Everyone was in an uproar, and those who were far away couldn't see clearly, but those who were close, after looking carefully, were all shocked in their hearts.

The largest gear is really as Xie Hong said, and according to Xie Hong's statement, looking at other smaller gears, although the shape is intact, they are more or less worn, and the teeth are also of different lengths, which is the subtle fault that Xie Hong said.

"What if it's a little bit of wear and tear? Isn't this pocket watch running as usual? Ambassador Kim was strong, and although he was aware of the problem, he still held his neck and refused to admit defeat.

Xie Hong smiled coldly and said, "What can it be?" The impact now is that every day your pocket watch will have an error of about a minute, and after a long time, the error will gradually increase, and finally of course it will be completely unusable. ”

"This pocket watch has been passed down for thousands of years, and some wear and tear is normal, how can you conclude that the pocket watch will be damaged after two months?" Xie Hong's words were reasonable, and Ambassador Jin was already convinced of this statement in his heart, but he still refused to give up and deducted the words again.

"It's really impossible to judge this problem alone, so the official said that there are two serious damages to this pocket watch, and the gears are one ......of them" Xie Hong shook his head, and the disdain in his eyes became even stronger.

Regardless of how the North Koreans got their hands on pocket watches, the original source of this thing must have been Europe. It took thousands of miles from Europe to East Asia, and the time it took was incalculable, and then it fell into the hands of the Koreans, and at this time, it was even more immeasurable.

What's more, Europe did not carry out the industrial revolution in this era, and the steelmaking process there was only between the Ming Dynasty, and the elder was just a better congenital condition in Europe, and the iron ore there was mostly rich ore, which was higher than the iron ore grade in China.

After a long time, coupled with the ordinary quality of steel, the craftsmanship is not necessarily high, and the life of the pocket watch itself will not be too high. Before seeing the pocket watch, Xie Hong had already determined eighty percent, and when the North Korean envoy took out something, he was 100% confirmed.

“…… Whether it is a pocket watch or a pendulum clock, it can run on its own, relying on the power of machinery, and the device that accumulates power is the spring! How is the spring of the pocket watch, you can see for yourself, two months? Hmph, that's all the official said in Duoli, looking at this look, I'm afraid it will be difficult to survive a month. ”

"This, this ......" Ambassador Kim panicked, the pocket watch was in his hand, and he certainly saw it most clearly. There are many applications of machine springs in this era, and he has seen them. At this time, under Xie Hong's guidance, he took a closer look, and sure enough, he found that the reed was about to break, how could he not be surprised?

"Are you going to use such a waste product to fool Shengming's great tomorrow? Don't you know that the law of kings is ruthless? Xie Hong made the final blow at the right time, his voice was cold, and the content of his words made the listeners tremble.

"The emperor is lenient, although he knows that this pocket watch has been damaged, but he tolerates it with a generous heart, and even orders the official to make a pendulum clock in return, first, it can't chill the heart of the country, and secondly, it is also to let the country see the magic skills of my Celestial Empire, which can be learned and applied. But how did you repay the emperor's leniency? Are you not ashamed? ”

Unforgiving is one of Xie Hong's criteria for being a person, and he has completely gained the upper hand at this time, and of course he will not let go of the opportunity.

He first said to the two envoys in a heartbroken manner: "The emperor is lenient, but you actually took the opportunity to open your mouth to the emperor's lion, and actually wanted to exchange a waste product for a million taels of silver, do you ask your conscience, are you worthy of the emperor?" Is there any other way for you to atone for your sins than to apologize for your sins? ”

The two envoys were completely stupid and apologized for their crimes? We don't have this custom in that place, do you? It's too ruthless.

Xie Hong turned to the courtiers again, and said with a deep face: "Ladies and gentlemen, you are all pillars of the imperial court, you are well aware of the righteousness, and your knowledge is naturally far greater than that of the lower officials, colluding with foreign vassals and harming the interests of the Ming court...... In short, after you hand in the resignation form, the lower officials will persuade the emperor to keep you, and you can rest assured. ”

The courtiers have crooked noses, and they haven't said anything, so you are convicted, so don't say much, then say more What do you want to say? Push out all the princes of the DPRK and China and cut them down?

