Chapter 71

July.

While Liu Ju spent his days studying and playing with his two companions, Huo Guang and Wei Buyi, the subsequent course of the war was being largely agreed upon at court. A prefecture was to be established in Hexi, and a policy of resettling people to the border areas was already being laid out. Regulations were also in place for the resettlement of surrendered Xiongnu people.

Everything was proceeding smoothly. Zhang Qian once again proposed another mission to the Western Regions. This time, Liu Che did not reject his proposal. Now that Hexi was in his hands, the project could indeed be put on the agenda.

But traveling west is not a simple matter. How to select the members of the delegation and the accompanying guards? Especially this time, there is an additional trade mission. The people who need to be assigned, what to carry, etc., all matters need to be more detailed.

The court became busy again, and the two sisters were busy making preparations. Liu Ju was also busy. He decided to add some chips to the journey to the west.

Sit at the desk, spread out the bamboo slips, and pick up the brush.

I know this situation well. Are they planning another infrastructure project? What's this time? Hey, let's do something big.

—Yes. Let's do something big. Of China's four great inventions, we've only improved the compass so far, but we can develop the other three.

—Scholars, farmers, merchants, and artisans. Farmers have three-legged plows, curved-beam plows, and waterwheels, while artisans and merchants have glass. Military affairs are the most powerful, producing the most. Now, the only thing missing is "scholars." Let the art of papermaking take off, dazzling the world and revolutionizing Western Han literature and history!

If papermaking truly took off, even if it reached the level of the Sui and Tang dynasties, or even the Wei and Jin dynasties, let alone current standards, it would have revolutionized not only the literary and historical circles of the Western Han Dynasty, but also those of the world. At that time, the Western Han Dynasty at least had the beginnings of hemp papermaking technology, while foreign countries had no trace of such technology.

Liu Ju rolled his eyes and wrote two words on the bamboo slips: papermaking.

Barrage: ...???

Are you so obedient?

Papermaking is difficult before you know the production methods and processes, but after knowing them, it can actually be considered simple. However, to ensure the quality of paper and strive for excellence, you still need to spend some time and effort.

Fortunately, Liu Ju now had the Gewu Division, and it was no longer the case that Baishan was the only one available. He had a relatively complete mental inventory of papermaking technical data, so within seven days of the assignment being issued, the results were ready.

Liu Ju put the box in his pocket and went to the front hall immediately.

The center of the front hall is the main hall, where the court meetings are held. At this moment, Liu Che and his ministers are discussing important state affairs here.

The eunuch took advantage of the moment to quietly report, "Your Majesty, the Crown Prince requests an audience."

The ministers' voices stopped, and Liu Che was also very confused.

Liu Ju was still young, and he had no intention of letting him attend court immediately, nor did Liu Ju himself have such an idea. Therefore, he often went to the Xuanshi Hall and rarely came to the Front Hall, especially during the grand court meetings.

The eunuch continued, "The prince asked if His Majesty was discussing important matters. If it was important, he would not disturb him and would wait outside until His Majesty had finished discussing it before requesting an audience."

"The Crown Prince said he had just made something and wanted to present it to Your Majesty. This item is extremely important. Once it is unveiled, Your Majesty will undoubtedly summon the ministers to discuss the regulations. It would be more convenient to do so during the court meeting when all the ministers are present."

Liu Che's eyebrows twitched slightly. The ministers' expressions sparkled. The Minister of the Ministry of Finance and the Minister of Agriculture were the most delighted, their eyes instantly lighting up.

The things the prince made were specifically mentioned as "very important"...

The two of them stepped forward together and spoke.

"Your Majesty, we have concluded our meeting today. Please allow His Royal Highness the Crown Prince to come in first."

"Your Majesty, the prince is young, and the sun is too strong right now. How can we let him wait in the scorching sun?"

…

Liu Che's mouth twitched. He didn't know who had just been making a report, and now he said the meeting was over. Also, was the eunuch outside the palace dead? How could he let Ju'er wait in the scorching sun? Naturally, he invited him into the side hall and served him fruits and drinks.

After glancing at the two of them, Liu Che still summoned Liu Ju in.

Liu Ju was holding a box in his arms. After bowing politely, he came to Liu Che, put the box on the table, took out the first piece of paper from the box, and spread it out in front of Liu Che.

"Is this...paper?"

Liu Che was completely stunned, his pupils trembling. He had seen ordinary hemp paper before: thick and rough, often with straw sticks stuck to the back. But this paper was different. It was much thinner and more delicate than hemp paper, with a surface that was otherwise bare except for a slight grain.

"What kind of paper is this?"

"Hemp paper."

Liu Che frowned: "This is impossible!"

