This first emperor is awesome

Under the guidance of Gong Shumo, Yingzheng began to inspect Wukufang.

"Your Majesty, this is the workshop for secretly developing white paper according to His Majesty's instructions."

Gong Shumo pointed to the craftsmen who were working in an orderly manner, and introduced to Ying Zheng.

Ying Zheng saw that the division of labor was clear and the busy craftsmen walked over slowly.

Some people are carrying green bamboos and sinking ponds to rot their materials.

The green bamboos that have been soaked in the pond for a long time will be taken away and hammered to remove their shells and skins.

After shelling and peeling, it will be sent to boil and pulp until it is decomposed into ingredients.

The boiled bamboo material will be poured into the stone mortar by the artisan again to form a powder, and then the artisan will use a specially made paper tank, supplemented by a thin bamboo curtain, to filter the paper fibers in the powder.

Next to the paper tank, there are special craftsmen scooping water to continuously wash the powder on the bead curtain, washing away the impurities in it, leaving only paper fibers.

It wasn't until the beaded curtain was covered with a layer of white liquid pulp that the craftsman took the beaded curtain to the press board that had been prepared and piled it up layer by layer.

After the pulp on the press board reaches a certain thickness, it will be pressed down heavily by the craftsman with a very smooth and flat wooden block.

It not only eliminates the moisture in the pulp, but also takes advantage of the opportunity to completely shape the pulp.

In the end, these shaped papers will be pasted on the outer wall of the alley rammed with earth bricks. After being dried by the residual heat of the flame in the alley, they will be carefully peeled off from the outer wall, and it will be a piece of paper. Fully formed white paper.

Seeing the completion of each piece of paper, and then being folded into a pile of white paper by the craftsman, Ying Zheng smiled with relief on his face.

Paper, ink, pens and inkstones are all available in the Great Qin Dynasty now. Waiting for the complete maturity of movable type printing and engraving printing technology, the era when the rich and powerful mastered the scriptures will be completely rewritten.

The era of universal knowledge popularization will come.

Why are the scriptures so expensive, it can almost be said that every inch is worth every penny.

It is because hand-copying is cumbersome, not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but also difficult to popularize on a large scale.

What's more, these rich and powerful people who possess knowledge treasure themselves, and would rather rot knowledge at home than pass it on to ordinary people.

"How many blank sheets of paper can be produced here in a day?"

Ying Zheng asked Gong Shumo, who had been waiting by the side.

"Return to Your Majesty, about a thousand."

Gong Shumo was quite proud in his heart, after all, in his opinion, it is not easy to produce [-] per day.

"I'll give you one year to promote it across the country, and it must reach a daily output of [-]."

Ying Zheng raised his eyebrows and said sternly.

One hundred thousand?

Gong Shumo's heart fell to the bottom in an instant, and the pride just now disappeared without a trace in the blink of an eye.

God!

Is Your Majesty joking?

but it doesn't look like

"Your Majesty's papermaking technology is the top secret of the empire. The training of craftsmen and the construction of workshops require a lot of manpower, financial and material resources and time. It takes a year."

Gongshu Mo had a bitter face, and was interrupted before he could finish speaking.

"A year is too long?"

Ying Zheng glanced over and said coldly.

"No, Your Majesty is too hasty in one year. With a daily output of [-] sheets, I'm afraid it will be difficult for you to fulfill Your Majesty's high expectations."

Gongshu Mo simply went all out, complaining endlessly.

"Just one year, if you can't do it, I will find someone who can do it to replace you."

Ying Zheng didn't want to hear any reasons or excuses. For him, he could or could not. Where did he get so many reasons?

Papermaking skills are not difficult, as long as you know the steps, you can do it.

It is nothing more than a matter of practice makes perfect, and there is nothing wrong with doing it poorly at the beginning.

Bamboo is plentiful in the southern border of the empire, and it is everywhere in the mountains and plains.

artisan?

As long as you follow the steps, ordinary people can learn to do it.

How to keep it secret, what does that have to do with me?

You have to worry about everything by yourself, what do you want this minister of court and martial arts to do?

"Your Majesty, I must do my best to fulfill Your Majesty's great trust."

There is no way, between dismissing from office and taking a desperate fight, Gong Shumo can only bite the bullet and choose to fight this old bone and give it a go.

Looking at Gong Shumo who was bending over and bowing his head, the corners of Ying Zheng's mouth rose slightly.

I have worked so hard for Daqin, you courtiers, do you still want to do business comfortably?

is it possible?

From now on, work hard for me!

You are not willing to work hard, there are many young people who dare to fight, and what Daqin will lack most in the future is talents.

In order for the Chinese nation to embark on the journey of the stars and the sea as soon as possible, I can only wrong you dear friends.

"Let's go!"

"Take me to see how the saddles, stirrups and horseshoes are progressing."

When Yingzheng came to Wukufang this time, what he missed most were saddles and horseshoes.

Once mass-produced, the consumption of Daqin's war horses can be greatly alleviated.

And with the saddle and stirrup, the power of the Daqin iron cavalry can greatly enhance the combat effectiveness.

The important thing is that cavalry training will no longer be as difficult as it used to be.

With stirrups and saddles, ordinary people can become qualified cavalry with a little training.

Next year when the army marches northward, the empire's [-] cavalry will surely be able to show their power and fame all over the world.

