Next, Han Du, under the leadership of Lao Huang, saw the pulp production process, and how to scoop out the fibers from the pulp and finally press it into banknote paper.
The whole process was not much different from what Han Du knew.
There are some differences when fermenting the raw materials. The big pit containing the raw materials is not what Handu thought. It is just a pit dug on the ground. When the raw materials are soaked, the soil is also dissolved in the water, causing the pulp behind to ferment.
Yellow, the paper produced is also yellow.
Han Du stretched out his hand and pulled off a corner of the banknote and crushed it in his hand. You could clearly see light yellow dust appearing on his fingertips. This was a sign that mud had penetrated into the fiber.
In this way, soil is equivalent to an impurity, which greatly reduces the quality of banknotes.
But there is no way. At this time, there is no technology that can separate the soil from the pulp.
Han Du did not have such technology, but he could prevent the soil from foaming into the pulp in advance. In later generations, this was easily solved by building a few cement pits.
But in this era, there is no solution at all. Maybe some people say that stone jars can be used. But don't forget, the stone jars are too small, and they can be used to decorate the common people with domestic water. If you want to carve out a stone jar the size of a house, it is more difficult at this time.
This is a fantasy and impossible.
"It seems that if you want to make good banknotes, you have to make cement first." Han Du thought to himself.
Next, Han Du went to the Banknote Printing Bureau to have a look, and it was pretty much what he had imagined. It was just that the printing plate for printing treasure banknotes was carved out of a hard wood, and the patterns and writing on it were crude and unsatisfactory.
The kind of precision printing Han Du had in mind.
However, the ink used for printing is good, high-quality pine smoke ink.
It seems that if I want to print ideal banknotes, the banknote printing process also needs great improvement.
After reading the banknotes and printing the second round of banknotes, Han Du took Xiong Shi back to the banknote raising department. After sending Xiong Shi away with a frown, Han Du prepared to meet Lao Zhu.
Arriving outside Hongwu Gate, since it was no longer the time for morning court, even if Han Du was wearing official uniform, he still had to report first and wait for permission before he could enter the imperial city.
Of course, if you are the minister of the six departments and the left and right ministers, you can go in directly, because they all work in the imperial city.
After the Hongwumen guard on duty verified Han Du's identity, he was released into the imperial city.
Han Du walked straight all the way to the gate of Fengtian, where he expressed to the guards his desire to see His Majesty directly, and then waited outside the gate.
If it had been in the early years of Hongwu, the Fengtian Gate would have been crowded with ministers waiting for Lao Zhu's summons. But now it is indeed empty, and only Han Du is waiting here.
Because last year, Lao Zhu killed Prime Minister Hu Weiyong, massacred three ethnic groups, and imprisoned his accomplices on the pretext of evil intentions. Up to now, his accomplices are still under constant investigation.
As a result, all the officials were naturally panicked, fearing that Lao Zhu would remember their names and be executed as Hu Weiyong's henchmen. Why would they come to Lao Zhu to cause trouble?
Inside Fengtian Hall.
Lao Zhu was sitting upright on the royal desk, writing furiously.
The old eunuch waiting beside him saw a young eunuch waiting outside the palace door. He raised his head and glanced at Lao Zhu who was immersed in reviewing memorials. Without disturbing the emperor, the old eunuch quietly walked outside the palace door.
Soon, the old eunuch came back.
Seeing that the emperor's face looked as usual, neither happy nor angry, he stepped forward and said softly: "Your Majesty."
"What's the matter?" Lao Zhu asked in a low voice without turning around.
"Your Majesty, Han Du is asking for an audience."
What is he here for? Zhu Yuanzhang was confused in his heart, and the imperial brush in his hand began to slow down involuntarily. He came to see me on his first day in office. What difficulties did he encounter?
Zhu Yuanzhang thought of the importance of the treasure and did not dare to ignore it, so he said: "Xuan."
"Your Majesty, Han Du, pays homage to your Majesty."
Lao Zhu still didn't put down the memorial in his hand. Sometimes he thought about it carefully, and sometimes he wrote and criticized it. He lowered his head and asked: "The matter of the treasure banknote is of great importance. This is your first day in office. Why don't you think of a way to get the treasure banknote to me as soon as possible?"
After making it, why do you come here to me?"
After saying that, he raised his head and glanced at Han Du, then quickly lowered his eyes to the memorial.
Zhu Yuanzhang was a pragmatic emperor. He liked to go straight when talking. What he hated the most were officials who couldn't explain themselves clearly in a long time. An official once wrote a letter to Lao Zhu, but he talked about it for a long time, and Lao Zhu didn't even know he was there.
What was he talking about? Angry Lao Zhu dismissed him from his official position on the spot. He also issued a special decree that all officials must speak straight to the point and tell the truth.
"Your Majesty, I am here just to make treasure banknotes as soon as possible..."
Then, Han Du explained the craftsman's problem to Lao Zhu.
Of course, Han Du did not directly tell the craftsmen's little tricks. If Lao Zhu knew that those craftsmen were actually trying their best to get rid of their identity as craftsmen, I am afraid that what would be greeted would not be Lao Zhu's sympathy, but a bloody butcher's knife.
From his own standpoint, Han Du believed that the court could not let these craftsmen work in vain and should provide certain compensation.
