"How much will it cost to publish "Materia Medica?" Yoon-hee asked.

Zhu Hu saw that there was a door for publishing, and hurriedly said: "If engraving printing is used, it will cost about thousands of yuan to engrave the book plate and hire bookmakers and craftsmen at first. After that, although there was no need to hire a craftsman for engraving, it was necessary for many craftsmen to print non-stop, and a set of several dollars was required. ”

"So expensive!" Yun Xi was a little surprised. There are not many words in "Saving the Famine", that is, the number of words in two or three copies of the Analects, and the engraving is so expensive? The variable costs after that are also a bit high. Money is worth a lot in this era. According to the average price of grain, Zhu Hu's annual salary is 2,000 yuan.

But he immediately reacted that although there are not many words written in "Materia Medica", each plant is illustrated, and it is not easy to draw accurately. Especially since this is a life-saving plant, you can't go wrong in the slightest, you have to be a skilled master.

"The official family, it is precisely because of the high level of money that I have to ask the official family for help." Zhu Hu smiled bitterly: "If I only have the engraving money at the beginning, I can always save it, but after that, it costs this money for each set of printing, but I can't afford to print it." ”

"Fifth uncle, how many sets do you want to print?" Yun Xi had to ask.

"I wish all the people in the country could have a copy, but I also know that it is impossible, but at least every village has one." Zhu Hu said.

Yun Xi didn't know what to say. Give a copy to every village for free, and even the country has to go through the water.

"Fifth uncle, nephew thinks it's better to do what you can. The fifth uncle gave the original of "Materia Medica" to your nephew, and the nephew took it to the capital and asked the factory to print 10,000 copies with movable copper type and give it to the fifth uncle. As for the future, let's talk about it after this book is taken seriously by everyone. Yun Xi thought about it and finally decided.

"Thank you." Zhu Hu said happily.

"We're a family, and we're thankful for anything. It's just that you, the fifth uncle, if ordinary people get so many prescriptions and know so many wild plants and trees that can survive the famine, they will definitely cherish the broom and not pass it on to the outside world, not to mention printing it for free by themselves. Yun Xi sighed.

"I am not a person who makes a living by practicing medicine, and I do not regard these as the root of my life; What's more, I am the prince of the Ming Dynasty, of course I have to think about the Ming Dynasty in doing things, and it is good for the Ming Dynasty to spread such books, and of course I will not cherish the broom. Zhu Hu said with a smile.

It seems that this scientific research really has to be from a rich background. Yun Xi let out such an emotion. In modern times, when there was no such rigorous education system as in modern times, great scientists were indeed basically from rich or aristocratic backgrounds; A few started with mathematics and later studied science.

solved the problem of the publication of "Saving the Famine Materia Medica", Zhu Hu was in a good mood, and flattered Yun Xi even more, and Yun Xi also put down the things next to him for the time being and chatted with him.

"Now there are many bookstores in Kaifeng City, there are dozens of large and small bookstores, and there are many who sell books and print books. After all, it is the provincial capital of Henan Province, and the township test is held here every three years. Whenever the township examination is held, the current literature of the imperial examination is sought after, and all the talents who have some surplus money at home will buy the articles that were raised in the previous examinations; On weekdays, they are also asked to print, and in addition, the Four Books and Five Classics have always been sold, so so many bookstores can also be maintained. Zhu Hu felt that it was a little dangerous to talk about the national economy and people's livelihood, and just said that the publication of "Materia Medica" was just now, so he talked about the bookstore and the imperial examination by the way.

In addition to the current texts of the imperial examination, some people's opinions on the topics of the imperial examination are also printed. Every time there is an exam, the big and small officials in the city will talk about whether the question is good or bad, whether it is easy to answer or not easy to answer, and comment on whether there are slight flaws in a certain accepted article. ”

"Because most of the officials are from the imperial examination, they also attach great importance to their opinions on topics and articles, and they copy them from the yamen and publish them."

"There is a class of literati who love to compose poems, and every time they make enough poems to print a page, they will find the bookstore to print and give them to their friends to appreciate together, and the engraving will naturally remain in the bookstore. Although most of the poems are not very good, there are occasionally good ones, and literati will come to buy them, and the bookstore can make some money. At that time, Gao Qi's poems were once very popular, and many bookstores printed and sold them. ”

"This, the original author doesn't care? This is his poem, and the bookstore sells poetry books without his permission, which is not good. Yun Xi said.

"Why should the author care?" Zhu Hu was a little confused: "My poems are sought after by everyone, some bookstores are willing to print, and some people are willing to buy them, this is a good thing, why bother?" ”

"Huh?" Yun Xi was stunned, didn't know what to think, and said: "The reason why most doctors are reluctant to tell others about home remedies that others don't know is because it's not beneficial." ”

"Approximately. If he is the only one who knows the remedies, and the patients can only come to him for this kind of disease, he can make more money; If you tell someone about the home remedies, the patient may not necessarily look for him, and the income will be less. Zhu Hu didn't know why he suddenly remembered to say that this topic couldn't be beaten, and he didn't speculate, just talked about the matter.

Yun Xi thought for a while, sighed softly, and talked to Zhu Hu about the imperial examination again. This time, Zhu Hu didn't dare to say anything superfluous, but just talked about the previous township test questions on a case-by-case basis, and Yun Xi knew some and some didn't, so he asked them all this time.

As he was talking, Miao Jin smiled and said, "Fifth uncle, fifth aunt, it's not too early, it's already time, isn't it time to rest?" For the sake of convenience, and because Xiyao was not there, Yun Xi asked Miaojin to call Zhu Lu and Princess Feng the fifth uncle and five aunts, and Zhu Youwei and Gong as younger brothers and sisters or little uncles.

"It's really not early, it's time to rest. The official family, let the stew send the official family to rest. Zhu Hu hurriedly said.

"No need, what else to send these few steps, my nephew can go back by himself." Yun Xi said. Yun Zhi was also busy saying: "You don't have to let the sixth brother send it, we will go back by ourselves." ”

But Zhu Hu still insisted on letting Zhu You stew Yun Xi for a ride, and sent it to the gate of the courtyard.

After returning to the residence, Miao Jin settled Yun Zhi and went to bed; But as soon as she glanced at her, she saw Yun Xi sitting on a chair, holding a pen in her right hand and seemingly writing something. After a while, Yun Xi put down his pen and stood up, Miao Jin hurriedly went over to serve him and undressed, glanced at the table, and saw a piece of paper with two words written on it, "economy" and "science", which she didn't know meant; Then I saw another piece of paper with the word "development" written on it.