相乱，好恶相攻。所爱虽有罪，不及于刑；所恶虽无辜，不免于罚。此所谓爱之欲其生，恶之欲其死者也。或以小恶弃大善，或以小过忘大功。此所谓君之赏不可以无功求，君之罚不可以有罪免者也。赏不以劝善，罚不以惩恶，而望邪正不惑，其可得乎？

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。

    chenmu：iwanttopromotethosewhoareuprightandloyalandremovetreacherouspeople，it‘sbeenalmostadecadeandi‘veonlyheardofthembutcan‘tfindthem，sirtaughtmewhy？

    xiaofan：ithink，thisisthereasonfortheinconsistencybetweenwordsanddeeds，wordsareonlyaboutrightandwrong，butwrongbehaviorcanhaveseriousconsequences，itisdifficulttodistinguishbetweenrightandwrongandgoodandevil，thepersonyoulovemakesamistakebutgoesunpunished，thepeopleyouhatearerightbutpunished，youoftenforgettheirexploitsbecauseofsmallmistakes，akingcannotrewardthosewhohavenomerit，andkingscannotpunishthosewhohavenotmademistakes，ifnot，itisimpossibleforyoutodistinguishbetweengoodandevil。

    chenmu：sirisright，iwaswrong。

    陈牧：寡人愿闻，何以择贤臣，何以别小人，先生教我。

    萧凡：臣以为，当设礼以待之，执法以御之，为善者蒙赏，为恶者受罚，安敢不企及乎？安敢不尽力乎？若赏不遗疏远，罚不阿亲贵，以公平为规矩，以仁义为准绳，考事以正其名，循名以求其实，则邪正莫隐，善恶自分。然后取其实，不尚其华，处其厚，不居其薄，则不言而化，期月而可知矣。若徒爱美锦，而不为民择官，有至公之言，无至公之实，爱而不知其恶，憎而遂忘其善，徇私情以近邪佞，背公道而远忠良，则虽夙夜不怠，劳神苦思，将求至理，不可得也。

    陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人谨受教。

    chenmu：iwonderhowtodistinguishbetweenthevirtuousandthewicked，sirtaughtme。

    xiaofan：ithink，youshouldtreatthemaccordingtoetiquetteandrules，thosewhodogoodarerewarded，andthosewhodobadarepunished，ifso，everyonewilllookuptoyouandbewillingtoworkhardforyou，eveniftheestrangedpeopledoagoodjob，youwillrewardthem，ifcroniesmakemistakes，thenyoupunishthemtoo，youhavetohandlethingsaccordingtofairnessandbenevolence，andorganizeexamstoseeiftheyreallyhavetalent，onlyinthiswayisiteasyforsagesandvillainstobedistinguished，ifyoujustlikeflashystuffandnotthinkaboutitforthepeople，thereareonlygoodideasbuttheyarenotimplemented，andwordsanddeedsareinconsistent，thennomatterhowhardyoutry，youcan‘tgovernthecountrywell。

    chenmu：sirisright，irespectfullyacceptyourteachings。