Great Song

Walking through the corridor all the way, all the maids and servants who met respectfully saluted.Madam Yan didn't put on airs either, she nodded with a smile.For the past two days, she has been in a really good mood.

After arriving at the gate of the palace, after the palace servants informed her, Mrs. Yan straightened her clothes a little and stepped inside.At that time, the mother of the child was sitting by the window, holding a tortoiseshell mirror, carefully reading the newspaper in front of her.

Seeing Mrs. Yan coming, Empress Dowager Gao put down her glasses and said with a smile, "Yu Niang is here? I'm reading the newspaper. Today's news is quite interesting."

Seeing that Empress Dowager Gao was happy, Mrs. Yan joked, "It's also a caring official. Isn't it just to make Empress Bo smile by presenting the tabloid?"

Empress Dowager Gao was very comfortable hearing these words.The number of newspapers ordered by the emperor and sent to her is generally the same as that given to the empress dowager.It can be seen that in his son's heart, his weight is still more important than etiquette.

Feeling happy, Empress Dowager Gao smiled more and more kindly: "Speaking of which, the word 'Ri Xin Bao' in the title is written by your little man?"

Mrs. Yan said humbly: "It is indeed a dog. He has not done a good job all day, only calligraphy and painting have improved."

Mrs. Yan is also quite satisfied with Mi Fu's headline for Rixin.This kid has been doing nothing serious all day, and finally got smarter for a while.With such a big topic, it is difficult for the officials and the queen mother to remember it every day.With nostalgia, are you still afraid of birth?

"Duan is a good character!" Empress Dowager Gao boasted, and then said, "Xiao Lang is seventeen or eighteen years old this year, right? He should also have a job."

Mrs. Yan got up quickly: "The puppy is young, how can it be reused..."

Empress Dowager Gao waved her hand: "It's okay to be a school secretary. Such a good character cannot be wasted."

Even if the imperial court gives shade, it is usually after the age of 20.Mi Fu was only seventeen, so he was able to take up the post, which was a great grace.Mrs. Yan's face was both surprised and happy: "Thank you, ma'am! This concubine has promised me that I will let the puppy do everything with all my heart and live up to my majesty's favor."

It's still a little unsafe for that kid Mi Fu to go out to be an official.It would be best to have a idle job in the court.I just hope that this kid can learn more from Han Miao, have a better mind, and don't make trouble all day long.

■

"I don't even need to write so many characters! I really don't know what it means!" Looking at the dozen or so huge wooden boxes in front of him, Mi Fu was heartbroken.

Knowing that Zhen Qiong wanted to make movable type, Mi Fu immediately recommended himself to write type models for them.Zhen Qiong didn't understand the good characters, but he knew that Mi Fu was picky and picky. If he was given this big project with thousands of characters, it might take him forever.Therefore, he was not allowed to get started, and it was still handed over to the engraving craftsman in Yinfang.

Now that the typeface was finally finished, several people also went to Yinfang to check the results.

Mi Fu was very dissatisfied with copying scriptures and complained again and again.Ignoring his babbling, Zhen Qiong looked at the big wooden boxes, her head numb: "So many words, can you really pick them?"

He is still interested in the glue used to make lead type, and the black and bright ink that can dry quickly.I really don't know anything about typesetting and printing.Now there are thousands of fonts in front of you, just looking at them makes your teeth sore, can you really pick them?

Shen Kuo smiled happily: "Why not? This box is arranged according to the sound and rhyme, as long as you memorize it, it is easy to check the words."

As he spoke, he said to Li Gefei, "Uncle Wen, have you brought the manuscript?"

Li Gefei came to see the movable type today, why didn't he bring the manuscript?Immediately took out the manuscript to be typed tomorrow, and Shen Kuo was not polite, he took the manuscript and typed it.Mi Fu also hurriedly said: "Give me an article, I want to try it too!"

