48 Liu Tao remonstrates with Emperor Ling

48 Liu Tao remonstrates with Emperor Ling 

One day, Emperor Ling was feasting with the Ten Eunuchs in the backyard, when the court advisor Liu Tao burst into tears in front of the emperor. The emperor asked him why he was crying. Tao replied, "The country is in imminent danger, yet Your Majesty is feasting with eunuchs!" The emperor asked, "The country is at peace, what danger is there?" Tao said, "Bandits are rising up everywhere, plundering the provinces. This disaster is all caused by the Ten Eunuchs selling offices, oppressing the people, and deceiving the emperor. The court has lost all its righteous officials, the disaster is right in front of us!" The Ten Eunuchs knelt before the emperor and said, "The ministers can't tolerate us, we can't survive! We only ask Your Majesty to spare our lives and let us return to our hometowns, we are willing to donate all our wealth to support the military." After speaking, they cried bitterly. Emperor Ling, angered, ordered Tao to be executed. Liu Tao shouted, "I do not fear death! What a pity for the Han dynasty, after more than four hundred years, it will come to an end like this!"
一日，帝在后园与十常侍饮宴，谏议大夫刘陶，径到帝前大恸。帝问其故。陶曰：“天下危在旦夕，陛下尚自与阉宦共饮耶！”帝曰：“国家承平，有何危急？”陶曰：“四方盗贼并起，侵掠州郡。其祸皆由十常侍卖官害民，欺君罔上。朝廷正人皆去，祸在目前矣！”十常侍皆免冠跪伏于帝前曰：“大臣不相容，臣等不能活矣！愿乞性命归田里，尽将家产以助军资。”言罢痛哭。帝怒谓陶曰：“汝家亦有近侍之人，何独不容朕耶？”呼武士推出斩之。刘陶大呼：“臣死不惜！可怜汉室天下，四百余年，到此一旦休矣！”