Lu Xuan had a faint smile on his face and waved his hand: "Brother, sit down!"
Mi Zhu looked respectful and sat down honestly.
Lu Xuan called him big brother.
This is Lu Xuan's closeness and respect for him.
But Mi Zhu always acted respectfully and uprightly. He knows his identity and does not overstep anything. Especially his sister is Lu Xuan's concubine. With this status, Mi Zhu is even more humble in order to avoid causing trouble to Mi Huan.
During the few days that Mi Zhu came to Shu County, he stayed at Mi Fang's mansion. He never went out or visited anyone. He just stayed at the house and read.
Mi Zhu didn't do anything else.
Lu Xuan did not arrange any duties for him, and Mi Zhu did not have the slightest complaint in her heart.
Lu Xuan looked casual and said easily: "Eldest brother worked for me early in the morning, married Huan'er to me, and supported my war horses, so that I had the first batch of cavalry under my command. I have always remembered this. In my heart. We are not only kings and ministers, but also a family. Big brother doesn’t have to be restrained."
Mi Zhu said humbly: "My lord, this is what a humble position should do. It is her honor for my little sister to marry the lord, and it is also the honor of the Mi family. As for the war horse presented to the lord, it is the dowry of the Mi family and is nothing."
A smile also appeared on Lu Xuan's face.
Mi Zhu was very cautious in doing things.
And, very self-disciplined.
Such people are what Lu Xuan relies on and what Lu Xuan needs.
In a hugely profitable industry like papermaking, Lu Xuan needed someone who was capable and trustworthy. It is best for such a person to be a direct descendant. In terms of relationship, Mi Zhu is like this. After all, Mi Zhu is Lu Xuan's brother-in-law.
Lu Xuan nodded, handed the white paper Mi Huan sent to Mi Zhu, and said directly: "This is the paper Huan'er arranged for Uncle Zuo to make. It is ready for mass production. I want to sell this kind of white paper to the world. Go everywhere.”
"Although Feixianjiu has been making money, there is a difference between Feixianjiu and blank paper."
"Feixian Liquor is expensive and consumes food, so there must be certain restrictions. Moreover, the sales people of Feixian Liquor are mainly people from powerful families, including scholars and powerful people. The white paper is different. Anyone who wants to study can can be purchased."
"Although the price is cheaper, there are countless people buying our white paper, so they will definitely make huge profits."
"It can be said that with the blank paper created by Uncle Zuo, Yangzhou has another pillar industry, which can continuously make money. This ensures that the money in my hands is enough, making the finances relatively comfortable."
"In such a hugely profitable industry, I need someone I can trust, someone who knows how to operate, and has strong abilities. I need to be capable, understand how to operate, and be the most loyal. After thinking about it, I can only ask my eldest brother to help me."
Mi Zhu was greatly moved after hearing this. In fact, he had always been a little uneasy in his heart.
He was once imprisoned by Liu Bei.
He was once used by Chen Deng to threaten Lu Xuan.
Although Chen Deng also became a lieutenant under Lu Xuan's command, inspecting officials and dignitaries for Lu Xuan, it was considered as working together. However, Mi Zhu failed to do things well after all.
After listening to Lu Xuan's words, Mi Zhu would be lying if he said he wasn't moved.
Mi Zhu looked at the condition of the white paper and was surprised by the texture and quality of the paper. He was experienced and knew instantly that the new paper would make a lot of money.
This is a new way to make money.
Mi Zhu stood up and said in a loud voice: "This is a humble position. I should serve my lord and live up to my lord's high expectations."
Lu Xuan waved his hand for Mi Zhu to sit down and continued: "Since the eldest brother agrees, I will set up a separate organization called Jiangnan Paper for the manufacturing and sales of new paper. The eldest brother's official position is to serve as a young eunuch and be responsible for Jiangnan Paper Industry."
"I humble my duty and obey my orders."
Mi Zhu answered immediately.
In his heart, he was even more awe-inspiring.
The position of Shao Jian is the second-in-command of the Shaofu. The top leader of the Shaofu is the Shaofu Jian, one of the nine ministers of the imperial court. The responsibility of the Shaofu is to take care of the emperor's personal property. This is a very important official position and must be held by the emperor's confidant.
Lu Xuan's arrangements for him showed his ambition and the importance he attached to him.
Ordinary people cannot serve as Shaofu Shaojian.
Lu Xuan smiled and said: "Brother, I will leave the matter of Jiangnan Paper to you."
"I will definitely live up to my lord's high expectations."
