I'm only seven years old, Lao Zhu, you let me supervise the country?

Chapter 170 Worship the Saint of the World!
To break the monopoly of knowledge by the scholar-official class, the feasible way is to popularize education.

But Lao Zhu has been doing this, but with little success.

In this era, reading is a very expensive thing, and ordinary people can afford it.

In the second year of Hongwu, when the world was first settled, Lao Zhu summoned relevant officials and proposed that "the establishment of schools is the first priority of the country."

Subsequently, the state machinery of the entire Ming Dynasty was quickly activated, and a lot of manpower, material resources, and finances were invested in the construction of schools.

There are Imperial Colleges at the central level, and schools at different levels such as government schools, prefecture schools, county schools, and social schools at the local level.

All over the country, a total of more than [-] students are enrolled each year.

This was a very remarkable number in a feudal dynasty where illiteracy was widespread.

These students are called "Ganshan students".

Linshan means meals provided by the public.

The state supports students, and all students study at public expense, including living expenses.

Every holiday, the court would also give rewards.

When a student reaches the age of getting married and having children, the court will also give him a bride price to marry him.

However, this system was not implemented for many years.

Most of the officials in the imperial court did not agree with the fact that the country invested so much money in running official schools, but they had to do it because of Lao Zhu's strict order.

After Lao Zhu's death, except for the Imperial College, almost all official schools in various places were abolished.

Zhu Yunxuan knew that it would not be easy to popularize education in Ming Dynasty.

Soon, he and Yao Guangxiao came to the place where books were printed.

Many craftsmen are busy.

The huge wheels rotated rapidly, and the craftsmen skillfully took out the characters on the wheels and put them into the printing plate.

Printing has advanced by leaps and bounds since the invention of movable type.

The mass printing of books also greatly promoted the spread of knowledge.

But Zhu Yunxuan only looked at it and shook his head gently.

Although movable type printing is good, the typesetting process is still extremely complicated, time-consuming and labor-intensive.

The grandson came in person, and the craftsmen were all excited.

"Your Highness Taisun, although clay type is good, the clay is easily damaged and there are still many inconveniences."

"Wood movable type is difficult to carve, and the density is uneven."

"And when these two are mostly printed into volumes, they are often unclear and of low quality."

"If copper movable type is used, the cost is too high."

"After repeated research, I found that the movable type casted by "lead" can print books with full and clear handwriting, and the quality is extremely high, and the movable type itself is not easy to damage."

A craftsman reported to Zhu Yunxian.

As he spoke, he presented a piece of book paper that had just been printed with movable lead type.

As we all know, Taisun attaches great importance to invention and creation.

Craftsmen who propose technical improvements will be given generous rewards.

The craftsman invented movable lead type, and he couldn't wait to take credit from Taisun.

Lead type?
Zhu Yunzhen was slightly startled.

The name Gutenberg could not help but come to mind.

This man is known in the West as the inventor of movable type printing, although in fact Bi Sheng pioneered movable type printing about 400 years earlier than him.

Movable type printing was a huge technological advance.

But clay type still has many shortcomings.

Such as insufficient firmness, damage and unfavorable storage, and cannot be used for secondary printing.

Wooden movable type is limited by the wood, and the texture is uneven. Good wood is too hard and difficult to carve. It deforms after being wetted, and it is difficult to separate when it is stuck together with chemicals, etc.

As for copper movable type, the biggest problem is that the materials are expensive and the production process is very complicated.

In comparison, movable lead type has many advantages.

With the invention of movable lead type, a media movement was launched in the West, and knowledge was rapidly popularized.

Gutenberg is therefore regarded by many Westerners as an important figure who influenced the course of history.

Where is there no talent in China?
With just a little incentive, someone invented movable type so quickly.

He didn’t even do any coaching.

Zhu Yunzhen sighed in his heart and couldn't help but feel a little absent-minded.

Next to him, Yao Guangxiao took the paper, looked at it, and praised: "The printing is exquisite and the handwriting is full. Compared with engraving printing, it is even better. Good! Very good!"

"Not bad!" Zhu Yunxuan also praised: "You can find a new way and invent movable lead type, which should be rewarded. What is your name?"

"Return to Your Majesty Taisun, the Living Seal of the Little Man King." The craftsman responded generously and decently, not at all as reserved as others.

Zhu Yunxuan looked him up and down, then asked with a smile: "How many years have you been engaged in movable type printing?"

"It's not been a few years." Wang Huoyin had a look of shame on his face: "At first, the family still had surplus money, so farming and reading were the most important tasks. Later, the family fell into poverty and had no choice but to become a craftsman."

"It was also when I was a child that my father often played with farm tools in the courtyard and also did movable type printing, so that he could earn a living through this."

Was he born into a wealthy family?

But the average wealthy family does not play with farm tools and utensils at home, let alone do movable type printing.

This is something a servant would do.

Learning is valuable than anything else.

The young master, of course, only thinks about studying.

This Wang family is a little different.

Suddenly a bright light flashed in Zhu Yunzhen's mind.

Wang family?king……

He quickly asked: "You are from the Wang family, could you be a descendant of Wang Zhen?"

Wang Huoyin was very surprised: "That is my father, I didn't expect His Royal Highness to know my father's name."

Your father is an agriculturist and agricultural mechanist who can go down in history.

