My lord, spare his life!

Ge Zhou was making a big fuss over nothing.

"There are countless living beings in the world. Even if only one in ten thousand admires them, that's still tens of thousands or hundreds of thousands of people," Zhang Yang said, pointing to the ground. "There are more than just this many people in this area of ​​Weiyin. What Xidan saw were only three of them."

Ge Zhou felt that something was wrong, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it.

"...My lord's words are reasonable."

Zhang Yang quickly put the matter out of his mind.

With the paper mill staff recruited, things became relatively simple. They just needed to follow the instructions, continuously replicate the formula to improve their skills, and figure out the optimal material ratios, and the paper mill would be running smoothly. The paper on the market was expensive and had long been controlled by powerful families, whose techniques were kept secret. If Zhang Yang could break into that market, he would definitely be able to grab a large slice of the pie!

Xu Jin couldn't help but get excited when he thought about this prospect.

This means that Wei Yin will have a real pillar industry!

While other industries are profitable, none are as lucrative as paper manufacturing! Tianyue County is located near the Dongfan Mountains, making material acquisition easy and transportation costs precisely controlled. As long as the quality of the finished paper matches the market average, it's a guaranteed profit!

"Jiusi, come here."

Xu Jin smiled and asked, "Does the Prefect have any further instructions?"

Zhang Yang looked at the memo and said, "In two days, Shu Yan and the others should be almost ready. I will be going out to fight soon. During my absence, remember to go deep into the countryside to find skilled craftsmen, the more the better. If necessary, poach them from other places and hire them at high salaries."

Xu Jin wondered, "If it's just training a few hundred prisoners, the craftsmen hired by the Prefect are enough. Why hire more?"

Zhang Yang: "It's not for training prisoners' skills."

Xu Jin roused himself and said, "This humble official is dull-witted."

"Has Jiu Si ever considered how much paper our paper mill could produce in a year if it really succeeded? And how many customers would consume that paper?" Zhang Yang had researched the market price of paper; it was considered a mid-range luxury item, affordable only to wealthy families. Even wealthy families couldn't afford to use it lavishly; they would feel bad about spending it.

Given that the Xiao family owns several paper manufacturing businesses, Xiao Sui, as the eldest daughter of the Xiao family, had her monthly paper consumption included in her monthly allowance, and she had to pay extra for anything exceeding her allowance. A premium positioning means a smaller customer base.

Zhang Yang's side has not expanded its customer base, and even if it attracts attention with its prices, it is difficult to sell all the paper it produces.

Xu Jin: "Won't they sell?"

How is that possible?

Zhang Yang said, "Probably. After all, it's paper from an unknown paper mill. Even if the quality is good, the price is only 30-40% of other papers, so not many customers would be willing to try it. It's like seeing a new restaurant open on the street, with prices only half of your usual place. Would your first reaction be to try it out, or to doubt the restaurant's ingredients?"

Xu Jin: "This humble official will probably observe first."

See what other people who dared to try it say.

Xu Jin might only step into the newly opened restaurant if many diners said that the food was good and the ingredients were good.

Zhang Yang shrugged.

"You see, there are many people who think the same way you do." Newly launched products always go through a period of growing pains. Only after passing quality inspections and establishing a reputation will they attract more and more consumers. Even at this stage, it's still impossible to steal all of the competitors' customers. This is because many customers also have path dependence; if the quality and supply of used paper on the market are stable, they are willing to pay more for this "stability."

Xu Jin tentatively suggested, "Then how about making less?"

As customer demand increases, should we gradually expand production?

Zhang Yang shook his head: "That won't work."

Xu Jin really lacked business acumen and couldn't think of a good solution for the time being. He even thought of Zhang Yangduo, a craftsman skilled in carving, but couldn't see any necessary connection between the two.

"This humble official is dull-witted; I humbly request Your Excellency to enlighten me."

Zhang Yang gave him a hint: "What would other people do with the paper?"

"If the people who buy paper are scholars and officials, it is generally for copying classics and scriptures, correspondence, practicing calligraphy and painting, submitting memorials and official documents, or composing poems and essays..." These are the uses with relatively large consumption. Other occasions with smaller consumption include sacrifices and mounting.