What's more, can this be considered a deception, no one opened the pocket watch to see, at most it was just a negligence, or was it a crime for so many people to neglect together?

When it comes to criminal names, Min Shangshu is duty-bound, and as soon as he flicks the sleeves of his robe, he will come out to speak.

"Lord Min can't!" Before Min Jue could speak, he was stopped by Xie Hong with an eager face, "Lord Min is a scholar, a pillar of the imperial court, and a secretary of the six ministries, how can he resign so rashly?" ”

"You ......" Min Jue's beard was upturned, and he was angry, but he was old, and he was really not Xie Hong's opponent just by competing for speech speed and voice.

"Even if you want to resign, you will be humbled and humbled, and let the adults with higher official positions come first." Xie Hong was talking nonsense, aiming at Liu Jian with ill intentions.

Scholar Liu was also angry, a courtier, he dared to offend him, the head of the court, how could he bear it, he went out of class to Zhengde and said, "Your Majesty, the old minister ......"

"Scholar Liu, are you really going to resign?" As soon as Liu Jian got up, he was interrupted by Zhengde, Zhu Houzhao deserved to be the best actor in the Ming Dynasty, I saw that he looked sad, and his tears were about to fall, he seemed to be very reluctant, but what he said almost made Liu Jian faint.

"I'm really reluctant, but there's no way, didn't Zigong say it? The fault of a gentleman is also like the eclipse of the moon...... Since Liu Daxue has the courage to admit his mistakes and take responsibility, I have no choice but to say goodbye to Aiqing with tears, alas, I put this heart into Mingyue, but Mingyue shines on the ditch, I am so lenient, but Aiqing deceived me, and at this time I want to abandon me, how can this be embarrassing. ”

Xie Hong secretly gave a thumbs up, the second brother really had a tacit understanding, and the cooperation was too good, although the words were a little inappropriate...... Liu Jian vomited blood, how could he meet such two living treasures, the worst thing is that one of them is still the emperor! The old man only said four words in total, is it okay, who is going to resign? The most annoying thing is that these two living treasures are still deceiving, otherwise...... Said to be retained!

"Ministers and ......" is inappropriate, or the occasion is wrong, but the emperor has already said such a thing, and even made a rare poem...... If that's poetry, well, it's fourteen words. According to the rules, the ministers had to apologize, so everyone had to bow down and apologize.

Of course, it is impossible to get the courtiers to resign, Xie Hong just plans to shock the courtiers first, so as to clean up the real goal.

"Two envoys, do you apologize now, or do you wait a little longer? Well, do you want the official to help you find two knives, your custom is really not very good, why do you want to disembowel, bloody, how scary. Or hang yourself to save trouble, just get a rope, and don't pollute the environment, or, the two of you think about it? ”

"Master Xie...... There is no custom of disembowelment in Korea...... "The two envoys snuggled up to each other, both trembling.

"That's better, it's not bad to hang yourself." Xie Hong is like a stream.

"The little envoy knows it's wrong, please let us go...... "The residents of the peninsula are actually aware of current affairs, this era is for the Ming Dynasty, and the later generations are for a country on the other side of the ocean, the object is different, but the same shouts Dad.

"This is embarrassing, the two of you are guilty of deception! And just now the two of them promised in front of the emperor, saying that they would take responsibility, if the two of them did not apologize, would it affect the diplomatic relations between the Ming Dynasty and North Korea? I'm afraid it's not worth raising sword soldiers for such a trivial matter, right? "It's a pity that they met Xie Hong, a bad guy.

"No...... Don't dare to ......" The faces of the two envoys turned green, this threat is too terrifying, it is just like the threat of Guatemala in later generations, for the threatened party, it is unbearable pain. It's nothing just for Xie Hong to say this, the problem is that the one on the dragon chair is also full of righteous indignation, it's terrible.

