None of the courtiers dared to lie, because His Majesty himself has a sense of smell and taste. If you tell a blatant lie, it will be easily discovered. At that time, it will no longer be a question of whether a gentleman is a gentleman, but a question of the living and the dead.

The clerk in charge of registering the patent for the iron head enthusiastically introduced the various advantages of the iron pot. After all, the more valuable the iron pot was, the more it seemed that he was right to approve the patent.

After Ying Zheng listened for a while, he nodded and said, "Not bad, not bad, it's rare."

He said to Tietou: "You live a poor life, but you can make something like this. It is very good. It can be seen that our Daqin is not that the people are not wise, but that the people do not have the opportunity to display their talents. This patent office gives

It’s great that I gave them this opportunity.”

Ying Zheng's attitude is already very clear, he wants to keep the patent office.

When Li Shui was secretly happy, Zhao Gao stood up again and said with a smile: "Your Majesty, this Tietou is not an ordinary commoner. He is Cang Fu's nephew."

Li Shui was startled and looked at Zhao Gao in shock.

Zhao Gao glanced at Li Shui proudly.

Ying Zheng was a little puzzled: "Cang Fu? This name sounds familiar."

Zhao Gao said with a smile: "Your Majesty, I'm afraid you have forgotten. This old man is the steward of Shang Jun's Courtyard."

Ying Zheng exclaimed: "I remembered, it was the old man with wrinkles on his face."

Zhao Gao said: "Tietou's iron pot was not made by himself. Instead, a few days ago, Master Huai convened a group of craftsmen and studied it carefully in Shangjun's courtyard before making this thing.

.In other words, the patent for this iron pot has nothing to do with people’s wisdom. It was created by Shang Jun’s Courtyard and Master Huai’s Immortal Chamber. Today’s patent office is still only open to Master Huai himself.”

Ying Zheng frowned and looked at Li Shui: "Is this really true?"

Li Shui was a little helpless. Zhao Gao had investigated everything by himself, so he was still denying it now? A spy had sneaked into Shangjun Courtyard.

He could only sigh and said: "Yes. But Tietou also made a lot of efforts in this matter..."

Unfortunately, this explanation is rather pale. Li Shui feels that the patent office cannot be saved today.

The Patent Office has been abolished. Next, Zhao Gao will definitely advise His Majesty to concentrate on refining elixirs and not participate in government affairs.

The consequences of this... are unimaginable.

At this moment, a cry of pain suddenly came from outside.

Zhao Teng was a little unhappy and shouted outside: "What's the matter?"

A Qin soldier came in and said, "There is someone sneaking around nearby, peeking into the Yamen, and I suspect he is an assassin.

Zhao Teng was already in a bad mood. When he heard that there was another assassin, he became even more angry. He gritted his teeth and said, "Catch him."

But a voice came from outside: "You are not an assassin. Didn't you say you can apply for a patent? Why are you arresting people?"

When Li Shui heard this, he immediately became energetic: "It's the wise man who applied for the patent. Come in quickly."

Zhao Gao looked at Li Shui in confusion: "Master Huai has arranged for a second person?"

Li Shui's hands were a little itchy.

At this time, a man in ragged clothes was brought up. If Tietou's dress was considered poor, then this man's dress was almost like a beggar.

What he was wearing wasn't really clothes at all, just rags.

After this man came in, the courtiers all stepped back, fearing that the lice on his body would jump on them.

Zhao Gao said: "People like this also come to apply for patents? Do we really have so many strange people in Da Qin?"

Li Shui was also a little worried: "Is this guy really capable, or is he just hungry and crazy to cheat money? If he is a liar, I really won't be able to recite the curse today."

Zhao Teng also looked at the beggar with concern and asked: "What patent do you want to apply for?"

The beggar said: "The little man can count very quickly."

The courtiers burst into laughter.

Zhao Gao said: "The calculation is quick, can you apply for a patent? If Mr. Neishi approves it for you, won't we all have to pay you when we settle accounts in the future?"

Zhao Teng was also a little disappointed. He waved his hand and said, "This is not a patent. A patent can be widely disseminated and everyone can learn it."

The beggar said: "The villain has some methods. If others learn it, they can be as fast as the villain."

Zhao Teng hesitated for a moment, looked at Li Shui and said, "This device is considered a patent, and the method is also considered a patent?"

Li Shui said: "Isn't papermaking also a method?"

Zhao Teng suddenly felt confident and said to the beggar: "Then show me how fast you can count."

The beggar took out a few wooden sticks from his pocket, with some beads pierced on them. He placed these strange-looking things on the ground and said, "Please, gentlemen, please give me some questions."

Zhao Teng said casually: "Fifteen plus three."

The beggar replied casually: "Eighteen. Please make it more difficult, sir."

Zhao Teng added: "Two hundred and thirty-nine plus six hundred and fifty-four."

When Zhao Teng said these numbers, the beggar's fingers were playing with the beads. When Zhao Teng finished speaking, the beggar's answer came out: "Sir, it's eight hundred and ninety-three."

Zhao Teng asked the clerk next to him: "Is that right?"

The clerk calculated anxiously for a while and said, "Yes."

Zhao Teng looked at the beggar in surprise and asked again: "Twelve thousand, four hundred and thirty-five, minus three thousand two hundred and ninety-eight."

The beggar immediately replied: "Nine thousand one hundred and thirty-seven."

