At this time, there was also movable type printing.

However, when movable type first appeared, it was no cheaper than engraving.

Not to mention that each edition of printing requires people to typeset it, because clay movable type is generally used. Once a character is fired, it cannot be printed many times before the handwriting becomes blurred and new characters need to be re-fired. The same is true for wooden movable type.

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The printing times of copper movable type are quite good, but to make such a set, the one-time investment cost is too high, and ordinary workshops dare not make it, for fear that the business will not be good, and they will go bankrupt the day they fail to make a profit.

In addition, if you have a pattern or want to print the words smaller, movable type printing simply cannot do it.

On the contrary, it is engraving printing. A stone engraving is carved out. As long as it is printed more times, the cost will be reduced. For example, for the Four Books and Five Classics, because of the high demand, printing houses will use engraving blocks if they are not afraid of not being able to sell.

But whether using movable type or woodblock printing, the cost is expensive.

Historically, it was not until 1450, when the German Gutenberg invented lead-tin movable type and ink, and built the first printing press, that printing costs came down, thus promoting the prosperity of European culture and the entire society at that time.

improvement.

Now, Princess Shangde and the others are facing such a problem.

Like a women's newspaper, it was published once every ten days. Because it was aimed at women, and the literacy rate among women in this era was low, it would be good to sell a hundred copies in the beginning.

Even if you don't make money, a newspaper still costs one or two hundred cents. Apart from aristocratic women who are not short of money, how many commoner women are willing to buy newspapers?

If they only publish a hundred or so newspapers, they can do it by hand-copied newspapers. But their original intention is to allow all literate women to obtain knowledge through newspapers and become self-reliant. If the number of publications is small, it will not have much effect.

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And if you want a large circulation, you have to print it.

This creates an infinite loop.

The newspaper's inability to break even means that it cannot go far and may die after a few issues.

This is also the reason why there were no newspapers in ancient times. It was completely restricted by objective conditions.

The Imperial Court did have Di Bao. In ancient China, Di Bao was hand-copied during the Song Dynasty. It was not until the late Ming Dynasty when Western lead movable type was introduced to China that Di Bao issued a movable type version.

In ancient times, officials below a certain level could not read the Di Bao.

Zhao Ruxi is a character who takes one step at a time and sees ten steps at a time. How come she didn't know the difficulties faced by running a newspaper when she gave Mrs. Cui advice? She has been waiting here for a long time.

She made movable lead type, made ink, and built and improved Gutenberg's printing press.

She suggested that Princess Shang De and Mrs. Cui start a newspaper, not only to provide spiritual food and employment opportunities for women, but also to bring this kind of printing technology and printing press to Jin Dynasty to promote the cultural development and social progress of Jin Dynasty.

Therefore, although her printing workshop opened a year ago, she did not go around soliciting business. She only quietly printed some Four Books and Five Classics and piled them there. She has been waiting for Princess Shangde and Mrs. Cui to raise this issue.

"I thought of this problem as early as when I suggested that you run a newspaper." Zhao Ruxi smiled.

She walked to the table, took out a charcoal pen and notepad, wrote an address, pulled off the page and handed it to Mrs. Cui.

"This is a printing shop that I discovered accidentally. I have been asking for a long time and I don't know who the owner of the printing shop is. But his printing seems to use a new method, which can print words and patterns very well, and the price is very good.

It’s not expensive and it’s fast. Go and ask about it.”

Mrs. Cui was overjoyed. She took a look at the address and found that it was in the south of the capital. She couldn't wait to stand up: "I'll go now."

Zhao Ruxi bowed and left: "Then I'll go to class first."

Since returning from the New Year, Princess Shangde and Mrs. Cui no longer let her attend classes with her classmates, but asked her master to tutor her alone.

It was rare for the masters to meet such a student, so they cheered up. After checking Zhao Ruxi's learning progress and mastery of knowledge, they formulated a plan for her to ensure that she could do well in the child examination.

Ranking.

There were no training classes during this period, and Zhao Ruxi was completely immersed in the ocean of the Four Books and Five Classics and could not extricate himself.

Mrs. Cui entered Beijing and found the sealing shop in the south of the city. She found that the sealing shop was located in an alley. There was a plaque hanging at the door that read "Wang Ji Printing". The plaque was old and the walls of the house were mottled, making it very inconspicuous.

Wang is a common surname. Zhao Ruxi’s mother’s surname in her previous life was Wang. She used this surname to prevent others from tracing the workshop and easily linking it to her, the Xu family, Xiao Lingyan and others. People who saw this workshop first thought

My reaction was to check out the Wang family in Beijing.

This is an eyesore.

Mrs. Cui was obviously tricked.

When she saw this plaque, her first reaction was to search for the family surnamed Wang in her mind, and then she asked her servants to knock on the door.

After knocking for a long time, so long that they thought no one was inside, the door opened with a bang, and a thin middle-aged man came out and asked them, "What's the matter?"

"Are you a printing shop here? Our lady wants to print something." The servant said.

The man looked at Mrs. Cui who was standing next to the car, nodded and said, "Come in."

Mrs. Cui brought three guards, a maid and a woman, but she was not afraid and walked in directly.

After leading Mrs. Cui and her group to sit in the hall, the man went to the back. After a while, he followed an old man in his sixties and walked out.

"Do you want to print something?" The old man even skipped the pleasantries and asked directly.

Mrs. Cui nodded: "Exactly."

"What to print?"

Mrs. Cui took out the newspaper that Zhao Ruxi had read and handed it to the old man.

The old man took a look and said, "How many copies do you want to print?"

Mrs. Cui hesitated for a moment: "Three hundred copies." She raised her eyes and stared at the old man, "How much is the price?"

The old man stroked his beard and said, "Three taels of silver."

Mrs. Cui looked at him in disbelief: "Is three taels of silver the total price, or..."

One tael of silver is one thousand cents, and three hundred newspapers. On average, the printing price of a newspaper is only ten cents. This price is completely impossible. It doesn't even cover the cost of paper, let alone the printing cost.

But if three taels of silver is the unit price of a newspaper, it is too expensive and seems impossible.

"Total price." The old man said.

Mrs. Cui frowned.

Isn't this a liar? He took her three taels of silver and a newspaper, but then refused to admit that he had taken her business. She couldn't go to the official for three taels of silver, so she could only suffer the loss of being dumb.
Chapter completed!