Princess Consort of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 282 The main social contradictions in Dazhou

After they finished listening to this passage, they saw Shen Sanwen approaching step by step with a sad face.

Frowning in thought, like a general who is not discouraged after being defeated, Cui Xuan hurriedly stepped forward to comfort him, "Your original intention is good, it doesn't matter if His Majesty doesn't support you for a while, listen to me."

Shen Sanwen looked at Cui Xuan in shock, "Why don't you listen to me?"

Cui Xuan nodded, "Say it."

People who are in a bad mood should let this go. No one listened to him just now, and he must have a lot to say, Cui Xuan thought to himself.

Shen San asked surprisingly, "His Majesty has promised to implement the policy of universal education, so that everyone in Dazhou can read and write."

Cui Xuan: "Huh? Then why are you depressed?"

Shen San asked frustrated, "Your Majesty entrusted me with the full power to take charge of this matter, and ordered all officials from all over the country to cooperate and assist."

Cui Xuan: "Then how exactly do you cooperate?"

Shen San asked: "Everyone should perform their duties, and then cooperate with me when I need help. Some expenses must be approved by His Majesty before implementation."

Cui Xuan: "."

Originally, this was not included in their responsibilities, so this can be regarded as having no responsibilities, and all departments cooperate, that is, you should handle things by yourself and meet reasonable requirements.

It still has to be reviewed.

His Majesty didn't give anything, no one in his hand, no money in his pocket, no wonder Shen Sanwen looked sad.

At this time, the person who sent the message was still waiting to continue, so Shen Sanwen listened together, and corrected any mistakes in tone and words, and reproduced his bravery in the court. marvel.

In the three rounds, he won all the debates alive, and these scholars were convinced.

Can't find any faults.

What a brain.

Cui Xuan, in particular, was very emotional. Why did he stay out of office in a fit of anger, didn't he just think it was unfair? His unfairness was brought about by the emperor.

No one explained it to him, it was obvious that he was tricked by his uncle, and Shen Sanwen cared about his feelings, and did not mention his sad incident clearly.

Cui Xuan also felt that the previous thinking was too simple. Having enough to eat is just a very low-level survival requirement. The sons of these aristocratic families, no matter famine or natural disaster, or change of dynasty, can be rich and well-fed.However, the cost of studying is still very high. Some nephews and nephews in distant relatives' families are only the eldest sons who can study well under the conditions of the family's kindness, and it is not easy for others to be able to read.

It is precisely because of this that the loyalty of the big family to the patriarch who supports them far exceeds that of other people. All their efforts in their lives are to obtain family resources for themselves or their descendants.As a result, since the end of the Han Dynasty, the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms, until the Sui Dynasty and the early Tang Dynasty, the aristocratic family has accumulated for thousands of years, and it has become more and more solid. No matter how many people the emperor changes, they are always able to govern the world and serve as ministers.

However, ever since Gaozong dealt with the Guanlong gentry, Wu Zetian took officials from poor families wantonly, such days are gone forever.

The aristocratic family in the future is just a door to wealth and honor, not a place of nobility that the world admires.

Cui Xuan was eager to restore the glory of the family, but also eager to make some achievements, so he struggled and hesitated for a long time in his heart.

However, today Shen Sanwen gave an answer that he had been waiting for for a long time and could not refuse.

Those who are officials, for the country, for the people, for the common people of the world, and for the best of what they have learned, create a magnificent and prosperous world that will last forever.What did he learn from reading?No that's it.Cui Xuan secretly vowed that he must make some achievements in this process and leave his name in the history books.

Today, the prosperous age is approaching, and literature is flourishing, but there are still many people in the world who cannot enjoy the fruits of the prosperous age and appreciate the splendid chapters.

This education for all, he supports it to the end.

Shen Sanwen looked at Cui Xuan, who was deep in thought, and when he woke up, this guy, every time he was absorbed in thinking about something, he had no one else in his eyes, so what did he think of.Fortunately, his lord is a princess. When he meets an impatient person, he will be upset with you every minute. Believe it or not, he will give you small shoes to wear.

Cui Xuan looked at Shen Sanwen eagerly, and walked over, grabbing his sleeve.

Shen San asked hurriedly pulled it out, and then kept a certain distance with his hands, in case he awakened some strange attributes and gave birth to unreasonable admiration, "Let's have a good talk, so let's not move."

Cui Xuan didn't take it seriously, and said, "If all the people can read and understand etiquette and law, then it must be a prosperous world."

