The mouth is covered with honey, but there is a sword hidden in the belly(口蜜腹劍)
In China's Tang Dynasty, there was a famous prime minister. His name was Li Linfu. There is a story about him recorded in history books.
There was a very capable and loyal minister in the Tang Dynasty. His name was Yan Tingzhi.
One day the king said to (Li Linfu).
(Yan Tingzhi) has been doing a very good job lately, so I want to transfer him from (Jiangzhou) back to the capital.
(Li Linfu) replied.
Your idea is very good, and I totally agree.
The day after this incident, (Li Linfu) invited (Yan Tingzhi's) younger brother, who lived in the capital, to his house.
Li Linfu said to (Yan Tingzhi's) younger brother
Your king told me yesterday that he is considering changing your brother's position, but he has not yet made a final decision.
I think we should help your brother. We should find a way to transfer your brother back to the capital.
(Yan Tingzhi's) younger brother replied.
This is good news. What do you think we should do to get my brother transferred back to the capital by the king?
Li Linfu said.
You can write a letter to your brother asking him to mention in his work report to the king that he has recently fallen seriously ill.
I am currently serving as Prime Minister, and I will take this report written by your brother and tell the king.
(Yan Tingzhi) is a loyal minister. He is currently seriously ill. We should transfer (Yan Tingzhi) back to the capital as soon as possible because the capital has more medical resources.
After (Yan Tingzhi) recovers from his illness, we can let him work in the central government in the capital.
(Yan Tingzhi's younger brother replied.
This is such a good idea that I wrote to my brother today.
About a week later, after seeing [Yan Tingzhi's] work report, the king said to [Li Linfu].
Yan Tingzhi is seriously ill. How do you think we should arrange his position?
Li Linfu replied.
(Yan Tingzhi) has great working ability. If we send him back to the capital, I think he will be of great help to us.
But the workload in the central government in the capital is very heavy, and he is sick now. Given his current condition, I am very worried that his physical strength will not be able to cope with such a heavy workload.
I have suggested that we transfer him to a place further away from the capital with less work so that he can recover.
After a few months, when he has fully recovered from his illness, we will bring him back to the capital to work.
The king nodded.
Your consideration is very thoughtful, we will do as you say.
Because (Li Linfu) often did things like this, where his words were completely opposite to his actions, many ministers later disliked him.
Many ministers at that time said this about Li Linfu.
(Li Linfu's) mouth seemed to be covered with honey, but in his belly was hidden a sword.
This idiom literally means is his mouth is covered with honey, but there is a sword hidden in his belly.
It is used to describe a person who appears to be kind on the outside, but is actually sinister and cunning on the inside.
Dear friends, what inspiration or thoughts do you have after listening to this story?
Do you have a friend like Li Linfu? If you met such a person, how would you choose to get along with him?
I hope this story can give you some new insights.
口蜜腹劍(The mouth is covered with honey, but
there is a sword hidden in the belly)
中國的唐朝時代有一個著名的宰相，他的名字叫做(李林甫)，歷史書中記載了一個他的故事。
唐王朝有一個能力很好而且很忠誠的大臣，這個大臣的名字叫做(嚴挺之)。
有一天國王對(李林甫)說。
(嚴挺之)最近的工作表現很好，所以我想把他從(絳州)調職回首都。
(李林甫)回答。
你的這個想法非常好，我非常認同。
這件事情發生的第二天，(李林甫)邀請(嚴挺之)住在首都的弟弟到他的家裡。
李林甫對(嚴挺之)的弟弟說。
你昨天國王對我說他考慮要調動你的哥哥的職位，但他還目前沒有做出最後的決定。
我認為我們應該要幫忙你的哥哥、我們要想辦法讓你的哥哥被調回首都。
(嚴挺之)的弟弟回答。
這個消息太棒了，你覺得我們應該怎樣做才可以讓我的哥哥順利被國王調回首都工作呢?
李林甫說。
你可以寫一封信給你的哥哥，你請你的哥哥在寫給國王的工作報告中表示自已最近生了很嚴重的病。
我目前擔任宰相，我會拿你哥哥寫的這份工作報告對國王說。
(嚴挺之)是一個忠誠的大臣，他目前生了很嚴重的病，我們應該快點將(嚴挺之)調回首都， 因為首都的醫療資源比較豐富。
等(嚴挺之)的病治好了之後，我們可以讓他進首都的中央政府內工作。
(嚴挺之)的弟弟回答。
這真是個好主意，我今天立刻寫信給我的哥哥。
大約過了一個星期，國王看到(嚴挺之)的工作報告後對(李林甫)說。
嚴挺之生了嚴重的病，你覺得我們應該要如何安排他的工作職位呢?
李林甫回答。
(嚴挺之)的工作能力很棒，如果我們將他調回首都，我相信他一定會對我們有很大的幫助。
但是首都的中央政府內的工作量很大，他現在生病了，以他現在的狀態我很擔心他的體力無法負擔那麼大的工作量。
我建議我我們可以把他調職到一個離首都比較遠而且工作量比較少的地方讓他可以好好的調養身體。
過幾個月後，等他的病完全痊癒後，我們屆時再將他調回首都工作。
國王點頭說。
你的考慮很周全，我們就照你所說的去執行。
(李林甫)因為經常做這出這種說的話與行動完全相反的事情，所以很多大臣後來都很討厭他。
當時有很多大臣這樣評論李林甫。
(李林甫)的嘴巴好像塗了蜂蜜，但他的肚子裡卻隱藏了一支劍。
這句成語直接翻譯的意思是他嘴巴塗著蜂蜜但他肚子裡面隱藏著一把劍。
這句成語被用來形容一個人外表看起來很善良，但是這個人的內心卻是陰險狡猾。
親愛的朋友，你聽完這個故事有怎樣的啟發或有怎樣的想法呢。
你的朋友中有像是(李林甫)這樣類型的人嗎?假設你遇見了這類型的人，你會選擇如何與他相處呢?
我期待這故事能讓你產生一些新的收穫。
出處為開元天寶遺事-卷4-肉腰刀
出處為資治通鑑-卷215-唐記31
https://zh.wikisource.org/zh-hans/%E8%B3%87%E6%B2%BB%E9%80%9A%E9%91%91/%E5%8D%B7215