English Original
Li Ling was a renowned general under Emperor Han Wu-di, known for his bravery and undefeated record.
During one campaign, his army was vastly outnumbered by the Huns. Despite their courageous fight, they were eventually captured. Li Ling surrendered, intending to bide his time for a counterattack.
When news of his surrender reached the capital, jealous ministers spoke ill of him before the emperor. Enraged, the emperor ordered the execution of Li Ling's wife and mother.
Sima Qian, who held Li Ling in high esteem, believed there must be a reason for the surrender and urged the emperor not to trust rumors. This angered the emperor, who imprisoned and severely punished Sima Qian.
While imprisoned, Sima Qian wrote a long letter to a friend, stating: "I am currently writing a historical work. If I die now, it would be as insignificant as losing a single hair from nine oxen. I am willing to endure this punishment to complete my book." Sima Qian ultimately finished his masterpiece—the renowned Shiji (Records of the Grand Historian).
中文翻译
李陵是汉武帝时期一位著名的将军，以骁勇善战、百战百胜而闻名。
一次征战中，他的军队被匈奴以压倒性兵力包围。尽管将士们奋勇抵抗，最终全军被俘。李陵暂时忍辱投降，计划伺机反击。
投降的消息传到都城后，朝中嫉妒的大臣在皇帝面前诋毁李陵。皇帝勃然大怒，下令处死了李陵的妻子和母亲。
一向敬重李陵的司马迁认为其投降必有缘由，便劝谏皇帝不要听信谣言。皇帝因此迁怒于司马迁，将他囚禁并施以严酷的刑罚。
狱中，司马迁给朋友写了一封长信，信中说道：“我如今正在撰写一部史书。倘若我现在死去，就如同九头牛身上失去一根毛般微不足道。我甘愿承受刑罚，也要完成这部著作。”司马迁最终完成了他的不朽巨著——《史记》。