He was also the inventor of wooden movable type and the wheel typesetting plate, and was one of the few scientists in history.

With such a famous person, who wouldn’t know?
"Everyone in the world talks about farming, reading and heirlooms, so why doesn't the imperial court take these two as its top priority?"

Zhu Yunxi said: "Agriculture is the foundation of a country, and books are the carrier of civilization inheritance. Your father not only emphasized agriculture, wrote books, but also invented wooden movable type and rotary typesetting. He made outstanding contributions to printing. Of course Gu knows it."

Hearing the grandson's praise of his father, Wang Huoyin was very excited.

"You can invent lead movable type, and you are worthy of being Wang Zhen's son." Zhu Yunxuan smiled and said: "Today I will grant you a ninth-grade official position and reward you with 500 taels of silver as a reward."

"I hope you will continue to work hard in the future and make more inventions."

Wang Huoyin knelt down and worshiped again, with tears streaming down his face: "Thank you, Your Highness Taisun."

After his family fell into decline and he became a craftsman, he suffered a lot.

Unexpectedly, today I can get an official again.

"Although movable lead type is good, there is a better way."

Zhu Yunxuan stated the purpose of his trip.

He sent for a piece of wax paper.

"Use a hard pen to write on the wax paper to make a wax plate, and then place it flat under the gauze..."

According to the memory of his previous life, he explained how to make and use the mimeograph.

Compared to firearms, mimeograph machines are much simpler.

The required wax paper, ink, hard pens, etc. are all available.

This simple mimeograph was a huge technological leap compared to movable type printing.

Hand-press mimeographs were still widely used in a large number of primary and secondary schools until the 90s of the [-]th century.

Especially in many rural primary and secondary schools, which cannot afford to buy books of test papers, teachers make up their own questions and then use hand-pressed mimeograph machines to print test papers for students to complete questions and take exams.

In his previous life, Zhu Yunxuan tinkered with this type of mimeograph machine and printed test papers when he was in primary and secondary school. He was extremely impressed by it.

The principle and structure are very simple, and the printing efficiency is improved by tens of millions of times.

It was impossible to build the machine right away, but while Zhu Yunxuan explained the principles and manufacturing methods to the craftsmen, he also ordered all the materials such as wax paper, gauze, ink, and hard pens to be prepared.

After a simple experiment, he printed a page of books.

Wang Huoyin was stunned.

Just now I was proud of myself for inventing movable lead type.

At this time, it has suffered a huge blow.

Compared with the wax paper mimeograph invented by His Highness Taisun, his movable lead type seems like a joke.

With a mimeograph machine, what else is needed?
His Royal Highness Taisun gave him a reward just now, rewarding him with silver and making him an official, probably just because he is the son of Wang Zhen.

Otherwise, how can a technology that is not used at all be worthy of praise?
He was extremely disappointed and dazed.

Zhu Yunxi noticed that Wang Huoyin's expression was wrong, so he smiled and said: "Although your movable lead type is not useful, it is very good if you can invent and create it."

"Only with God's blessing can I come up with the mimeograph machine."

"If not, the movable lead type you invented will be used for hundreds of years to come."

"Gu granted you an official position and rewarded you with gold and silver, not because you are Wang Zhen's son, but because the technical improvements you proposed are worthy of Gu's heavy reward."

"You don't need to be downcast. You should use this as an encouragement to study technology and make more inventions and creations."

Wang Huoyin was ashamed and moved: "My grandson's words, I, Wang Huoyin, will definitely keep in mind, and I will work hard in the future, and I will definitely make some achievements, so as to live up to my grandson's high hopes and my father's promise." name."

Zhu Yunxuan nodded and told the craftsmen to make the hydraulic press as soon as possible.

Compared with the large amount of manpower and material resources required for movable type printing, the low printing cost and high printing efficiency of hydraulic presses are worlds apart.

Using a hydraulic press, printing no matter how many books you want is a breeze.

The mass printing of books will inevitably lead to the widespread dissemination of knowledge, thus affecting the entire society.

Reading and literacy will no longer be monopolized by rich and wealthy families.

Zhu Yunxuan turned around, only to see Yao Guangxiao still standing there blankly, as if he was a wooden chicken.

"You stupid monk, where are you still entering meditation?" Zhu Yunxuan laughed.

"thump!"

Yao Guangxiao suddenly knelt down.

"His Royal Highness Taisun invented the hydraulic press today, which has enabled books to be widely distributed throughout the world. His achievements are comparable to those of the three emperors. Daoyan has created thousands of scholars in the world. Thank you, Your Highness Taisun!"

He kowtowed heavily and bowed deeply.

Yao Guangxiao has never been like this since he followed Zhu Yunxuan.

Because although he is a monk, he is still a Confucian scholar at heart.

In his eyes, nothing in the world is greater than reading.

The invention of the hydraulic press gave Yao Guangxiao a glimmer of hope that everyone in the world would be a scholar and be literate.

There will be no more white people in the world.

Civilization spreads all over the world, and enlightenment spreads among all peoples.

Even the ancient sages could hardly match these achievements.

What Yao Guangxiao worshiped was not the great-grandson of Ming Dynasty, but the saints of the present age.

It was at this moment that he truly surrendered to Zhu Yunxuan and had no objections.

(End of this chapter)