The difference between it and hemp paper is so huge, how can it be hemp paper!

Liu Ju chuckled, "Father, it is indeed hemp paper, but the production and pulping techniques are slightly different from before."

He immediately took out another piece of paper from the box: "This is mulberry paper."

Mud paper is thinner, has better texture, is smoother, and the grain is less visible.

Before Liu Che's surprised eyes fell, Liu Ju took out another piece of paper: "This is bamboo paper."

Bamboo paper is as thin as a cicada's wing, snow-white and smooth, and can be compared to jade.

Liu Che almost missed a beat.

Liu Ju had already suggested: "Father, please try writing a few words."

Liu Che did as he was told. All three types of paper could be written on easily, but it was obvious that mulberry paper and bamboo paper were better.

"In the past, you had to be very careful when applying ink to hemp paper, as it would easily smudge and blur the writing. Furthermore, the paper was rough and would break if pulled lightly, and would rot if it came into contact with water."

Liu Ju pointed to the improved hemp paper and said, "This is much better. The texture isn't very smooth, but at least it's not that rough anymore. Ink is easy to apply, and the writing is clear."

"Compared to the writing tools we use today, bamboo slips are heavy and bulky, and silk is expensive. This paper has greater advantages and can completely replace them. Then there is mulberry paper, which is even better than hemp paper. The paper is fine and smooth, suitable not only for writing but also for painting. Finally, there is bamboo paper."

Liu Ju raised the bamboo paper with a smile, holding it up to the light. "Not only is it smooth and fine, but it also emits ink and is easy to write with. Even if it's rolled up and unrolled for a long time, the ink remains unchanged. Especially..."

He stretched the paper with his hand. "It's very flexible, has strong tension, and won't tear easily. Even if it gets wet by accident."

Liu Ju picked up Liu Che's water cup and poured some onto the paper, blowing gently. "If you deal with it in time, there won't be any problem. Even if there are some wet marks, they will dry up in a while."

Liu Che was extremely surprised.

Ji An took a deep breath, his voice trembling. "Your Highness, could you... could you show me the paper you made?"

Liu Ju looked at Liu Che, who nodded and handed all three pieces of paper to the eunuch, who passed them around among the ministers. The hall instantly became lively, with everyone excited and exclaiming in surprise.

The Minister of the Imperial Household stepped forward and asked, "May I ask, Your Highness, what is this paper made of, and how much is it worth?"

"Bark, hemp, rags, old fishing nets."

Everyone: ???

What the hell, say it again. What kind of junk is this?

Liu Ju curled his lips. "Hemp paper is basically made of hemp; mulberry bark, rattan bark, daphne bark, etc. are all acceptable. Bamboo paper is naturally made of bamboo."

The Minister of the Imperial Household was bewildered: "That's all... nothing else?"

“Almost none.”

The Shaofu Temple Minister's eyes lit up, but then Liu Ju said, "Oh, yes, there's more to it than that."

Shaofu Temple Minister: ...I knew it was impossible.

"Sawdust, straw, and stalks can all be made into paper. Anything from grass, wood, or rags can do the job. Different raw materials, and different levels of pulping, will produce different textures of paper.

"Those with good texture can be used for writing or drawing. Those with poor texture can be used as manuscript paper for children to practice calligraphy. The next best quality is the worst, like the hemp paper of the past. It is too rough and rots easily, so it can be used as toilet paper."

Toilet...toilet paper?

The ministers were stunned, with complicated expressions.

Your Highness, paper is such a precious thing, yet you actually use it to go to the toilet. Is that such a luxury?

Then I thought about what Liu Ju had just said about the raw materials used. They seemed to be very ordinary and not luxurious?

Ji An frowned and asked again, "Your Highness, the raw materials you mentioned are simple and easy to obtain. I wonder what the production process is like?"

The cost of an item isn't just determined by the raw materials.

Liu Ju chuckled and didn't answer directly. Instead, he looked at Liu Che and asked, "Father, do you want to go to the East Palace to take a look?"

Liu Che was stunned: "Eastern Palace? Isn't it in the Gewusi?"

"They're from the Gewusi. These things are all made there, but I also set up a place and equipment in the Eastern Palace, and I worked with Huo Guangbuzhi on them. The paper we made is also very good. There's not much difference. If you just want to learn about the production, you can go to the Eastern Palace."

Everyone was surprised again.

It could be made in the Eastern Palace, and His Highness, two study companions, and several half-grown children could all succeed, and the quality was quite good? This... even without seeing it, one could guess that the craftsmanship wouldn't be difficult.

But they still had to see it. After all, everyone was curious about how such paper was made, and how it was made with such cheap raw materials. Everyone looked at Liu Che with anticipation.