The envoys were very helpless, so they turned their attention to Zhang Sheng for help, the Ministry of Rites Shangshu was not as unreasonable as Xie Hong, and the most important thing was that the Ministry of Rites Shangshu also accepted their thanks, and he was a particular person, and he could only rely on this adult to save his life.

Zhang Sheng has a headache, Zhengde and Xie Hong sang and harmonized, and they took advantage of the reason, who could know that the pocket watch was really a scrap? It is impossible to remove all the courtiers, if it is true that everyone resigns, who will the emperor rely on to govern the world?

But the trouble is that if Zhengde narrows the attack surface and specifically deals with one person, then, unless this person is a university scholar, it will ...... There are many people waiting for the top! Today's matter is directly related to him, the secretary of the Ministry of Rites, and he can't hide from it, how can he think of coming out?

"Xie Qianhu, these two are the envoys of the vassal kingdom after all, you are so coercive, it will inevitably damage the prestige of the Celestial Empire, you must know ......" Zhang Shangshu, who is particular about people, still came out hard, there was no way, the two envoys squeezed their eyebrows at him, and they almost shouted: 'Lord Zhang, help, how can you not save people after receiving money'.

"Need to know?" Xie Hong unceremoniously interrupted Zhang Sheng, and then grabbed Bai and said, "Do you need to know that Lord Zhang received the money?" Well, well, Xia Guan knows, this is called an unspoken rule, isn't it? It is to give the emperor and the court's silver to others, and then collect kickbacks from it, although the lower officials read few books, but I understand this truth. ”

You must know that you are big, I thought you were a talker, and you were a talker, so my brother was very polite, but Master Zhang, your sister is too old, and my brother can't afford it.

"Zhang Shangshu, is this true? There is such an unspoken rule in the Ministry of Rites! Xie Hong's partner once again completed the cooperation, and Zhengde on the dragon chair leaned forward and stared at Zhang Sheng with scrutinizing eyes, as if he wanted to find something out of him.

You know it's an unspoken rule, and you still say it? Zhang Sheng is so angry, is that called a convention? How hard it is for the officials of the Ministry of Rites to receive foreign envoys and make them feel the warmth of home, and the envoys should not express their gratitude? How did it become a rebate? also made an unspoken rule, and the person who made up sentences without learning and without knowing how to do it was really the most annoying.

He was angry, but he couldn't refute it openly, why is it called an unspoken rule? That is, when it is hidden, it is the rule, and when it is exposed, it is the evidence of the crime.

The Ministry of Rites will accept the offerings of the envoys of the vassal state, and hundreds of people in the palace know about it, but if he dares to say it loudly, then the impeachment of the officials will drown him the next day. Whether it's conventions or unspoken rules, it's all unspeakable.

"Your Majesty, the old minister has been wronged...... Zhang Sheng had no choice but to repeat his old tricks, lying on the ground and crying. Originally, there were outsiders present, and he didn't want to use this trick, but now that he looks at it, he can't help it.

Counting on someone else to help? Come on, one above and one below, these two guys cooperate tacitly, and they take advantage of it, who would stupidly rush out to find abuse at this time! Let's cry, cry for a long time, and the matter will pass, as for the North Korean envoys...... Ask for more blessings.

Zhang Sheng began to play a scoundrel, Xie Hong didn't pay attention to him, the hundreds of courtiers present were all the same, and it didn't help to remove one or two; Even if they are all dismissed, the people who come up again are almost the same, not to mention that Zhengde can't really do that.

Since you can't forget to fight to the death, then it's good to just slap your face, anyway, there are two other scourges that can be beaten to death, so let's solve them first.

Seeing Xie Hong turn his head again, Jin and Li were so frightened that many things in the Korean Kingdom were learned from the Ming Dynasty, including the relationship between the monarch and the minister. Zhang Shangshu is the secretary of the sixth department, but he was scared to cry by Xie Hong's words, can they not be afraid?

"Two, do you want a rope or a kitchen knife?" Xie Hong was smiling, and his friendly attitude was like a waiter at KFC in later generations.

