Opening a Tavern in the Tang Dynasty

On the second day, in the court, the emperor sat high on the dragon throne, looking at the ministers with a sharp gaze.

He gently placed the blueprints for the curved plow, papermaking, and movable type printing on the imperial desk. "Today, I have obtained the methods for these three remarkable things. I would like to discuss them with you, my dear ministers. If they can be implemented in the Tang Dynasty, it will surely benefit all people."

An old minister stepped forward and saluted, "If this can greatly improve farming efficiency, Your Majesty, please explain it in detail."

The emperor nodded slightly, stood up, walked down the steps, picked up the blueprint of the curved plow and unfolded it. "Look, my dear ministers, the structure of this curved plow is very exquisite. Look at the curved plow shaft, which makes it more flexible to operate."

"And it only requires one ox to pull it, or even human power. This is undoubtedly a timely help for farmers who are short of oxen for farming."

The ministers gathered around and looked at the drawings carefully, exclaiming from time to time: "I never thought it could be done this way!"

A young minister's eyes lit up: "Your Majesty, if this curved plow is promoted, grain production will increase significantly, and the people will suffer less hardship."

The emperor smiled with satisfaction. "That's exactly what I meant. I've already ordered the creation of a real thing. Once it's ready, you can try it out in nearby counties and prefectures before gradually promoting it."

At this point, the emperor picked up the papermaking diagram and said, "Take a look at this papermaking technique. Paper was not easy to make in the past, and the cost was quite high."

"But this technique uses hemp ends, rags, old fishing nets, and other materials as raw materials. Through a series of processes, including shredding, steaming, pounding, papermaking, and drying, paper can be made. This will greatly reduce paper costs and significantly increase production."

The ministers began to whisper to each other, and one minister in charge of culture and education excitedly said, "Your Majesty, if paper were easily available, books could be copied in large quantities, knowledge would be spread more widely, and the culture of our Tang Dynasty would surely flourish even more!"

The Emperor nodded in agreement. "Your Excellency, what you say is absolutely correct. I suggest we establish an official paper mill in the capital, gather craftsmen to study this art, and once the skills are mature, we can then promote it to other regions."

At this time, another minister asked: "Your Majesty, what about movable type printing?"

The emperor enthusiastically unfolded the blueprints for movable type printing. "This movable type printing technique is even more amazing. First, individual movable type is made from materials such as clay, wood, and metal."

He took a sip of his refreshing tea and continued, "When typesetting, the movable type is arranged according to the content on a special plate. Then ink is applied, paper is laid out, and the words are printed on the paper."

"After printing, the movable type can be disassembled and re-typeset and reused. It is much more flexible than stereotype printing and can save a lot of manpower and material resources."

The ministers were amazed after hearing this. One of them exclaimed, "Your Majesty, if this technique is implemented, the speed of book printing will be greatly increased, and knowledge will be able to spread to every corner of the Tang Dynasty even faster!"

The emperor's eyes were firm. "That's right. I have decided to have the Imperial Observatory and the Ministry of Works jointly research movable type printing, and strive to promote it in the Tang Dynasty as soon as possible."

The Emperor returned to his throne, took a sip from his teacup, and said, "I know full well that these three inventions are of extraordinary significance to the Tang Dynasty. The curved plow is related to agriculture, the foundation of our nation."

"Papermaking and movable type printing are related to culture and are the foundation of our Tang Dynasty's prosperity. I hope that all of you will work together to promote this matter."

The ministers responded in unison: "Your Majesty is wise and wise. We will do our utmost!"

In the following days, the court discussed the curved plow, papermaking and movable type printing.

Lord Zhang walked steadily to the Ministry of Works, looked at everyone with a serious expression, and said, "Get ready. His Majesty attaches great importance to the curved plow, papermaking, and movable type printing. This is related to the fate of the Tang Dynasty. No mistakes can be made."

The officials and craftsmen of the Ministry of Works hurriedly stopped their work and responded in unison: "Yes, sir!"

Lord Zhang walked over to the craftsmen who were building a curved plow, picked up a half-finished plow shaft, and after carefully examining it, he said, "When building this plow shaft, we must use the best materials and the craftsmanship must be meticulous. We must check it several times to make sure there are no cracks or other problems."

"And we have to make sure it's firm. Otherwise, if something goes wrong while plowing the land, it will delay the people's work."

The craftsmen nodded repeatedly, and one of the older craftsmen said, "Don't worry, sir. We have made it according to the highest standards. We dare not be careless in every step and we check it carefully every day."

Mr. Zhang came to the area where papermaking was being studied. The air was filled with the smell of steaming raw materials.

He looked at the busy craftsmen and said loudly, "Every step of the papermaking process must be strictly recorded. The amount of raw materials used, the time and temperature of steaming, and the force of pounding must all be accurate."

"We must ensure that the paper we produce is not only low-cost but also of high quality. This is the requirement of His Majesty and the expectation of the people."

The head craftsman in charge of papermaking quickly responded, "Sir, I have always kept records, and each batch of raw materials has a dedicated person in charge of processing it."

Master Zhang nodded slightly and instructed, "Very good, keep it up. Report any problems promptly."

Finally, Mr. Zhang came to the movable type printing workshop.

The workshop is filled with movable type made of various materials, and craftsmen are working on typesetting.

Master Zhang picked up a piece of movable type and said to the craftsmen, "Moveable type printing is a delicate job. The size and height of the movable type must be consistent so that the typesetting can be done perfectly and the printed words are clear. Also, the mixing of the ink must be carefully studied to ensure that the printed words are not blurred."

The craftsmen responded, "Sir, we have experimented many times, using different recipes to mix ink, and we are also working hard to improve the production process of movable type, striving to ensure that every movable type meets the standards."

Lord Zhang patted a craftsman on the shoulder and said, "You are all skilled artisans of the Tang Dynasty, and you shoulder important responsibilities. Your Majesty's eyes are on us, and millions of people are waiting for these inventions to improve their lives. You must not slack off."

After that, he inspected the Ministry of Works to ensure that all preparations were proceeding in an orderly manner. Then he went to the Emperor's Palace and said, "Your Majesty, those items are already being made."

Upon hearing this, the Emperor smiled with satisfaction and nodded slightly, saying, "Very good, very good! I look forward to these being completed and manufactured soon so that they can be implemented in the Tang Dynasty as soon as possible to benefit the people."

"The Yuyu family has indeed made great contributions, and they should be rewarded handsomely." After saying this, the emperor walked to the window and looked towards the outside of the palace: "Reward them with a large house."

He took a sip of the cool tea and said, "Come here, draft the imperial edict!"

The official outside the door came over quickly and bowed, "Your Majesty, I am here."