Liu Ju added, "The papermaking area in the East Palace is so small, and with so many people going there, it's a bit crowded."

This sentence made most of the court officials' smiles fall, and they were disappointed. Liu Che glanced at him, and they looked at each other. Father and son understood each other tacitly, and he immediately understood that "squeezing" was an excuse, and the real reason was that he didn't want too many people to know the production method.

He stood up, called a few people to follow him, and the rest all dismissed.

Come to the East Palace.

Huo Guang and Wei Buyi were busy, of course not only them, but also maids such as Yan Sui, Zang Hai and Feng He were helping.

Liu Ju took Liu Che to start from the first step, and the first thing they saw was the raw materials soaked in the pond. This is the soaking material.

Further ahead is a big pot where ingredients are being cooked. Firewood is added to the abundant crops and grains are stirred.

Then Yan Sui Zanghai started "beating the pulp", making pulp by cutting or pounding.

Then came the turns of Huo Guang and Wei Buzhi.

The paper pulp is made into slurry by seeping water. Two people hold a bamboo mat, one at each end, and scoop up the slurry, weaving it into thin sheets of wet paper.

Liu Ju narrowed his eyes and pointed at the sheets of paper drying in the open space in front of the hall. "Dry the wet paper in the sun, peel it off the board, and it will become the paper you just saw."

Step by step, every process is displayed under everyone's eyes, allowing everyone to understand each step and its function and significance in detail and intuitively.

After the explanation, Liu Che's eyes lit up with surprise: "It's really not difficult."

The raw materials are cheap and easy to obtain, the production process is simple and easy to learn, and the output is unprecedentedly top-notch. How can we not be excited!

The Minister of the Imperial Household was trembling with excitement, "Your Majesty, Your Highness, the Grand Minister of Agriculture is in charge of salt, iron, agriculture, and sericulture, not books and paper. The bamboo slips and silk used in the palace have always been the responsibility of the Imperial Household. Should the production and use of this paper also be assigned to the Imperial Household?"

Liu Ju was indifferent and looked at Liu Che. Liu Che nodded: "Yes."

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The Minister of the Ministry of Finance was overjoyed.

As expected, His Highness had a sharp tongue but a soft heart. Although he openly disliked him, he still remembered him privately. It was worth his efforts to go to the Eastern Palace every now and then.

See, showing off his presence is useful. Isn't it time to get something tailor-made for him? With this paper, it can replace bamboo slips and silk. The way scholars around the world learn to write will change.

Isn't this a great achievement? Not only is it a great achievement, it's also a great benefit.

After all, when we have something as light and convenient as paper, who would still use bamboo slips and silk?

As long as you make it, you won’t have to worry about selling it.

So paper is no worse than glass, and it can even be said to be a step above it.

The Minister of the Ministry of Finance looked at Liu Ju, his eyes flashing with a dazzling light, filled with excitement, surprise, admiration and gratitude.

He knelt down and said, "Your Majesty and the Crown Prince, please rest assured that I, your humble servant, will do my utmost to ensure that mass production is carried out as quickly as possible to meet the needs of the palace, the court, and the scholars of the world."

"Is that all?"

The Minister of the Ministry of Finance was stunned and looked at Liu Ju who was speaking.

"When you say supply, do you mean just paper? Are there other supplies?"

The Minister of the Imperial Household was confused. "Other things?" "What else?" "Isn't it just a piece of paper?"

"Paper can be used for writing, practicing calligraphy, and painting. It can also be used to copy books. All the bamboo slips and silk records of the past have been replaced with paper."

The Minister of the Imperial Household suddenly realized, "Your Highness wants to replace the books in the Shiqu, Tianlu, and Qilin Pavilions in the palace with paper books?"

Ji An nodded. "This method is feasible. Currently, ninety-nine percent of the books in the three pavilions are bamboo slips. These are thick and heavy, take up a lot of space, and are too numerous to be easily accessed. If we could replace the bamboo slips with paper books, reorganize them by category, and revise the catalog, it would be much more convenient and effective."

"This must indeed be done, but I'm not just talking about this." Liu Ju looked at Liu Che, "Father, I've heard that many people among the people don't know how to read or understand books. It's not that they don't want to, but that they can't.

"Even for regular books like the Spring and Autumn Annals and the Analects, some people couldn't buy them even if they had a little extra money. They didn't have the channels.

"The weight of bamboo slips and the high cost of silk led to difficulties in transportation and distribution. As a result, while there were numerous restaurants and wine shops throughout the country, there was no formal bookstore where ordinary people could buy and sell books freely."

Liu Che immediately understood: "You want to build a bookstore?"

"Yes. Bookstores not only sell paper, brushes, inkstones, and inkstones, but also books. The prices of paper and books shouldn't be too high; a small profit margin is enough. Only in this way can knowledge be widely disseminated."

