Chapter 30: Promoting New Technology (2)

The Newspaper Business Li Chengqian planned to wait until the movable clay type was made before applying to His Majesty Li Er for publication.

The next morning, after several efforts, the craftsmen finally completed the task assigned by Li Chengqian and handed the fruits of their labor to the Crown Prince.

After Li Chengqian rewarded these hard-working craftsmen, he took the newspaper and movable clay type he had written to meet His Majesty Li Er. When

Li Chengqian arrived outside the Liangyi Hall, he saw the Minister of Works Yan Lide and a group of officials from the Ministry of Works coming out. Li Chengqian

was very curious. After leaving the court, why did His Majesty Li Er keep these people in the Liangyi Hall? He had not heard that there was any major project to be done.

Li Chengqian hurried forward and called Yan Lide, saying, "Minister Yan, what are your majesty and the others discussing?"

"Your Highness! Your majesty and I have discussed building a residence for the imperial envoys in Chang'an. I still need to look at the site before I can start the construction. I will take my leave." Yan Lide said.

"Oh! Please go ahead, Minister Yan!" Li Chengqian said.

After listening to what Yan Lide said, Li Chengqian remembered that the governors or superiors of each state would bring tribute to the capital at the beginning of each year. These people were called imperial envoys or imperial examination envoys.

There was no place to eat and live for these people in Chang'an City, so they had to rent a place to live.

All expenses were paid by the court, which caused the budget to be seriously exceeded, and the imperial finances could not bear it for a long time.

After much deliberation, His Majesty Li Er ordered the construction of a residence for the imperial envoys in September of the seventeenth year of Zhenguan to unify the planning.

These had nothing to do with Li Chengqian. For him, the most important thing at the moment was to publish newspapers.

Li Chengqian turned around and walked into the Liangyi Hall, limping in.

The eunuchs had already reported the news of Li Chengqian's arrival to His Majesty Li Er.

"Greetings, father!" Li Chengqian saluted to His Majesty Li Er who was sitting on the throne.

His Majesty Li Er looked at Li Chengqian and Wang Quan who was holding a box behind him and said, "Chengqian, why are you here? What's the matter? There is no need to be polite since there are no outsiders here."

"To be honest, father! I came to see you today because there is indeed something I need to ask for your approval. I hope you can agree." Li Chengqian said.

Li Er originally said this, but he didn't expect that his prince really had something to ask him, and he needed to ask for permission.

This has a different meaning!

"What is it? Do I need to issue an edict?" Li Er asked.

"Your son wants to distribute newspapers!" Li Chengqian said.

Li Er was stunned!

Newspaper? What the hell is that? Li Er couldn't help but look at Wang Yuan on the side. Wang Yuan felt the gaze of His Majesty Li Er and shook his head helplessly. To be honest, he didn't know what a newspaper was.

"Chengqian, what is a newspaper? Why haven't I heard of it?" Li Er asked in confusion.

"Newspapers are important carriers that have the function of reflecting and guiding social public opinion. Simply put, they are a bit similar to the dichao, but more comprehensive than the dichao." "

Use newspapers to make information flow quickly. With it, we can guide the opinions of the people of the Tang Dynasty." Li Chengqian said.

Li Er was shocked! Of course he knew what Dichao was.

Dichao is also known as Dibao, the prototype of newspapers and the earliest newspaper in the world. It was not until the Song Dynasty that Dichao was called Dibao.

Representatives sent by various states to communicate between Chang'an and the court had offices in Chang'an, which were called Di.

These representatives would regularly write down the emperor's edicts, imperial edicts, ministers' memorials and other political information on bamboo slips or silk, and then send them back through the post station.

"Chengqian, tell me what is different about this newspaper?" Li Er asked. Li Chengqian's words just now made Li Er catch a point.

Li Er knew the importance of public opinion, otherwise he would not have said that water can carry a boat but can also overturn it.

This is why Li Chengqian was confident that he could make Li Er agree to start a newspaper.

If the court could guide public opinion, it would be a cross-era event for Li Er, and it would be more conducive to suppressing and weakening the influence of the aristocratic families.

The court could occupy the commanding heights of politics. Otherwise, relying on the influence of these aristocratic families, some of the court's policies would be difficult to convey.

The "Clan Records" compiled by Li Er in the sixth year of Zhenguan is the best proof. Li Er used the "Clan Records" to lower the status of Shandong gentry and raise the political status of the Li Tang royal family.

Li Chengqian roughly explained to Li Er the role of newspapers and showed Li Er the newspapers that had been prepared.

Li Er listened and watched, his eyes shining, as if he saw the birth of another powerful weapon to suppress the aristocratic families.

"Good! That's great!" Li Er laughed after listening to Li Chengqian's explanation.

Li Er continued: "There is no problem with the distribution of the newspaper. I will issue an edict to let the officials assist you. How many people do you need to copy the newspaper, and how many copies can you produce in a day?"

"Hand-copying is too troublesome, and woodblock printing is not very convenient. In order to publish the newspaper as soon as possible, I have ordered people to develop a new printing technology based on woodblock printing."

"I call it movable type printing. It is not only flexible and changeable, but also solves all the shortcomings left by woodblock printing." Li Chengqian did not blush or feel nervous, and took the fruits of others' labor for himself without hesitation.

Li Er was even more delighted when he heard this!

This movable type printing can be said to be a major revolution in the history of the development of human printing industry, and it has a profound impact on the development of world culture.

This is a great feat that transcends the times.

"Chengqian, is the movable type printing you are talking about the thing in the box behind you?" Li Er asked.

"Yes! I brought it specially for my father to see." Li Chengqian said, turned around and took the box from Wang Quan, came to Li Er, put the box on the table and opened it.

Inside was a clay movable type with an iron plate as the base, and Li Chengqian took it out and shook it lightly, and the movable type fell off the iron plate.

Li Chengqian performed on the spot in front of Li Er how to typeset movable type, and explained to Li Er how to use this movable type printing correctly.

Li Er was overjoyed after watching it! With the invention of movable type printing, many books that needed to be compiled in the Tang Dynasty no longer had to be written word by word, but could be printed directly using this technology.

"Chengqian, you really surprised me! I haven't been so happy for a long time. You will be in charge of opening a newspaper and distributing newspapers." Li Er said with a smile. His son brought him too many surprises today. "

Father! I want three masters, Zhang Xuansu, Kong Yingda and Yu Zhining, to help me take charge of the newspaper." Li Chengqian said.

These three old guys have been doing nothing recently and always keep a close eye on him, which makes him have a lot of things to do.

Now is the right time to find something for them to do so that they don't keep staring at him.

"Good! They are all great scholars of the time! I am relieved to have them help you! If you need anything else, write a memorial and submit it after you go back." Li Er said.

"Yes!" Li Chengqian bowed.