It had to be said that as the largest and fastest information transmission system since ancient times, the posthouse was indeed extraordinary.
Under Mister Shen's plan with the Mo Family Village as a model and Su Dingfang's tough military style, a huge communication system was established on the territory of the posthouse in just a month.
"The first batch of 500 carriages and 2,000 new courier soldiers are all in place. Whether we succeed or not depends on this." In the Mo Mansion, Li Chengqian said in high spirits.
500 carriages seemed to be a lot, but if 500 carriages were distributed throughout the Tang dynasty, it would barely be enough. Because there would not be many letters at the beginning, and in order to save money, this was the limit of the investment.
As for the 2,000 courier soldiers, they were all retired wounded soldiers and had their own mounts. As for the carriages, donkey carts, and ox carts, there were no restrictions. They were responsible for sending and receiving letters. Of course, the posthouse would provide corresponding subsidies.
"Doesn't that mean that we can send letters now?" Princess Changle said excitedly.
Li Chengqian shook his head and said, "Not now. After the mailboxes in Chang 'an City are bound tomorrow, we can officially use them. It's the same for other places."
"When the time comes, I hope that brother-in-law's Mo Jun will help." Li Chengqian looked at Mo Dun, who was staring at the thing in his hand, completely oblivious to what she was saying.
If the later generations were here, they would definitely know that these were the common stamps in the later generations. However, Meton actually had a full set of stamps in his hand. Li Chengqian could not help but feel gloomy. These stamps of the Hundred Schools of Thought were drawn by Meton himself. What was he surprised about?
Princess Changle discreetly nudged Modun. Only then did Modun come to his senses. Reluctantly withdrawing his gaze from the stamps, he said, "That's easy. This little brother has already instructed the Ink Journal to hand over the distribution and sale of the Ink Journal to the relay station."
Li Chengqian smiled awkwardly and said, "Thank you, brother-in-law. However, this is not what I am asking for. I am asking for more publicity."
The relay station had just been created, but it was only known in the imperial court and had never been heard of by the common people. If the relay station was allowed to develop, Li Chengqian was confident that it could quickly spread the news. However, the two months would probably have already passed. He could only ask for the help of the Mo Periodical, which had the largest circulation. Only then would he be able to let the common people know about the relay station in the shortest time possible.
Princess Changle couldn't help but smile, and said to Li Chengqian: "Little sister thinks that Imperial Brother is too closely involved to see clearly. Even if you don't say it, Mo Bian won't let go of this big news."
Li Chengqian let out a sigh of relief and smiled awkwardly, "Imperial Brother, you're too worried!"
"Don't worry, the reform of the relay station will definitely succeed," Meton said casually. He actually focused his attention on the stamps in his hand.
For some reason, when he heard Meton's casual words, Li Chengqian's originally nervous heart gradually calmed down.
The next day, when the sky had just brightened, the whole city of Chang 'an was noisy again. However, many people who were observant found that there was an object all over the streets of Chang' an.
"Mailbox!"
"It is said that as long as you put a letter in it, you can send it to any place in the Tang dynasty." A shopkeeper said proudly. When he installed the mailbox yesterday, he specifically asked the courier soldiers.
"Anywhere?" One of the merchants was shocked and asked in disbelief, "Any place, even a small village?"
"Of course. As long as it is within the territory of the Tang dynasty, there will be courier soldiers who will send it to you. Which place in the Tang dynasty doesn't have a relay station?" The shopkeeper said proudly.
Everyone nodded repeatedly. The relay station could be said to be the department with the widest distribution in the Tang dynasty. This was known to all.
"Relay station sending letters? Is there such a good thing in the world? "Many people were skeptical.
"It is true. Today's ink magazine has already reported it." A scholar held the ink magazine and nodded solemnly.
After several disturbances, the credibility of the ink magazine had been recognized in Chang 'an, and the things reported by the ink magazine were also quite credible.
The merchant's heart was moved and he couldn't bear it anymore. He immediately bought a copy of the ink magazine and carefully read it.
"The Crown Prince reforms the relay station!"
"Three hundred miles urgent, one copper coin to send a letter!"
