On the fourth day of the first month of April, the first sunny day after the rain.

Everything is good in the spring of Chang'an City, but there are too many catkins fluttering in the air, which is very annoying. Now that the catkins have stopped, the sunflowers have just bloomed, and they have not yet started to get hot, and the weather is bright.

Du Wulang hummed a little song, led his horse through the imperial city, and when he arrived near the cross street, he saw that the west was very busy, and the officials and craftsmen were in a hurry.

Others said that this was a prosperous literary style, but he felt tired to watch.

"Dare to ask, where is Xue Bai, the school secretary? He's just joined the secretary province, I'm afraid you won't recognize him, he's a young man, half a head taller than me....."

"Over there, over there."

Du Wulang then walked into the government office along the Imperial City Street, and walked to the innermost courtyard, the door was closed, he sniffed, and smelled a smell of wood, mixed with the smell of ink.

"Tuk-tuk."

"I'm Du Cheng, is Xue Bai here?"

After waiting for a while, he was introduced into the courtyard, and saw Xue Bai checking a piece of paper, still wearing the light cyan official robe, with a serious expression.

'Wow, that's a lot of people. You are not a big official, and there are many people under your command. ”

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"They can all be called masters, all of them are literate and well-read, and their skills are good, only the Imperial City can summon these many talents."

"What is this doing?"

Xue Bai was preparing to publish the newspaper.

Although Li Longji said that he would gather some literati to praise the prosperous era for a while, Xue Bai did not plan to just post those dry contents, he planned to arrange the layout of the newspaper and add some current affairs articles, which can now be made first.

He tried to combine block printing with movable type printing, so that a newspaper could be divided into several pages, which were engraved by different craftsmen at the same time, and finally printed together.

In the process, mistakes have been made, many ideas are not right, many detours have been taken, and fonts, inks, plates, etc. are also extremely troublesome to operate...... But there are always more ways than difficulties, and progress is the process of overcoming difficulties.

Needless to say about Du Wulang, Xue Bai led him into the back chamber.

Nowadays, there is not enough place for the secretary to do so, and this official gallery is full of messy things, all kinds of different piles are hundreds, boxes of ink, carved wood, rabbit skins for making brushes.

There was even a roll of bedding, and presumably some officials lived here at night.

"The decency of the officials is gone?" Du Wulang was not too dirty, and sat down directly on a box.

"It's not easy to live in Chang'an, there are part-time and anointing fees, and it's good for everyone to earn more money."

Xue Bai said, and handed over two pieces of paper, both of which were less than a foot wide and one and a half feet long, full of dense words.

"What is this?"

"Di Bao, let's call it Di Bao for the time being." Xue Bai said: "Do you know that Chang'an once had a 'Kaiyuan Miscellaneous News'?

"I know, it is that the envoys of all parties sent people to the Beijing Division, guarding outside the palace gate every day, copying the court politicians, and then sending them out. I've only heard Grandpa say it, but I've never seen it. ”

Then I'm the official newspaper of Tianbao. Xue Bai said: "Compared with transcription, the circulation of printing is not the same.

"Print?"

Du Wulang glanced at the handwriting on the paper, recognized that some of it was written by Xue Bai, and said, "I see that you also copied it by hand." ”

"First write a few copies of the typography to make a style, determine the font size, and you can look at it." Xue Bai said, "You go to Fengwei Building to arrange first, and say hello to the wine shop and teahouse food stall we are familiar with, and when the imperial court officially publishes it, arrange for someone to read the newspaper." ”

"Aren't you an official? Do you still want me to do these things? ”

"A little thing, the government may not be good to come forward and disturb the people. We did it ourselves. ”

"Why don't you tell yourself to my sisters?

"I've been busy lately, I'll see them later."

Du Wulang then looked down, and several of the stories on the pages were quite interesting, two of them talked about the tips of farming, the prevention of pests and diseases in April, and the teaching of how to make fertilizer.

After a while, another servant came to inquire about official affairs.

Xue Bai then took Du Wulang through Suzaku Street and went to the government office where the left leader was located.

Du Wulang was surprised when he saw it from a distance, and asked, "This place has also been changed to the secretary province now?" ”

"Well, now it's also called the Eastern Courtyard of the Secretary Province." Xue Bai said: "We will select some copies of the books, and set up a library here for students all over the world to read and copy."

"Isn't that troublesome?"

"It's troublesome, but it makes sense. The students copied more books, and naturally spread them widely. ”

Saying that, he entered the library of the East Courtyard, and the bookshelves were set up inside, and the books had not yet begun to be placed, and several officials were busy arranging, and when they saw Xue Bai, they immediately stepped forward to report.

"Xue Zhuangyuan is here, please look at the arrangement of the books, and we will also divide them into four parts of the 'subset of classics and history', arranged in rhyme."

