After walking out of the side hall, Shulot summoned the warrior chief and gave a few instructions in a low voice. Bertard nodded cautiously. He left behind two loyal guard warriors and gave them careful instructions in case of emergency. The young man lowered his eyes slightly and walked to the paper-making place next to him.
There are several buildings arranged in a circle at the papermaking area. In the middle of the house is a spacious square. It turns out that this place should be a small garden, and there are still traces of flowers and leaves.
At this time, the flowers in the garden have been removed, and the pond in the corner is soaked with various papermaking raw materials, and workers are turning over and inspecting them. Crushed pulp is distributed in the papermaking tank, and some workers are carefully making paper evenly. The surrounding walls are covered with dried yellow-gray paper, and the ground is spread with a lot of sun-exposed light yellow paper pulp. As for the houses of different sizes, the doors of the larger ones are open, while the doors of the smaller ones are closed and occasionally locked.
Shulot paused for a moment. He looked at the sky. The sun was shining just right. Then he looked down and examined the pulp on the ground. Under the exposure of sunlight, the pulp has turned into a light white color.
Looking at everything in front of him, the young man was silent. Alarmed by the warriors accompanying His Highness, the middle-aged person in charge of the papermaking department hurried over. As he walked, he waved his hands left and right, and the craftsmen around him knelt down obediently and saluted His Highness at the same time.
The alliance's real large-scale papermaking workshop is in the crafts center in the north, which is just a small papermaking place. The Shenqi Institute was newly built, and according to His Highness's arrangements, a papermaking group was also established. The leader of the team was dispatched from the papermaking workshop. His name was Trazoca, and he sounded like he was of noble blood.
Trazoca knelt down on one knee and performed the courtesy of a noble. Then, he raised his head carefully and saw that His Highness looked calm, showing no signs of joy or anger. There was something on his mind, so he lowered his head again, feeling uneasy.
"Telazoca, how are the recent developments in your papermaking department?"
Shulot smiled slightly and asked.
"Your Highness, we have made a new breakthrough recently!"
Terrazzoca beamed. He pointed at the paper pulp exposed to the sun and said with a smile.
"According to His Highness's instructions, as long as the pulp is exposed to the sun on the ground, it will gradually turn white. The same is true for the paper made!"
Then, Trazocca pointed to the water tank not far away.
"Your Highness, we also discovered that as long as the viscous sap of the cactus is added to the pulp liquid in the sink, the paper will become even, flat and smooth. It is truly a gift from the patron saint!"
Hearing this, Shulot was slightly confused. He wasn't sure about the role of cactus slime in papermaking. But since it has been proven effective, we will implement it based on practical experience.
In fact? This is the secret of ancient papermaking, paper medicine. Paper medicine is made from the leaves and root sap of many plants, such as elm bark, hollyhock, cactus, wild grape, kiwi vine and sand pine roots. Different paper medicines will have different effects.
But in general, the most important functions of paper medicine are two points: first, it makes the paper surface smooth and smooth. Can paper medicine be combined with paper to evenly suspend the plant fibers in the pulp? This treatment can improve the surface absorption of the finished paper, and in modern papermaking technology, it is replaced by better pressing and gluing technology. Second? Prevent wet paper from sticking. This is used in large-scale papermaking. When thousands of wet papers are stacked? Only after adding paper medicine will they not stick together.
In this era, good paper must have good paper quality. After it is made, it will feel soft to the touch, have bright ink color, and will not turn gray like coarse paper.
Shulot recalled the white paper he had seen at the engraving office. He nodded gently and expressed his approval to the person in charge. Then, he continued to wait for a while, but Trazoca said nothing.
The young man looked at Trazorca who was kneeling again, who also looked at him expectantly.
"Your Highness? I wonder if you are satisfied? Your previous promise..."
Shulot frowned slightly. He asked in a deep voice.
"Telazoca, I heard that you recently produced a batch of white paper?"
The middle-aged person in charge's face changed slightly. He quickly lowered his head and responded respectfully.
"Your Highness, is it true? The white paper is in the west room. It's just that this batch of white paper was made accidentally. We want to repeat it again, but we can't grasp the trick for the moment. After a few days, we think we can succeed. Then we will tell you Your Highness announces the good news!”
Shulot thought for a moment. He thought of the pungent smell on the white paper, and then thought of what Aquila had mentioned, and he felt doubtful. When he spoke again, he was somewhat stern.
"Telazoca! How did you make that batch of white paper? Didn't you record it? Which craftsmen were involved in the production? Call them all!"