Chapter 34 How many resentful bones are buried in the dark corner of this deep palace compound

The foundry department of Arsenal Square occupies almost one-third of the area of ​​Arsenal Square, and there are thousands of craftsmen working here.

When Yingzheng's royal driver arrived, almost everyone put down their work, bowed their hands and shouted in unison: "Meet Your Majesty."

"No need to be too polite, just keep busy with your work! I'll just take a look."

Ying Zheng looked approachable and spoke in a gentle voice.

"Thank you, Your Majesty."

The craftsmen bowed again, and then started to get busy again.

Soon the sound of jingling sounded again, a scene of enthusiasm.

Gongshu Mo ordered people to fetch forged horseshoes, saddles and stirrups.

After a while, Ying Zheng looked at the horseshoes, wooden high-bridge saddles, and the outer stirrups wrapped in iron sheets on the plate brought by someone, his eyes lit up.

That's it, as long as these are produced in large quantities, the era when cavalry cannot be the main force will be gone forever.

Just recapture the Hetao Grassland from the Huns, and then expel the Dayuezhi people from Longxi to get the Xihai Grassland.

Careful animal husbandry and the implementation of the horse breeding order, within a few years, the empire will be able to organize a large-scale cavalry to go north and push across the desert. Who can stop it?

"Within one year, I will need one hundred thousand of each of these three items."

Ying Zheng fondled the horseshoe on the plate fondly, and said to the public.

"Your Majesty, even if I kill my minister, 30 harnesses won't be able to be produced within a year."

Gong Shumo was dripping with sweat, he knelt down, lowered his head and said anxiously.

"Huh? Why?"

Seeing that Gong Shumo was so eloquent, Yingzheng questioned him immediately because he dared not accept the edict even if he tried his best.

"Your Majesty, the iron-making technology has only just begun, and Daqin's annual iron-making output is pitifully small. Even if all the stocks in these years are used up, it will not be able to meet the consumption of stirrups and horseshoes."

"The saddle is made of a mixture of wood and leather, and it is a bit sure to produce [-] vice ministers a year."

"But horseshoes and stirrups, even if His Majesty kills the minister, there are not so many iron utensils."

Gong Shumo was already dripping with sweat, and his forehead was covered with bead-sized beads of sweat.

I don't know if it's the heat, or the cold sweat from being frightened.

Yingzheng frowned, looked at the horse's iron hoof and stirrup, and said in a deep voice, "Is there any progress in sending people to search for graphite veins in Neishi?"

Once there is coal, not only can the output of ironmaking be greatly increased, but the quality of ironware can also achieve a leap forward.

Coal is the key to making steel from iron.

"Return to Your Majesty, we are still looking for it, and no large open-pit graphite mine has been found yet."

Gong Shumo wiped the sweat from his forehead with the corner of his clothes, and said cautiously.

"Has the Tiangong Kaiwu I gave you been passed on to them?"

Ying Zheng's voice was icy cold, and he said with a look of rage.

"Your Majesty, this scripture is all-encompassing and profound. It is difficult to comprehend its essence in a short period of time."

Gong Shumo's voice was a little out of breath, and the more he spoke, the weaker his voice became.

"Stupid, Tiangong Kaiwu has a special article on finding ore, learn this first to find graphite ore, and then learn others."

Ying Zheng yelled loudly, almost pointing his nose and cursing.

"I will bear in mind your Majesty's instruction and will do my best to find graphite mines."

Although Gong Shumo was scolded, he still could only apologize with a smile on his face.

"Finding the graphite mine will greatly increase the output of ironmaking, and all problems will be solved."

"Within a month, I want to hear good news, otherwise I will doubt whether your ability is qualified for the position of the general of the Great Qin Empire."

Ying Zheng stretched out a finger, and walked away after speaking.

"Sir, I send you off to Your Majesty."

Gong Shumo felt extremely bitter in his heart, he bowed his hands in haste.

After His Majesty left, he stood up in a daze.

"What are you looking at? You don't need to work anymore?"

Seeing all the craftsmen looking at him, Gong Shumo roared angrily.

Seeing that the immediate boss got angry, the craftsmen hurriedly got busy again.

Graphite is nothing new, it's just extremely difficult to mine.

The large open-pit graphite mine that His Majesty mentioned has never been found since ancient times.

As early as in Guanzi's chapters, there was a method of finding ore veins, but it was very simple.

Compared with the wonderful book His Majesty gave, it is a world of difference.

The graphite mine must be found within a month, otherwise Gong Shumo has no doubt that His Majesty will let him return to his hometown to retire at that time, which is considered the best result.

Even if His Majesty killed himself in a fit of anger, his death would be in vain.

It seems that we will continue to send more people. Anyway, His Majesty has promised to use the power of the whole country to support himself.

I want to invite all the people from the public losers to Xianyang. In addition, I have to write a letter and prepare generous gifts to invite people from the Qingxi Wang family.

As a descendant of Guigu, the Wang family of Qingxi Guigu is proficient in the art of ventilation and water, and is even more familiar with the landscape of mountains and rivers.

With their help, the chances of finding graphite veins will be greatly increased.

Gong Shumo racked his brains, but any family or person who could help and contribute to the search for graphite mines flashed through his mind one by one.

Xianyang Palace Pingtian Hall