"Hard, how about I add another reading hall here? It can also be transcribed. ”

"Yes, I'm just worried that it will be copied too much, and some books will no longer be rare."

"The saint is a prosperous king, and what he wants is not a few rare books, but a state of etiquette where everyone knows and understands....."

Xue Bai was still busy here, and there were small officials who came to inquire about chores, so Du Wulang had to reluctantly help him deal with it, although he only went to the secretary's province for an hour, he was full of life, and he was asked if he was an official who had just been seconded.

"No, no, this branch has just been in the Ming Scripture, and I have not yet been awarded an official, I am friends with Xue Zhuangyuan, have you ever heard of the five sons of Chunqiu?"

At this moment, a woman in a Taoist robe came over, and asked without greeting her, "What about Xue Bairen?" ”

Du Wulang felt elegant at first glance, turned his head to recognize who it was, was startled, and unconsciously took two steps back.

He ...... Ah, long time no see. ”

The face of the slave was like frost, and there was a murderous aura in his eyes, and he asked, "What about people?" ”

Du Wulang didn't dare to answer, and hurriedly pointed to the secretary province in the west.

Jiaonu was not easy to deceive, and immediately entered the east courtyard where Xue Bai was. After a while, he came out angrily and said, "You tell him, go to the Jade True Temple and give me an explanation." ”

With that, she went straight elsewhere to find it.

Du Wulang was stunned, and then looked around the east courtyard, but Xue Bai was really gone.

It wasn't until Kyauknu walked away that he saw Xue Bai coming out of the military department in the north and talking to Wang Wei.

"Did you just see the maid?" Du Wulang looked for an opportunity to step forward and asked in a low voice.

"I'm busy with official business, so I don't have time to pay attention to these little women." Xue Bai shook his hand and said, "Let's go, we will eat together, the food in the secretary province is good." Mr. Maha, who also has an errand in the military department, comes over for dinner every time. ”

This is just an exaggerated joke, Wang Wei is indifferent and does not explain.

The food was arranged by Guanglu Temple, in fact, there was a standard, and the important ministers in purple and red robes must eat differently from ordinary officials.

Du Wulang originally thought that he had a tricky taste, and he was used to tasting the stir-fried food of Fengwei Building, how could he look at the food of the government office? But I didn't know that Xue Bai ate the dishes that several officials should eat, and the taste was unexpectedly good.

"This....the meat is firm, the fat is even, the skin is soft and glutinous, and there is a fragrance, which is ..... pepper! It's so reluctant, I can eat with pepper!

Xue Bai was talking about poetry and books with Wang Wei and others, and he didn't have time to talk to him.

Du Wulang was alone there, and every time he tasted a dish, he sighed with emotion.

"Hey, but Du Langzhong's child? The insight is extraordinary. ”

"I'm a rich ......"

Du Wulang was halfway through speaking, and when he turned around, he saw an old man in a purple robe standing not far away, and everyone around him called him "Left."

Xiang", he hurriedly kept silent, he didn't want to, but the other party recruited him.

"Look, this is the well-known Du Wulang in Chang'an City."

Du Wulang didn't know what Chen Xilie was letting people see, so he responded: "I've seen Zuo Xiang." ”

"I heard that you are about to get married, why don't you send a post to the old man?" Chen Xilie is very approachable. ”

"This 。。。。。。"

Du Wulang thought to himself, Xue Hui, the uncle of the bride refused to be present because he didn't want to associate with Xue Ling, why did this left-hand minister have no relatives and no reason?

Chen Xilie seemed to understand his thoughts, and said: "Your grandfather is in the ministry with the old man's colleagues, and the old man should go to your wedding." ”

"That'...... On April 18, I wonder if the left minister can spare time? If you are busy with official business......."

"Not busy, not busy, bound to go." Chen Xilie stroked his beard and smiled. ”

"On the fifteenth day of this month, it is rare for a saint to be in the early dynasty of Daming Palace, should it be related to the current book repair?"

"Presumably Mr. Maha is going to write a poem."

"It seems that Xue Lang knows something?"

Xue Bai smiled and said nothing, with Wang Wei's cleverness, this reminder was enough.

After the dinner, Wang Wei, Li Mi and others followed Xue Bai to a room, and several people whispered a few words and went to work.

In the afternoon, Xue Bai went to meet Yang Chen, and the conversation was still about the affairs of the newspaper.