"Some people aren't unintelligent, but they lack opportunities. Let's give them a chance. Only when more people are able to read and write, and when ambitious people emerge, can our Han Dynasty be filled with talented people. Only then can our father not be troubled by the lack of talented people."

Liu Che frowned. "It's a good idea, and it's not impossible, but it's too difficult. Have you ever thought about how long it takes to copy books? How many books can one person copy in a day? One book, or two?"

"Have you ever thought about how many copies are needed to achieve the widespread dissemination and free sales you mentioned? How much manpower and time are needed?"

Liu Ju admitted generously: "I have thought about it."

Liu Che was stunned, and suddenly an idea flashed in his mind: "Do you have a solution?"

Liu Ju curled his lips and said, "Father, you really understand me. Father, what if I tell you that I have a method to reproduce hundreds of books in a day?"

Liu Che:!!!

Everyone: ...

One day? Hundreds of books?

Your Highness, what are you talking about? Please don't be so absurd! How is this possible?

Liu Ju smiled without saying anything and led everyone to a side hall.

Huo Guang and Wei Buyi were already waiting. Liu Ju gave a signal, and Wei Buyi brought out a wooden board and placed it on the table.

There are many words densely engraved on the wooden board.

Liu Che's eyes flashed: "This is..."

"It's called an engraving. A printing block."

Printing? What is it?

Knowing that they were confused, Liu Ju did not keep them in suspense. He simply dipped a brush in the ink handed to him by Huo Guang and evenly brushed it on the engraving plate. He put the paper on it, pushed it over with a push plate, and then peeled it off. A piece of paper full of words appeared.

Ji An was so shocked that his jaw almost dropped. "This... this is the first part of the first volume of Gongyang Zhuan... Gongyang Zhuan?"

"Yes. The purpose of establishing a bookshop is naturally not to sell rare and unique books. The focus of cultivating talents is on regular books. We only need to carve these regular books into blocks and print them one by one, and we can get a lot of finished books in a few days. Father, do you think this is feasible?"

Liu Che & Everyone:!!!

Okay, that’s great!

This... this is simply jaw-dropping and breathtaking. If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes today, who would have believed that a hundred books could be produced in a single day?

But once His Royal Highness the Crown Prince "engraves the plates", let alone a hundred copies, as long as there are enough plates and enough manpower, a thousand copies are possible!

Liu Che was so surprised and delighted that he couldn't help but hug Liu Ju and said, "Good! You are indeed my son!"

Liu Ju: ...

— Holy shit. This guy is really good at doing one thing at a time, but once he does it, he does two. He invented papermaking and printing at once. Now, of the Four Great Inventions, only gunpowder remains. But gunpowder is incredibly powerful, especially during the Western Han Dynasty. The whole world was in the age of cold weapons. The development of cold weapons wasn't that significant. A hot weapon, that would be truly incredible.

It's great! With the invention of papermaking and printing, books and knowledge can be passed on to the people. While not everyone can still afford to read, it's much better than before. However, some nobles probably won't be too happy. After all, knowledge is no longer monopolized by them.

—It doesn't matter. Back then, the nobility were merely nobility, without the powerful and unstoppable aristocratic clans. It wasn't the era when the emperor and the aristocratic families shared the empire. Especially with the pigs in power, imperial power was centralized. Even if you didn't obey, you had to hold back. If you didn't, you'd be used as an example to the pigs. When the pigs used you, they meant it, and when they scolded you, they meant it.

—Am I the only one who finds this strange? Do you remember when we said agriculture was most important and asked Juzi to find Zhao Guo? Juzi then immediately organized a craftsmanship competition and got Zhao Guo.

Later, he told Juzi to pretend to faint to save his butt, and he fainted as soon as he finished speaking. Then he mentioned that Huo Ge had died young, and Juzi immediately asked for a personal physician to protect Huo. He also insisted that Ping'an's pulse be checked every three days and that a palace physician be on call 24 hours a day.

Now, we've talked about the Four Great Inventions and papermaking, and now it's just like that. Why do I feel... I feel...

——Upstairs, you don’t suspect that what Juzi did has something to do with us, right?

——No way. No way. We've discussed before how it's not like he's traveling through time, but more like he has a cheat code. Could it be that his cheat code means he can see our comments?

The barrage instantly boiled over, with the screen filled with chants of "Ahhhhhhhh".

——Don’t scare me, your imagination really scares me to death.

- Tell me, can you really see us? If you can't say it, just blink!

Liu Ju didn't blink, but rolled his eyes elegantly.

Barrage: ...No, what do you mean? Can you see it, or can't you?! Going crazy!