This happened in ancient times. The Chinese Emperor sent a messenger to the King of Korea and ordered him to convey: “All the water of the Han River should be immediately loaded onto a ship and sent to China.”
The king summoned all his dignitaries and ministers, and they began to think about what to do and what to do. We thought and thought, but came up with nothing. Then Prime Minister Hwang Hee stepped forward and said:
“This is what, Your Majesty, the Chinese Emperor should answer:
"The King of Korea will with great pleasure load all the water of the Han River onto the ship and send it to China. But for this we need sand masts. There is little sand in Korea, but in the north of China, as I know, there is a great abundance of it. Would you be kind enough to send us sand masts three hundred feet high."
From that time on, they say, the Chinese emperor never again sent a messenger to Korea with similar instructions.
Translated from Russian · original on wisdomlib.ru