Chapter 262: Nuclear-Powered Banknote Printer Ready to Start

In ancient times, what exactly was ink?

The question looks simple, as if one sentence could answer it. Ink, ink—it's just oil and ink, after all.

But in reality, ink contains not only oil, but also ink, water, and even a secret formula.

Every region's produced ink, regardless of its material composition, when you speak of its craftsmanship and proportions, no two workshops are exactly the same.

Before the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties, ink could only be called "ink water," made by mixing some material—such as pine soot—with water.

And the legendary Four Treasures of the study, the inkstone, does not directly produce ink water; it is used to grind ink sticks to make ink.

An ink stick is made by grinding together carbon black, glue and other raw materials, then firing them at high temperature. Ink sticks usually contain oil, but the ink produced by grinding them is not the same category as the oil‑based ink used for woodblock printing.

In short, the question appears simple, but using ordinary ink directly to print "banknotes" is far from easy.

"Petroleum burns like hemp, its smoke is thick, and anything it touches—curtains, for example—turns black.

Someone doubts whether its smoke can be used; Doctor Ma, shall we give it a try?"

Fang Chongyong asked uncertainly.

He recalled that people in the Song dynasty burned petroleum to make ink, then added tung oil, hemp oil, animal fat and the like. He didn't know the exact method, but the raw materials seemed fine.

The main point is that this ink is extremely stable; its marks won't fully fade for at least ten to twenty years.

"Petroleum?"

Ma Daifeng nodded slightly; petroleum here refers to the crude oil that Fang Chongyong used in his previous life, which is called the same name in this era and is likewise commonplace.

"We can give it a try; Liangzhou is a commercial hub, surely it doesn't lack such craftsmen, perhaps even excellent ones.

I think this is not difficult; we can print a batch of Jiaozi and then improve a batch of ink. In the future we can adopt a new‑for‑old replacement model to phase out the old version."

Ma Daifeng seemed full of confidence.

Hearing this, Fang Chongyong almost wanted to give him a thumbs‑up on the spot.

After all, he even blurted out the familiar "exchange old for new" phrase from his previous life's bank; the ancients' wisdom truly is not to be underestimated.

Even if the ink used for the earlier Jiaozi is subpar, later improvements to the ink, combined with each money‑shop location exchanging old for new, can still ensure that the old batch of Jiaozi can be swapped out and eliminated in the future.

"The soldiers marching to the Western Regions will rely on these Jiaozi for food and expenses; Doctor Ma must do his utmost,"

Fang Chongyong patted Ma Daifeng's shoulder and said,

"Jiedushi Fang, rest assured, it's all minor matters, minor matters."

Ma Daifeng chuckled, clearly confident about the technical plan for the Jiaozi.

"In the future, thieves will inevitably try to counterfeit Jiaozi; besides the paper, Doctor Ma, do you have any other methods?"

Fang Chongyong, while examining a sample of mulberry paper, asked casually,

"First is the seal, also called a flower‑signature. We design a complex pattern that only specialists can decipher. This method is already used for Fei‑money, so borrowing it is not hard."

Ma Daifeng said confidently.

No wonder he's a senior craftsman working beside Ji Ge; setting aside his manual skills, just this insight is beyond what ordinary people possess.

"Not bad."

Fang Chongyong replied noncommittally, saying that he already intends to embed serial numbers and Arabic numerals into them.

Of course, this requires simple movable‑type printing. The serial numbers will greatly enhance anti‑counterfeiting capability.

"Moreover, we can design many intricate patterns on the Jiaozi using embossing. Printed Jiaozi of this sort would require exceptionally skilled craftsmen to counterfeit, and they'd need prolonged trial‑and‑error to approximate it."

Ma Daifeng then tossed Fang Chongyong a second trump card.

What is embossing?

Embossing means placing a sheet between upper and lower molds so that under pressure its thickness changes.

The excess material is forced into the undulating fine‑groove cavities of the mold, forming raised and recessed patterns or characters on the workpiece surface—a forming method.

Creating a rough embossing pattern is easy, but matching the original exactly requires repeated trial‑and‑error, with huge time cost!

One should know that the material for woodblocks need not be wood at all! Copper seals are the mainstream for official stamps, and such copper can also be used to make woodblock‑printed Jiaozi.

Sure enough, Ma Daifeng continued:

"The woodblocks for Jiaozi are best made of copper. Switching to wood yields no embossing effect. In short, anyone ignorant of carving techniques will produce flaws no matter what they do.

Add to that the use of special mulberry paper, and counterfeit Jiaozi should not appear within a year or two.

Finally, the Jiaozi money‑shop changes its edition once a year, ensuring flawless security. Making this is far more troublesome than minting private coins, and the Jiaozi method devised by Jiedushi Fang is truly ingenious!"

Ma Daifeng wore a look of admiration.

