Xiong Shi was stunned when he heard this, and then asked: "Sir, is the cost of using cotton to make treasure banknotes a little too high?"
Cotton is so expensive, and Handu bought it at a high price, 200 cents per pound. Think about the paper they used to make banknotes, what was it made of? It was just hemp stalks, bark and the like.
, it’s just like picking it up for free.
"It's a bit expensive, but it doesn't matter if it's used to make treasure banknotes." Han Du also admitted that cotton is indeed not cheap, but since he wants to achieve the effect he wants, paper made of cotton must be used.
Seeing that the two of them were still a little hesitant, they seemed to want to persuade them with a few words.
Han Du waved his hand to suppress their plans, "It's decided. Paper made from cotton has many benefits. At least it is more wear-resistant and folding-resistant than the paper you made before. The most important thing is that such paper can withstand
Got blisters."
"Can such paper really withstand blisters?" Mr. Huang was dumbfounded and asked quickly.
Han Du nodded with a smile and explained: "It's okay to just wet it with water or soak it completely in water. Although it will be a little different from the original after drying, it won't rot.
My idea is that since we are going to make a new kind of treasure banknote, we might as well make the best one, which can not only withstand the moisture of sweat, but also be able to withstand short-term blisters.
.”
Seeing that what Han Du said seemed true, Xiong Shi temporarily believed Han Du's words. But then, Xiong Shi frowned and said, "However, treasure banknotes need to be printed with ink. Even so.
Paper can withstand water, but ink can't. Once exposed to water, it will still become blurry."
Han Du smiled and said, "So we need to find a way on the ink."
After hearing this, Mr. Huang suddenly became excited and said quickly: "My lord, you mean to use ink."
Ink? Is it available now? This is impossible, Han Du thought.
Sure enough, what Mr. Huang said about ink was actually not the same thing as what Han Du had in mind.
Huang Lao turned around and went out, and soon came back with two ink sticks in his hand.
"Sir, please look, this is smoke and ink." Mr. Huang handed one of the ink blocks to Han Du.
This ink block is dark and long in shape, dull and without any luster.
Then he handed another piece to Han Du, "This is ink, sir, please take a look."
Han Du took the ink and compared it carefully. The surface of the ink was indeed brighter than smoke ink, as if it contained some grease.
"Adults should know that smoke ink is made by burning firewood in a kiln, and then scraping off the soot from the top of the kiln. But because firewood is not cheap, the price of high-quality smoke ink is naturally higher than
Ink is much more expensive," Huang Lao and Han Du explained.
After hearing this, Han Du raised the ink in his other hand and asked, "What about this piece?"
Mr. Huang pointed to the ink block in Han Du's hand and replied: "Ink like this is collected after burning various oils. There is no need to build a kiln specifically to burn oil, and it is very convenient to collect. It is just like clear oil.
, for an oil lamp made of lard, a bowl can be placed above the lamp to collect the oil smoke and make ink blocks. The best thing is naturally the soot after burning tung oil. After the tung oil is lit, the fire will be bright and the oil smoke will be big. It is known that one pound
There is a saying that one or two inks of oil.”
Han Du nodded. It was tung oil again. No wonder tung oil was called the only strictly controlled item in modern times and would not be easily exported to others. The uses of tung oil are so great that Han Du was confident that he could produce it.
The ink is suitable because tung oil is used as the setting agent of the ink.
Han Du smiled and put the ink stick in his hand on the table, rubbed his fingers back and forth on the table, thought about it, and decided: "Just use ink."
Turning to look at Xiong Shi, "You go and buy a large amount of tung oil and come back and give it to everyone in the Baochao Lifting Department. Each person will be given a pound first, but you have to tell them that they must collect the ink back to me. From now on,
Let them exchange a pound of tung oil for a pound of ink and go back."
Xiong Shi nodded, indicating that he understood.
Although Xiong Shi lamented in his heart that this was another huge expense, he was used to Han Du spending money like nothing, so he was no longer surprised.
Seeing that Xiong Shi agreed, Han Du turned to Mr. Huang and said: "When the ink is collected, let's think carefully about how to prepare the ink. The one in your banknote bureau won't work right now."
Mr. Huang nodded in agreement.
Han Du waved his hand and said: "Okay, let's leave the matter of ink as it is. Since we want to print treasure banknotes, printing plates are indispensable."
"Please tell me, sir." Mr. Huang and Xiong Shi looked at each other and said.
Han Du nodded, not politely, and said directly: "I will do the content on the printing plate. I think the material of the printing plate should be lead plate. What do you think?"