Shen San asked: "Of course I know it's a prosperous age, but didn't you say it's difficult, we're short of money, and it's not enough to spend all the income from the Ministry of Education."

The income of the Ministry of Education is an astronomical figure for a family, but it is a drop in the bucket for the whole world. It is important to find ways to reduce the cost of education and reduce various expenses.

Cui Xuan: "The education and literacy we have laid before has some clues. First calculate the cost of each part, and then add up the total. How to make up for it can make things go smoothly."

Shen San asked sternly, "Okay, then you count the expenses, and I will find a way to make money."

The princess took a sip of tea and said calmly, "Don't be too optimistic. Now these courtiers are only temporarily bluffed by you. When they figure out what's going on, someone will come out to stop them. You have to figure out how to deal with it. The imperial edict , the content will not be implemented for a while, and cannot be promulgated now."

Shen San asked and replied, "The aristocratic family should be powerless to oppose it. Those born in poor families will not object to this policy that they benefit from because of their original family status."

Cui Xuan said in a deep voice, "The aristocratic family has a profound heritage that cannot be underestimated. They will definitely be obstructed in various ways. In the local area, their influence is also greater. Those who have worked so hard to send their children to study and have a sense of superiority, how can they be happy? This policy for everyone to study. As for those scholars who were born in poor families, they are already a privileged class at one time and another. Naturally, they hope to remain a privileged class, and they may not be able to support it. The most important thing is that the interests are more important."

Shen Sanwen frowned again, "Such people cannot afford to be parents' officials. If they find out, I will impeach them all."

Cui Xuan: "."

Others won't write their opposition on their faces, so what's your impeachment law?

After the initial discussion, several people went to their own business.

Song Jing found Cui Xuan, and the two of them thought about it again. This education for all is done, they must be the first to do it. Thinking about the future, it's as sweet as honey.

Sure enough, if you study literature well, it’s better to be right with your leader. Look at Yao Chong, the number one scholar, right?First he was lured by Liu Rengui to King Yin's side, and then he was praised by His Majesty. How glorious, and finally he was appointed as a general to fight for the crown prince. After many battles, he was finally defeated. Now what?A piece of salted fish.

As for them, from the very beginning, Her Royal Highness the Princess and Her Majesty the Prince Consort, selected them from thousands of people with discerning eyes, followed by a series of obedient operations.

Destiny, really.
Cui Xuan: "Cough, cough, serious business, this matter is not easy to handle. The cost mainly has two aspects. One is to buy utensils, pens, inks, papers and inkstones. It is difficult to meet the national expenses even if the Department of Education is empty. There are also labor costs. The expenses of teachers and administrators, statistics of school-age students, statistics of students' academic performance, and subsidies for poor students are all difficult problems.

I think back then, when I was studying, our Cui family spent as much money as running water, and one book was worth a family's ten-year expenses. "

Song Jing: "Aren't books expensive at that time? I only had a few books of Confucianism in my hand, and I read them over and over again, and I could see the flowers in every sentence. Now that there is fast movable type printing, the price of books is much lower. "

Cui Xuan: "For brushes, inkstones, pencils can be used instead. I'm still not used to this thing, but it's light and light. If mass-produced, the cost can be reduced a lot."

Song Jing: "Good pens and inkstones are all precious things, but if you take care of them, they can last a lifetime. This pencil can't be used after it's used up. It's only a short one, and you can't write many words. Isn't it too extravagant?"

Cui Xuan: "As long as the cost can be reduced, it is good for everyone to be able to read, write, and learn literature first. It is much better than promoting literacy before, where everyone can only practice with charcoal at home."

Song Jing: "Pencils are much easier to use than charcoal. It is convenient for the son-in-law to discuss and discuss. The labor cost is less. A town only needs dozens of people."

Cui Xuan: "Well, it's mainly about paper."

Papermaking also needs to rely on bamboo forests. The paper needed for education for all is not a single thing. How to solve the paper problem.

For some reason, Cui Xuan felt that Shen Sanwen must have a solution.

Because, in the past, no matter what happened, he had unexpected ways.

After some discussions, he estimated the price levels in different regions and roughly calculated the cost. Cui Xuan took the results and found Shen Sanwen who was sitting on a bench under a tree.

Shen Sanwen always felt that there was something important that he had overlooked, but he couldn't remember it.

Cui Xuan roughly talked to him about the cost, and Shen Sanwen felt very heartbroken, but as a son-in-law who is as rich as a country, he has to show composure.Not much, the cost of one year of education is roughly equivalent to the current ten-year income of the Ministry of Education.