Trazoca suddenly felt sweat on his forehead. He tried to stay calm, named several craftsmen, and then called them over.
Shulot ignored it. He stretched out his hand directly and pointed at the two craftsmen kneeling by the sink.
"You, you, come here!"
The craftsmen looked at each other and hurriedly got up and rushed over. Then they glanced at the person in charge who was kneeling on the ground and knelt down again.
"How were the latest batch of white papers made?!" Shulot asked seriously.
The craftsmen lowered their heads and hesitated, looking at the middle-aged person in charge on the ground. Seeing this obvious scene, Trazoca collapsed to the ground in despair.
Shulot felt angry. He looked at the guards around him, and immediately a warrior pushed Trazoka to the ground. Two other elite warriors took off their war clubs from behind and walked to the craftsmen.
The craftsmen immediately fell to the ground in fear, and spoke quickly one after another in fear.
"Your Highness. Yesterday afternoon, Sipack took out a batch of very white paper and wanted to dedicate it to you. But you didn't come later."
"After Lord Trazocca saw it, he went over to talk to him about something, and then the two argued about something. Sipack dropped the white paper and ran away, while Trazocca took away the batch of white paper and said Research..."
"Sipak? Where are they?!" Shulot asked again.
The craftsmen hesitated for another moment. They glanced at the warrior beside them and then at the person in charge who was lying limply on the ground. One of them pointed to the east and the other spoke in a low voice.
"Sipak came early in the morning and was locked in the east hut by Lord Trazoca."
Shulot waved his hand, and several warriors went forward together to break open the hut in the east corner. Not long after, they slipped out a young craftsman with his hands and feet tied with hemp rope and his mouth stuffed with rough paper. This craftsman's eyesight is sharp and his facial features are pleasing to the eye.
The young man looked at the warrior commander. Bertard nodded, took out the copper ax, and in the horrified eyes of the young craftsman, he accurately split the sisal rope between his hands and feet, and took out the rough yellow paper from the craftsman's mouth.
The hands and feet were free again, and Sipak's whole body felt relaxed and soft. He collapsed on the ground and rested for a while, staring intently at Trazoca, who was also lying on the ground. Then, the young craftsman took a peek at the shape of Shulot's clothing and quickly knelt down respectfully.
"Are you Sipack?" His Highness's voice was cold and majestic.
"Your Highness, I am the Queen of Priests, Sipac of Tenochtitlan."
The young craftsman answered seriously.
After becoming a priest, he was reduced to a craftsman... Shulot pondered slightly and continued to ask questions.
"Sipak, did you send the white paper to the engraving office?"
Hearing this, Trazoca's eyes suddenly widened and he looked at Sipack fiercely, while the other party was trembling slightly.
"Yes, Your Highness. I heard that you will come to inspect today, so I came early in the morning and handed over another batch of paper that I had saved in advance to Uncle Aquila. He said that this batch of white paper was of excellent quality and promised me to let it go. Your Highness, you see.”
Hearing this, Shulot's eyes narrowed. He recalled Aquila's ordinary face and those quiet and steady eyes.
"How was that batch of white paper made?" Shulot asked the most important point.
"Fumigation with the steam produced by burning the Stone of the Dead. It will turn white after a while." Sipack told the biggest secret without hesitation. Being pinned to the ground at this time, Trazoca finally heard the result that he couldn't ask for yesterday, but his face turned pale.
The boy closed his eyes and meditated, and the sulfur burned to form sulfur dioxide. Sulfur dioxide is used for bleaching and combines with colored substances to form unstable colorless substances. That's it!
After thinking about this, Xiuluo nodded. Immediately, he looked at Si Parker again.
"What happened between you and Trazoca yesterday and today?"
Sipack gritted his teeth. He clenched his fists and replied angrily.
"Your Highness, you promised a large reward for the improvement of paper. Everyone held their breath and studied hard. I was the first to find out how to add cactus juice to the paper pulp, and then Trazzoca took it away. Then I I also found a way to bleach the paper and hid it this time. I just took out the white paper yesterday and prepared to report it to you face to face during your inspection."
"As a result, I was targeted by Trazorca again. Yesterday, after you left, he questioned me again. This time I just said that I discovered it by chance, then I dropped the paper and ran away quickly."
"Early this morning, I first covered my body, entered the Shenqi Temple through a side door, and handed another batch of white paper to Uncle Aquila. Then, as soon as I arrived at the papermaking office, I was beaten by a special person who had been prepared for it. Lazoca captured me with a few craftsmen, locked me up in a house until you let me out... Lazoca wants to take the reward you promised alone!"