Zhang Yang: "Therefore, we also need to expand its applications."

Once the scale-up is successful, won't the paper consumption increase rapidly?

Xu Jin's mind finally caught on.

As Zhang Yang spoke, he pulled out an object: "We're not worried about not being able to sell all the paper we produce. We can use the surplus ourselves and turn it into another way to make money. In addition to the paper mill, we can also set up a printing workshop, specifically for making and printing books. We'll find skilled craftsmen to make printing blocks, which can be used to print the more common classics on the market."

She handed the board to Xu Jin.

Xu Jin looked at the rows of crooked lines on the board, unable to decipher the pattern, yet sensing a certain regularity and rhythm in the lines, unlike random scribbling. As Xu Jin had guessed, this engraving was a product Zhang Yang had created for a game collaboration event, which Zhang Yang kept as a memento.

Xu Jin tapped the wooden board, looking at it with interest.

He asked, "Is this equivalent to a stone carving?"

Most books on the market are handwritten, but some copies of scriptures are made by rubbing from stone tablets. The latter is better, but the former involves copying stroke by stroke, which is extremely time-consuming, prone to omissions and errors, and difficult to correct. Why is a well-preserved book so expensive? Naturally, it's because of the high labor costs.

Xu Jin had also heard that some places used the method of "Liexing Jiangli" to reduce labor costs, and that multiple finished products could be obtained from one copy.

However, this approach is not widely applicable.

Xu Jin murmured, "Rubbing is indeed faster than copying."

Zhang Yang said, "A printer can print one or two thousand sheets a day. If printers are replaced by machines, the number can reach tens of thousands."

Xu Jin doubted that he had misheard.

"How can a rubbing be done so quickly?"

He also had experience making rubbings of famous stone inscriptions, and he knew exactly how much preparation and time it took to make one rubbing. How could one possibly produce one or two thousand rubbings a day? As for tens of thousands a day, that was an unattainable number.

"Isn't this wood carving just like a seal?"

How much effort does it take to stamp a piece of paper with a seal?

Xu Jin: "..."

He then realized that the word used by Lord Zhang was not "chuituo" but "yin," the "yin" in seal, which was different from the series of processes he had imagined: cleaning, applying paper, pounding the paper, applying ink, and then peeling it off.

Xu Jin looked at the wooden carving in his hand, then at Zhang Yang.

Zhang Yang said, "Actually, there are other methods. For example, the words on this wood carving I made are actually reversed; they are correct when printed on paper. But, you can also get a relatively thin piece of wood and carve the words directly on it, like this."

Zhang Yang then took out a piece of wood.

Xu Jin: "..."

He placed the two pieces of wood side by side for comparison.

The patterns are actually reversed.

The first piece was engraved in relief, retaining the textured areas while removing all the blank spaces. The second piece was engraved in intaglio, removing the textured areas and leaving the blank spaces. Xu Jin was momentarily stunned, looking at the second piece: "Won't this print backwards?"

Zhang Yang: "This wasn't printed."

She placed the wooden board on the table.

He pulled out a big brush from somewhere and brushed it all over.

"Actually, using wax paper and ink is more convenient. A thin sheet of wax paper can quickly be used to carve the desired words, and then a brush of ink is applied. The sculptor finishes carving a sheet of wax paper before the wood carving has even finished a few lines of text. However, this method isn't very reliable right now..."

Xu Jin asked instinctively, "Why doesn't it work?"

"Wax paper is hard to get, and nowadays inks are all water-based."

Simply put, it's a matter of mismatched paper and ink.

Besides that, there are no rollers.

Neither the technology nor the materials support it.

"However, if there were a celestial being descending to earth or some star with the talent to replace it, these problems would not be problems." Mimeographing is quite convenient; whatever needs to be printed on short notice can be printed quickly, unlike woodblock printing which is time-consuming and laborious.

Xu Jin was quite disappointed upon hearing this.

