Volume 18 The Rise of Empires Chapter 7 Paper and Printing
Some book friends said that the story of Mao Dun was copied from Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. This made Sir cry and laugh, and Maudun was the first Hun in history to use Ming Ya to seize power. This is history. And the plot in Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty is fictional, please book friends to distinguish clearly. ——————————
On this day, the autumn was crisp and the enthusiastic Fusu brought his eldest son, the nine-year-old Win, to the newly established Ministry of Science and Technology.
Fusu smiled: "Zhuqing, please get up, Lian is just coming to see today, you don't need to be polite!" Although the elder Mo Feng is dying of old age, he is still in the spirit of the year, and his style has not diminished, and he smiled when he heard this: "Your Majesty is still my Momen 'Juzi', naturally you can't ignore us, you should pay more attention!"
Fusu smiled when he heard this: "It seems that the elders have captured the strong men of the Lian, and they are not afraid that the Lian will not give in!" The crowd laughed!
Mo Yu said: "Okay, don't stand stupid, don't invite Your Majesty to come in and have a look!" Everyone woke up and hurriedly invited Fusu into the Ministry of Science and Technology.
Entering the door, a huge mansion is presented in front of Fusu's eyes, many places are blazing, because of the fog, it is really worthy of the territory of Momen!
Fu Su smiled: "Don't be busy with other things to see first, you first take Lian to see the movable type printing press and papermaking technology that you want to do, Lian personally brought the emperor's eldest son to see a fresh one today!" As he spoke, he pinched the little nose of Ying Ze who was looking at the east and west in his arms!
Win muttered, "Father, is there anything interesting here?" Fu Su smiled: "You'll know in a while, elders, let's go!"
At that moment, the elders waited for the way, and brought Fusu into a large courtyard, which was full of busy ink men, as well as all kinds of huge pools and various utensils, and the smoke was steaming, and I felt a hot breath coming from a distance!
Moban introduced Fusu: "Your Majesty. The 'paper' you are talking about is actually available now, but it is made of chopped hemp and silk, which is not only expensive, but also unsuitable for writing and difficult to preserve, so few people use it! Your Majesty, please see, this is a sample!" As he spoke, Moban handed over a piece of yellow paper with some socks yellow.
Fusu took the hemp paper with one hand, touched it, and looked at it. Shaking his head, he said: "This hemp paper feels really rough to the touch, and this color is not conducive to ink, it is more expensive and perishable, how can this be used on a large scale, it's not good!" The curious win also snatched the hemp paper from Fusu's hand and looked at it, and felt that it was not interesting, so he returned it to Moban!
Moban also nodded and said, "Your Majesty is right, hemp paper is really bad!" However, since His Majesty told the minister two ways to make new paper a few months ago, the minister and his brothers have been thinking about it day and night, and have repeatedly tried to make it. Finally, the first batch of new paper was successfully produced more than ten days ago. Your Majesty, please see, this is a high-grade paper made from logs, chopped and then steamed, washed/bleached, dehydrated and dried with molds; This is made of rags, broken nets, etc. The low-grade paper made after steaming, mashing into pulp, resisting pressure curtain covering, drying and dehydration, etc., please look at it!" said. Moban handed over two more pieces of paper.
Fusu looked at it, how could this low-grade paper look like the yellow straw paper used to make dark money in the past, although it had that whiteness and hardness. But the feel is still rough, and the yellowness is still very heavy, Fusu smiled bitterly: "The whiteness of this low-grade paper is too poor, and the feel is also very bad." It's much better than hemp paper, but it can only be used to wipe your buttocks, not to be made to write and print books!" Mo Ban's face suddenly became bitter, and he looked a little deeply shocked!
Fusu looked at the high-grade paper again, after all, the raw materials are relatively high, so both whiteness and feel are much better than low-grade paper, but it still can't be compared with modern paper, but it is barely used as the most basic paper for writing and printing!
Fusu nodded and said with a smile: "This high-grade paper still looks like a dot, and it can barely write and print!" Mo Qing, how much does this paper cost? Can ordinary people afford it?"
Mo Ban finally had some face, and said busily: "Your Majesty, the cost of this low-grade is extremely low, not even less than twenty-one of the hemp paper, but it is still too extravagant to use it for that!" And this high-grade paper is about one of the ten times of hemp paper, and it should be said that the people who have a little surplus wealth at home can afford to buy a book made of it, but it is still a bit extravagant to use it for writing and practicing calligraphy!"
