back to ancient times to be emperor

Chapter 54 Running a Newspaper

Thanks to the impetus of the Science and Technology Award, movable type printing was successfully promoted.Movable type printing is better than woodblock printing in that it can be disassembled and used repeatedly.As long as a few more commonly used characters are prepared, the imposition can be made at any time, which greatly speeds up the plate-making time.Printing in large quantities is much cheaper than woodblock printing.Moreover, movable type occupies less space than engraved blocks, so it is easy to store and keep.

Why are ancient books so expensive?Because the engraving blocks of woodblock printing are precious, they are all carved with high-quality wood.A book has at least hundreds of pages, that is to say, hundreds of engraving blocks are required, and only a thousand copies can be printed, otherwise the lettering will be blurred and cannot be printed.With such a high cost, it is justified that books are expensive.

This is the advantage of movable type printing. Not only is the material cheap, but it is also easy to make. Even if there are rare characters, you can get another font by engraving the prepared clay with positive characters.

If you want to print two or three books, movable type printing is not easy, but if you want to print hundreds, thousands, or even tens of thousands of copies, the work efficiency of movable type printing cannot be compared with woodblock printing.Movable type printing can not only save a lot of manpower and material resources, but also greatly improve the printing speed and quality.In contrast, engraving and printing were completely behind.

Lu Chengqi also had another thought in it: "Later generations of Korean Bangzi have been boasting that they have an ancient book, which is the oldest metal movable type printing book in the world, so Han Bangzi claimed that he was the ancestor of the invention of movable type printing. It is really shameless. Learn it by yourself. They claim that the oldest metal movable type can only print forty pages a day at most, purely because of the printing speed. How dare you compare it with the real Chinese movable type printing, your ancestors printed at least a thousand copies a day, what do you get? Than?" Even in this different time and space, Lu Chengqi was a little bit aggrieved.

Fortunately, now that he is the emperor, he can bring an invention back to life with a command.At first, no one could see the benefits of movable type printing. It was not until Lu Chengqi created the Science and Technology Award and strongly supported movable type printing that this great invention appeared in people's field of vision.The ancients were like this sometimes. They were too superstitious about the ancient system, thinking that the things handed down from ancient times were the best. It was still difficult for them to accept new things.

Lu Chengqi secretly supported the "Dashun Minbao", insisted on using movable type printing, and hired private printing shops to print.He went there in low clothes, and explained the printing volume in detail, which shocked the owner of the printing shop workshop: "A mansion newspaper, oh no, it is a newspaper, and it has to print tens of thousands of copies? Even if it is a mansion newspaper, it is not printed. So many!"

Lu Chengqi said with a smile: "The mansion newspaper is only sent to the prefectural and county offices. How much can there be? The newspaper I run is for the people of Dashun. This is because I am afraid that they will not accept new things for a while, so I ask to print it So few. If it develops in the future, [-] copies may not be enough."

The owner of the printing workshop does not believe it, but it is a fool to have money and not make money.He smiled bitterly and said, "My lord, if you print like this, the engraving will probably waste a lot!"

Lu Chengqi was stunned, and said inexplicably: "Didn't the Holy Majesty vigorously advocate the use of movable type printing today? Why are you still using engraving?"

"Young master, I don't know. No one has used movable type printing. Who knows whether it is good or not? If it is not done well, what should I do if I lose money? My small workshop is a small business, how can I stand up to such a toss? ?” said the boss of the printing workshop with a sad face.

When Lu Chengqi heard this, he was greatly amused, and said, "You don't need to bear the risk. I request that you must use movable type printing to print it. I will bear all the risks."

The owner of the printing workshop saw Lu Chengqi's swearing, and for the sake of a hundred coins, he gritted his teeth and said, "Forget it, I'll listen to you. It's just that the Holy Majesty said that movable type printing is a patent. no……"

Lu Chengqi waved his hand and said: "You don't know, the founder has passed away, this invention is the patent of the entire Dashun people, but it doesn't matter if you use it."

The boss of the printing workshop had no worries, so he happily took the [-] pieces that Lu Chengqi paid in advance, and started the workers to make clay movable type.This is also the result of Lu Chengqi ordering the officials of the Ministry of Industry to go to various printing workshops to teach. Every printing workshop has learned the method of clay movable type printing, but no one dares to do it.

