There is never absolute justice in the alliance of countries, and there is always one side that suffers.

It's just a matter of losing the size!

In this national letter, in fact, the Song Dynasty suffered a small loss.

The envoys of the Western Liao also realized this, and in order to maximize the interests of the Western Liao, they asked the Song Dynasty three questions, and if these three questions stumped the ministers of the Song Dynasty. These ministers, for the sake of face, naturally don't care about these "little things".

Zhao Pu also understood the small calculations of the envoy of Western Liao, and he didn't care, and asked, "I don't know the envoy, what are the three questions?" ”

The envoy of Xiliao clapped his hands, and at this time, a small soldier of Xiliao stepped forward, handed over a box, opened the box, and saw a roll of paper inside.

The envoy of the Western Liao took out the scroll of paper and opened it slowly, only to see that there was a map of East Asia and a map of the Great Song Dynasty on it, which was very rough, but it only roughly stated the 23rd Road of the Northern Song Dynasty, some important locations, important locations were revealed, and many areas were not shown.

The envoy of the Western Liao asked: "There are countless capable people and countless wise men in the Great Song Dynasty, and I don't know if there is a way to prove that a certain person thinks that only four colors are needed to color the twenty-three roads of the Northern Song Dynasty, and the adjacent roads must not be of the same color." You may think that something is reasonable; If it is unreasonable, is there a reason to object? ”

Looking at this strange question, Qin Hui immediately said, "Weichen thinks that only three colors are enough!" ”

"It's so easy for such a simple question to be used to get in!"

The rest of the ministers also disdainful.

Zhao Pu looked nervous and a little overwhelmed.

It turned out to be a four-color problem!

The four-color problem led to the related theories of topology and graph theory, and later generations also used computers to make positive rationality.

In this era, in the age of mathematical obscurantism, it is almost impossible to prove it.

"Since it's simple. So you guys will prove it? Zhao Pu took a deep breath and felt that it was going to be bad. The five-color problem is easy to prove, the three-color problem is also easy to prove, and it is rare to be a four-color problem.

Immediately, one by one, the ministers began to calculate, at first they didn't think it was anything, but gradually found that it was difficult, the more they deduced, the more difficult it became, and finally they shook their heads. Drop the paper and stop thinking. As long as a few are still calculating.

"Wechen can't do anything, the more he pushes, the more difficult it becomes!" A courtier of the Ministry of Works.

"Wechen is powerless!"

Another one retreated!

In the end, none of the Manchu ministers solved a problem. Could it be that the Manchu ministers.

Zhao Pu lost convincingly, and there was no shame in losing. It's just a hint of doubt in my heart. This question. Didn't so-and-so come up with it in the nineteenth century? How could it be born early!

In this confrontation, the envoy of the Liao State won, but the envoy of the Liao State did not have a trace of arrogance, and continued: "Then so-and-so has to ask the second question?" ”

"Slow down, messenger!" Qin Hui suddenly spoke.

"I wonder if you have any questions?" The messenger said.

Qin Hui said: "Does the four-color question messenger have an answer?" ”

The envoy shook his head and said, "There is no answer, this question has troubled the Western sages for a long time. I don't have a clear answer, and I don't know. Originally, I thought that the Great Song Dynasty was full of talents and celebrities, and there might be an answer. Just disappointed. ”

After hearing this, many courtiers breathed a sigh of relief, so it was, and there was no answer.

If the envoy has an answer, the courtiers of the Great Song Dynasty have not solved it, and it seems that the Great Song Dynasty is a little incompetent, and now everyone has not solved it, and they are also each other.

Qin Hui said: "The two children of "Liezi" talked about the day, but they still stumped Confucius, it can be seen that there is no end to learning, and we and other students have been pursuing a lifetime, and we may not be able to find out one in ten thousand. And I don't have as much back as Confucius, if the messenger finds some strange and obscure questions and asks me, I will simply admit defeat. The second question is, don't be too secluded? ”

Historically, two children asked Confucius about the warmth and heat of the sun. Confucius couldn't answer. This does not show that Confucius's knowledge is shallow, but only that his knowledge is vast and boundless. It also verifies from the side that "knowing is knowing, not knowing is not knowing, and knowing is also knowing"; "Threesome, there must be my teacher!"

This example is intended to ease the embarrassment.