Zhang Yang: "Jiushi just needs to find skilled craftsmen who can carve. Once a block is carved, it can be printed in tens of thousands of copies. As long as the printing volume is large enough, the cost can be spread out."

Xu Jin nodded: "This humble official understands."

He gently stroked the two wooden boards, somewhat reluctant to return them to Zhang Yang. What he had heard today had been a revelation; he had never imagined that the seal he used so frequently could have such a use—to be used to engrave an entire article onto a single "seal"? To print a book?

"It's just a pity that carving an article takes too long."

Xu Jin would also carve things to pass the time when he had nothing to do.

He knew all too well how time-consuming it was to carve a seal with just a few words, let alone an entire article or a whole book!

Is it really impossible to achieve that wax paper mimeographing process?

Zhang Yang said, "There are also some that take less time."

Xu Jin's eyes lit up: "This humble official is taking the liberty of asking for your guidance."

Zhang Yang looked at Xu Jin with some confusion.

"It's all about division of labor. The time it takes for one person to carve a hundred characters is naturally different from the time it takes for a hundred people to carve one character each."

"How can a hundred people carve such a small piece of wood together?"

Zhang Yang: "..."

Xu Jin had a sudden inspiration and slapped his thigh.

"Yes, yes, yes—one hundred people, one hundred characters each! I was mistaken, I got stuck on a pedant. Since a wooden board can hold one hundred characters, it can naturally hold one character as well." The one hundred craftsmen simply need to arrange the carved characters in order!

Zhang Yang nodded with satisfaction: "This child is teachable."

Looking at Xu Jin again, I noticed that his eyes had reddened for some reason.

Two lines of hot tears came without warning.

Zhang Yang was startled.

"I didn't criticize you, much less blame you." In Zhang Yang's mind, people only cry when they feel wronged, either because they've been scolded or beaten, and in very rare cases, because they cry tears of joy. Xu Jin wasn't happy either, so his tears must be because he felt wronged.

Zhang Yang felt wronged, as if he had been framed.

Xu Jin cried even harder.

Zhang Yang: "..."

Once Xu Jin had calmed down, he was about to apologize in shame when he looked up and realized that Zhang Fujun was nowhere to be seen. Zhang Fujun had run away. Xu Jin looked at the two planks in his arms, gritted his teeth and stamped his feet, but in the end, he didn't dare to keep them and returned them to the magistrate.

Xu Jin walked with a brisk pace, exuding confidence and high spirits.

The corners of her mouth, which were unconsciously turned up, just wouldn't come down.

The paper mill and printing workshop, both under the jurisdiction of the prefectural government, naturally attracted attention. When they heard that their lord had entrusted the management of these affairs to Xu Jiusi, the reactions varied, some envious, others slightly jealous. Du Guan, as the Prefectural Magistrate of Tianyue, remained at headquarters. As Xu Jin's de facto superior, Du Guan was also required to participate fully. She had initially thought the matter was still under discussion, but after discussing it with Xu Jin, she realized everything was ready except for the official establishment…

"The Xiao family is in trouble."

My lord, this is tantamount to carrying a hoe and digging up the foundation of the Xiao family.

I don't know what Xiao Xiuying's attitude is.

Worried that Xiao Sui might be secretly dissatisfied, she deliberately tried to subtly probe her.

Xiao Sui had been very busy lately and hadn't paid much attention to other trivial matters. It wasn't until Fan You and Du Guan came to inquire that she learned what the two were thinking. Xiao Sui stretched and tapped her sore spot with the handle of her fan: "Uncle Fan just suspected that I had leaked secrets. Yuan Yi is smarter than him; he knows I wouldn't do that."

Xiao Sui did part ways with the Xiao family, but she had no reason to undermine her own family's foundation. The paper mill and the printing workshop had nothing to do with her.

She didn't offer the secret overnight, nor did she instigate it.

Du Guan: "So—what does Xiu Ying think now?"

Xiao Sui raised an eyebrow and slammed her hand on the table, saying, "How come I never get such a good thing? Xu Jiusi got it all."

What's the difference between this and bending down to pick up a great achievement for free?