With the excuse of running a newspaper, Lu Chengqi let the world accept movable type printing faster in a disguised form, and also promoted the emergence of newspapers by the way, which can be said to kill two birds with one stone.

Give the template of the newspaper to the owner of the printing workshop, tell him the place of delivery, and return to the palace under the protection of Wang Yanchen.

Three days later, something called a newspaper quietly appeared in the markets of Chang'an City. There were newspaper boys selling newspapers in restaurants and song halls.People at the time thought it was novel, and the price was not expensive. Many people who read it generously donated their money, took out two copper coins, and bought a newspaper.

Scholars feel that this is a profit.Two copper coins bought a large sheet of paper with various articles on it, and there was something to read on both sides.In contrast, a thin book costs a few pennies, such a good thing is really worth it.

"Hey, this is an article on the inside story of the palace examination. Who wrote it? Oh, it turned out to be Zhang Yuanchong, the son of Guanzhong. Well, the current emperor pays attention to practical affairs. It seems that I have to experience the suffering of the people."

"This brother is also reading newspapers? I think that the establishment of a university by the Holy One is a good thing that really benefits the people. The Holy Majesty said that anyone who has no livelihood and is under the age of [-] can sign up and learn a skill. Even if I don't pass the exam, I can still learn a skill, and I won't be afraid of running out of food..."

All of a sudden, the porters, the peddlers, the literati and the sons were all reading newspapers.Some restaurants and song halls sensed the business opportunity, and even arranged people to read newspapers in the restaurants and song halls. "Dashun Minbao" not only has comments on current affairs, but also various anecdotes, common sense of science and technology, and even a sentence in the cracks: "All shops are welcome to advertise here." The eyes are bright, this is the best time to advertise!The advertisements on the cuju arena were already full, and the merchants who wanted to enter in the future had no place, and they beat their feet and chests, hating themselves for being late.Now that there is such a good opportunity, they must seize it.

And when they inquired, they found out that "Dashun Minbao" was owned by the newly opened "Dashun Minbao".The newly opened Dashun Minbao is already overcrowded, all of them are here to post advertisements.

The instigator, Lu Chengqi, was in the newspaper office, talking to the editor-in-chief Zhang Yuanchong who had just taken office, and said, "Did you see that, Yuanchong, this is the way the newspaper makes money. The newspaper itself just keeps capital. The real way to make money is through the placement of advertisements."

Zhang Yuanchong was completely convinced at this moment: "Your Majesty's foresight is beyond the reach of ordinary people. It's just that Yuanchong is worried. If someone follows the trend and creates another newspaper, won't there be no market?"

Lu Chengqi smiled and said: "If that's the case, I can't ask for it. Foolish people will never be able to enlighten the people's wisdom. If everyone in Dashun is literate and dares to discuss government affairs, corrupt officials will not dare to bully the people and dare not stretch out their hands. The Supervision Department is omitted, and the people Supervisor, how wonderful this is!"

Zhang Yuanchong is really convinced now: "Your Majesty's heart is like a vast ocean, Yuanchong really admires it!"

Lu Chengqi said with a smile: "However, I still want to regulate the newspaper industry. Applying for the establishment of a newspaper must be approved by the Ministry of Households and the Ministry of Commerce. Newspapers that are reactionary and instigated must be banned, and relevant personnel must be arrested and imprisoned. If someone from our Dashun people defected to the enemy country, I can't forgive you lightly."

"Your Majesty doesn't need to worry about this. Since His Majesty has worked diligently, the world has been peaceful and the people live and work in peace and contentment. Presumably, they will not leave their hometowns and defect to the enemy's country."

Lu Chengqi stared at Zhang Yuanchong, and angrily said: "Yuanchong, if you have such thoughts, you are very wrong. As the editor-in-chief, you must speak with facts. How is the life of the people of Dashun? It can be summed up. The world is peaceful, living and working in peace and contentment? I only see the destruction of the land equalization system, the gentry and local tyrants occupying the land, and the people are miserable! If you only whitewash the peace, then don’t be the editor-in-chief, and I will replace it!”

Zhang Yuanchong broke out in cold sweat, and said earnestly: "Your Majesty's instruction, Yuanchong will keep it in mind, from now on we will speak with facts, and we will no longer whitewash the peace!"

(End of this chapter)