The envoy of the Liao State nodded, and did not refute, this time he came to form an alliance with the Southern Song Dynasty, in order to better exchange markets in the west, not to slap his face, in order to anger the Song Dynasty monarchs and ministers present, he naturally made concessions and said: "The second question will not be too obscure, just a simple question!" ”

At this time, a Liao soldier stepped forward and opened a box, and inside the box was a beautiful crown.

"This is the crown that my emperor gave to the Emperor of the Great Song Dynasty?" The envoy of the Liao State said.

"Crown, what a beautiful crown!"

"It's a great job!"

"The craftsmen of Xiliao are highly skilled!"

The courtiers present praised one after another.

Zhao Pu laughed in his heart, this crown is exquisite, but it is only exquisite, and there are many craftsmen in the Song Dynasty who can achieve this level, or even surpass.

The crown itself is not important, what matters is the political significance that the crown itself brings.

It is as if Emperor Guangwu of the Han Dynasty gave a small Japanese country the golden seal of the Japanese slave country, and the lord of this small country took this golden seal and displayed it in front of the surrounding small countries, which seemed superior, and the surrounding small countries were also suppressed. Because this is a gift from a great power, the authority is above.

The same small country gave some gifts to the Celestial Empire, and the Celestial Empire always showed off to future generations, which was a manifestation of the submission of the Four Yis.

A small crown is not only an artifact, but also represents the recognition of the Southern Song Dynasty, bowing its head.

The envoy of the Liao State asked: "My emperor once asked a silversmith to build a crown, but people's hearts are unpredictable, I don't know if this crown is adulterated and stolen gold?" At this time, everyone here is full, and I don't know if there is a way to test whether it is adulterated! ”

Zhao Pu said in his heart: It's another Archimedes problem, and this question is much simpler. In the 21st century, anyone in the fifth grade will know about it. It's a pity that in the Great Song Dynasty, he attaches great importance to the poetry of scripture and history and despises the way of things, and there is really no one who can answer it! “

"It's better to break the crown and naturally check whether it is adulterated!" A minister said.

Immediately, the minister felt that something was wrong, and the courtiers around him looked at him with contempt.

The courtier immediately blushed and realized that he had made a mistake, a great mistake.

This crown is a gift from the Liao State, and it is disrespectful to destroy the gift, especially in the court, in front of everyone!

Later historical materials will write: "The envoy of Western Liao, the second asked the ministers of the Song Dynasty to test whether the crown was adulterated, and the ministers did not know, so they could only destroy the crown to distinguish the true from the false, and the ministers were incompetent!" Wretched! Wretched! Wretched! ”

The ministers present at the time were a little blind, if it was about poetry, song and dance, and about classics and history, all of them were experts, but when it came to physics, mathematics and other related knowledge, it was not possible to be present. is the so-called tricky tricks, you can play with it, but if you indulge in it, you are a little out of business.

Looking at the ministers present, with a thoughtful and meditative look, Zhao Pu was also anxious, and had an urge to go into battle shirtless and solve this problem in person, but in the end he held back.

The emperor must stabilize the Diaoyutai, and even if he wins bare-chested, it is equivalent to losing.

After a long time, there was still no answer.

The envoy of the Liao State said: "Since I can't answer it, then I'll ask the third question?" ”

"Wait?" At this time, Li Gang spoke.

The envoy of the Liao State said: "Could it be that the right minister can answer this question!" ”

"The teacher said": The disciple does not have to be inferior to the teacher, the teacher does not have to be better than the disciple, the threesome must have my teacher, there is a precedence in hearing the Tao, and there is a specialization in the art industry, and that's it. We courtiers are proficient in governing the country, in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, in poetry and songs, and in the study of saints. As for this kind of trail, I don't know! Li Gang said, "I don't know, but as long as any silversmith knows!" ”

The ministers present nodded one after another, and had to say that these words were all spoken to the heart.

This Liao army envoy was a little embarrassed, and specially inquired in areas that the scholars and doctors present were not good at.

"Your Majesty, please let a jewelry shop craftsman make a move, and you can distinguish the authenticity?"

Zhao Pu said: "Quasi-play!" ”

Soon after, a jeweler craftsman came to the temple.

The jeweller was a little scared when he went to the temple for the first time, and he was a little uneasy to speak. It's just that the ability is really good, and this problem that has plagued the ministers has been solved in just a minute.

It also proves what Han Yu said, there is a specialization in the art industry, and if you don't enter an industry, you don't know its essence!

PS: The second update is at 11 o'clock (to be continued......)