In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong summoned Fang, saying, "Every time I read the history books of the previous generation, I will take good advice and forgive evil for future generati

In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong summoned Fang, saying, "Every time I read the history books of the previous generation, I will take good advice and forgive evil for future generations. Translation of In the fourteenth year of Zhenguan, Emperor Taizong asked Fang: "Every time I read the history books of the previous generation, I praised the good and reprimanded the bad, so that I could restrain my words and deeds in the future. I don't know the contemporary national history from ancient times to the present. Why not let the emperor read it himself? " Fang Lingxuan replied: "Since the national history must be recorded, how many emperors can not violate the rules?" . I won't let your majesty see it for fear of disobeying the imperial edict. "Taizong said," my intention is different from the ancients. Now I want to see (my) national history for myself. If there is anything good, of course I don't have to say it. If there is something wrong, I just want to learn from my words and deeds and correct my mistakes. Can be copied. Fang and others deleted the national history and wrote twenty volumes of Records of Emperor Taizong of the Emperor Gaozu, which were presented to Emperor Taizong. When Emperor Taizong saw this incident on June 4, he told Fang: "In the past, Duke Zhou killed Guan and Cai for the stability of the Zhou Dynasty and poisoned his uncle's teeth for the peace of Lu. What I do, like them, is to stabilize the country and benefit the whole people. When historians record, how can they be troubled by hidden things? We should immediately delete those vain compliments and record the events at that time correctly. Wei Zhi, the assistant, said, "I heard that the emperor has the highest position, and there is nothing to be afraid of. Only national history is used to punish evil and promote good, and facts cannot be recorded. What do future generations think? It is the fairest thing for your majesty to let the historian correct his words now. "