Shen Kuo naturally agreed, and gave Li Gefei a copy, and the three checked the characters together.Shen Kuo was familiar with printed characters, Li Gefei was familiar with manuscripts, and Mi Fu was not familiar with anything, so he scurried around beside several wooden boxes, frantically fetching characters.However, no matter how inconspicuous he was, he was a well-read and well-informed talent, and he found the rules in a short time, and got up quickly.

It took more than half an hour to pick out all the words.

Zhen Qiong was almost falling asleep, seeing the three of them finally finished, she couldn't help but smacked her lips: "Isn't this too slow?"

"Not slow! Not slow!" Liu Yuanwai who was standing on the side hurriedly answered, "It would take half a day for the most skilled engraver to complete this edition. If there are mistakes or omissions, it will be troublesome to correct them. How can there be such typefaces?" save effort?"

Since Han Daguan began to run the newspaper, Liu Yuanwai took over the responsibility of publishing it.At the beginning, he just wanted to repay the kindness of Daguan Han for saving his beloved daughter, and he didn't even want to charge printing fees.Unexpectedly, the other party had no intention of repaying the favor at all, and only asked him to engrave and print according to the market price.Liu Yuanwai was a little depressed for a while, but when it was printed, he realized that this thing is really not good to give as a favor.[-] copies are printed as soon as it comes up, and the engraving block will be scrapped after only one use, and the cost can skyrocket.

Later, it was changed to [-] copies, [-] copies, and the manpower at hand was insufficient.Originally, it took a day to engrave eight plates, but now four plates have been added in one breath, and the engravers are too busy.It is really miserable to have to print so many copies.

Good thing now, with this typesetting lead type, at least the engraver's time is saved.It also prints faster.

Having said that, once the characters are selected, they must be made into plates.Liu Yuanwai immediately found a plate maker who had been trained before, and embedded the characters in order into the master plate that had been made long ago. After beating and smoothing, they were ground and rubbed.The oily ink had condensed on the paper, and when you opened it, it was as clear and well-proportioned as a carving.

"Okay!" Liu Yuanwai couldn't help shouting, "This method is really wonderful!"

Han Miao also said with a smile: "In the future, we will need to find people who can read and write. If there is a shortage of people outside Mr. Liu, I can also find two people who specialize in typesetting."

"I want it!" Liu Yuanwai hurriedly said.He also discovered this problem. Woodblock craftsmen can be illiterate, but typesetting workers who check characters must be able to read.Otherwise, it would be a big trouble just to find words.It's just that, his small workshop can't afford it.

Han Miao was not surprised by his attitude either.It is really different from the others. Ordinary scholars may not be willing to do this boring work, and many craftsmen are illiterate, so it is even more difficult to get started.But he has a free school in his hand. Isn't it easy to find a few young people who are hard-working and well-versed in literature?

When the two were discussing, Zhen Qiong had already walked to the rubbing board, frowned and looked at it for a long time, and suddenly said: "Did you all print one by one like this?"

Although the craftsmen are proficient in their techniques, they still need to brush ink, lay paper, and rubbing.After one side is ready, wait for it to dry before printing the other side upside down.The process can be called complicated.

Ling Xiaozi, who wiped out Guifanlou, was naturally also Liu Yuanwai's benefactor.Seeing him asking a question, Liu Yuanwai hurriedly said: "Don't worry, Ling Xiaozi, I'm all skilled craftsmen here, so the trial printing should be slow, and when the printing starts, it will be fast."

For three sheets of paper, there must be six alignments, and eight thousand copies must be printed. The workload can be imagined.Fortunately, Yuanwai Liu recruited some good printing hands temporarily, so the matter was not delayed.But now that there are typefaces, more manpower can be freed up to print newspapers.

Zhen Qiong was not very satisfied with the printing method, scratched her chin, and suddenly said: "If there is a machine that can fix the board and press it on the paper like a stamp, wouldn't it be much faster?"

Although he doesn't understand mechanical principles, he has always heard some sayings.Using machinery is more efficient than pure handwork, right?It's really hard to look at such a piece of paper.