Mi Zhu answered again.
A smile appeared on Lu Xuan's face. The reason why he asked Mi Zhu to serve as the young eunuch of the Shaofu was because Lu Xuan needed private money.
There are many things that need to be advanced in Yangzhou and Xuzhou. If everything is done through Hu Cao, some things will be inconvenient. In particular, Hu Cao's money is related to the livelihood of Yangzhou and Xuzhou. He has to provide relief to the victims and is often at war. Sometimes he will encounter various problems if he wants to withdraw from Hu Cao's account.
Lu Xuan needs his own private account.
This is also something that emperors of all dynasties have been focusing on. Lu Xuan has money in his own bag, so things can be arranged easily.
After Lu Xuan sent Mi Zhu away, he sent someone to get a pile of paper back, cut it according to the pattern of thread-bound books in later generations, and bound a few books. Once such a thread-bound book is bound, the overall feel will be different.
Currently, there are almost no thread-bound books on the market.
Zuobo paper is very expensive, cannot be mass-produced, and is not easy to preserve. The real collection of books is made of bamboo slips and silk. The new paper made by Zuo Bo has improved the raw materials. The paper has better texture, is easier to store, and is cheaper.
The key is that it can be mass produced.
This is ultimately what is needed.
After all, the straw left after harvesting rice is easy to obtain, and it will not affect the planting of rice or the livelihood of the people. If you use mulberry bark, etc., the mulberry trees will die if they are peeled off. Without the mulberry trees, silkworm rearing will no longer work. This is unsustainable. Just like that, although the original Zuobo paper existed, it was relatively expensive and never lasted. After all, the texture and toughness were not as good.
After Lu Xuan bound several thread-bound books, he looked at the bound books and thought of printing.
In fact, printing has been around for the earliest time.
Today's printing technology is very primitive, mainly based on rubbings.
During the reign of Emperor Ling of the Han Dynasty, Emperor Ling Liu Hong of the Han Dynasty, based on Cai Yong's suggestion, carved stone tablets of Confucian classics such as "The Book of Songs", "Shang Shu", "Book of Changes", "Book of Rites", and "Spring and Autumn" at the entrance of Taixue, so that People make excerpts and rubbings so that people can learn the classics.
These are older forms of printing.
During the Sui and Tang Dynasties, engraving printing appeared. In fact, it was essentially the same as a stone tablet. One was standing on the ground, and the other was made into a small mold. At the same time, the mold was carved on the wooden board backwards.
In fact, this is also the way of rubbing.
Lu Xuan was also thinking about block printing. He did not consider movable type printing because movable type printing looked good. In fact, after the invention of movable type printing, block printing was still used on a large scale.
The reason is simple. The sub-molds for movable type printing are very demanding. The sub-molds of each movable type must be of the same height, which is difficult to achieve with the technology of this era. When you are composing type for typesetting, some movable types are taller and some are shorter, making it difficult to make rubbings.
In many experiments, copper movable type printing has the best effect. Because the character molds are fired using copper as the raw material, the molds are not easily deformed and are durable.
The problem is, human nature cannot be controlled.
Copper is money, and many people will quietly take it with them.
In history, a certain seal-mad emperor simply melted the more than 200,000 copper movable types forged by Kang Mazi into copper coins. So movable type printing looks good, but engraving printing is required.
Although there is a cost loss, engraving printed books is the easiest to promote and arrange.
After Lu Xuan thought about it clearly, he arranged for craftsmen to carve the eleven articles of "Guo Feng·Zhou Nan" in the Book of Songs according to the size of the cut thread binding book. Each article has a small number of words, and a skilled craftsman can complete it in just a few days.
Lu Xuan planned to carve a batch of articles and take a look at the situation.
Lu Xuan arranged the matter and stopped caring about it. He dealt with government affairs on a daily basis and time passed day by day.
In a blink of an eye, it’s November 26th.
The weather is fine and it is an auspicious day.
In the afternoon, Lu Xuan led the wedding team to the Zhen family's residence in Shu County and personally married Zhen Mi into the house. This kind of wedding is similar to that of Mi Huan, Cao Xian, and Xiao Qiao. The standards are lower than Da Qiao's wedding, but not more grand than Da Qiao's wedding.
Under the guidance of the master of ceremonies, Lu Xuan and Zhen Mi completed various etiquettes. Lu Xuan left Zhen Mi behind and went out to receive the guests. After the banquet was over, it was late at night before Lu Xuan came to the decorated wedding room.