You're not an ordinary person either; I fear you may have secretly acted as a 'technical advisor' for those who mint private coins.

Fang Chongyong muttered inwardly, noting that Doctor Ma knows far too much, making it hard not to be suspicious.

Seeing no one around, Ma Daifeng slipped to Fang Chongyong's side and whispered,

"Jiedushi Fang, shall we print an extra batch of Jiaozi to keep for emergencies?"

I think that once the Jiaozi are released, given the saint's disposition, they will be promoted nationwide. These are easy to store; a large chest full of Jiaozi can be exchanged for a roll of silk in a warehouse.

After returning to Chang'an this time, I realize I'm not young anymore and can no longer serve the saint in the palace. So I intend to resign and, together with Jiedushi Fang, study Jiaozi anti‑counterfeiting techniques.

Ma Daifeng hinted rather cryptically.

Fang Chongyong was startled, thinking he had misheard.

Seeing he hadn't recovered, Ma Daifeng said impatiently,

"The court probably hasn't considered this wave yet, but it will eventually. Jiedushi Fang is the saint's confidant, and the saint is also aging. If the saint passes away, how will the Jiedushi fare? Might the new emperor settle scores? Should he keep a fallback plan?"

"This Jiaozi money‑shop was set up by the Jiedushi, but can the Jiedushi guarantee that he'll keep managing it? The central court will surely dispatch someone to take over, which would make his hard work all for nothing, wouldn't it?"

Ma Daifeng finished in one breath, then looked at Fang Chongyong anxiously.

In fact, what he mentioned is a concern for many in the Great Tang now, especially those involved in official circles: how much longer does Ji Ge have to live?

By typical calculations, Ji Ge's death tomorrow would be considered a normal demise, since the current emperor is already in his sixties. An ancient emperor dying in his sixties—can that be called an early death?

But it's not unheard of, like Emperor Wu of Liang, Xiao Yan, who lived to eighty and grew more vigorous with age.

Who knows what kind Ji Ge is? Which official in Chang'an isn't worried about picking sides?

Regarding the An Shi Rebellion, many Tang officials at the time were mentally unprepared; they couldn't believe that during the empire's golden age, anyone would dare to rebel.

Yet for the emperor's sudden death, the crown prince's usurpation, and the like, almost everyone in the Tang bureaucracy had anticipated it and imagined many possible outcomes.

Ma Daifeng was just an ordinary person among them; at most he knew a bit of science and technology.

Ma Daifeng just now gave Fang Chongyong a reminder: when issuing banknotes, why not issue a batch of genuine "counterfeit notes" for personal use?

Putting aside other matters, if someday the court exiles you to Lingnan, keeping some Jiaozi for yourself would make travel and transactions easier, right?

When there's no reward during war, tossing some Jiaozi might make Qiu Ba willing to escort you out of the encirclement.

When you're ousted by a hidden plot, slipping in some Jiaozi might lead to a lighter sentence?

This isn't corruption; it's being prepared for trouble. The opportunity is right before us—once this village passes, the shop's gone. Who wouldn't take it?

"This Jiedushi isn't the one with deep foresight; Doctor Ma is the one with deep foresight."

Fang Chongyong patted Ma Daifeng on the shoulder and said.

Whether to use Jiaozi or not is not the same as holding silk in one's hand.

If you hold extra Jiaozi but don't use them, they have no impact on the real economy.

But using them, throwing them onto the market will inevitably drive up inflation, no different from looting wealth.

Nevertheless, even if Fang Chongyong doesn't take any, Ji Ge would fire up the nuclear‑powered printing machine and print money desperately, and future officials who take over the Jiaozi bank will also be unable to resist meddling.

So what Ma Daifeng said isn't without reason.

Fang Chongyong now vividly imagines Ji Ge distributing Jiaozi to central officials in Chang'an, rewarding nobles with Jiaozi, and handing Jiaozi to the eunuchs and palace maids.

Once the nuclear‑powered printing machine is turned on, it will never stop.

"The Jiedushi praised wrongly."

Seeing Fang Chongyong lower his head in silence, Ma Daifeng crossed his hands and bowed, saying: "Often, not refusing already means tacit consent; no need to overemphasize."

In fact, he hopes Fang Chongyong takes more. If Fang doesn't take, he feels embarrassed to take himself.

As a well‑informed high‑tech talent, Ma Daifeng may not know what "inflation" is, but he plainly perceives that Jiaozi will eventually become worthless paper.

He can't help but want to issue more Jiaozi to make money for himself; how can he expect others not to think the same?

Insatiable greed is everyone's inherent flaw. People use ideals and morality to suppress inner desire.

But greed can only be suppressed, never eradicated.

"Take a rest, Doctor Ma, you've had a hard road."

Fang Chongyong said calmly, sending Ma Daifeng away.