Liu Yuanwai looked bewildered, he didn't understand Zhen Qiong's meaning at all.Shen Kuo's eyes lit up: "This method sounds interesting, you can try it."

Shen Kuo has also learned the rubbing of gold and stone, and he needs to master the strength and apply the ink evenly.But now they all have typefaces, and they have good inks. Just brush a layer of ink on the plates and press the paper evenly, and you can print a good newspaper.In this case, the role of the craftsman is much smaller, and it is indeed feasible to replace it with machinery.

"Let's go, let's ask Brother Su." Zhen Qiong regained her spirits.But for machinery, I still need to find Su Song.Not to mention that Su Song is good at all kinds of crafts, the military inspector is even more skilled, maybe he can get a printing machine out of it.

Facing the two people who came as soon as they said that, Liu Yuanwai was stunned, and turned to look at Han Miao: "Mr. Han, my workshop has enough manpower, so there is no need for such machinery..."

Forget about the movable type, anyway, the Han Daguan pays for it.Why do you want to make a machine?Doesn't sound cheap!Moreover, if another printing method is used, what should the craftsmen in his workshop do?

Han Miao smiled slightly: "I just want to discuss with Brother Liu. I wonder if I can let my younger brother buy some shares in this Yinfang?"

Member Liu: "..."

After being left behind, Mi Fu, who has long been forgotten, couldn't help but jump when he heard this: "You just get used to him!"

He didn't use good words, and he thought he was slow.Isn't it slow for Zhen Qiong to toss these things?Is it amazing to be rich? !

■

In the past two days, Su Song looked at the daily newspaper sent to the case, and felt uncomfortable.Naturally, the Armed Forces Supervision also subscribed to the newspaper. Although he only ordered fifty copies, he, as the chief officer, can still get one alone.The problem is that there are a lot of manuscripts given before, but they are still being published.It is inevitable that there is some worry about being seen through the pseudonym.After all, what Shen Kuo wrote were small essays, and another person might not be able to write them.But he only writes travel notes and pharmacology, and some early works, which are really hard to come by.

Alas, he shouldn't have fresh pictures, and that retouching fee...

With a sigh, Su Song folded the newspaper and was ready to start working.Unexpectedly, when the officials below came to report, Ling Xiaozi and Shen Jiantian came to visit together.

That's all for Zhen Qiong, why doesn't Shen Kuo go to work and come here to hang out?Su Song was really baffled and invited people in.

Seeing Su Song, Zhen Qiong excitedly said: "Brother Su, our movable lead type has been made, and it is very useful. You should go and see it today!"

Of course Zhen Qiong also invited him, but today he keeps taking baths, how can he run around?However, I also guessed the purpose of the two of them a little bit, maybe this is not to show off, right?Su Song smiled politely: "The things made by Ling Xiaozi and Brother Cunzhong are ingenious. I will definitely come to see them someday."

He really didn't have much interest in movable lead type.The improvement is nothing more than glue and ink, and any craftsman can do it.Moreover, running a newspaper is so costly. If the emperor hadn't subscribed for the newspaper first, it is estimated that they would have lost all their money by now.

Zhen Qiong didn't care about this, and went straight to the point: "We have already produced such good movable type, but I always feel that printing can't keep up. It's too troublesome to print each page. I want to get a machine for printing newspapers."

ah?When Su Song heard this, it was inevitable that he would lose his mind.How do you think about it? Does Han Miao not care about him?

Seeing that Su Song's complexion was not quite right, Shen Kuo hurriedly said: "It is also because there are too many newspapers printed. If the original printing method is used, it will be a bit slow. Just as new ink and type are made, it is better to change the printing method. It can be regarded as a beginning and an end." .”

Su Song still has some understanding of Shen Kuo's temper.If it wasn't something very novel and useful, it would be really hard to make him interested.After thinking about it, Su Song asked, "What kind of machine are you going to make for this newspaper printing machine?"