This time, the clerk took a longer time, and then said with great admiration: "That's right again."

Zhao Gao was a little unconvinced: "He must have memorized these questions beforehand. Let me tell you a few."

Zhao Gao also asked a few questions, and the beggar answered them quickly and accurately.

Li Shui has been watching with cold eyes. He has a very solid heart and knows that this old beggar is really capable.

At the same time, he was also sighing that the beggar's stick and beads were clearly a very primitive abacus.

The prototype of the abacus was actually invented by such an old beggar?

The beggar's magical skills had shocked everyone. The clerk was so impressed that he almost asked for advice, "How do you count with these sticks and beads?"

The beggar fiddled with it and explained it. After listening for a while, the clerk gradually understood it and tried to calculate a few questions.

He was just learning to practice it, so he wasn't as fast as the beggar, but he could feel that this thing was definitely a magic weapon.

The clerk excitedly bowed to Ying Zheng and said, "Your Majesty, if this thing can be popularized, Daqin will save a lot of manpower and material resources. This thing can definitely be patented."

The old beggar suddenly raised his head and looked at Ying Zheng: "Your Majesty?"

After saying these two words, the beggar fainted from fright.

The clerk found a bucket of water and poured some water on the beggar's face. The beggar slowly woke up, knelt on the ground, and shivered.

Ying Zheng asked: "Who is your last name? How was this counting tool made?"

The beggar trembled and said: "The villain's name is Ji Nu. He was originally from Qi. He has been a slave in the wealthy family for generations. He is responsible for counting the property and calculating the gains and losses in the fields every year."

"My grandfather was very talented, but thought it was inconvenient to use the calculation plan, so he put some wooden beads on it as an auxiliary. My father followed his grandfather in accounting since he was a child, and improved it. In the villain's generation, some changes were made. This

Things have gone through three generations and become what they are today."

Zhao Gao looked unbelieving: "Since you are a slave of a wealthy family, why did you come to Xianyang again? Why are you in such a mess?"

Ji Nu sighed and said: "Your Majesty destroyed the six kingdoms. Although King Qi is dead, he is still very powerful. The villain has a young son who grew up with the master's son. Just a few months ago, the villain's son

, had a quarrel with the master’s son.”

"The master was so angry that he hanged the villain's son to death."

At this point, Ji Nu beat his heart hard: "The pain of losing a child is heartbreaking. The villain is a slave, but a slave is no longer a human being?"

"The young son is dead, and there is nothing the villain can do. What reason can there be for a master to kill a slave? Even if someone reports him, he will only be punished with some cloth."

"Later, the villain heard that there was a patent office in Xianyang. Once the patent was obtained, there would be a reward. So the villain sneaked out, traveled thousands of miles, begged all the way, and came to Xianyang just to offer this thing."

"I don't want patents, I don't ask for rewards, I just want a free life. I beg for your majesty's mercy, and for your help, sir."

Li Xin, who had been eating vegetables from a bowl, suddenly sighed and said to Ji Nu: "Even if you regain your freedom, you will not be able to take revenge. After all, when he killed your youngest son, you were still a slave."

Ji Nu's face was filled with tears, and he smiled bitterly and said: "The villain... how dare you take revenge. The villain just wants to be free, and if he has a son in the future, he will not be killed at will."

Many people sighed after hearing these words.

Ying Zheng's expression became even colder and he asked, "Who is your master?"

Ji Nu said: "Linzi Tian Jing."

Ying Zheng nodded: "Today, I will give you this free life. In addition, I will also give you a hundred gold, so that you can settle down in Xianyang City. Soon, I will move the rich and powerful. At that time, I will

I will meet this Tian Jing in person."

Ji Nu knelt on the ground and kept thanking him.

Ying Zheng sighed: "Three generations of ancestors and grandsons have made a tool, but they are still slaves and maids, allowing others to kill them. Isn't this kind of thing ridiculous? Without the patent office, there are countless people in the world.

, we have to live in darkness. Our talents are buried, and all kinds of whims and wonderful ideas are casually forgotten.”

"And this patent office has given them a ray of light. The patent law does not need to be abolished, and the patent office does not need to be abolished. In addition, let the counties and counties know that if someone makes something useful, after preliminary inspection, the county governor,

The county magistrate wants to help him come to Xianyang to apply for a patent. He will be provided with food and clothing from various places and cannot be obstructed."

The courtiers all agreed.

Zhao Gao was a little helpless. He didn't expect that someone would actually apply for a patent today. Huaiguzi was so lucky.

No one doubts Ji Nu's identity. After all, Tian Jing's name was revealed, and soon a powerful man entered Xianyang. This kind of thing is easy to find out.

Zhao Gao shook his head and thought: "Forget it, we didn't close the patent office this time, so that's okay. We'll look for opportunities to deal with him in the future."

However, just as Zhao Gao thought of this, Li Shui said to Ying Zheng, who was about to return to the palace: "Your Majesty, I would like to invite your Majesty to go to Shang Jun's Villa."

Ying Zheng asked in confusion: "Why?"

Li Shui said: "A few days ago, I captured an assassin named Hei Tan. This person has a close relationship with Xiang Liang and is also closely related to Lord Zhao Gao. And according to what this person said, he had been killed several times before

Most of the assassinations targeting ministers and even His Majesty were related to Zhao Gao."
Chapter completed!