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​口蜜腹劍

李林甫,唐玄宗時官居“兵部尚書”兼“中書令”這是宰相的職位。

此人若論才藝倒也不錯,能書善畫。但若論品德,那是壞透了,所以並不受歡迎。

李林甫常常賄賂宦官來告訴他皇上的喜好,然後再準備東西討好皇上。因此皇上很倚重李林甫。

有一次,大臣李適之冒犯了李林甫,李林甫表面上並不在意,還裝作對這個大臣特別好。

然後有一天,李林甫告訴李適之在華山後面藏著金子,並慫恿他讓皇上去挖金。

玄宗立刻把李林甫找來商議,李林甫卻說:“這件事我早知道了,華山是帝王風水集中的地方,怎麽可以隨便開採?別人勸您開採,恐怕是不懷好意;我幾次想把這件事告訴您,只是不敢開口。”

如今當我們形容一個人是兩面派,表面對人溫文爾雅,但暗地傷人的人時,我們就用“口蜜腹劍”這個成語。

Honey in the mouth and swords in the stomach/Judas kiss

Li Lin-fu was a prime minister of China during the T'ang dynasty (唐朝, 618—907AD). 

He was good at both calligraphy and painting, but had a crafty and sinister personality which made him disliked by everyone.

Li Lin-fu would bribe the palace eunuchs and concubines to tell him what the emperor liked, and then would immediately go prepare that thing for the emperor. The emperor was therefore very fond of Li Lin-fu, and trusted him unduly.

One time, the minister Li Shr-jr offended Li Lin-fu. Li Lin-fu pretended not to care, and was in fact especially nice to the minister.

Then on a day, he told Li Shr-jr about some gold that was hidden over in Hua Mountain, and encouraged him to suggest mining this gold to the emperor.

Li Shr-jr being of an honest and upright disposition, believed that it was true, and immediately went and told the emperor.

But when the emperor began to discuss this with Li Lin-fu, Li Lin-fu acted very frightened and said,
"Hua Mountain in the place where all of Your Majesty's auspicious aurora are gathered. If we were to mine that area, it could be very dangerous for you. Who is it that wants to harm you?”

Today we can describe someone who is two-faced and always nice on the outside and yet is mean to people behind their backs as having "Honey in the Mouth and Swords in the Stomach."

口蜜腹劍張雅如
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