On the way here, the two had already discussed it, and Zhen Qiong immediately said: "I was thinking about hanging a lead plate on the top, laying a lead plate on the bottom, and then putting a wooden frame with paper in the middle, pressing it down, A newspaper is enough. Craftsmen only need to brush ink and cut paper, so wouldn’t the speed be much faster?”

Hearing what he said, Su Song immediately had an idea in his mind.Just to lift a lead plate and press it down requires a handle with a swivel bar.The newspaper is inked and needs to be dried a little, and it seems to extend a countertop.If it is made, it will definitely not be small...

Thinking of this, Su Song couldn't help but frown slightly: "It is possible to manufacture, but the cost may be expensive. It is much more expensive than hiring a few more helpers."

After all, there is no need for a craftsman to print newspapers, and something that can be easily made by a helper, why is it so troublesome?

Zhen Qiong didn't care about these things: "If you can use a machine, it must be better to use a machine. At the beginning, you didn't use your hands to pound the rice. It's a big difference if you change it to a water pestle. Besides, if this machine is made, what else will there be in the future?" There are other uses. Besides pounding rice, the water pestle can also crush stones, blow wind, and forge iron..."

Before he finished speaking, Su Song was shocked and stood up suddenly: "Yes! Why didn't I think of it?!"

ah?Both Zhen Qiong and Shen Kuo looked over in a daze.What did this come to mind?

Su Song was already full of surprises, and quickly said: "Have you two heard of 'cold forging'?"

He wanted to popularize some "cold forging" knowledge, but Zhen Qiong and Shen Kuo both nodded.Su Song choked suddenly.When did everyone know about this cold forging?

Shen Kuo was more honest and explained: "I heard people say that the Qiang people used the cold forging method. The iron armor forged is extremely tough. It's just a delusion, and I haven't seen it with my own eyes."

I see.Seeing that both of them had ideas, Su Song didn't hold back anymore, and said directly: "Nowadays, the amount of steel produced has increased sharply. If the forging hammer is driven by a water hammer, and the steel plate is tempered by cold forging, it should be able to make armor very quickly. Wouldn't it be great?" ?”

Zhen Qiong didn't know anything about this, Shen Kuo knew some armor making methods at least, and couldn't help wondering: "All that can be driven by water conservancy is a sledgehammer. How to forge armor pieces?"

"Why remake the armor? Just hammer out a deck that looks like a breastplate, isn't it? Maybe it's much tougher than the current scale armor, and it's a bit lighter!" Su Song laughed, obviously in his heart Already have an idea.

Shen Kuo also became excited: "If such a sharp weapon can be made, it will greatly save manpower! I don't know how much more armor can be produced in a year!"

"I'll arrange it now! It shouldn't be troublesome to make this forging hammer..."

"Wait! Where's my printing machine?" Zhen Qiong was dumbfounded. Seeing that Su Song was about to get up and call for someone, she hurriedly stopped her.He didn't come here to make any armor, the printing of newspapers is the point, okay?

Su Song was stunned, and said with a loud smile: "Ling Xiaozi gave me some advice on the forging method. What is a mere printing machine? When I finish making it, I will order someone to send it to you."

Hey, that's a good feeling!Zhen Qiong immediately became happy.Sure enough, Su Song is still generous, so it seems that there is no need to spend money!

The author has something to say: machinery is an old word, and all kinds of machines, levers, guns, etc. can be called machinery.

Jin Luji's "Debate on Death": "In the early days of Shu's death, the courtiers conspired, or wanted to pile up stones to prevent the flow, or wanted to use machinery to prevent changes."

Song Sushi's "Dongpo Zhilin · Tsutsujing Water Removal Method": "All the wells use machinery, and everyone knows the benefits."

This printing press is similar in structure to the most primitive wooden printing press.Appeared in the fourteenth century.Water-forged armor was also a thing in the West around the fifteenth century.The slow development of China's machinery is ultimately due to too much manpower and no social needs, not technical reasons.