To Minister Zheng Congdang, formerly of Taiyuan前太原鄭從讜尙書
1On his being summoned to the capital
得河中王相國書報。伏承相公榮膺寵命。將赴京國。伏惟感慰。伏以宸遊旣遠。居守是難。須倚元臣。方安聖慮。是故。昔漢帝曰吾與僕射何異。則知重寄。別表顯恩。而況相公岳立儒宗。川流相業。頃辭鳳閣。遠耀龍旌。郭伋示信之鄕。廣沾恩化。周擧移書之地。遍活疲羸。肅軍令於貔貅。振兵威於玁狁。求安邊境。胡雛不敢南侵。遽値妖氛。周馭久勞西狩。今以玉京雖復。鑾輅未廻。輟戎略於藩垣。託繁機於宮闕。必計中和樂職。已繼雅音。司隷舊章。卽興盛禮。然後重調梅鼎。永對蓂階。贊成天下之春。固是彀中之事。凡云品彙。莫不欣歡。某早忝恩知。倍增抃慰。末由陳賀。但切依攀云云。
I have had word by letter from Chancellor Wang of Hezhong. I learn that the Chief Minister has received a favored command in honor and will go to the capital, and I bow low in thanks and gladness. I humbly consider that when the imperial journey has gone far, staying behind to guard is the hard thing, and that one must lean upon a chief minister before the sage ruler's cares are at rest. Therefore in old days the emperor of Han said, "How do I differ from my vice director?" From this we know that a heavy trust marks out a plain favor of its own. Still more so since the Chief Minister stands like a mountain as a master of the scholars, and his work as chancellor flows like a river. Of late he gave up the Phoenix Pavilion and made the dragon banner shine far away. In the district where Guo Ji showed good faith, his kindness and his teaching soaked widely. In the land where Zhou Ju sent his letters, he brought life to the weary and the worn everywhere. He made the army's orders stern among his fierce troops and shook the might of arms against the Xianyun. He sought quiet on the border, and the Hu whelps did not dare to raid the south. Then all at once there came a baleful mist, and the chariot of Zhou labored long in its hunt to the west. Now, though the jade capital is recovered, the royal carriage has not yet turned back. He lays down the plans of war at the border wall, and the crowded affairs of the palace are entrusted to him. I reckon that the songs of Zhonghe and Lezhi already carry on the refined music, and that the old statutes of the Colonel of the Guard will at once raise up the full rite. After that he will season the plum cauldron again and face the calendar-plant steps for long, and to help bring about the spring of all under heaven is surely a thing within his draw. Of all the kinds of living things there is none that is not glad. I early and unworthily received his kindness and his regard, and my applause and my comfort are doubled. I have no way to offer my congratulations. I only cling and look up the more keenly, and so on.