Everyone in the court has not yet realized that it is this newspaper that can really bring real power to the elder brother. Xue Bai said: "If the sage's edict goes directly to the subjects, this is equivalent to the right to collect the edict of Hanlin and the Zhongshu Sheren." ”

"Really?" Yang Yan was overjoyed, patted his knees and said: "Okay, no wonder Ah Bai asked me to promise my brother that I would no longer go to Zhongmen Province to fight for power with him, it turned out that I was waiting here." ”

Xue Bai smelled a smell of medicine in the hall, and first reminded him, "Brother should also pay attention to his body, don't work too hard", and then continued: "These craftsmen in the secretary province are great treasures, and they have to be gathered at any cost. In this way, others want to follow suit

imitation, can no longer shake the elder brother. ”

"Ah Bai don't have to worry, I have a lot of money, and I just buy these talents to the death!"

"The general supervisor is already casting movable type copperplates, and Brother Dang has complete control over this group of craftsmen, so that Li Xiu doesn't know the progress." Xue Bai said: "When the report comes out, it can make people scratch their heads." ”

Yang Qiqi said: "What does it mean to be confused? ”

"We're going to be very efficient." Xue Bai groaned: "Others can't figure out why they can do it, so they think that the reason is in this movable type copperplate, and this copperplate has thousands of words, and it is definitely not an ordinary person who has the ability to cast, so he can only look at the ocean and sigh, thinking that only the secretary province has the ability to publish the newspaper." ”

"And what about the facts?"

Xue Bai smiled mysteriously and said, "It's actually very simple, Brother will know when he arrives." ”

Yang Yan was very curious, but in line with his trust in Xue Bai, he endured not to ask.

Xue Bai asked again: "Of course, technical barriers can't stop others from grabbing the right to publish the newspaper, it doesn't matter, we are a conspiracy, what we are robbing is this initial prestige, the more prosperous the academic article is, the more it sinks, and the poor students will naturally look at us, this is the general trend.......

There are too many fresh words in these words, Yang Zhen often has to think about it before he can react, he is very difficult to listen to, and he is a little confused, in short, he knows that this mastermind is very capable, and he listens to him.

In the next few days, the remote courtyard in the secretary province was called the "newspaper courtyard" by Xue Bai, and the craftsmen in the courtyard got rich monthly salaries and rewards, and were busy day and night.

At the same time, in the prison, several workshops and courtyards that made bamboo paper, ink, and copperplates were also completely controlled by Yang Chen.

For example, the promise to Li Linfu that the Yang Party never went to fight for power under the Zhongshu Sect, and concentrated on the popularization of cheap paper....... just seeking this little political achievement.

When the moon sinks and the sun rises, the copper juice is poured into the mould and placed in the water, raising smoke; The pulp is slowly dried on the scorn to form bamboo paper; Sawdust flies, and carving knives carve small blocks on wooden blocks; The ink stone was hammered, melted, pounded, and carefully ground, flowing with thick ink.

After that, in the sound of "pop", the carved plates that were lined up were stained with ink and printed on bamboo paper....

Finally on April 15, the saint made an early pilgrimage in Daming Palace.

When the rooster crows, the officials above the fifth grade in Beijing and specific officials get up early, carry lanterns, and ride horses to the court, which is exactly "remote recognition of the slight fire in the morning, a star and five gates west".

Xue Bai's official position is too small, and he is not among the early dynasties. Instead, he waited in the car workshop of the Taifu Temple outside the Jianfu Gate of the Daming Palace.

When the hundred officials retired from the court, there were eunuchs to issue edicts.

"Summoning Cheng Lang, Taile Cheng, School Secretary Lang Xue Bai, Dongyuan Escort."

"Obey."

All the way to the East Garden, only to see the palace jade fence around, the golden glow beast face, the spring grass of the phoenix pond is green, and the breeze is just right. Li Longji was taking a group of courtiers to enjoy the beautiful scenery, and the atmosphere was just right.

Those officials are mainly purple robes and red robes, and there are also some green robes, and Xue Bai is the only green robe.

Before he could get forward, he heard someone chanting poetry.

'Cuiye Nongdanyuan, the clear sky is blue and empty, and the same literature and history are the same, and the grass is willing to seal the book. ”

"Good! Xu Yushi's poem is good. ”

"Let's have a song on the left."

Then the old minister made a fool of himself. Chen Xilie also came as soon as he opened his mouth, chanted a quite good poem, and was full of emotion, "The wild old song is fine, and the courtiers drink the New Year's Fang." The emperor's affection is a group of things, and China and foreign countries are enlighted. ”

At this time, Xue Bai stepped forward to salute, Li Longji was in a good mood, and beckoned him to step forward, but instead of asking him to write poems, he pointed to the eunuch who was copying poems, and said with a smile: "The champion of the new department is here, and look at this Tang Dynasty meteorological ......."

After the end of the early dynasty, according to the rule, the officials will eat under the corridor of the court, called "eating under the corridor", but Xue Bai did not have time to eat in the palace on this day, and went straight out of the Daming Palace and went straight to the newspaper courtyard.

