Chapter 22: The Printing WorkshopSeeing that the young Yunzuo had not yet learned how to deal with officials like Yang Qian, Fu Xuechen had a sudden inspiration and quickly spoke up to help him out: "Chief Yang, did the imperial decree prohibit His Highness from observing and learning about the manufacturing processes of other items?""That, it did not." Yang Qian still frowned but honestly shook his head.Fu Xuechen smiled: "What is not prohibited by law is permissible. Since His Majesty's words carry the weight of divine law, the principle is the same! Moreover, His Highness has his own ideas about firearms manufacturing that need to be verified. That is why His Majesty ordered the Ministry of Works to provide His Highness with every convenience. How do you know there aren't techniques in the printing workshop that could help His Highness verify new firearm designs?"Yang Qian widened his narrow eyes and stared hard at this clear-eyed, eloquent young study companion beside the Sixth Prince. He knew full well the boy was talking nonsense, twisting logic with every sentence, yet he had no way to refute him. It was truly infuriating, leaving him stifled with pent-up anger.Yunzuo had long felt his study companion was exceptionally clever and articulate. Witnessing this again, he was greatly impressed. Avoiding Yang Qian's gaze, he smiled and secretly gave her a thumbs-up.Feeling that Fu Xuechen was being unreasonable and impossible to communicate with, Yang Qian turned his attention to Yunzuo: "May I ask what idea Your Highness has that makes you think there are techniques in the printing workshop applicable to firearms manufacturing? This humble official, though lacking in talent, has some knowledge of various manufacturing techniques and would be glad to offer detailed explanations and resolve any doubts."But Yunzuo was no fool. Taking a cue from Fu Xuechen, he immediately learned: "Thank you for your kindness, Chief Yang! It's just a small notion. Before I can verify this idea, I dare not show off my meager skills before an experienced expert like you. Let's wait until after Chief Yang takes us to see the printing workshop! If my idea proves feasible, then I will share it and seek your guidance."The implication was that if this possibly nonexistent idea proved unworkable, then of course he wouldn't need to mention it at all.Yang Qian was once again stifled with frustration and had no choice but to agree to first take the two troublesome youths to see the printing workshop.The printing workshop under the Ministry of Works was located within the city, near the eastern part, but not close by. On foot, it would take nearly two quarters of an hour to walk from the Ministry of Works offices to the printing workshop. Fortunately, everyone had horses to ride, so it took less than a quarter of an hour to reach their destination.It was also during the journey, chatting with Yang Qian about various Ministry of Works workshops, that Fu Xuechen discovered the entire Central Xia of the previous dynasty had fallen under the iron hooves of northern nomadic tribes, nearly severing the entire civilization's continuity.Moreover, the previous dynasty did not value the manufacturing techniques of the Central Xia people for various items and instruments, resulting in the newly established Great Rong Empire's Ministry of Works having almost no decent large-scale workshops within the capital. Even these small and medium-sized workshops were scattered haphazardly all over the place, making management somewhat difficult.Fu Xuecen sighed with deep feeling: "A suitable area should be selected to concentrate similar types of workshops together. Smaller workshops are manageable, but manufacturing instruments like firearms requires extensive division of labor and collaboration among different workshops, followed by integrated production!"Hearing this, Yang Qian couldn't help glancing at her several times in surprise. Troublesome as this child might be, to be able to express such insight was truly remarkable! Especially since she hadn't even seen the firearms workshop yet.Given her age and background, it was unlikely she had been sent by her family to visit various workshops at such a young age, and it was even more improbable that she had ever seen the firearms workshops exclusive to the Ministry of Works. So where did these sentiments of hers come from? It was truly puzzling.Fortunately, it wasn’t long before they arrived at the printing workshop.Fu Xuechen dismounted at the entrance, looked up, and widened her eyes at the vast workshop sprawling before her, her face filled with astonishment.In her imagination, a printing workshop would occupy at most a courtyard house, with seven or eight, or perhaps a dozen craftsmen busily at work. But what did she see now?!The workshop before her was nearly as large as an ordinary middle school in later times. It consisted of many buildings: offices for the master craftsmen, interconnected workshops for artisans, warehouses guarded by sentries, and a library said to store various books.According to Yang Qian, the entire printing workshop employed around six hundred people in various roles, making it the largest medium-sized workshop.Stepping inside, craftsmen of all ages could be seen everywhere, hurriedly moving items or engrossed in their tasks. When they noticed Yang Qian leading a group in, they glanced over curiously. However, craftsmen had the right to ignore external affairs while working. Without a summons from the supervising official, they wouldn’t gather to greet Yunzuo and the others. Yang Qian had no intention of making them all pay respects to the prince.Fu Xuechen had seen plenty of depictions in later literary and artistic works about the miserable status and plight of ancient craftsmen, but everything before her somewhat overturned her preconceptions. The craftsmen didn’t look malnourished or numb and dispirited. Though some appeared tired, overall, they seemed quite spirited, focused on their work, occasionally exchanging a few jokes or curses… It felt no different from an ordinary factory and its workers in later times.It was unclear whether this was because the Great Rong Empire had just been founded, its systems not yet established or collapsed, and craftsmen had not yet been subjected to discrimination and lowly treatment, or whether it was a phenomenon shaped by differences in time, space, and cultural development.What puzzled Fu Xuechen was why a printing workshop needed so many craftsmen.When she heard Yang Qian mention that this workshop also handled the printing of major national works, such as the complete historical records for the Hanlin Academy, and currently possessed over five million old and new woodblocks, her jaw nearly dropped!Woodblocks! So many woodblocks! Just storing and preserving them was a huge challenge! No wonder the printing workshop had so many buildings and craftsmen!“Um… Supervisor Yang, doesn’t the workshop have movable type?” Fu Xuechen almost thought movable type printing hadn’t been invented in this era.Yang Qian’s response, however, surprised her: “Movable type? Of course we have it. All kinds: wooden, ceramic, copper, and lead movable type—we have them all.”“Then why make so many woodblocks?” Fu Xuechen asked without hesitation.Yang Qian chuckled lightly. “Although movable type is flexible, it’s difficult to standardize the fonts, typesetting is challenging, and issues like misaligned rows or uneven gaps often arise. Moreover, movable type wears out and gets lost more easily, making maintenance much more troublesome than with woodblocks. That’s why enduring classics are mostly printed using woodblocks, not movable type.”Oh dear… Fu Xuechen, concerned about the storybook in her arms, tentatively asked, "How long does it take to carve a woodblock for a book with over three thousand characters?"Yang Qian glanced at her. "For an ordinary craftsman, about a month or so!"That long? So, it takes a day just to carve one block, with around a hundred characters? Fu Xuechen was dumbfounded. Isn't that way too slow?

The Prince Does Not Compete for the Throne