Hearing this, Trazoca became more and more frightened. He writhed on the ground and screamed.
"Your Highness, that's not it! I finally disclosed all these methods to the craftsmen. I did not hinder the great cause of the alliance and did not affect the production of paper! As the person in charge, I also have credit for these improvements. I just should receive more Reward..."
All the clues are clear and the remaining details are irrelevant.
Shulot closed his eyes, furious anger burning in his heart: the scientific research system that he had high hopes for was soon infiltrated by the aristocratic bureaucracy, so that the researchers were exploited and unwilling to disclose the results of scientific research. , technological progress is hindered! This is an unforgivable crime!
A moment later, when Shulot opened his eyes again, his eyes were filled with murderous intent.
"Bertard!"
The warrior commander bowed and waited for orders, his expression calm.
"Tlazoka's destruction of the divine revelation is an unforgivable crime. He must be killed immediately!"
Shulot said in a deep voice, and he could not be disobeyed.
Bertard took out the copper ax from his waist without hesitation. He took two steps and walked to Trazoca.
Seeing the approaching warrior bronze axe, Trazoka shouted in despair and fear, and his voice changed its tone.
"Your Highness, Your Highness! I am a hereditary noble queen! I am willing to abandon my post and leave! Spare me..." Then the words stopped abruptly.
The warrior commander stretched out his thick left hand and strangled Trazoca's throat forcefully, like a turkey. Then, he made a few gestures on the person in charge's neck to find the best soft spot. Then, he turned sideways to avoid the blood that was about to spurt out. Finally, he steadily raised the copper ax in his right hand and suddenly dropped it with force until it cut into the soil.
Bright red shot out, accompanied by a shrill scream. Bertard looked up in confusion, and it turned out to be Sipack who had fallen to the ground in horror.
The young craftsman had been too close just now. He stared at Trazoca's fate, was sprayed in the face, and then collapsed in fear. Now, the tip of his nose and mouth were filled with warm liquid and a strong fishy smell. And in his heart, he was filled with Trazoca's last frightened and desperate eyes, as well as the violently contracted pupils in his eyes.
The warrior commander smiled calmly. Then, he grabbed the wet long hair on the ground, lifted the head that was still dripping with blood, like a freshly cut pumpkin, and walked back to the young man with a calm expression.
Shulot looked at it calmly, then looked away, and his anger subsided slightly.
"How many more of Trazoca's accomplices are there?"
The craftsmen were already trembling with limbs and fell to the ground. Upon hearing His Highness's terrifying inquiry, they immediately stretched out their hands and pointed out five craftsmen with pale faces.
Bertard bowed quietly and asked again.
"Your Highness, how should we deal with it?"
Seeing the indifferent expressions of the warriors and the fearful expressions of the craftsmen waiting, Shulot lowered his eyes slightly. He thought of the prevailing rules of this era, and also thought of the oath he made yesterday to be a farmer.
After a while, he was no longer silent and spoke calmly, just sighing in his heart.
"All the heads! The heads will be hung in front of the door of the Divine Enlightenment Institute and displayed to the public for three days!"
After hearing His Highness's strict order, five elite warriors immediately came out. They took off the copper axes in their hands and skillfully pushed the five people to the ground. Within a moment, there were five pools of blood on the ground again, as well as five faceless corpses. Afterwards, the warriors took Bertard's head, carried the wooden frame and ropes, and headed directly to the gate of the Divine Apocalypse.
The majesty has been established, and the rewards are naturally indispensable. Shulot thought for a moment and looked at Sipack who was lying on the ground.
"Sipak, get up and talk!"
Sipack wiped the blood from his face. He tried hard to get up from the ground, but he was unable to do so. In the end, he could only kneel on the ground at an angle, with his head facing His Highness.
"Sipak, how did you discover these two improved processes for papermaking?"
The young craftsman thought for a while and replied with his whole body trembling.
"Your Highness... I used to be a carpenter, and I remember that cactus sap can change the surface of wood... As for the Stone of the Dead, my father was a war priest. He was killed in the western expedition to Tarasco a few years ago, leaving only I bought some stones of the dead... Later, I failed to become a priest, so I studied these artifacts for a long time..."
Shulot nodded slowly. It seems that these craftsmanship are indeed original to West Park. After the priest, the craftsman, the invention... what a perfect horse bone!
The young man thought for a moment, remembering his previous promise to improve paper, and then thinking of his ambitious plan. He looked at Sipack again, showing a fateful smile.
"Sipak, you have improved paper and proposed two processes, so I will reward you double! From today on, you are the master craftsman of the paper made by Shenqi, equivalent to the military noble of the alliance!