"Xue Lang is here!"

"Open the door."

The two courtyard doors were opened, and Xue Bai strode in, only to see two rows of craftsmen already reporting that the engraving was waiting.

"There are eight new poems to carve! Huang Jiugong, you carved the poem of the left phase. ”

Xue Bai handed a piece of paper to an old craftsman, and when he looked at it, he saw that the other party had already carved the four words "Fenghe Holy System", which could be described as a master of art and bold.

"Liu Shishigong, you carved Cui Hao's poems."

"Cui Hao has returned to Chang'an?

"Yes, I was transferred to the priest Wailang, my news is too slow, he is a poem written on the spot, you carve quickly."

"Whoa."

Eight notes were distributed to more than ten craftsmen, Xue Bai walked in quickly, and then passed through a more secret courtyard gate, only to see that it was in full swing...... The craftsmen are printing the newspaper, and it is already half printed.

"Did it go well?"

"It didn't go well, the engraving was soaked in ink, and I accidentally knocked off many strokes......

"Don't panic, we've been robbing for a lot of time."

Xue Bai comforted the craftsman, and at the same time picked up a newspaper and looked at it.

Since it is not easy to print on both sides, he intends to print the front and side of each newspaper, and the first side has already been printed.

The front page talks about the revision of the "Tianbao Canon"; The next page says that the library of the Eastern Academy of the Secretary Province will be open to all students.

The third page says that in April, the sage opened the early dynasty, and the famous poet wrote poems to praise the prosperity of the Tang Dynasty.

The poems just written by the famous artists have not yet dried their ink. In the courtyard of this newspaper, thousands of copies of their freshly written poems have been printed.

The first poem is Wei Shu's "Fenghe Holy System Repair Ceremony System", "It is forbidden to open in the text, and the name is added by changing the word." The pedestal is recruiting outstanding people, and the bookstore should be Guohua.

After that, Wang Wei's "Fenghe Shengzhi Dengyuyuan and the Supervision of the Peer Response System", "The good atmosphere contains the scenery, and the ode is overflowing with songs." The end arch can be virtuous, and the saint is sacred. ”

Li Mi and Wang Wei are a Buddha together, usually look indifferent, and writing poems is also the same, this time it is written that "the emperor's grace descends from the sky, and the taste perceives spring." Mercy and grace are wide, singing with the monarch and ministers. ”

The poems of Su Mingyuan, Xiao Yingshi, Li Hua and others were also printed in the newspaper early....... This is something they had done a few days ago.

Xue Bai asked Wang Wei to help write a poem, he used to copy poems without telling him, but this time he asked the original poet to send him a poem directly.

In this way, this side of the newspaper has been printed, and it is only necessary to print the poems and texts that have only been published today to the sub-edition, and if they can be printed within two or three days, and spread throughout Chang'an within two or three days, he can establish his status and prestige as "the first person to publish the newspaper" in one fell swoop.

This is what he said to Yang Chen, "It's actually very simple".

"Xue Lang, there's a problem."

"What's wrong?"

"Among these eight poems, there is a seven-character poem that does not match our pre-arranged layout."

"Take it off, I'll change it."

"I'm just afraid...... No, it's a poem by the heir king, which should have been in the second edition on the back. ”

Xue Bai really didn't expect Li Zhen to compose a seven-word poem, so he couldn't help frowning and thinking about it, and said, "Let's engrave it first, I'll see how to rearrange it." ”

"Xue Lang, maybe you can change the size of the word?"

"No, the size can't be changed, so that people can see it."

Xue Bai arranged the newspaper and the engraving for a long time, but there was no suitable way, because he did not use movable type printing, but a whole poem and a carving, and it was too late to change it at this time.

If you don't change the size of the words, Li Zhen's seven words can only be replaced with a larger layout, and other poems will not be lined up. In the end, Xue Bai simply took out the poem of Liu Yushi.

But in this way, in the end, a small space was vacated, and it was not enough to put the whole poem, and it seemed empty if it was not put away.

Xue Bai thought about it, simply picked up the pen and wrote a few words, and handed them to the craftsman.

"Engrave this, move quickly, and we will start printing it at dawn."

"Whoa."

"Are you alright?"

"Alright."

The next day, several engravings were put together, and a brush dipped in ink brushed the ink and covered it with white paper.....

The craftsmen have begun to print the newspaper in an orderly manner.

One, two..... first and second copies were bound together and placed in wooden boxes, at first there were only a few copies, and by sunset the first boxes were full.

The first box was loaded onto the carriage and first sent to Miyagi; Immediately after, the second box was sent to Fengwei Building.

In this way, the first batch of newspapers printed in large quantities came into being