Fusu pondered for a moment when he heard this, and Ying Ze was a little curious to take the two pieces of paper in his hand and compare, and suddenly, Fusu said: "Moqing, you have really worked hard these days, and you can make the finished product of the new paper in some words from Lian, no matter what the quality of the new paper is, Lian wants to praise you, you are indeed doing very well!" However, don't be complacent, because the quality of the new paper is still not up to par. From the perspective of Lian, the whiteness and hardness of this low-grade paper should at least reach the current high-grade paper appearance, so that students can usually use it to record and practice calligraphy; The whiteness and hardness of the high-grade paper floor should be at least one grade higher than the current one, and the hardness should be better to achieve the whiteness of the current white silk, otherwise the use of these two new papers will be strictly limited because of their quality and price, do you understand?"
Hearing this, Moban nodded and said: "Please rest assured, Your Majesty, the minister will test day and night with your brothers, and strive to improve the quality and reduce the cost, so that the people of the whole world can afford to use the new paper!" Hearing this, Fusu was relieved and said: "Elders, Moban, this paper seems to be a small matter at first glance, but the stakes are really important!" Because it will carry the culture and glory of my descendants of Yan and Huang, and pass it on from generation to generation, its convenience will be incomparable to bamboo slips, and it can be imagined: once all the people in the world can afford to use paper and books, the dream of the 'state of etiquette' that I have always respected in China can truly be realized! Therefore, what you are doing seems to be small, but it is carrying the future of our country and nation, which is a major event for the benefit of thousands of generations, and your name will also be remembered by history, you must work hard!"
These words were serious, and the surrounding Momen and Fusu's entourage officials nodded frequently and were deeply touched, and Moban respectfully said: "Your Majesty educates the hearts of all the people, and the ministers admire!" Please rest assured that Your Majesty and all the Momen disciples will live up to Your Majesty's high expectations, and strive to produce new paper that can be put into practical use on a large scale as soon as possible, and dare not slack off even if they work hard!"
Fusu was very happy: "Mo Qing has such determination, Lian will see that this day will not be far away, then Lian will wait for your good news!" Suddenly, Win shouted in Fusu's arms: "Father." Are you saying that you want to use these papers to print these books on them?"
Fusu smiled: "Yes, you see how heavy those bamboo slips you learn from Taifu every day, a book of poetry costs more than a dozen bundles, but if the words are printed on these papers, a very light paper book can be included in it all, so that not only is it convenient for you to read, but also children all over the world can read it." More importantly, you are a nobleman, and you can afford to write a book with whatever you use. But the children of the common people can only afford to read books made of paper, and you know how important this paper is!"
Ying Ze nodded sensibly and said, "Father, I know, Father wants all the children in the world to be able to afford to read like me!" Did you bring me here today just to make me understand this?"
Hearing this, Fusu opened his eyebrows and smiled: "Yes, Ze'er is so smart!" Today, my father brought you here to let you understand that although this paper is inconspicuous, it will carry the civilization and glory of my descendants of Yan and Huang, and if your father is not there in the future, you will also inherit your father's will. Let my Chinese civilization be passed on forever! Got it?" Win nodded sensibly!
The people around him saw that Fusu was tireless and worked so hard for the future of the country and the nation, and they all admired it in their hearts. Secretly glad that China has this emperor!
Mo Ban said: "Your Majesty, the movable type printing machine has also begun to take shape. Would you like to see it too?" Fusu smiled: "Of course, it's not enough to have paper, copy the book word by word, then the speed of my Chinese civilization will be too slow." If there were movable type printing presses, things would be different! Let's go, Lian can't wait!"
Everyone laughed, and Moban and the others hurriedly led Fusu out of the door. After walking a few steps, I turned into a courtyard next door, and instead of the hot and steamy waters in the paper mill, there was a clanging sound and a heavy smell of ink!
Moban led Fusu to a machine and said to Fusu: "Your Majesty, this is the movable type printing machine made according to the principle you said, it is mainly composed of three parts: movable type, body, and elevator!" Your Majesty, please take a closer look, these movable type ministers and others are made of stainless steel in order to be solid and durable; They are hollow in the middle, so that they can be filled with ink; There is a thin layer of glue between the ink and the prefix to control the leakage rate of the ink; And this prefix has a lot of small holes, which makes it easy for the ink to penetrate and print on the paper! The whole body is relatively simple, in fact, it is a frame to get these movable types stuck. And this lift is even simpler, it can be controlled by just a wrench, so that the paper can be placed under the movable type! Your Majesty thinks that such a design is appropriate?"
