English Original
During the reign of Emperor Qin Er Shi (221-207 B.C.), Prime Minister Zhao Gao, driven by ambition, plotted day and night to usurp the throne. To test his influence and identify his opponents among the court ministers, he devised a plan.
One day in court, Zhao Gao had a stag brought in and, with a broad smile, said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, I present you with this fine horse."
The emperor replied, "Prime Minister, you are mistaken. This is clearly a stag. Why do you call it a horse?"
Zhao Gao remained calm and insisted, "Your Majesty, look more closely. This is truly a horse that can travel a thousand li a day."
Puzzled, the emperor asked, "How can a horse have antlers?"
Zhao Gao then turned to the ministers and declared loudly, "If His Majesty does not believe me, let the ministers decide."
The ministers were bewildered. Seeing Zhao Gao's sinister smile and piercing gaze, they understood his malicious intent. Some timid but righteous ministers remained silent, torn between conscience and fear. A few courageous ones insisted it was a stag. Meanwhile, Zhao Gao's usual sycophants immediately supported him, calling the stag a horse.
Afterward, Zhao Gao brutally punished the honest ministers who had opposed him, even executing some with their entire families.
This story, recorded in Sima Qian's Historical Records, gave rise to the idiom "calling a stag a horse," meaning to deliberately distort facts and mislead the public.
中文翻译
秦二世（公元前221-207年）在位期间，野心勃勃的丞相赵高日夜图谋篡夺皇位。为了测试自己在朝臣中的威望并找出反对者，他想出了一个计策。
一日朝会上，赵高命人带来一头鹿，面带笑容对皇帝说：“陛下，臣献给您一匹好马。”
皇帝答道：“丞相错了，这明明是鹿，为何说是马？”
赵高面不改色地坚持：“请陛下再看清楚，这确实是一匹日行千里的好马。”
皇帝疑惑地问：“马头上怎会有角？”
赵高随即转向群臣，高声说道：“陛下若不信，可问问诸位大臣。”
大臣们一时不知所措。看到赵高脸上阴险的笑容和扫视众人的锐利目光，他们顿时明白了他的险恶用心。一些胆小但正直的大臣不敢作声，既不愿说谎，又怕事后遭赵高迫害。少数正直的大臣坚持说那是鹿。而平日里趋附赵高的奸猾谄媚之臣则立即附和，称鹿为马。
事后，赵高用各种手段残酷惩罚了那些不服从他的正直大臣，甚至将一些人满门抄斩。
这个故事出自司马迁《史记·秦始皇本纪》，由此衍生出成语“指鹿为马”，意指故意歪曲事实，混淆视听。