Sad people, sad people!
It seems that the Ministry of Education has to expand well to collect the wealth of the world.

Shen Sanwen actually wanted to ask, what Cui Xuan thinks about the relationship between education and aristocratic families. After all, aristocratic families represent old interests. When new interests come out, according to Marx’s principle, the old forces should work hard The counterattack, and then the old and the new alternately feed the moves, and finally the new interests defeat the old interests.

However, before he had time to ask, Cui Xuan's question came out first.

Cui Xuan: "Paper is a big problem now. The amount of paper in the country is limited, and it may not be able to meet the needs. Moreover, some paper is too expensive, accounting for a large part of the cost."

Shen Sanwen finally remembered what the problem he had overlooked was the paper problem.

The expansion of the Ministry of Education requires the use of a large amount of paper, and the cost of paper must be reduced. Otherwise, the Ministry of Education is doomed to lose money for many books that no one cares about (push street books), or in poor areas.

Now, education needs paper, and the Ministry of Education also needs paper. At that time, the supply of paper will be in short supply every year, and the price will rise steadily. Both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Education will have to finish.

Therefore, he also has to solve the problem of paper cost and manufacturing efficiency.

Wow, but he can't make paper.

Shen Sanwen had no choice but to ask Cui Xuan to wait, and he would think of a way.

Cui Xuan's heart felt cold, there was nothing he could do about it, it was cool.

Feeling disappointed, Cui Xuan left the mansion, found Song Jing, and informed him of the result, "This papermaking is probably too difficult. It may take a long time for our plan and prosperity to be realized, but We can't be discouraged, the road is long and the road is long, we slowly search up and down."

The two brothers hugged each other and cried for a while.

When waking up from the dream, the dream was shattered, it was so hurtful, and the two felt down.

Although Shen San asked no, but he still has a contemporary, so he hurriedly wrote to Zhang Yang, "Brother, can you make paper?"

In the eight hundred li rush, several horses ran away and died. Zhang Yang nervously opened the envelope and saw such a nonsense.

"No, I just read a few pictures in the book. It's shameful to waste court resources."

The return was six hundred li in an expedited manner, and not a single horse was killed.

Shen Sanwen didn't hold out any hope either, after all, even an almighty king with a wide range of interests and talents would not be able to do it, so would Zhang Yang be able to.

You still have to go and see for yourself. It is a huge contribution to improve a little bit and speed up a little bit of efficiency.

The main contradiction in Dazhou society now is the contradiction between the ever-increasing demand for paper and the efficiency of paper that is in short supply.

Papermaking was first invented by Cai Lun, the eunuch Shangfang Ling of the Eastern Han Dynasty. Shangfang was the institution in charge of the manufacturing industry of the imperial palace. Papermaking was originally to supply the needs of the palace.

After so many years, the imperial palace is still the place with the largest demand for paper. Except for libraries such as the Ministry of Education, which are updated daily, the imperial palace has the most paper coming and going.

The emperor is also the person who reads the most and is the busiest.

Therefore, the most advanced papermaking technology of this era lies in the Shangfang Bureau of the imperial palace.

The paper of the Tang Dynasty is no longer just pursuing whiteness, brightness and flexibility as before.People from Shangfang Bureau often add more miscellaneous materials in the paper making process, such as powder coating and gold sprinkling.The dyeing process originated in the Tang Dynasty.The paper at this time, except for its whiteness, is already comparable to that of later generations.

It's just flower paper, without the skillful craftsmanship of future generations.

Shen Sanwen hadn't seen various kinds of paper before, after all, official paper was more important for solemnity, and paper with a specific color was more liked by his daughter's family, so he naturally had few chances to come into contact with it.

However, I heard that this colorful paper is very popular among noble ladies. As soon as the news of Shang Fang Ju was heard, someone imitated it immediately, and they could buy it at a good price.

Chinese people's ability to imitate and improve is always good.

However, the paper produced by different imitation techniques varies widely.

Shen Sanwen felt that this paper must have other uses and bring benefits, but he didn't think about how useful it was.

In the depths of the palace, in a remote place that he had never set foot in, he was able to witness the whole process of papermaking with his own eyes.

Next to him was an eunuch patiently explaining to him.

The best paper can be produced only when the bamboo in a certain period is used for papermaking. At other times, the workers only complete the extra papermaking tasks, and research ways to improve in their free time.

(End of this chapter)