I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 125 The Resources for Decisive Victory

As the saying goes, "If you want to do a good job, you must first have the right tools." Before officially starting work, Huang Yueying, the craftsmen, and the Taoist priests needed to organize the papermaking process at the school.

Huang Yueying took out a somewhat tattered silk scroll from her bosom, which recorded the production process of "Caihou Paper" and "Zuobo Paper".

Since most of the techniques have been lost due to damage, it is necessary to consult the old craftsmen who once made paper in Luoyang for guidance to complete them. The rest can only be found by exploring during the actual production process.

The Taoist priests then consulted ancient books to find things in nature that could repel insects, and then tried to combine these things with the paper they produced to create paper that could repel insects.

After several days of summarizing, the craftsmen finally came up with a feasible papermaking process and immediately began production.

Liu Shan personally went to the paper mill to supervise and inspect it.

The raw materials used by the Taixuegong paper mill were brought directly from workshops in Chengdu, saving at least a month of soaking time.

The craftsmanship of "Cai Hou Paper" is relatively rough. The craftsmen quickly produced it by steaming, pounding, making paper, and drying it according to ancient methods.

However, due to its rough craftsmanship, Cai Lun paper is coarse and thick, with poor ink absorption, making it difficult to write on.

Although the "Caihou Paper" was of poor quality, it gave Liu Shan and the craftsmen great confidence, and they immediately devoted themselves to the production of "Zuobo Paper".

Firstly, in terms of raw materials, "Zuobo Paper" uses newly grown mulberry bark and aged hemp. It also removes old, hard, rough bark and impurities to ensure that the finished product has a more uniform surface.

After selecting the materials, they are soaked in water, fermented with lime, and steamed at high temperature. The process is almost the same as that of "Cai Lun paper", except that each process is more refined.

The entire process takes at least 100 days.

"Your Majesty, the process of making 'Zuo Bo paper' is extremely complicated and time-consuming. If it can really be produced, the cost will not be low."

Watching the craftsmen steam the ingredients in large pots, Huang Yueying said with concern.

Liu Shan decided to invent paper so that people could be freed from the cumbersome bamboo slips and make reading and writing easier.

If the cost of papermaking is too high, it may be difficult to achieve.

Liu Shan was drenched in sweat from the high temperature in the paper mill, but he did not leave, his eyes fixed on the large pots.

"Madam, what we need to master right now is the papermaking process, not the cost. Once we've learned the technique, we only need to make improvements at the source, and the papermaking waste will naturally decrease."

Although Huang Yueying agreed with Liu Shan's words, one question lingered in her mind.

Is this method of making paper from bamboo really feasible?

More than a month passed in the blink of an eye, and thanks to the efforts of the craftsmen, "Zuobo Paper" was finally produced.

Liu Shan picked up a piece of paper; it was white as jade, with a fine and tough texture, and smooth to the touch.

"Please, Your Majesty, bestow upon me your calligraphy."

Huang Yueying handed over the pen.

Under the expectant gaze of everyone, Liu Shan picked up his brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote the character "永" (yong, meaning eternal) on "Zuo Bo paper".

The writing was fluent, and the ink did not smudge or spread, which greatly pleased Liu Shan.

"good!"

Everyone cheered.

The efforts of the past two months have finally paid off.

"Now that the 'Zuo Bo paper' is complete, let's strike while the iron is hot and I will now teach you how to make bamboo paper."

Everyone immediately returned to the school, and Liu Shan distributed the compiled materials.

"The method of making bamboo paper involves selecting tender bamboo, soaking it for a hundred days to allow it to rot naturally. I ordered people to cut bamboo and soak it a long time ago, and it can be put into production in less than half a month."

As modern elites, efficiency is paramount.

When the decision was made to start papermaking, Liu Shan ordered people to prepare well in advance, starting with the most time-consuming step of soaking the raw materials, in order to save as much time as possible.

Then comes the specific procedures, such as how long to steam or boil, what chemicals to use, and how to bleach and dry the food.