"Stamp! Postcode, mailbox! "
…
The merchant's heart palpitated with excitement. Three hundred miles urgent, one copper coin to send a letter. His hometown was thousands of miles away from Chang 'an. Didn't it mean that even if he received and sent a letter, it would be sent home in six days at most?
In the past, when he sent a letter to his hometown, he often asked his fellow countrymen to do so. Not to mention that he owed them money and owed them a favor, it would take him at least a month to get home. But now, one copper coin could be sent home in six days. How could he resist such a good thing?
He couldn't bear it anymore and immediately went to the nearest relay station to buy stamps, envelopes, and letters. Then he immediately buried his head in writing.
"To my wife, I am doing well in Chang 'an. …"
The merchant first reported his safety to his family, and then sent his regards to his mother and children. He wrote for a long time before he reluctantly stopped.
After reading it carefully and confirming that there was no mistake, he put it in an envelope, sealed it with paste, wrote the postcode, the addressee, and the stamp. He was even afraid that it would be overweight, so he put an extra stamp on it. Then he put the letter in the mailbox expectantly.
The number of merchants in Chang 'an was extremely large. After reading the ink magazine, they couldn't help but write a letter to their families. Soon, the mailboxes on the streets of Chang' an were filled with letters.
The Sixteen Guards of Chang 'an.
The Sixteen Guards was the most elite troop of the Tang dynasty. It was composed of elite soldiers drawn from all over the Tang dynasty. It could be said that they came from all over the country. Their military discipline was the strictest, and it was even more extravagant to go home to visit their families.
However, when a mailbox was hung in the barracks, all the soldiers suddenly became excited. In particular, the two lines on the mailbox made the soldiers burst into tears.
"The flames of war last for three months. A letter from home is worth ten thousand taels of gold."
As a soldier, serving at the border and being far away from their parents, it was natural that their families would miss them very much. An officer could naturally ask someone to send a letter home, but an ordinary soldier would never have this opportunity.
Almost all the soldiers were ecstatic when they heard that the mailbox could be used to send letters to their families. As for the one copper coin fee, no one cared at all. They immediately looked around the barracks for literate people to write letters for them.
"Sergeant, help me write a letter to my family!" Several soldiers begged.
"Get lost, I can't read either!" The sergeant also held a letter and said angrily.
Hearing this, the soldier's face turned bitter. He asked tentatively, "Why don't we ask the sergeant?"
"Yes!" The sergeant was overjoyed and immediately led his subordinates to find the sergeant.
A moment later, the sergeant came to the lieutenant with a larger group. In the military system of the Tang dynasty, illiterate soldiers couldn't become lieutenants. Otherwise, how could they fight if they couldn't read military orders?
That night, the barracks of the Sixteenth Guard Barracks were brightly lit. Almost every lieutenant was writing letters to their families for the soldiers under their command.
"Looks like General Li's recruit plan couldn't be better. Otherwise, who would be able to stand writing hundreds of letters at once?" Qin Huaiyu complained in an ordinary military tent in the barracks of the Sixteenth Guard Barracks. Even though he used the most convenient pen to write, his wrist was still sore and numb.
At this moment, all the lieutenants were incomparably supportive of the recruit plan. Li Jing never thought that it would be because of a letter from home.
However, although every lieutenant was complaining, they didn't stop writing when they saw the expectant eyes of the soldiers under their command.
On the second day, the courier who came to collect the letters saw a spectacular sight. The sixteen mailboxes of the Sixteen Guards were all full, and there was a soldier waiting outside each mailbox. Beside him were piles of letters that were piled up like mountains.
That day, the Sixteenth Guard Barracks alone sent out nearly a hundred thousand letters. The carriages of the sixteen courier soldiers were all full of letters, but they still had to go back and forth three times to collect all the letters.
Seeing the carts of letters being transported away, almost all of the generals in the barracks could clearly feel the spirits of the soldiers under their command being lifted. These seemingly thin letters, however, contained the longing for their families and home. Presumably, when they received letters from their families, they believed that the soldiers' homesickness would be cured without any medicine.
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