Emperor Xiaoyao of Tang Dynasty

Chapter 144 Movable type is successful, can papermaking go far?

Before Chen Rui left, he pointed to the straw on the edge of the ground to convey the meaning of the management of Huangzhuang. He was ordered to leave the straw, and it was a gift to congratulate himself, the uncle of Ba County, on taking over the fiefdom.

Jin Yu stood up and looked at the straw on the ground, wishing he could scold his mother, if you say Li Er give it away, you can give it away, it doesn’t matter if you pile it up, it’s a mess, and you have to send your own people to clean it up, really think the labor is worthless?Not kind!
But he was sent by order, and Jin Yu didn't refuse, so he just accepted it.Speaking of this straw, it's a good thing.In the past, when the countryside was poor, they couldn’t afford to buy cotton, and they didn’t even have time to pick up firewood for burning, because the hungry couldn’t walk anymore, and it was more realistic to dig some wild vegetables or beg for food when they had time to chop firewood, so in winter Just suffer, the common people’s native method is to put straw under the body, which is very useful for keeping warm and warm; and when they are full of food, this thing is used to boil water for cooking, and it can also be used as a cover. The roof of the embryo house is good at preventing rain and keeping warm, the price is low, and it basically costs nothing; later, it was replaced with a tile-roofed roof, and straw hats can be woven.As far as Jinyu can remember, the neighbors behind the old house used straw to make toilet paper, and they didn’t stop working until Jinyu graduated from university. The toilet paper is barely used for writing, but it is quite good as toilet paper. Toilet paper has not come out People in rural areas used to use this.Jinyu often went to observe it when he was young, and then came home with a bad smell. When he was young, he didn’t feel anything. After graduating from university, he became squeamish. He didn’t dare to open the window all year round. The smell was too strong. Jinyu bought it in desperation. With an air conditioner, the living environment has improved.Thinking of the air conditioner, Jin Yu began to miss his previous life. If it would be great to have an air conditioner these days, no matter how difficult it is, he would have to make a generator. It is nothing more than two magnets and some coils. Forced to review a full six times!I forgot all my English and I can't forget the damn generator!
Jin Yu was reminiscing about the past, Chen Rui ran over again, his face was full of magpie shit, he couldn't breathe, and he still didn't forget to announce the good news to Jin Yu: "Master ```Master! Then ```that character ```made``` was created!"

"What word?" Jin Yu confused Chen Rui and asked in a daze.

"The ones that ``` you ordered ``` to engrave ``` engraved?!" Chen Rui reminded out of breath seeing Jin Yu like this.

Jin Yu suddenly remembered, it has been almost two months!Chen Rui didn't say that he almost forgot, isn't this the "movable type" that he wanted to be lazy and let others make it?Jin Yu stood up "teng" and asked excitedly: "Where is it? Take me to see it!"

Chen Rui took his two broken bellows and trotted again, and brought Jin Yu to the workshop. Jin Yu couldn't help worrying about Chen Rui, never seen this uncle like this before?Could it be that the newlyweds are unwell?It seems that I need to give him some tiger bone wine to make up for it. If Chen Rui falls ill, who will take care of these messy things in the mansion for him?Anyway, I can't worry about this, it's too exhausting!

The so-called workshop is a shack in front of the earthen kiln. There are several piles of mud outside, which seems to be waste from exploring different recipes.

"Young master, the old slave ``` has come out!" An old man with a beard and sunken eyes saluted Jin Yu with an excited expression.

Seeing that he is so conscientious, Jin Yu is too embarrassed to blame him for not having a sense of secrecy. Forget it, the matter of secrecy will be strengthened in the future.Jin Yu quickly helped the old man up, and asked kindly: "It's made? Take it out and have a look."

The old man turned around and picked up a cuboid the size of a AA battery from the table behind him, and handed it to Jin Yu.Then he pointed to a black rag on the table and explained: "Master, you need to use this to press on it twice, dipped in ink and it will be printed."

Jin Yu tried it, and the effect was good. The clay prints are very good in ink, and the printed "Jin" character is clearly visible, but the font lacks the style of the Song style of later generations. Not bad.Jin Yu glanced at the tools on the desk and almost understood how the old man made it.The tools are very simple, a smooth wooden board with a square frame, several partitions in the shape of Great Wall teeth, a small wooden board about the size of a movable type, a wooden hammer, a small carving knife, a mud scraper, and a A bottle of oil is enough.First brush the oil on the wooden board to ensure that the friction force is small when taking out the mud block to prevent the mud block from being out of shape, and then fix the partition into the box to become a block mold with the same size and length, and then use Fill the reconciled mud into the small squares with a small wooden board, pound it firmly with a wooden hammer, and then wipe off the excess mud on the top of the squares with a mud scraper. After a little drying, you can use a carving knife to engrave characters. Enter the clay kiln to set the shape, and the final movable type is guaranteed to be of a normal size. When using it, just arrange the plate and add a wooden cover to ensure that the force is even. Words can be printed, even the rosin between the fixed type and the movable type is saved!

admire!Except for these two words, Jin Yu couldn't find a suitable vocabulary. No wonder the great man said that the wisdom of the working people is infinite.Jin Yu was very satisfied, nodded and asked, "What's your surname, old man?"