No amount of merit can compare to the weight of this achievement, even if it meant winning several major victories with the army.

How come Xu Jin is so lucky!

Du Guan: "...If this matter succeeds, the Xiao family will suffer financial losses."

It's not just a simple financial loss, but a financial loss that shakes the very foundation of one's life.

"So that's what Yuan Yi was worried about? Let the Xiao family lose money, it's not my money anyway. When my parents and elders abandoned me, the main branch of the Xiao family had nothing to do with me anymore. I'm just a small branch of the huge Xiao family, how could I possibly worry about the future of the main branch?" As a ghost in disguise, no one thought Xiao Sui would live much longer, and the small branch she had spun off had no descendants.

In many people's eyes, Xiao Sui was childless and without descendants.

How many people secretly harbor the idea of ​​giving her an adopted child?

Once a child is adopted by her, all the assets she leaves behind after her death belong to the child. Powerful clans are not best at uniting to defend against external enemies, but rather at exploiting the extinction of their own members' descendants. Exploiting the extinction of outsiders requires a pretext, but exploiting one's own members' extinction only requires patriarchal laws.

Xiao Sui said, "I will not participate in this matter."

Du Guan: "No resentment at all?"

"There are some reservations, but such a good thing has benefited Xu Jiusi!"

Du Guan: "...Yeah, he got off easy."

What merit or ability does Xu Jin possess?

If Du Guan weren't practically Xu Jin's boss, and if she weren't also responsible for coordinating and managing this matter, Du Guan would have broken down just like Xiao Sui.

Xu Jin knew he had incurred a lot of hatred, so he became even more cautious and discreet, fearing that if he were too high-profile, he would be implicated and beaten. The paper mill and the printing workshop were located in different places.

How to choose a location, how to select personnel, how to maintain confidentiality...

These details were all left to Du Guan and his group to worry about.

The well-prepared army broke camp on time.

Before leaving, he promoted Du Guan to Prefect of Tianyue County.

If Du Guan were still the prefectural assistant, there would be some matters that would be inconvenient for him to make decisions on.

"Yuan Yi, guard the house. I'll be back after I win the battle!"

Du Guan, who had come to see Zhang Yang off, looked at him with a mix of emotions. Tianyue County was where Zhang Yang had made his fortune and held special significance, yet now it was completely entrusted to him. This trust was too heavy a burden, and Du Guan opened his mouth, unsure how to repay it.

Her fierce and ruthless nature had made her emotions as calm as still water, and she always maintained restraint. But this time, Du Guan chose to indulge her true feelings, grasped Zhang Yang's hand in return, and made a firm promise: "Rest assured, my lord, as long as Du Yuanyi is alive, Tianyue will be at peace."

She tried to open her eyes wide, suppressing the tears welling up in her eyes.

He joked, "Perhaps the next time we meet, it won't be at Tianyue."

Zhang Yang looked at her, puzzled.

Du Guan knew Zhang Yang wouldn't understand the joke, so he explained carefully: "Tianyue is good, but it's too remote and unstable, really unsuitable for a capital. Perhaps my lord has a better option on this trip, and when we meet again, it will be to report on our duties."

Zhang Yang blinked, understanding.

"Alright... If Tianjiang and Dongxian make any moves or disobey orders, Yuanyi, feel free to complain, and I'll deal with them."

Looking at the crowd who came to see him off, he didn't try to hide anything.

With a flick of his whip, he said, "I'm leaving."

Lü Yuan and Zhe Meng took the lead, going ahead of the way.

Xiao Sui led the main force to catch up, but this time they had to carry a certain amount of food and supplies, which slowed down their march.

Zhang Yang was not among the three armies.

She led a team to infiltrate Dog Country County to negotiate an alliance.

The group disguised themselves as ordinary merchants.

The matter of negotiating the alliance was originally entrusted to Fan You.

However, Zhang Yang snatched it away.

There is only one reason—

"I don't want to be a stationary NPC."

? ?＿|￣|●

It's so hot and humid today. The sun is so strong that my clothes get soaked with sweat as soon as I put them out in the sun.