陈牧：寡人闻，吾华夏有四海九州，何也？先生教我。

萧凡：臣以为，八荒之内有四海，四海之内有九州。天子处中州而制八方耳。两河间曰冀州，河南曰豫州，河西曰雍州，汉南曰荆州，江南曰扬州，济河间曰兖州，济东曰徐州，燕曰幽州，齐曰青州。山川汙泽，陵陆邱阜，五土之宜，圣王就其势，因其便，不失其性。历代王者，京师四通而致之。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。

chenmu：iheardthattherearefourseasandninestatesinchina，sirtaughtmewhichones？

xiaofan：ithink，therearefourseasbetweenheavenandearth，thereareninestatesbetweenthefourseas，theemperorruledovertheothereightstatesinthecenter，thereisjizhoubetweenthetworivers，yuzhouissouthofthegreatriver，thereisyongzhouwestofthegreatriver，southofthehanriverisjingzhou，thereisyangzhoueastofthehanriver，betweenthetworiversisyanzhou，xuzhouiseastofthejiriver，thestateofyanwastheformerstateofyan，thestateofqiwastheformerqingzhou，mountains，rivers，seas，land，hills，theirterrainisdifferent，theholykingdividedtheworldintoninestatesaccordingtotheirdifferences，successivekingshavelinkedthecentralgovernmentwiththeothereightstates。

chenmu:sirisright，iacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：何为良将之姿？寡人愿闻先生之见。

萧凡：臣以为，责之而不骄，委之而不专，扶之而不隐，免之而不惧，此乃良将之姿也，良将之为政也，使人择之，不自举；使法量功，不自度，以是能功成而动宇内也。

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人受教矣。

chenmu：iwonderwhatthecriteriaforagoodgeneralare？sirtaughtme。

xiaofan：ithink，thechiefentrustedhimwiththetask，buthewasnotproudandarbitrary，supporthimbuthedoesn‘thide，removehimbutheisnotafraid，thisisthequalificationofagoodgeneral，agoodgeneralhandlespoliticalaffairs，andhedoesnotelecthimselfbutletsothers，rewardaccordingtotherulesratherthanhisownwill，becauseofthis，theycanbuildmeritoriousdeedsandbecomefamousintheworld。

chenmu:sirisright，iacceptyourteachings。

陈牧：寡人欲大赦天下，以恩泽百姓，可乎？先生以为如何？

萧凡：臣以为，治世以大德，不以小惠，故匡衡、吴汉不愿为赦。刘玄德亦言，其周旋陈元方、郑康成间，每见启告，治乱之道悉矣，曾不语赦也。若梁武帝、唐玄宗，岁岁赦宥，奸人欣欣，善人喑哑，何益於治也！

陈牧：先生之言是也，寡人知过矣。

chenmu：iwanttoforgivesinnersintheworldtoshowpeoplemykindness，sirwhatdoyouthink？

xiaofan：ithink，youshouldgovernyourcountrywithgreatvirtueratherthansmallfavors，therefore，kuanghengandwuhandidnotsupportarbitrarypardons，previously，liubei‘steacherstaughthimtogovernthecountrywithoutarbitrarypardons，emperorwuofliangandemperorxuanzongoftangoftenpardonedcriminals，thismakesthevillainveryhappyandthegentlemanveryhurt，howcansuchamethodgovernthecountrywell？

chenmu:sirisright，iwaswrong。