"Pulp bark, mulberry bark...the quality of this leather paper is good." Zhao Tuo inspected the papermaking workshop, looking at the dried leather paper in front of him, and nodded with satisfaction.
"Now that we have made vellum paper, the cost of paper has been reduced again, and large-scale promotion will be easier." In the original history, hemp paper had been produced in the early Western Han Dynasty, and hemp paper could be written on it, and maps could be drawn with high quality. It's not much different from the hemp paper Zhao Tuo made before.
Therefore, Zhao Tuo's creation of hemp paper actually just advanced this technology by several decades, which is nothing.
Only the emergence of bark paper, that is, the technology of bark papermaking, can be regarded as a major progress in the history of papermaking.
Because this thing is the papermaking technology improved by Cai Lun during the Eastern Han Dynasty. Cai Lun's papermaking was not that he invented paper, but that he expanded the scope of papermaking materials and invented papermaking technology using bark, rotten fishing nets, rags, etc. as raw materials.
This allowed the materials for papermaking to become diversified. At the same time, ubiquitous papermaking materials like bark were far cheaper than making paper from hemp, further reducing costs and making the popularization of paper possible.
Now, Zhao Tuo is taking care of Cai Lun's affairs together! When hemp paper was created and started being tried out in several government offices, Zhao Tuo also asked Zhang Han to experiment with making paper from various barks.
Current test results show that paper made from tree bark such as mulberry bark and mulberry bark is the cheapest and most durable. A piece of leather paper is cheaper than hemp paper and has better quality.
Of course, the most cost-effective paper should be bamboo paper, but the production process of bamboo paper is the most complicated and requires further exploration and research by Shaofu craftsmen.
But it is foreseeable that when the production process of bamboo paper matures, the cost of paper will be further reduced, so that everyone in the world can use it, and it will no longer be just a lip service.
After getting out the leather paper and further reducing the production cost, Zhao Tuo turned his attention to other aspects.
"Shaorong, next you need to study how to prevent moths in paper. I heard that the juice of cork bark is quite medicinal. You can try using it to dye paper during the papermaking process to see if it can prevent moths. " Zhao Tuo ordered Zhang Han who was following him.
"Wei." Zhang Han responded immediately, looked at Zhao Tuo with some admiration, and praised: "Young Master is really a capable person. If paper can really prevent insects from being eaten, then in addition to administration, it can also be used for copying. Long-term storage of classics is much easier than bamboo slips." Zhao Tuo smiled slightly, he thought of adding anti-moth properties to the paper, which was exactly the plan for the emperor to back up precious classics.
However, when mentioning cork bark, Zhao Ti couldn't help but think of another thing and said: "By the way, you need to get some more orpiment back. This thing is also a good thing and is very helpful for writing."... From Papermaker After coming out of the workshop, Zhao Tuo, accompanied by his subordinates, visited several major projects of the Shaofu in Guanzhong.
In addition to the paper-making process, the current Shaofu also undertakes the major projects of forging swords into plowshares and minting new coins.
Because we have to catch up with spring plowing, turning swords into plowshares is the top priority. After almost two months of busy work, it is almost coming to an end. By the beginning of May, everything should be done.
As for the casting of new coins, this matter is related to the unification of the world's currency. It also involves the abolition and recycling of the old coins of the seven countries and the corresponding exchange. It is a long-term activity involving the whole world, and Zhao Tuo needs to pay attention to it at all times.
After he completed his inspection and gave corresponding guidance, he returned home exhausted at dusk.
However, Zhao Tuo's busy schedule did not end when he returned home. Before he could even get intimate with the princess, someone came to visit him.
In the hall, Zhao Tuo and Li Shiqi sat opposite each other, each with fine wine and delicacies in front of them.
"Those Confucian scholars and doctors want to advise the emperor through Prime Minister Zuo about the defects and disadvantages of paper, saying that the paper I made is a waste of money and people?" Zhao Tuo looked weird.
Paper wastes people and money. He did not expect that these two things could be connected together.