"The old slave's surname is Bi." How has this old man seen such an approachable master?In a moment of excitement, I even forgot the modest title, and realized it only after I said it, and quickly made up for it: "My surname is Bi, my surname is Bi, I dare not call you your surname."

"Old man Bi, from now on, you are the enshrinement of the Jin family's Zhuangzi!" Jin Yu ignored the old man Bi, who was stunned by the surprise, and turned his head to Chen Rui, saying: "If Bi's family has any difficulties, We must help solve it, so that Bi Gongfeng can make clay seals with peace of mind."

Seeing Chen Rui's hand in hand, Jin Yu asked old man Bi again: "Is the old man Bi's house arranged? Do you want to free up another house for you?"

The old man Bi came back to his senses after hearing Jin Yu's question. He was so excited that he knelt down for Jin Yu with a "plop", and Jin Yu was so shocked that he quickly helped the old man up.

Old man Bi was still trembling when he stood up, and the tears in his eyes came down. He opened his mouth several times, and then said with a choked voice: "Young master, this old slave```I can't repay you in this lifetime``` , the next ```next life``` must also be made up."

Jin Yu wiped the sweat from his forehead. Just now he was worried that the old man would not be able to bear such a big surprise because of his age. heart.If you change to a bold affirmation, you will say: nonsense!The old man is only 50 years old!
Jin Yu chatted with the old man for a while, and then he learned about the engraving skills passed down by Mr. Bi. Later, his family was ruined and he went to work in a porcelain kiln. It seems that his success is not accidental, at least these two related skills accounted for .

"Bi Gongfeng, can this character be made smaller?" Jin Yu played with the first sample of movable type, but it still felt a little big.

"It can be made smaller, but it can only be printed on rice paper. The ink on the bamboo paper is too bad. If the characters are too small, they will be printed as a black ball, which is unrecognizable." Old man Bi will be in a stable mood. I learned a lot and gave the answers of Jinyu professionals.

"Well, let's make it so big." Jin Yu doesn't understand these things, and it's already a big surprise for him to save himself trouble, so don't make another bigger surprise, but we still need to emphasize this confidential matter He said, "Bi Gongfeng, the formula of this movable type clay cannot be easily revealed to others, and no one can be allowed in the workshop."

"Don't worry, young master, I will hand this recipe to you later. Whoever you tell me to pass it on to, I will pass it on to whomever you say. If you don't say anything, I won't even pass it on to my son! If anyone wants to come in and steal it, I will Even if I risk my life, I will not let him succeed!" Old man Bi was a man who experienced wars, and the reason for his family's decline is largely due to the run-on by his peers.He has seen it through. Holding one thigh can at least make the whole family live comfortably. If he shouts out this recipe, he is guaranteed to live within three days!
Jin Yu was very satisfied with Old Man Bi's attitude, and tried his best to say a few more words before going back.Let the old man Bi take a good rest so that he can have more energy to carve letters for himself, right?Bring over the math symbols tomorrow, Jin Yu doesn't want to return to the blackboard exercises after school starts, it's too tiring!

If we want to talk about this history, it must be the credit of lazy people and people who are greedy for enjoyment, such as Jin Yu.He wanted to light the fire to save trouble, so he got the fire sickle; he wanted to cut firewood to save effort, so he got Su Gang; this is considered lazy, right?He wants to keep clean, so he has soap; he wants to ride comfortably, so he has an improved saddle and horseshoe; he wants to feel comfortable on his feet, so there are left and right shoes;So history is not only determined by big men, but also by these lazy people. (Looking at the history, every productivity improvement in history is inseparable from lazy people, because if you want to have more time to be lazy and enjoy more time, you must have more advanced productivity to ensure that mutual facilitated relationship.)
Jin Yu was in a good mood, humming the "Casablanca" version of "What a Beautiful Jasmine Flower" and walking on a small road in the country. Although he couldn't solve Uncle Zhang's work problems, at least he was able to produce movable type printing, which is worthy of joy.Rice paper is too expensive, so it should be printed on bamboo paper. There is no need to use too good paper for those students, and they will not pay for their books.I wonder if they will give themselves a pile of bamboo paper scraps when they hand in their homework the next day?Is it possible to let yourself play jigsaw puzzles again?It's very tangled, even if the current bamboo paper has the flexibility of later generations' straw paper!

Bamboo paper?toilet paper?straw?Uncle Zhang?Jin Yu was instantly struck by inspiration!What are you doing with so much straw?What a pity to burn it?Make paper!Jin Yu is now a little grateful to his neighbor in his previous life, because that old man made him have such a deep impression on papermaking, just like the teacher who taught him how to make a generator, he is deeply rooted in his bones and cannot be forgotten.Seeing that Chen Rui is so weak, let Hu Yue handle this matter!

Within half a day, Jin Yu sorted out the matter in general, and he was in a good mood, and the tone gradually shifted to the "Hotel California" version of "The Beauty".

(End of this chapter)