Chapter 549 The quality of Cheng's paper is really poor
Chapter 549 The quality of Cheng’s paper is so heartbreakingly inferior (please subscribe and vote)
Naturally, it was left to Uncle Ping to handle the matter of taking a stake in the printing house. Cheng Chubi believed that with Uncle Ping's ability, he would definitely be able to handle it.
In this era, engraving printing used ink and press printing, which was really not fast.
Of course, with movable type printing, there is no need to continue to use this time-consuming and laborious method. You can use the roller printing method.
For the specific structure, Cheng Chubi asked the housekeeper Fu Shu to find a carpenter to make the printing machinery according to his own ideas and concepts.
In addition to these, there were also experiments with inks, and tinsmiths were hired to smelt lead-tin alloy to make movable lead type.
Then, there were several kinds of paper placed in front of Cheng Chubi, one was ordinary paper and the other was tribute paper.
There are two or three types of ordinary paper, and there are also two types of tribute paper. Cheng Chubi looked at these papers and couldn't help but feel a little tired.
There are two kinds of tribute paper in the Tang Dynasty. One is yellow in color and is also called hard yellow paper. The other tribute paper comes from Xuanzhou and has been produced since the Southern and Northern Dynasties.
At first, it was made with sandalwood bark as raw material, and later it was made with more than ten raw materials such as mulberry, bamboo, and hemp.
Although the hard yellow paper has good texture and a very beautiful yellow color, it is too thick and is not suitable for binding into a book.
Most of them were used by monks and Taoists to copy scriptures or to print engravings.
For example, "The Picture of Cheng Yaojin and His Family Exorcising Evils from Their House" was printed on this kind of paper and posted on the doors of ordinary people's houses.
But because its texture is too thick, it is not suitable for binding into a book for reading. It is mostly folded, which is also the origin of the memorial.
Only the tribute paper produced in Xuanzhou has a tough texture, beautiful texture, white and fine texture, and is not damaged by twisting.
It is very conducive to writing and painting, so it is the most popular.
But these two kinds of paper, just one word, are extremely expensive.
Cheng Chubi already knew the price of paper because he copied "The Romance of the Three Kingdoms". The important thing is that these two kinds of paper are writeable.
It was extremely popular among scholars all over the world, so it was naturally difficult to satisfy Cheng Chubi's need for large quantities and adequate management.
After all, hundreds of thousands of books are almost the output of Xuanzhou tribute paper in less than half a year.
The money needed to purchase paper alone was more than double the money he invested in the printing house.
In this way, the cost of books has indeed dropped, but not by much. What Cheng Chubi hopes is to be an instant hit.
The kind that would shock all the poor families in the world, the rich families, and even the court today.
Cheng Chubi picked up those ordinary papers with a look of helplessness on his face. It was really...how should I put it, the color was just yellowish, but the important thing was that the paper was fragile.
It feels like holding it in your hand like a low-quality homework book from when I was studying. It would easily scratch the paper when writing.
Moreover, such paper, let alone decades, Cheng Chubi suspected that it would be damaged even if it was left for several years.
Cheng Chubi specially tried the pen and ink on various calligraphy papers, except for two tribute papers of very fine quality.
Among those ordinary papers, one is barely passable, but after putting pen to paper, the ink absorption is still prone to problems, but it is still barely usable.
The other three cheaper papers can be described as appalling.
One of them has excellent ink absorbency. If you write a horizontal line, it will be blurred into a large area, just like a caterpillar on your mother's side.
Seeing Cheng Chubi put down his pen with a black look on his face, Uncle Fu, the housekeeper, touched his nose and said with some embarrassment.
"Third Young Master, ordinary people have to buy this kind of slightly better paper to use for copying. Those are not acceptable..."
"Those pieces of paper were of little use, so the people used them to tie up paper figures or make paper money to offer sacrifices to their ancestors."
"After all, only high-ranking officials would use silk money, silk clothes, and silk shoes to worship their ancestors.
Ordinary people naturally cannot afford such extravagance, so they just use these inferior papers to tie or fold them."
"I once heard from my wife that during the Han Dynasty, there were records of money samples made from miscellaneous paper and papyrus to offer sacrifices to ancestors.
Madam is really a knowledgeable person, she even knows about such things."
After hearing this, I saw the awed expression on the face of the housekeeper, Uncle Fu.
Cheng Chubi suddenly realized that the custom of throwing paper money and burning paper money could be traced back to the Han Dynasty.
"This kind of paper is made by our paper mill in Chengjiazhuang..."
Uncle Fu, the butler, took a step forward and pointed to one of the three roughest papers and said with a little embarrassment.
"They are sold to ordinary people who make paper money and paper..."
"Our Cheng family also has a paper mill, which is a good thing." Cheng Chubi couldn't help but feel happy. No matter how good the quality was, it was still there.
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After running over and holding an egg-and-egg banquet, this was Cheng Chubi's second time coming to Chengjiazhuang after time travel.
They are all servants, guards, and family members of the generals and soldiers of the Cheng Mansion, and the nearby fields also belong to the Cheng family.
The paper mill here is not big, but there is one at least. It is located on the riverside next to Chengjiazhuang.
At this moment, there was an unpleasant smell emitting there, but Cheng Chubi frowned and continued to move forward.
As for Cheng Xin and Zhang Jin, they are still diligently conducting medical anatomy in the mansion and undergoing intensive training in various surgeries.
"Xiaoyou has met Third Young Master and Uncle Fu. Why are you two here? The smell here is too strong. If Young Master needs anything, just give me orders. There is no need to go in."
"It doesn't matter, I came here just to see how our Chengjia Paper Workshop makes paper."
Cheng Chubi smiled at Cheng Hu, the workshop manager who rushed to greet him outside the workshop.
Cheng Hu nodded and led the way inward while explaining.
"Okay, please invite Third Young Master and Uncle Fu to come with me. Our Cheng family's paper mill was built thanks to Madam's blessing."
"Madam originally wanted our Cheng family to be able to make tribute paper like Xuanzhou's, but unfortunately...we people are really not capable..."
Cheng Chubi nodded. She was indeed a mother whose bookishness was enough to suffocate the rough old men. She was involved in the literary industry in every aspect.
When I think of my mother's hard work and dedication, a heavy sense of responsibility immediately weighs on the shoulders of Cheng Chubi, the cultural director of the old Cheng family.
While Cheng Chubi watched, Cheng Hu introduced the old Cheng family's production process. First, they chopped and washed the raw materials and a large amount of grass.
After that, it is soaked in plant ash water and then steamed, then pounded, then beaten, paper-made, and then dried and peeled off.
The raw materials used by the Lao Cheng family are actually straws from various grains such as wheat and millet. The production itself is very rough, plus the raw materials.
As a result, the quality of Cheng's paper is heartbreakingly inferior...