Chapter 60 Pen, Ink, Paper and Inkstone
"What are they doing? Why are they so wasteful?" Ying Zheng looked at the villagers who were cutting paper in confusion.
"Your Majesty, this is to make all new paper the same size, and the extra paper will not be wasted. This paper can also be used as raw material, so these waste papers will be recycled and reused." Li Si replied again.
"That's it." Ying Zheng suddenly realized, "No wonder, I think those new papers are really beautiful.
But how to use this new paper? By the way, the teacher said that you need to use a pen. This can be written on the paper. I saw that Fusu and the four of them had written on the paper. "
"Your Majesty, next, the place that Wei Chen will take Your Majesty to visit is the pen-making workshop." Li Si said.
"Okay." Ying Zheng responded.
Immediately, Li Si and Meng Tian took Ying Zheng to the pen-making workshop.
Along the way, Li Si and Meng Tian had already explained the process of making the pen, so that Ying Zheng would not know anything and would be embarrassed if the villagers heard it.
Just now in the papermaking workshop, I thought that the remaining paper that was cut out was a waste, so I made some jokes.
Although Li Si and others thought it was a waste the first time, they could lose face, but Ying Zheng could not. He was the First Emperor.
Although Ying Zheng listened to Li Si and Meng Tian explain the process, he still didn't understand the details.
Also, Ying Zheng was even more puzzled by some of the professional terms. Every time a professional term appeared, he had to ask what it meant.
Fortunately, Li Si is smart enough and has a thorough understanding of professional terms, so he explains everything very well.
The four of them soon arrived at the pen-making workshop.
Ying Zheng saw the densely packed snow-white brush heads of the same size hanging, and this sight made him feel unique.
"There are so many pen tips. Can they all be made into brushes?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Li Si said, "Sir, what you want is to make a thousand brushes first. Based on the calculation of five hundred students, each student will be equipped with two brushes. As for the paper, we will discuss it when necessary."
Ying Zheng turned around and continued walking forward. He saw people washing wool, selecting wool, arranging and carding wool.
Finally, someone picked out a handful of wool of the same length and tied it together to form the head of a writing brush.
Watching the process of the villagers making brushes, coupled with Li Si and Meng Tian's previous explanations, Ying Zheng immediately understood what each process the villagers were doing was doing.
"How many brushes can be made in one day?" Ying Zheng asked.
"Reporting to your Majesty, with the current shortage of manpower and unfamiliar skills, it is already very difficult to make a hundred pens in a day." Li Si replied.
One hundred a day? So much?
"This is already a lot. Qin An only needs a thousand brushes and can complete it in ten days." Ying Zheng said, "Then what should be done with the brushes produced in the future?"
“According to the teacher’s wishes, I will sell it, or give it to a nearby village, or hand it over to the village chief.
The husband said that the village was too poor. Even though the villagers in the ten miles and eight villages could not do business with the outside world, they could do business within the ten miles and eight villages.
What is this called? Trade can improve the lives of people from all over the country. Over time, even if people outside don’t want to come in, we ourselves want to go out. "
"Didn't Sir say that our production is too backward and it is difficult to do business?" Ying Zheng asked.
"This gentleman didn't say anything." Li Si replied.
"Why didn't I ask?" Ying Zheng asked, "This is nothing like you."
Li Si immediately said: "Your Majesty, I'm sorry. It's really what Mr. Wei said that shocked Wei Chen. Up to now, Wei Chen still has a lot of things that he has not digested, so he is afraid that once he asks, more new knowledge will enter his heart." More difficult to digest.
And many of the contents, Wei Chen thinks are fantasy and impossible to happen.
For example, flying into the sky, how can a person fly into the sky, but Wei Chen has been thinking about it in his heart.
And why can’t Legalists educate others? "
Ying Zheng nodded and said, "I understand what you are thinking. I understand some of Qin An's words in my heart, and I especially want to know what kind of world Qin An's world is.
What surprises this Qin An will bring to me and everyone else. "
"Your Majesty is wise. This Qin An will make Great Qin truly prosperous for eternity." Li Si said.
"The Qin Dynasty will last forever." Zhang Han and Meng Tian said in unison.
Ying Zheng waved his hand and said: "I no longer think about it, I want to let Great Qin exist as long as possible.
Let’s not talk about this anymore. Let’s go and take me to see other workshops. I don’t believe there are only these three workshops. "
"Your Majesty is wise. There is indeed more," Li Si said. "Sir, he said that in ancient times, that is, within the next two thousand years, scholars could not write without pen, ink, paper, and inkstone."
"Pen, ink, paper and inkstone? I already know about pen and paper, but what about ink and inkstone?" Ying Zheng asked.
"The ink workshop and the inkstone workshop are nearby. Your Majesty, please go this way."
Ying Zheng looked in the direction Li Si pointed and found a big tree not far away and a house next to the big tree.
The house was built with redundant bricks. Since there was no cement, they used the most primitive method to glue the bricks together.
The bricks of the Great Wall are all held together by glutinous rice juice, which can be mixed with something to have the effect of cement.
Afterwards, Ying Zheng took the lead and watched the production of ink and inkstones one by one.
I found that the things made by the villagers were very fine, as fine as the craftsmanship of the palace craftsmen.
This Qin An is really powerful. These villagers are not real villagers. They are played by some minor nobles and their servants, as well as Li Si. Meng Tian and Zhang Han's family and acceptance.
There are also many Black Dragon Guards among them.
Qin An is indeed capable of making such a group of people create such exquisite things.
"How to use this ink and inkstone, how to write on the paper, I only see densely written words on the paper, but I don't know how to use it." Ying Zheng said.
Now that pens, inks, paper and inkstones have appeared, bamboo slips and carving knives can be thrown away.
Not to mention the hassle of carving words every time, once the wrong carving is done, the entire bamboo slip will be useless, which is such a waste.
Using paper is so convenient now and it can be reused.
Li Si said: "Your Majesty, your room has prepared pens, inks, paper and inkstones for you. When you go back, Wei Chen will help you grind the ink."
When Ying Zheng heard this, he knew that the key was this Mo.
"Okay, let's go back. Qin An is probably already preparing dinner." Ying Zheng said with a smile.
The four of them immediately headed home.
Ying Zheng walked in front, Li Si beside him. Meng Tian and Zhang Han followed behind, walking back slowly.
Qin An had already started to attack the leg of lamb at this time.
