Zhu Youxiao attached great importance to the issuance of banknotes, and he specially asked Song Yingxing to discuss how to print banknotes.

"Song Aiqing, this money printing is very important, and I have several requirements that must be fulfilled." Zhu Youxiao said solemnly.

"Your Majesty, please." Song Yingxing replied respectfully.

"First, to do a good job in the anti-counterfeiting of banknotes, you can add watermarks and other means to banknotes." Zhu Youxiao said.

"Your Majesty, can you mean a watermark woodcut?" Song Yingxing asked suspiciously.

This watermark is not the other watermark, the watermark in my mouth was originally formed in the process of papermaking, the watermark is not on the surface of the paper, but in the paper, and you can clearly see the graphics, portraits or words with light and dark textures when you look at the light. Of course, this is a bit of a high requirement, and I hope that the watermark of the new banknote can be on the surface of the paper, but it must be delicate to make it difficult for thieves to prevent. And I hope that the more anti-counterfeiting means there are, the better. Zhu Youxiao said.

"I understand." Song Yingxing nodded and said.

"The second point is that this money printing only prints banknotes of 1,000 wen, 500 wen, and 100 wen; Thirdly, only 500,000 taels of silver dollars were allowed to be printed. Fourth, the paper used to print banknotes must be wear-resistant and durable, and the ink used in printing is the same; Fifth, the technology used to print banknotes must be kept secret and no one should divulge it, otherwise it will be punished for treason. If there are any unfinished matters, you can report them to me and I will decide. Zhu Youxiao said.

"I understand, but when will this money be needed?" Song Yingxing asked.

"How long does it take for the money bureau to get it printed?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

"Naturally, the longer the time, the better the anti-counterfeiting required by His Majesty, after all, some technologies take time." Song Yingxing said.

"Three months, the banknotes will be printed within three months, and I will try it out in Shanxi. Paper money will definitely be printed in the future, and I hope that the second generation of banknotes will be more refined than the first generation of banknotes. Zhu Youxiao thought about it and said.

"The minister will immediately arrange for the Value Bureau to handle this matter." Song Yingxing nodded and said.

……

The matter of watermarking is not difficult for the money bureau, after all, Zhu Youxiao did not require that he make watermarks by changing the density of pulp fibers when making paper, as later generations did.

Three days later, Song Yingxing sent the first set of samples. Compared with the Daming treasure banknote, the new banknote is simply incomparable, in addition to the rough watermark, both paper and printing technology have been greatly improved.

"There is now a lead alloy movable type printing technology in the West that is different from ours, and the use of ink is also different from ours. Zhu Youxiao said.

But Westerners in movable type printing, in the middle of the fifteenth century to the forefront of the world, the German Gutenberg invented the lead alloy movable type printing technology and the application of fatty ink, laid the foundation for modern printing, especially the material ratio of movable type in lead alloy, until today has not changed much, and in the casting process, there has been great progress.

The Imperial Newspaper combined the movable type printing technology of the lead alloy of Westerners in its printing. The application of new technologies also makes the "Daming Imperial Daily" have an advantage over the "Daming Confucian Daily" in printing.

"The minister understands that it's just a rush of time, and the club will improve it in the future." Song Yingxing said.

"It would be better if the banknotes were in color." Zhu Youxiao said.

"It's not difficult, just use a variety of overprints." Song Yingxing replied.

"Time is in a hurry, the first generation of banknotes is like this, the second generation of banknotes is only half the size, the second generation of banknotes use portraits, anti-counterfeiting technology is more diversified." Zhu Youxiao said.

"The minister's decree is just in the use of portraits, whose portraits are used?" Song Yingxing asked. This use of portraits can not be used indiscriminately, at least it will be spurned by the world, and at worst, it will be lost in the head, this must be decided by Zhu Youxiao, just like last time.

"I'll wait until I discuss it with the cabinet before making a decision." Zhu Youxiao thought for a while and said.

At this time, Wang Liqian bowed over and said to Zhu Youxiao: "Your Majesty, the Dutch ambassador Albert asks to see you. ”

"What did he do when he came to me?" Zhu Youxiao asked suspiciously.

"I heard that the Dutch have recently come in a group of craftsmen, which may have something to do with it." Wang Liqian said.

"Oh, let him in." Zhu Youxiao nodded and said.

"The minister will retire first." Song Yingxing said.

"Wait, you stay." Zhu Youxiao said.

"No."

Albert came this time, and sure enough, he brought a group of craftsmen who made glass from the West, as well as a hosiery machine that Zhu Youxiao wanted.

"Sun Yuanhua has already arrived in the Netherlands?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

"Back to Your Majesty, according to the information I have received, according to the time calculation, Ambassador Sun should have arrived in the Netherlands, and even if he didn't, he should be there soon." Albert replied.

"I thought it would take me a year at most to reach the Netherlands, but I didn't expect it to take more than a year and eight months." Zhu Youxiao said with a sigh.

"Your Majesty, the situation at sea is unknown, and the time required cannot be determined, it is not surprising that it can take a year at the fast and two years at the slow." Albert replied.

"Go down, I'll send someone to the embassy to hand you over." Zhu Youxiao waved his hand and said.

"No."

"Song Aiqing, who do you think is more appropriate to hand over these technologies from the West?" Zhu Youxiao asked.

"The minister thinks that Wang Zheng is the most suitable, Wang Zheng is proficient in Western studies, and the people have always had the saying of 'the king of the south and the north'." Song Yingxing replied.

"Wang Zheng! I almost forgot about him, this man is indeed the most suitable. The king was sent to the palace to see the driver. Zhu Youxiao said excitedly.

Wang Zheng's reputation in later generations was not as good as Xu Guangqi, but this person was a scientist and inventor. There are many inventions in his life, and it is no exaggeration to say that he is definitely the Edison of the Ming Dynasty in this era, and he is definitely a genius buried by history. Zhu Youxiao even felt that if Wang Zheng could get the full support of the royal family, Wang Zheng would push Daming's mechanical engineering to a peak. And Wang Zheng is also very virtuous, after Li Zicheng broke through the Beijing Division, Wang Zheng died of hunger strike.

"Your Majesty, Wang Zheng is returning to the house at this moment." Song Yingxing reminded.

"Ding is worried? How long? Zhu Youxiao asked suspiciously.

"It's been a year." Song Yingxing replied.

"It's been a year, then it doesn't matter, my affairs can't be delayed, and I will immediately send a decree to urgently recruit Wang Zheng into Beijing." Zhu Youxiao couldn't wait to say.

"No." Wang Liqian replied.

……

(End of chapter)