"......" The two envoys were trembling all over, their teeth were fighting, wasn't this the Jinluan Palace of the Ming Dynasty? Aren't we here to pay tribute? Why was someone asked if I wanted a kitchen knife? How many years have it been since I came to Daming to pay tribute to this step of the field, and we are the first one, right?

"Lord Xie, the little envoy is already satisfied to see Tianyan today, so don't give it back, let's return to North Korea......" Deputy Envoy Li collapsed first, he was just arrogant, but he was not stupid, he had been tossing for so long, and he didn't know what the crux of the problem was.

"That's not good, the courtesy is still exchanged, I am a country of etiquette, since you have sent a gift, then naturally you can't let you go back empty-handed." Xie Hong's expression was very shy, but his tone was loose.

Forcing someone to hang or disembowel, what kind of etiquette is this? The two of them scolded in their stomachs, but they still had a smile on their faces: "Lord Xie is polite......

"But since the two of you insist on this, the official will accept it for the emperor first, and then he will send someone to Honglu Temple to pick it up, please prepare the two of you."

"Yes, yes......" The two envoys' hearts finally fell into their stomachs, first nodded busily, and then asked suspiciously: "My lord, isn't the pocket watch here?" What do adults want to prepare? ”

"Huh?" Xie Hong made an accent from his nose, and the hearts of the two envoys hung again, but fortunately, this time Xie Hong didn't ask them if they wanted bandao noodles or wontons, but said in amazement: "Isn't there something else on the gift list?" ”

"Ah......" The two of them were stupid, they thought that they could get through without blackmailing, but they didn't expect to be blackmailed.

"Xie Qianhu, that tribute should go to the treasury......" Han Wen stood up hard. Although it is regrettable that the big thing did not come to pass, seeing that his old opponent Zhang Sheng was unlucky, he was also happy in his heart, but he didn't expect it to be his turn to come forward so soon. The value of the tribute is not too high, but who has too much silver?

Xie Hong glanced at him, didn't speak, but gave Zhengde a look.

Zhengde understood and said, "Han Shangshu, didn't we have an agreement beforehand?" This time, North Korea's tribute will be handled by Xie Aiqing on behalf of me, do you want to regret it now or say that you lied to me before? ”

"I don't dare." Han Wen stopped squeaking, and slandered in his heart: The emperor is really bad at learning, and he uses crooked tricks like buttoning people's hats indiscriminately, and is there any prestige of the Son of Heaven?

Seeing that Han Wen also flinched, the two envoys knew that they were not lucky. But it's not possible to go back empty-handed, in that case, it's better to be killed here, at least Daming's feng shui is better, isn't it?

You must know that His Royal Highness Li Long is not a good talker, and last year's famine was not a lie, if you go back empty-handed, you can only be thrown into the sea.

"Master Xie, the pendulum clock ...... really dare not ask for money, but it seems that you can hit the idea of the pendulum clock, which is far better than the treasure of the pocket watch, and if you take it back, you can pay for it." No one in Korea could afford it, but it was said that the daimyo of the Wa Kingdom were quite wealthy.

"This," Xie Hong waved his hand generously and said, "The pendulum clock was originally given to you by this official at the behest of the emperor. ”

"Thank you, thank you, thank you." I never expected Xie Hong to speak so well, and the two envoys were overjoyed, although the lip gloss sent to the bell was not very good, but who cared?

"Xie doesn't need it, this official has always been to convince people with virtue, what do you think?"

"Yes......"

Seeing such a harmonious scene, Zhengde was very satisfied, he nodded, and said, "Very good, since everyone has no opinion, let's retreat." Xie Aiqing, after you finish receiving your things, don't forget to come to the palace to see me. ”

Zhengde walked lightly, with great satisfaction; Xie Hong also left, taking two envoys with bitter faces; The courtiers were depressed, not only did they fail to achieve their goal today, but they were swept away, and they didn't even have the promised tribute, what an indignant day!

(To be continued)