The Institute of Divine Inspiration is affiliated with the High Priesthood. Since you are a priest and have inheritance, I will appoint you as a first-level explorer in the Divine Apocalypse. The priesthood is equivalent to a first-level priest!
Next, you will be the person in charge of the papermaking department! As promised, I will recruit a royal warrior from your family as a follower, and reward you with a hundred bolts of cotton, ten hectares of milpa, and a box of gold and silver! "
Upon hearing this extraordinary promotion and generous reward, Sipack opened his eyes to their maximum size, his expression was as sleepwalking, and then he collapsed to the ground again. He has been completely knocked down by the smile of fate, but he is still calculating in his heart.
The master craftsman is almost a title, the first-level priest is like an official title, and the head of the papermaking department is a position, plus generous land and property. With his title, official position, position and wealth, in a matter of seconds, he transformed from an ordinary craftsman who was bullied by others to the true ruling class of the alliance!
Shulot looked around at everyone's expressions. The fear on the faces of the craftsmen turned into infinite desire and expectation, and the faces of the elite warriors were also full of envy. The young man nodded silently, this was the atmosphere he wanted.
The target of such a generous reward is not Sipak alone, but the group of craftsmen and priests. First of all, he must inspire the research enthusiasm of craftsmen, spend a lot of money on it, and promote scientific and technological innovation to the greatest extent. Secondly, he wanted to open up the path for craftsmen to rise and give master craftsmen a small number of priests.
And finally, and more importantly, he wanted to take advantage of the turbulent period of the religious reform to establish a branch of craftsmen and scholars among the priests in the name of the Institute of Divine Inspiration!
The priesthood system agreed upon by the High Priests is rough and simple, and is divided into five levels. Below the fifth level is the zero-level aide, which is also the starting point for all priests. Going up, the first-level community priest is responsible for the parish, assisted by the zero-level deacon. A second-level city-state priest controls a large parish and is assisted by several assistants of the same level. The third-level chief priest manages the parish and is assisted by several priests of the same level.
The fourth-level chief priest steps into the priesthood at the center and takes charge of various departments. Locally, they are in charge of the local archdiocese, that is, the priests and elders of each state. Eleven chief priests were selected from the eleven countries, and the rest were deputy ministers. Currently, the highest level five sect chief priests are the twelve cardinal elders in the high priest group, with the first being the high priest. The corresponding priesthood has not yet appeared locally, but will govern the ecclesiastical province in the future.
Currently, Shulot's priesthood is the fourth-level chief priest, and he participates in compiling teachings and formulating teaching laws. In addition, the department he is responsible for in the priesthood is the Institute of Inspiration, which is the path of craftsmen and scholars for the priests, and is also the scientific research center in his plan.
In order to be different from other priests, he specially prepared new five-level priesthood names for the priests of the Apocalypse: first-level explorer, second-level knowledgeable person, third-level wood driller, fourth-level fire bearer, fifth-level The Divine Enlightener. The explorer means the flight of a hummingbird, the knowledgeable person means broad knowledge, the wood driller needs to study hard, the fire bearer conveys the sacred fire, and the divine enlightenment person is himself. Of course, now that his priesthood is only at the fourth level, the Fire Bearer has temporarily disappeared.
Science and technology are the primary productive forces, and his deep hopes are placed in these names: to explore the unknown, gain extensive knowledge, then delve into a certain field, ignite the flames of new technologies, and then become a developer of technology and strengthen the flame of civilization!
This is Shulot's ambition and vision. Not long ago, the boy mentioned this matter to his grandfather in detail.
The high priest nodded calmly and agreed to the establishment of the Shenqi Institute. He did not comment on these names and just said with a smile.
"My son, you have to remember that power always comes from the top, not the other way around."
Shulot was silent for a moment. Then he retorted firmly.
"This is the case now, but it will never be the case in the future. Divine revelation will change our future!"
Hearing this, the high priest looked at the young man's firm expression with satisfaction, but smiled without answering.
At this time, Shulot once again thought of his grandfather's meaningful smile. The young man was slightly distracted, but then he was as determined as ever. He finally inspected the papermaking process, understood all the details, and left with a clear understanding.
Before leaving, Bertard looked at Sipack, who was in a daze, and shook his head secretly. He is highly promoted and unique. As the first craftsman scholar, his future will never be easy.
"Of course, this world is like a jungle, and who's path is easy to walk? Just split the thorns, kill the tigers and leopards, and follow the sun."
Thinking of this, the warrior commander smiled slightly, then turned around and followed the direction of the sun.