Fu Su smiled: "My Momen is really good, Lian only said a principle, you can build a practical machine so quickly, it's amazing!" Liankan's design is very good, and it is beyond Lian's expectations to be able to reach such a level at the beginning. But the union still has a few opinions, you should pay attention to it when improving in the future, first: steel is expensive, use it to make movable type, although durable, but virtually increase the cost of paper books, so in the future, if possible, as far as possible with some more expensive materials to make movable type; Second, the quality of the printing must not be very stable, and the speed will not be too fast, so you will also have to reform it in these aspects in the future. In fact, you only need to remember six words: 'price', 'stability', and 'speed'!" In fact, Fusu only understands the principle of movable type printing, and the specific machinery can only be done by Momen, and it is impossible for those who can do anything when they return to ancient times!
Everyone nodded when they heard this, this movable type printing press can print hundreds of words in a rise and a fall, but it is much stronger than the word-by-word copy, if it can be faster, more stable, cheaper it is naturally the best, this is also the good thing for the people who read all over the world! Hearing this, Moban nodded and said: "Your Majesty's comments hit the nail on the head, and the ministers have been taught, and they should be improved in this direction in the future!"
Fusu nodded with satisfaction, and was about to say anything more, when suddenly, Fan Tianshi, who was also in charge of 'Qin Feng', hurriedly reported: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty! Where is Your Majesty?" Hearing this, Fusu greeted him: "Fan Xiang, Lian is here, why are you panicking?"
Fan Tianshi hurriedly came to Fusu's side, gave a quick salute, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, I just received an urgent report from the northern Xinjiang, the prince of the Huns killed his father and stood on his own, and at present, the kings of the Huns have basically recognized this new Shan Yu!" The minister didn't dare to slack off, so he came to report to inform His Majesty that he knew!"
Fusu's face changed when he heard this, and he gasped and said, "The sky is going to change, and there will be war again in this world!" Everyone was surprised when they heard this, and Mo Chen said: "Your Majesty, this Huns are really jackals, and they dare to kill their fathers and stand up, aren't they afraid of being punished by God!" Also, Your Majesty seems to be quite jealous of this new single Yu, is this person very powerful?"
Hearing this, Fusu said angrily: "The struggle for national power, killing his father and killing his brother, is also a common thing, and it is not only unique to the Huns, is there less such thing in my Huaxia for hundreds of years!?" This is also the natural law of the survival of the fittest and the survival of the fittest, and it is in line with the 'moral theory' of my new school of governing the country! However, although this person succeeded by luck, the infamy of killing his father on his back may be difficult for him to wash away for thousands of years, and it will be difficult for him to sleep peacefully in this life, and the price he has paid is not small! As for whether he is quite jealous of Mao Dun, you can imagine: this person was able to escape more than 2,000 miles on a single horse, and sneaked back to the Xiongnu from the Dayue clan unharmed; can be ruthless and unrighteous, kill his father and seize power, will such a person be an easy person to deal with!? If the Liansuo's expectations are good, on the grasslands of northern Xinjiang, a war of annexation will soon break out, and when the war of annexation ends, it will be the day of a full-scale war between our Qin State and the Xiongnu, and the outcome is unpredictable!"
Fan Tianshi was shocked when he heard this: "Then, Your Majesty, should my country prepare earlier?" Fusu nodded and said, "Exactly, people have nothing to worry about, and there must be near-term worries!" Elders, Moban, you immediately go to Taiwei Zhang Liang and introduce the stainless steel technology of Momen to the major military buildings of our Qin State. From today onwards, the military manufacturers of Daqin will gradually stop producing bronze weapons and begin to fully implement stainless steel weapons!" Yes, Your Majesty!" Mo Feng and the others were terrified!
"Fan Xiang, immediately notify all officials of the DPRK and China who are more than 600 stone to attend the court meeting tomorrow morning, and the joint should be arranged early! Also, immediately order 'Qin Feng' to find merchants and Hu Min who are familiar with the situation of the grassland and the Western Regions to meet Lian, Lianlian has important matters to ask them!" Yes, Your Majesty!" Fan Tianshi also received the order!
Suddenly, Win shouted, "Father, if those barbarians dare to come, can we beat them?" Fu Su smiled, pinched Ying Ze's nose, and said confidently: "Who has your father been afraid of in this life!" Don't worry, come and kill one father, come and kill one pair, and the alliance will make the martial Qin Feng scare the enemy when he hears it!" Your Majesty!" When everyone heard this, they were also enthusiastic, and they couldn't wait to fight with this Hun barbarian immediately, and compete for the high and low!