After listening to Li Yuanjia's words, the emperor was stunned for a moment, and then he burst into laughter.
Let more people afford books? Afford to read books?
Ambitious!
But, it’s just nonsense!
Whether one can afford to read a book depends on whether one can afford to buy a book?
Perhaps the emperors later in the Tang Dynasty would not necessarily know, but Emperor Taizong Li Shimin was not an emperor who was born in a deep palace and did not hear about things outside the palace. He knew very well that no matter how expensive the books were, they would never prevent ordinary people from reading and literacy.
The key point is that if you can't afford books, you can borrow them, copy them, or even steal them. There are always ways to solve the problem.
In this era, the key lies in the monopoly of knowledge!!
So even if books are so cheap that everyone can afford them, if there are not enough teachers to teach, what is the difference between those books and waste paper? And even if there are teachers, everyone can afford books, and thousands of books will be bought every year.
Who is going to get tens of thousands of dollars of money? How many families can afford it if a boy in the family studies every day and only eats and does not work?
"Haha, why not eat minced meat!"
Glancing at Li Shiyilang, who had a serious face, Li Shimin found it funny, but his mood instantly relaxed a lot. Just now, when he was waiting for his brother's answer, to be honest, he was really a little nervous, for fear of hearing something he didn't want to hear.
, but now it seems that it is indeed a bit unfounded.
However, once the distracting thoughts were gone, Li Shimin was quite interested in this movable type printing. After all, if he thought about it seriously, this method of printing seemed to be really simple and convenient. Compared with copying word by word by hand, or decades ago,
The advent of block printing also looked much easier.
So after thinking for a while, Li Shimin then asked: "Yuanjia, this kind of movable type is probably more difficult to make than engraving, right? If you were to use this method to print "The Analects of Confucius" now, how much would it cost?"
"this……"
His face instantly darkened, Li Yuanjia pursed his lips and said helplessly: "If we don't lose money, the price should be two or three times more expensive than the engraving-printed books..."
Although he wanted to say it was cheaper, it was obvious that Li Yuanjia did not dare to lie in front of the emperor.
He did not use wooden movable type or clay type, but went directly to the metal movable type route. The production cost is not generally high. In addition, the cost of ink is higher than that of ink, and the requirements for workers are much higher than that of engraving.
When you calculate the cost, it's really impressive.
"Twice... haha!"
After hearing what his brother said, Li Shimin finally couldn't help laughing. The price is at least twice as expensive as others. Why do you let more people afford books and read them?
"Second brother, listen to me first!"
Seeing him like this, Li Yuanjia became anxious: "I mean it should be twice as expensive as them now. I didn't say it will always be more expensive! Just like paper making, it will be more expensive at the beginning, but
Once they find the right way to make movable type, create cheaper ink, and then solve the difficulties of typesetting and fixing movable type, it will definitely drop...I think it will definitely drop to a lower level than engraving!"
It is impossible for Li Yuanjia to doubt this.
However, Li Shimin was not interested in listening to his explanation. He quickly waved his hand and said with a smile: "Okay, even if what you said is right, let's wait until we can really print low-priced books in the future... Haha,
But this movable type is quite interesting."
"..."
Li Yuanjia bit his lower lip, his face full of unwillingness and dissatisfaction.
After looking at him, Li Shimin shook his head and said with a smile: "Okay, those kapok seeds paid tribute by Gaochang Kingdom, as well as the farmer, will be rewarded to you!"
After chatting with Shiyi Lang today, Li Shimin is quite satisfied.
He used white paper that was better than the tribute from Li's paper shop, and saw the wonderful use of kapok, as well as the exquisite idea of movable type printing, which made him feel more and more that it was a good idea to keep Li Yuanjia in Chang'an. If he kept this kid in Chang'an,
If you were to be governor in Luzhou, or somewhere else, how could you possibly see these things at any time?
So when he was in a happy mood, Li Shimin didn't mind giving this boy a little sweetness.
Some kapok seeds and a farmer, just reward him.
After hearing what he said, Li Yuanjia was overjoyed and said happily: "Thank you, second brother. I will definitely take good care of these seeds and make them become ubiquitous things in the Tang Dynasty in the future..."
"What? All over the place?!"
"Yes what's the matter?"
"no!"
Frowning, Li Shimin shouted in a deep voice: "Although the kapok seeds and the farmer rewarded you, the most important thing in our Tang Dynasty is food... Although kapok is good, it is only a thing to keep out the cold, so the land where kapok is planted must not be used.
More than one hundred acres, this point is never allowed to be exceeded, do you understand?"
"One...one hundred acres?"
"Yes, up to one hundred acres!"
Narrowing his eyes, Li Shimin looked unquestionable and nodded solemnly: "Anyway, if you dare to plant more than a hundred acres, I will take them all back."
Even if he had just put a comfortable and light cotton coat into his pocket, it would be absolutely impossible for Li Shimin to immediately recognize the value of kapok and order his brother to plant it on a large scale!
No matter how good the kapok is, at best it is just something to keep out the cold.
These days, the poor wear linen clothes, and the nobles have furs and silks. It’s not like everyone goes out without clothes. How useful is this thing? And how many flowers can be produced on a kapok plant? One or two? Or two and two? Want to make it?
For a cotton coat, how much land is needed to grow kapok? How much water is needed for irrigation and how much manpower is consumed?
After a little calculation, Li Shimin would never allow kapok to be planted extensively in the Tang Dynasty.
These days, it is a luxury for ordinary people to have a full stomach. Who is willing to give up part of the land to grow kapok? How many people can afford to wear clothes made of kapok. Even if Li Yuanjia grows it, it will only be for the aristocrats and rich people in the future.
It just provides a luxurious new material, and it is not of much use to the country or the people.
and……
If you think more deeply, Li Shimin is even more afraid that if this thing is really popular, a large amount of farmland will be used to plant kapok, which will really make people angry...
If it's less than 100 acres, let him do whatever he wants.
In just a short while, countless thoughts went through the emperor's mind, and he immediately came to a conclusion about Kapok.
Li Yuanjia was naturally unaware of this. Although he was a little dissatisfied with the one-hundred-acre limit, he was already satisfied with the seeds and a Gaochangguo farmer who knew how to handle cotton.
Anyway, cotton has been cultivated in China for such a long time, but large-scale cultivation started very late.
Take your time and don't rush.
After agreeing to not exceed one hundred acres, Li Yuanjia turned the topic back to movable type printing and said rather unconvincingly: "Second brother, let me tell you, I have put a lot of effort into improving movable type printing.
Sooner or later it will definitely be able to..."
"Okay, I get it."
Before he could finish his words, Li Shimin yawned and said: "Whenever the books printed by it become cheaper than the engravings, you come to me again, and I will leave all the books printed by the imperial court to you... I am a little sleepy.
Okay, please step aside today."
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
With a face filled with dissatisfaction, Li Yuanjia withdrew from the Manna Hall.
But Li Shimin, who was smiling silently behind him, didn't know that the moment his brother walked out of the gate of Ganlu Palace, the boy left behind the servant who escorted him out. The expression on his face instantly became calm, and there was even a smile on the corner of his mouth.