After Li Shiqi picked up the wine and took a sip, she nodded and said: "Those Confucian scholars believe that if a wrong word is written on the paper made by Shaofu during use, the entire paper will be discarded and the paper will have to be replaced and rewritten. . It cannot be scraped and corrected like slips. Using paper to promote administrative affairs seems cheap and light, but in fact it is time-consuming and labor-intensive. And if there are too many mistakes, it will be a waste of manpower and financial resources, which is not a good thing." Zhao Tuo's face became colder.
History has proven that whenever something new is invented, there will always be conservatives and opponents.
Such things are still common even two thousand years later. Steam engines, trains, airplanes... all these new things will be opposed by people when they first appear in this world.
It's just that Zhao Tuo thought that he would not encounter any resistance this time by following the First Emperor and completing the promotion of paper from top to bottom. Little did he know that opponents still appeared.
However, this is also normal. Most newly invented things actually have major shortcomings and are not as good as the old objects they replace. It cannot be perfectly replaced until a lot of improvements have been made.
Historically, paper was invented in the early Han Dynasty, but it was not used on a large scale. It did not become popular until Cai Lun improved it in the Eastern Han Dynasty.
It was not until the Northern and Southern Dynasties that paper gradually replaced bamboo slips and took a truly dominant position. The problems raised by these Confucian scholars may be one of the reasons.
Li Shiqi said with a solemn expression: "Young Master, I have also used paper, and there are indeed problems mentioned by those Confucian scholars. Prime Minister Zuo was persuaded by them, and he should publicly criticize it at the court meeting. The Young Master should make preparations early in the morning." Zhao Tuo Dandan smiled and said: "Sir, don't worry, this matter is not serious. On the contrary, it can use this matter to create a reputation for paper, making it easier to promote this thing." Those Confucian scholars were right about the flaws of paper. Judging from today's hemp paper alone, without supporting technology, it is indeed not qualified to completely replace bamboo slips.
Under normal circumstances, it would take hundreds of years to gradually resolve these problems. It's a pity that they met Zhao Tuo.
Who says that if you write a wrong word on paper, you can't correct it? Who said writing on paper would be less efficient? With those two things around, Zhao Tuo was very confident.
Not to mention, Zhao Gao had tactfully mentioned the First Emperor's intention to Zhao Tuo before. The First Emperor had long seen through the truth about Gongshuzi that Zhao Tuo used to cover up.
He didn't care about this, but wanted Zhao Tuo to come up with more good things. Since the First Emperor had expressed his intention through Zhao Gao, Zhao Tuo no longer had any scruples.
"If you know the plans of these Confucian scholars in advance, let's get that thing out. With this thing and the paper, people in this world will know what true administrative efficiency is!" Zhao Tuo smiled slightly and stepped down from the distance. There are still three days left for a major court meeting, enough for him to prepare everything.
Thinking of this, Zhao Tuo raised his wine and gave Li Shiqi a toast, and said: "These doctors' plans should be kept secret. Sir, if you can know, could it be that the friend of the Yin Yang family informed you before?" Li Shiqi shook his head and said : "The Confucian scholars want to use this matter to express their sense of existence, hoping to attract the emperor's attention and let the doctors participate. This matter is good for doctors from other schools. Even if they don't help the Confucian scholars, they will not Stop it. My friend will not come to me. The Shaofu will definitely not expect the person who came to report this time." Li Shiqi said this and showed a weird smile.
I can't think of it? Zhao Tuo was slightly startled and asked: "Could it be that the person who came to inform me is a Confucian scholar?" Li Shiqi touched her palms and praised: "Although the young master left the battlefield, he still made a clever plan. This matter was indeed done by a Confucian scholar. Come to me and tell me." Zhao Tuo asked curiously: "Who is it?"
"This person is a disciple of the Kong family. He is a disciple of Kong Kun, the eighth grandson of Confucius. His name is Shu Sun Tong. He is now a doctor in the doctor's palace." Li Shiqi chuckled: "I didn't expect that the doctor's palace Among the group of rotten scholars, there are also people who understand current affairs!" Zhao Tuo narrowed his eyes slightly.
Shu Sun Tong! What a familiar name. Isn't this the person whom Sima Qian honored?
"Han Confucianism"?
