I bring the system to tease Shihuang to engage in infrastructure construction

Chapter 45 Typography

The matter of papermaking has been spread like this, but this is not the end, Zhao Jun still has no ideas about printing.

Otherwise, it is useless if papermaking and printing cannot keep up.

After the court was over that day, she stopped Li Si who was about to leave and went to meet the king together.

This is the first time that Jun Zhao has had private contact with this famous official in history.

It looks like that's the case...

"Master Zhao asked me to meet the king together because he still has something to say about papermaking."

Li Si walked side by side with her and asked, his tone affirmative.

"Well, anyway, the help of the prime minister is indispensable."

Zhao Jun responded with a smile, and soon arrived at Ying Zheng's front hall.

"Come on, your body is fine."

Ying Zheng had just come down to court, and just after changing clothes and coming out, he saw Zhao Jun and Li Si standing in the hall.

"Thank you, King, for your concern. It's completely fine." Zhao Jun replied with a smile.

"Well, the widow also sees it. Seeing that you are smiling up today, it should be a good thing."

Ying Zheng sat in front of his usual writing desk, on which were some blank papers presented to him by Mr. Zhao just now.

"No, no, ahem, my lord, I have something serious to talk about today, and I need the help of Master Li Si."

Zhao Jun glanced at Li Si who had been pretending not to see since he entered the door, and suddenly queried him.

Li Si noticed the unusually familiar question and answer between the king and Zhao Jun from the moment he entered the door.

He waited silently by the side without interrupting.

Hearing Zhao Jun calling him, he stepped forward to respond.

"Is something wrong? It's about the paper workshop, you decide."

Ying Zheng thought they were talking about the site selection and construction of the workshop.

"No, I have no problem with the construction of this workshop. I have another important thing to talk about today."

Zhao Jun said seriously, and began to talk about printing.

"This papermaking technique is completely fine, but papermaking needs to be paired with printing to play a greater role."

"For example, I want to transcribe the expenditure details of the Department of Internal History over the years on paper, but with so many words, do I need someone to transcribe them day and night?"

"Here, I want the people of Qin to be able to read, so since I want to read books, I have to make enlightenment books, and I have to transcribe some other ancient books. If no enlightenment book is to be spread throughout the Great Qin Then at least a thousand copies must be written, so do they have to be copied one by one?"

"Then how many people will have to copy the book to spread it all over the Qin Dynasty?"

Zhao Jun mentioned the current problem.

"The problem Mr. Zhao mentioned is indeed very serious. Leaving aside these things, it may take a lot of time to transcribe Qin's own historical records if it relies on manpower alone."

Li Si is worthy of being a cultural master with great political sensitivity. As soon as Zhao Jun mentioned it, he immediately understood the seriousness.

"The prime minister is right, so if you want to popularize books and culture, printing is essential."

"Don't be a fool, just tell me what printing is."

Ying Zheng knew at a glance that this guy had already made up his mind.

"Your Majesty, don't worry, let's just say it." Zhao Jun replied playfully.

"This printing method is divided into woodblock printing and movable type printing. Woodblock printing is to engrave the contents of a book on a board, and then dip it in ink. The words are printed on the paper. In this way, you only need to make a good template. Hundreds of copies can be printed."

"But engraving has a big disadvantage, that is, the entire book is carved on a template. If a word is engraved wrong, the whole book cannot be used, which is a waste."

"But movable type printing does not have such a problem. Movable type printing is to carve each character into a small seal, and then arrange and combine the seals according to the content of the book before printing, which saves time and effort and is more convenient."

Zhao Jun briefly introduced to them the difference between the two types of printing. Generally speaking, movable type is more practical.

"I understand the method Mr. Zhao said, and it can indeed greatly improve efficiency."

Li Si understood Zhao Jun's meaning as soon as he heard it.

Ying Zheng also understood, this is the same reason as his seal is printed on paper.

"Prime Minister, do you understand what I mean, I want you to find someone to handle the printing process."

Printing itself does not require a complex process, but it is time-consuming and labor-intensive.

Zhao Jun felt that there was no need for the Mo family to do this.

Kill a chicken with a bull's knife.

Thinking of this, Zhao Jun still glanced at Ying Zheng, after all, he was the one who gave the orders.

"Since that's the case, Li Si, I'll leave this matter to you. It's a great achievement to do it well."

Ying Zheng understood Zhao Jun's meaning, so he pushed the boat along and asked Li Si to do it.

"Yes, Your Majesty, I will bring someone to do it."

Li Si took the lead and went out first, while Zhao Jun stayed here waiting to talk to Ying Zheng about something else.

"The widow just said in court, I can make you a promise, have you thought about what you want?"

Ying Zheng sat aside and asked.

"Well, I haven't thought of it yet, let's keep this for now, and when I think of it, I'll ask the king to cash it in."

Zhao Jun had already thought about it before, but he really didn't have anything in particular he wanted, so he had to keep it for now.

"Well, yes, when you think about it, find the widow."

Ying Zheng agreed, and looked up at her. She hasn't slipped away at this time, so there is something else going on.

"Anything else?" Ying Zheng asked.

"Well, there are still some, mainly the follow-up of papermaking, my lord, I want to open a bookstore in the city, and sell the paper and books directly in the store after the paper and books are finished."

Opening a store in Xianyang City is something that Zhao Jun must do in his heart, and there will be more than one store in the future, the more stores the better.

"That's not a problem. You are in charge of the Naishi Mansion, so just open it."

"This is easy to solve. I mainly want to know whether there are any merchants in the court that can be used, or whether there are any big merchants in Qin. I want to sell the paper to various princes and earn money from other countries, but I will do this. No, you have to find a specialized merchant."

Zhao Jun has a headache, there are still too few professional businessmen.

"Well, this is indeed a problem. Let me send someone to ask if anyone in the court is willing to do this, or if they know of other big businessmen."

Ying Zheng frowned, and he had no other solution for the time being, so he could only try to find someone.

After finishing the business, Zhao Jun quickly left the front hall, she still had a lot of things to do.

For the next half month, she was too busy to touch the ground.

First, I went to the Mohist Workshop and told Juzi about the construction of a paper workshop in the city.

Afterwards, he found Jiangzuo Shaofu non-stop. His subordinates were in charge of the construction of public buildings, and he needed to deal with this young mansion for stone, timber and construction.

Zhao Jun and he walked around Xianyang City twice, and finally found a suitable open space.

Qin's first papermaking workshop will soon stand here!

(End of this chapter)