As the soldiers carefully transported the equipment to the paper mill, the little princess immediately began the intensive and orderly installation work.
She personally led the craftsmen to meticulously assemble the various parts of the press and dryer.
Every screw and every piece of iron plate found their most suitable position under the careful guidance of the little princess.
After the installation was complete, the commissioning work began. The little princess stood beside the machine, carefully observing the operation of each component.
She would check the tightness of the transmission belt and listen attentively to the sound of the machine running to ensure that every detail was in optimal condition.
As the roar of the machines gradually calmed down, the press and dryer began to run steadily.
The little princess nodded with satisfaction. She knew that these devices were ready to contribute to the papermaking industry of the Tang Dynasty.
Next, the little princess began to instruct the workers on how to use these advanced equipment.
She patiently explained the operating instructions, from how to adjust the pressure of the press to how to control the temperature and time of the dryer, and each step was explained in detail and meticulously.
Under the guidance of the little princess, the workers gradually mastered the operation of the equipment.
They watched as sheets of white paper slowly emerged from the machine, smiles of surprise and pride appearing on their faces.
Although these papers are simple, their birth symbolizes a new chapter in the industrial technology of the Tang Dynasty.
Under the guidance of the little princess, the papermaking technology of the Tang Dynasty has taken a solid step forward and is striding towards a more glorious future.
The little princess knew that this was just the beginning.
Her grand plan will continue to move forward, contributing more wisdom and strength to the prosperity and progress of the Tang Dynasty.
Next, the little princess continued to devote herself to the research and development of equipment such as printing equipment and radios.
In the prosperous city of Chang'an, as well as nearby ancient and bustling cities such as Jinyang and Luoyang, a new and strange phenomenon gradually attracted people's attention.
This phenomenon is the emergence of bookstores called "Mingda Bookstore" like mushrooms after a rain.
These bookstores have a simple and elegant appearance. The plaque hanging on the lintel reads "Mingda Bookstore" in four large characters, written in vigorous strokes, showing the spirit of a scholar.
But when Li Yi, a scholar from a poor family, stepped into one of the bookstores, he was surprised to find that there was not a single single book in the huge bookstore.
Instead, there are rows of snow-white papers, which are neatly arranged on the shelves, like pieces of quiet jade plates.
Li Yi walked closer to take a closer look. The texture of these papers was surprisingly fine and the glossiness was excellent, almost comparable to the high-quality Xuan paper used by the imperial court.
Li Yi, full of doubts, asked the owner.
The shop owner smiled and explained, "We are still preparing our new book, so for now we can only sell these specially made blank pages."
After hearing this, Li Yi couldn't help but become even more curious. He asked, "How are these papers made so beautiful?"
The shop owner smiled slightly and said mysteriously, "This is made with our shop's own secret method, which will not be disclosed to others for the time being.
However, I can tell you that these papers are not only of fine texture, but also write smoothly and have an even ink color, making them ideal for reading and writing."
Li Yi was very excited after hearing this. Although he came from a poor family, he had a great passion for reading and writing.
He felt the few dozen coins left in his pocket and wanted to buy a few to try, but he felt that he was short of money.
The shop owner seemed to notice Li Yi's embarrassment and took the initiative to explain, "These papers are not expensive, only one penny per sheet!"
"What?!! One penny per ticket!!! It's so cheap!!!" Li Yi was stunned for a moment.
You have to know that in that era, the price of books was extremely expensive, often costing several strings of cash, or even dozens of strings of cash.
In other words, a piece of paper would cost dozens of coins.
And it was ordinary paper.
These exquisite papers in front of me are definitely worth the money at a few hundred coins per piece, but I never thought they are so cheap!
Li Yi was shocked and asked hurriedly, "Shopkeeper, is there a mistake in the price? How can such exquisite paper be sold for only one penny per sheet?"
The shopkeeper smiled and shook his head, saying, "That's right, this is the price set by the Princess Protector of the Nation. It's the same price across the country, and there's no other price!"
"Princess Protector of the Nation?!" Li Yi asked curiously.
Although the little princess had long been named the Princess Protector of the Nation, that was a matter of the upper class, and a poor scholar like Li Yi had no chance to know about it.
"The Protector of the Nation Princess is naturally His Majesty's youngest daughter, Princess Jinyang, Her Royal Highness Li Mingda.
Your Highness hopes that every citizen of the Tang Dynasty, regardless of their wealth, will have access to books to read and words to write.
Therefore, she deliberately set the price of paper very low, only one penny per sheet.
It is to make such good paper affordable for more people."
After hearing this, Li Yi felt a surge of respect for the little princess.
He sighed, "Her Royal Highness the Princess Protector of the Nation is truly a blessing to the Tang Dynasty. Not only is she exceptionally intelligent, but she is also so compassionate to the people."
The shop owner nodded and continued, "Yes, the Princess Protector of the Country not only developed this new papermaking technology, but also personally taught us how to make and sell this paper.
Her Royal Highness the Princess said that knowledge is priceless, but the tools to acquire knowledge should have a price, and the price should be affordable for everyone.
That’s why she set the price of paper so affordable.”
Li Yi took a deep breath and sighed, "The Protector of the Nation Princess is truly far-sighted. Her wisdom and broad mind are truly the pride of our Tang Dynasty!"
The shop owner agrees: "Our 'Mingda Bookstore' was established by Her Royal Highness the Princess, with the aim of popularizing knowledge and giving everyone the right to read and write.
These papers are also sold by Her Royal Highness the Princess, for the convenience of the people."
At this moment, Li Yi's heart was filled with gratitude and admiration for Her Royal Highness the Princess Protector of the Country.
He knew very well that this move by Her Royal Highness the Princess Protector of the Country would undoubtedly open a door to knowledge for poor scholars like him.
Yi was very excited and determined to seize this opportunity.
He reached into his pocket, tightly grasped the few dozen coins, then took a deep breath and walked up to the shopkeeper.
"Shopkeeper, let me buy fifty to try first." There was a tremor in Li Yi's voice, but his eyes were firm.
The shopkeeper smiled and nodded, took fifty sheets of white paper from the shelf and handed them to Li Yi.
Li Yi took the paper carefully, as if he was holding a precious treasure.
He gently stroked the papers, feeling their delicate texture and smooth feel, his heart filled with joy and gratitude.
He solemnly handed the money to the shopkeeper and bowed deeply: "Thank you, shopkeeper, and thank you, Her Royal Highness, the Princess Protector of the Country.
It was Her Royal Highness the Princess Protector of the Nation who gave a poor scholar like me the opportunity to gain access to knowledge."
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