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唐朝女皇武则天，为了镇压反对她的人，任用了一批酷吏。其中两个最为狠毒，一个叫周兴，一个叫来俊臣。他们利用诬陷、控告和惨无人道的刑法，杀害了许多正直的文武官吏和平民百姓。 有一回，一封告密信送到武则天手里，内容竟是告发周兴与人联络谋反。武则天大怒，责令来俊臣严查此事。来俊臣，心里直犯嘀咕，他想，周兴是个狡猾奸诈之徒，仅凭一封告密信，是无法让他说实话的；可万一查不出结果，太后怪罪下来，我来俊臣也担待不起呀。这可怎么办呢？苦苦思索半天，终于想出一条妙计。 他准备了一桌丰盛的酒席，把周兴请到自己家里。两个人你劝我喝，边喝边聊。酒过三巡，来俊臣叹口气说：“兄弟我平日办案，常遇到一些犯人死不认罪，不知老兄有何办法？”周兴得意地说：“这还不好办！”说着端起酒杯抿了一口。来俊臣立刻装出很恳切的样子说：“哦，请快快指教。”周兴阴笑着说：“你找一个大瓮，四周用炭火烤热，再让犯人进到瓮里，你找一个大瓮，四周用炭火烤热，再让犯人进到瓮里，你想想，还有什么犯人不招供呢？”来俊臣连连点头称是，随即命人抬来一口大瓮，按周兴说的那样，在四周点上炭火，然后回头对周兴说：“宫里有人密告你谋反，上边命我严查。对不起，现在就请老兄自己钻进瓮里吧。”周兴一听，手里的酒杯啪哒掉在地上，跟着又扑通一声跪倒在地，连连磕头说：“我有罪，我有罪，我招供。” 故事见于《资治通鉴·唐则天皇后天授二年》。成语“请君入瓮”，比喻用某人整治他自己。 kindlystepintothevat--trywhatyouhavedevisedagainstothersinordertosuppressthosewhowereagainsther,wuzetian,theempressofthetangdynasty(618-907),appointedafewmercilesspersonstobejudges.twoofthemwereextremelybrutal;onewascalledzhouxingandtheotherwascalledlaijunchen.theykilledmanyuprightcivilandmilitaryofficialsaswellasordinarypeoplebyframingupcasesagainstthamandbyadministeringinhumancorporalpunishmenttothem. once,wuzetianreceivedaletterwhichinformedagainstzhouxing.theletterasidethatzhouxingwasplottingarebellionincollaborationwithothers.wuzetianwasfuriouslyangrywhenshereadtheletter,andimmediatelyorderedlaijunchentodealwiththecaseseverely.hearingtheorder,laijunchenhadmisgivingsaboutit.heknewthatzhouxingcouldnotbeforcedtotellthetruthmerelybyusingaletterinformingagainsthimbecausehewasveryslyandcrafty.laijunchenalsoknewthathewouldnotbeforgivenifheshouldfailindealingwiththecase,becausetheempresswouldcertainlyblamehimandpunishhim.howcouldhesolvetheproblemthen?heturnedtheproblemoverandoverinhismind,andfinallythoughtouta"brilliantscheme". laijunchenhadasumptuousfeastprepared,andinvitedzhouxingtohishome.thetwoofthemurgedeachothertodrink,andtheytalkedwhiledrinking.afterthewinehadgoneroundthreetimes,laijunchenpretendedtosigh,"whenihandlecasesinordinarytimes,ioftencomacrossprisonerswhostubbournlyrefusetoadmittheyareguilty.iwonderifyouhaveanyeffetivemeasures."hearingthis,hetookasipofthewine.laijunchenimmediatelypretendedtobeveryearnest,saying,"oh,pleasedotellmeatonce."smilinginsidiously,zhouxingsaid,"getabigvat,scorchithotwithcharcoalfireallaround,andthenlettheprisonercomeintothevat.willtheprisonerfailtomakeaconfessionofhiscrime?"hearingthis.laijunchennoddedhisheadinapprovalrepeatedly.hethenorderedhissubordinatestobringabigvat,andhadacharcoalfirelitallarounditaszhouxinghadsaid.hethenturnedtozhouxingandsaid,"someoneintheimperialcourthasinformedagainstyou,sayingthatyouareplottingarebellion.theempresshasorderedmetodealwiththecaseseverely.soibegyourpardon,butwouldyoukindlystepintothe"someoneintheimperialcourthasinformedagainstyou,sayingthatyouareplottingarebellion.theempresshasorderedmetodealwiththecaseseverely.soibegyourpardon,butwouldyoukindlystepintothevat?"hearingthis,zhouxingdroppedhiswinecuptothegroundandthecupbrokewithacrash.thenhekneltdownwithaflop,noddedrepeatedlyandsaid,"iamguilty.iconfessiamguilty." thisstoryappearsinageneralhistoryasamirrorofpasteventsbysimaguangofthesongdynasty.fromthisstory,peoplehavederivedthesetphrase"kindlystepintothevat--trywhatyouhavedevisedagainstothers". | 