Han Du's reason is that the most important thing about treasure banknotes is to prevent others from easily forging them, and the main means of anti-counterfeiting is to use various top-notch techniques in the process of making treasure banknotes, so as to completely eliminate the possibility of forgery by others.
.And these skills are passed down from generation to generation by craftsmen. If certain compensation is not given, they will definitely not agree to donate them.
Lao Zhu frowned when he heard this, and even put aside the imperial pen in his hand.
"You mean, the court should pay salaries to these craftsmen just like it pays salaries to officials?"
Lao Zhu's voice began to become shrill.
"Your Majesty has seen thousands of miles."
"No." Lao Zhu flatly refused Han Du's request.
Hearing Lao Zhu's refusal, Han Du was suddenly shocked. He didn't understand why Lao Zhu refused so simply. He continued to ask without giving up: "May I ask your majesty, why not?"
"There is no such precedent since ancient times."
Seeing Han Du's reluctance, Zhu Yuanzhang simply reached out to pick up the ginseng tea and took a sip, taking the opportunity to rest for a while.
Han Du's heart sank, knowing that Lao Zhu had always admired the Tang system. Even the official positions and official uniforms of the Ming Dynasty basically followed the Tang system. There was Zhongshu Province in the Tang Dynasty, and also in the Ming Dynasty.
If the Zhongshu Province had not been abolished last year because of Hu Weiyong's rebellion, it might still be there now.
However, there are some things that Han Du has to do.
Taking a deep breath, Han Du collected his thoughts and then said: "Your Majesty has been gifted with wisdom and bravery. He has risen to prominence in civilian clothing and martial arts scriptures to unify China. All his systems must be based on the present and the past. However, the things of the ancients may not be completely correct. For example, in the Tang and Song Dynasties,
.The military preparations of the Tang Dynasty were so impressive that they conquered all directions, but the Tang Dynasty was eventually destroyed by a military disaster."
As Han Du continued to speak, a cold and cold expression appeared on Lao Zhu's face.
Lao Zhu naturally admired the Tang Dynasty, otherwise he would not have copied the imperial structure and various costumes and etiquette almost from the Tang Dynasty. And because of Lao Zhu's three conquests in the Northern Yuan Dynasty, the emperor's militarism began to appear between the government and the public.
mean.
Lao Zhu was certainly not happy when Han Du said this.
Han Du had no choice. If he wanted to successfully persuade Lao Zhu, he had to touch Lao Zhu. Otherwise, if he just said something in an understatement, how could he impress Lao Zhu?
Seeing the change in Lao Zhu's face, Han Du felt a little timid in his heart. Lao Zhu is a kind of Wolf Mie who "drinks from a golden cup with you, but does not show mercy with a sword". Who can not be afraid of Lao Zhu's concern?
Han Du changed his tone quickly, "But what about the Song Dynasty? The Song Dynasty believed that only civil servants could stabilize the world, and tried their best to suppress military equipment, thinking that they could sit back and relax. What happened? The Mongolian and Yuan cavalry went south, and the great rivers and mountains were ravaged for hundreds of years. To
If His Majesty had not fought bloody battles across the world with his sword and driven out the Mongolian Yuan Dynasty, we, the Han people, would not know when we would be able to restore our Chinese attire."
Han Du patted her on the back without showing any signs of it.
The coldness on Lao Zhu's face was also quietly relieved. What he was most proud of in his life was that the commoners raised troops to drive out the Meng Yuan and establish the world. Han Du's words could be said to have spoken to his heart.
Seeing Lao Zhu's expression softening, Han Du's heart dropped. "Huh, it seems that flattering has a good effect. Sure enough, everyone likes to hear compliments."
"Your Majesty," Han Du was determined and continued: "It can be seen that there are also mistakes in the practices of the ancients. I believe that when dealing with ancient laws, we should 'select the good ones and follow them, and change the bad ones'
, get rid of the rough and save the essence.”
"I believe that high-quality craftsmen can bring huge benefits to the court, so we should do it."
"Remove the rough and save the essence?" Lao Zhu smacked his mouth, "What you said is true, but I don't think that paying the craftsmen's salary will bring benefits to the court, but will increase the burden on the court."
Lao Zhu still shook his head in opposition.
Your Majesty, if you think so, then I will teach you a lesson!
Han Du was filled with confidence, "Your Majesty, I believe that in order for the country to prosper and society to prosper, the development of industry, agriculture, and commerce are indispensable. As the saying goes: Without agriculture, the country will be unstable; without industry, the country will not be stable.
Strong; without business, the country will not be rich."
"Your Majesty should treat craftsmen the same as you treat farmers. Your Majesty attaches great importance to agriculture and rests with the people. He once said: When the world is first settled, the people are poor in financial resources and are like a bird that has just learned to fly. Do not pluck its feathers; like a newly planted tree.
Its roots cannot be shaken; the most important thing is to rest and recuperate.”
“Artisans and farmers are all His Majesty’s subjects, why should we favor one over the other?”
"Should I favor one over the other? There is no stability without farmers. That's fine." Lao Zhu looked at Han Du sideways. "But without workers, there is no strength. I don't agree with this. During the Han and Tang Dynasties, the imperial court did not give any craftsmen to craftsmen.
Regarding the salary precedent, don’t you think the Han and Tang Dynasties were not strong?”
Why were the Han and Tang dynasties not strong? In terms of strength in Chinese history, no one could surpass the Han and Tang dynasties.