These things were somewhat vague in Liu Shan's mind; he only remembered a few fragmented words, so he wrote them down in general terms in the documents.

Those craftsmen were experienced and had successfully created "Zuo Bo paper," so they understood these few words very well and their minds automatically improved and supplemented their production process.

He knew exactly how long the bamboo should be steamed, what materials were needed to remove impurities, and how to pound and pulp it.

The craftsmanship described in the documents was only a few hundred words long, but the knowledge contained within enlightened the craftsmen.

Bamboo is hard and dense, making it difficult to pulp, so people never thought of making paper from bamboo.

However, Liu Shan is described in the historical records as follows.

"First, the tender bamboo needs to be cut down, cut into sections, split open, and soaked in a pond for several months to soften it; then it needs to be steamed with lime water to remove the sap; it needs to be repeatedly rinsed, pounded into a paste, then put into a trough to make paper, and finally dried over a fire."

After the training was completed, all the craftsmen were astonished.

It turns out that the process of making this bamboo paper is not as complicated as I had imagined.

It truly proves Liu Shan's saying that all things in the world are ultimately similar.

Moreover, bamboo is everywhere and grows quickly, making it much easier to obtain than trees.

Huang Yueying listened quietly, her eyes sparkling with admiration.

"Your Majesty is learned and has a remarkable memory, even possessing knowledge of such extraordinary skills. With an inexhaustible supply of bamboo, if this can truly be accomplished, not only will the Imperial Academy have no shortage of paper, but education throughout the land will also flourish."

"You flatter me, Madam. Whether this bamboo paper can be successfully made depends on everyone's joint efforts. I only want to emphasize one point: remember not to be impatient in everything you do."

"Fast is slow, and slow is fast!"

Everyone nodded in agreement after hearing this.

Papermaking is a complex and laborious process that requires patience.

If the young bamboo is not soaked for a sufficient time, it will remain hard and cannot be pounded.

If the amount of lime is incorrect, it will either not cook properly or burn the fibers.

Uneven paper thickness during papermaking causes it to twist and crack after drying.

All of these require artisans to use their experience to identify and correct any shortcomings and improve their techniques during the production process in order to succeed.

If you are impatient for quick success, you will end up with nothing and waste all your efforts.

Liu Shan passed on all the papermaking techniques he knew, and having nothing more to teach, he entrusted the papermaking work to Huang Yueying.

Firstly, Huang Yueying was Zhuge Liang's wife, and although she did not hold an official position, she had a prominent status.

Secondly, she was very knowledgeable and knew how to make paper. When she guided the craftsmen in making paper, no one dared to object.

The papermaking matter has come to a temporary halt, but the matter is not yet over.

In the imperial court, Qiao Zhou continued to present his memorial.

"Your Majesty, papermaking is extremely time-consuming, taking at least a hundred days. However, the Imperial Academy is currently facing a paper shortage, so we hope Your Majesty will make a decision as soon as possible."

Papermaking is not something that can be accomplished overnight, but the students of the Imperial Academy are about to take their monthly exams and are eagerly awaiting their turn.

Liu Shan thought for a moment and said, "Issue my decree to all the paper mills in the city, large and small. The court will supervise the paper mills. If they want to serve the court and receive a government salary, they should use the paper they have as collateral. Those who don't have paper can contribute money and materials, the more the better."

Although it's a seemingly casual remark, it carries a lot of weight.

In Yizhou today, papermaking is mainly carried out by families or local workshops, and there are no official institutions.

Behind Liu Shan's imperial edict was a message to all paper-making workshops: the imperial court was about to enter the paper-making industry, and these small workshops needed to understand the situation and recognize their place.

But Zhuge Liang saw something on a much higher level.

"The resources to defeat the enemy depend solely on brocade," was an important national strategy he promoted.

However, it is no longer the same as Shu brocade.

Tea has now entered the Jiangnan region, and it is believed that it will soon be promoted to the Central Plains.

Now, Liu Shan's supervision of the paper mill clearly indicates his intention to make paper, along with Shu brocade and tea, a major economic pillar of Yizhou.

Wonderful, absolutely wonderful!