After hearing this, Mr. Huang frowned and asked in confusion: "Sir, the printing plates in the past have always been made of wooden boards. I don't know why you want to use lead plates?"
Han Du held out two fingers and said, "Two reasons. One is that the lead plate is durable and is not like the wooden board that will be soaked in ink after one or two years of use. It can only be remade. The second is that the wooden board will deteriorate when exposed to water."
If it is soaked, it will be slightly deformed, and the printed treasure banknotes will have certain differences, but lead plates do not have this problem at all. Everyone knows that since the treasure banknotes are used as money, they must be prevented from being used by others.
Forgery, if the banknotes we print are all different, wouldn’t it be very easy for others to forge them?”
The principle is what Han Du said, but replacing wooden boards with lead boards involves more than simply changing the material.
Mr. Huang did not agree directly, but said: "Sir, if it must be replaced with lead plates, I will have to discuss it with several craftsmen."
"Okay." Han Du nodded in agreement with Mr. Huang and continued: "But Mr. Huang, you can tell them that I must replace the wooden boards with lead boards. Please ask those craftsmen to do their best. There will be no difficulty.
You have to make the printing plate for me, even if there are difficulties, you have to make the printing plate for me. This matter cannot be ignored."
Mr. Huang nodded, patted his chest and assured: "Don't worry, sir. The craftsmen are thinking of your kindness and will definitely do their best."
Han Du believed that in his previous life, no one would take notice of his small kindness. But at this time, it would be a big killer.
Han Du told the two of them everything they needed to do, and waved them off to go out and do their work.
Han Du returned home and sorted out the words Lao Zhu wrote to him. After thinking about it, he went straight to his father to get the portrait back.
When Hande arrived at the room where Lao Zhu's portrait was enshrined, he didn't see his father. Only Lao Zhu's portrait hung in the center of the hall, and the smoke was faint, making it seem that there was a long distance between Lao Zhu's portrait and the world.
When Han Du saw this, he stepped forward to take down the portrait.
"stop!"
Suddenly, a loud shout came from behind, and Han Du's arm couldn't help but tremble in fright.
Looking back, he saw his father looking at him angrily. Han Du sighed and said, "Dad, what are you doing? You scared me."
Han De rushed to Han Du angrily and snorted: "What are you doing here?"
"Me?" Han Du pointed at himself and asked in surprise. Then he glanced at the portrait, pointed at it and said, "I'm here to get the portrait. The banknote bureau needs it soon."
Hande gave Han Du a cold look, which made Han Du look a little confused.
Han De stepped forward, respectfully put a stick of incense on Lao Zhu's portrait, and then said: "Even if you want to use it, you can't just take it off."
Han Du pointed at the portrait, then pointed at himself, and asked confusedly: "If you don't take it down, how can you take it down?"
Han De glared at Han Du and said, "Even if you want to use it, you have to ask for the portrait. And you haven't used it yet? Wait until you want to use it, and then ask for it."
Is it necessary to ask for a portrait? Han Du looked at his father with straight eyes. Seeing his firm attitude, he had no choice but to agree angrily: "Okay then."
After saying that, he left here under the pressure of his father's eyes.
The banknote bureau began to distribute tung oil, and the craftsmen lined up and talked happily.
With that young craftsman, he had no scruples in speaking out, "Master Han gave us something again, what is it for? By the way, you are talking about welfare, you are a good man."
The old man on the side rolled his eyes at the man and said, "Since you know that this is your kindness, just keep it in your heart. There is no need to say it out loud."
"Why?" The young craftsman didn't understand what the old man meant.
The old man snorted and said: "Young people, please keep your composure and don't make noises when there is nothing wrong. The adults are naturally very good to us, but do you think other people are not jealous? The adults give us these things, but we are under pressure.
.”
The young craftsman was a little unconvinced, "So what if you are jealous? Your Excellency is an official after all. What can those craftsmen do?"
"Confused." Lao Zhu yelled angrily, "It's not necessarily the craftsmen who are jealous of your Excellency. Look at how many great things your Excellency has done since he took office. Do you think those officials are not jealous? If not, Your Majesty will come.
You have been to our place several times, but apart from His Majesty, have you seen many officials come here? Why, isn't it just because they don't have the skills of an adult and are jealous of you?"
"Oh, oh, I understand, I understand." The young craftsman nodded repeatedly. Faced with the old man's earnest teachings, he could only listen attentively.
The craftsman who received the tung oil returned home carrying a clay jar. He put the jar on the table and shouted loudly: "My dear, I'm back."
A voice echoed from inside the room, "The boss is back!"