After he left, the entire archive hall was left with only him.

The air floated with the scent of ink and the musty smell of moldy paper, mingling indistinguishably.

"Paper that records civilization, ink that spreads civilization. Under the collusion of schemers, they become a scythe that harvests wealth.

Swords are innocent; only people are guilty."

Fang Chongyong placed his hand on the mulberry paper prepared for printing Jiaozi, and during this time he sensed the shift in human hearts and the faint, looming scent of blood before the turmoil.

Within Chang'an city, how many "Ma Daifeng" are there?

Within the Tang realm, how many "Ma Daifeng" are there?

Fang Chongyong fell into contemplation, silently pondering how his future path should proceed.

…

The Crown Prince's Eastern Palace lies east of the Tai Ji Hall; according to the Five Elements, it belongs to wood, so the furnishings are primarily cyan.

Yet that early morning, a mournful wail echoed from the Ming De Hall of the Eastern Palace, hinting at hidden murderous intent.

Crown Prince Li Chang sat on the main seat, expressionless and silent. In front of him knelt a young woman, her face like pear blossoms in rain, repeatedly kowtowing.

"Crown Prince! I beg you, save my father and brothers!

All the countless mistakes are my fault; you may kill or dismember me at will, but please do not take it out on my family!

Now they have all been imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review, accused of inciting the Crown Prince to rebel, reported by someone.

Please go to the sage and plead our case! My father and elder brother have never even been to the Eastern Palace; how could they possibly have incited the Crown Prince?

In front of Li Chang, Princess Consort Du was desperately kowtowing and pleading, having already forgotten that not long ago in a bedroom of this Eastern Palace she had wildly revelled and screamed under that young favorite.

At that moment, only a pair of lovers immersed in carnal desire, and no one cared whether this was the Crown Prince's Eastern Palace!

When that young favorite was captured by the Imperial Guard, castrated, and sent to the Luoyang Imperial Palace, Du finally realized the gravity of the situation.

Sure enough, within two days her father and brothers were reported for treason and promptly imprisoned in the Court of Judicial Review.

The lightest punishment is exile to Lingnan; the harshest… might be extermination of the clan!

It was then that Du realized just how ruthless and cruel the Crown Prince Li Chang, the dour hermit in the Eastern Palace who wouldn't even glance at her, truly was.

"I, the palace, am also powerless to help."

"Bestowing you as the principal consort was not my intention either."

Li Chang's expression remained calm as he spoke; he was like a patient who had lost all emotion—Du could see no sorrow on his face, nor any pleasure of a great revenge.

"Your Highness can do it, Your Highness definitely can! Since you are taking revenge on Du, you must have a way to resolve the situation!"

"You, as a noble, should not hold a grudge against the petty, okay?"

"I sought a favorite only because my family needed to distance itself from the Crown Prince. Please forgive our family, I truly know my mistake! As long as my father and brothers are exonerated, Your Highness may do whatever you wish with me!"

Princess Consort Du kowtowed like she was crushing garlic, leaving bright red marks on her smooth forehead. She wept and pleaded, pitifully.

Even a lion on the steppe would not be able to hold back tears upon seeing it.

"I have already said, this matter was arranged by the sage; I had no prior knowledge,"

Li Chang slightly frowned as he said.

He immediately stood up, glanced at the still‑kneeling Du, let out a long sigh and said:

"You're looking for a lover; I don't mind at all, and in fact I have neglected you."

"Perhaps if you go yourself to petition the Sage, it would be more useful than kneeling here."

He finished speaking, turned and walked away, but unexpectedly Du clutched his thigh tightly!

"Li Chang, you despicable, insidious! You made my father and elder brother still have the nerve to appoint me as the principal consort; how could there be a person as venomous as you in the world!"

"If my father and elder brother die, even as a ghost I will not let you go!"

"If you aspire to be Crown Prince, then become your grand spring‑autumn dream!"

The young Du's pretty face bore deep resentment, already twisted like a demon, and she roared fiercely.

Li Chang's mind suddenly recalled the scene when Wei Sanniang forced frozen cream into his mouth. At that time she ate the frozen cream, her body shrank from the cold, yet her face bore a mischievous smile, eyes narrowed to a slit.

"If time could stay at that moment forever, how wonderful that would be!"

Wei Sanniang died, and Li Chang felt his own heart died as well. Brother Ji not killing him is the greatest punishment for him.

Looking at the Du before him, Li Chang only felt she was a pitiful, lamentable wretch.

He couldn't hate her at all.

"I do not wish to become Crown Prince."

"I even do not wish to be born into an imperial family."

"And you, you fundamentally do not understand any of this."

"Further words are useless."

Li Chang coldly shook off Du's entanglement and walked toward the flower garden in the Eastern Palace.

He did not mind the resentful, poisonous gaze from Du behind him at all.