Seeing Yun Shu staring intently at the surveillance screen, the little fox couldn't understand what was so interesting about those paper people who could only provide Shock Value. It nudged her with its paw.
“Host, that's one million Shock Value! How can you be so calm?! You're not even looking at it?”
“Wuhu, I have to take a screenshot!” As it spoke, it took a rapid succession of screenshots and posted them to the system group chat to show off.
Dress-Up System: [Image] [Image]
Dress-Up System: “Look at my host! With just a casual move, she earned one million Shock Value. Hehehe.”
Dress-Up System: “My host not only buys me all kinds of beautiful skins, but she also gives me pocket money.”
Dress-Up System: “Sigh, I kept saying I didn't want it, but my host just insisted on forcing it on me...”
Mary Sue System: “???”
Cultivation System: “???”
God-Level Wealth System: “???”
“...”
Ignoring the screen full of question marks, the little fox tilted its face up and looked eagerly at Yun Shu. “Host, you're so incredibly smart! You're so good at earning Shock Value. I never expected we would make so much this time!”
Of course, it had required a lot of hard work behind the scenes.
But seeing that million-point Shock Value, who could possibly complain about being tired?
So what if they had stayed up all night constructing the dreams? So what if they had to filter through thousands of people? So what if they had to monitor Yecheng twenty-four hours a day, run back and forth to read Luo Daoqing's memories, and compile tens of thousands of pieces of information on printing, paper-making, cement, and more into a presentation overnight?
All the hard work was completely worth it!
“By the way, Host, there's one thing I don't understand. Why didn't you give the steelmaking method and the cement recipe to literate scholars like Shen Yu? Why did you have to give them to the illiterate Feng Chunya and Meng Laosan? According to my evaluation, the probability of them remembering those written descriptions is practically zero.”
Previously, Yun Shu had told it to give those half-baked concepts to the illiterate commoners. It knew she did this to avoid the risk of being exposed.
The commoners couldn't understand the written descriptions, so they naturally wouldn't find any flaws. They would only lament their own misfortune, believing they had missed out on a divine opportunity simply because they were illiterate.
But for the steelmaking method and the cement recipe, it had prepared detailed visual presentations.
Giving them to illiterate people seemed like a total waste.
“System, things obtained too easily are rarely cherished. We have to play the long game to catch the big fish.” Yun Shu began her usual routine of smooth-talking the system. “Think about it. Once Shen Yu and the others go through untold hardships to finally obtain steel and cement, won't they be even more shocked by how powerful these things are?”
The system was right. If her only goal was to earn Shock Value, she could have easily given the cement recipe and the steelmaking method to any literate person and instantly received a massive payout of Shock Value.
But her objective had never been just to earn Shock Value.
She had to consider the development of this world.
This bestowal of blessings was, in fact, an open conspiracy.
Intentionally giving crucial knowledge to illiterate commoners was solely to make the leadership realize that if they did not give the common people the opportunity to learn to read and write, they would lose out on even more.
Although the little fox felt something was slightly off, it knew its host was always brilliant. Listening to her was definitely the right choice.
It immediately tossed its doubts aside. “Host, with so much Shock Value, aren't you going to use the prize pool?”
“I'll draw later. Let me watch a bit more.”
Yun Shu's gaze returned to the surveillance screen.
The group had already returned to the Governor's estate.
Shen Yu clutched a stack of freshly transcribed papers, reviewing them page by page with his brow tightly furrowed.
Cheng Ji sat beside him, also frowning deeply.
Lu Sui spoke, his voice tinged with bitterness. “The old man who comprehended the salt-harvesting method said that some kind of pond needs to be built to let seawater in, and then the sun will dry it to produce salt. As for how to build the pond, when to let the water in, and when to harvest the salt, he gestured for a long time, but I could only write down a rough outline.”
Cui He couldn't help but chuckle bitterly as well. “The same goes for the steelmaking method. Sister Chunya only said we need to use some kind of black stone, then mix it with other stones to burn... She gestured wildly, but she couldn't even explain what that black stone actually is.”
“Don't even mention the cement.” Shen Yu looked exhausted. “I asked Meng Laosan for the specific recipe, but he couldn't describe it at all.”
Cheng Ji placed the paper in his hand on the table. “Although that peasant woman is illiterate, based on her description, we might be able to have the craftsmen try to make this curved-shaft plow.”
“It is just such a pity about wondrous things like cement!”
“To think we missed such blessings, sigh...”
A brief silence fell over the hall.
Everyone stared at the papers on the table before them.
Some of the records were missing key parts, some were self-contradictory, some had only a few vague descriptions, and some were simply covered in crooked drawings.
Every single item on these papers pointed to a craft capable of changing the world, yet they were all incomplete.
Deep frustration was written on everyone's faces.
It felt as though something they could have easily grasped had slipped through their fingers, leaving behind only a fleeting touch that they would endlessly ponder and regret.
Shen Yu remained silent for a long time before suddenly raising his head.
“The common people were able to perceive the heavenly secrets and see those miraculous things. This proves they are not foolish; they were simply hindered by their illiteracy and could not fully comprehend the blessings.”
His eyes were bloodshot from staying up all night, and a complex emotion swirled deep within them.
“If every citizen had the opportunity to learn to read and write, how could such a regret have happened today?”
Hearing this, Cheng Ji's eyes grew hot.
Having come from a humble background, he understood the weight of Shen Yu's words better than anyone, and he knew all too well how incredibly difficult it would be to give everyone access to education.
After a long pause, he sighed and shook his head.
“The libraries of the prominent clans have always been reserved for their own descendants, never lent to outsiders. Even if the commoners have talent, they cannot get ahead without access to the classics.”
“Husband, why don't I return home and convince my grandfather to donate all our family's book collection?” A look of determination flashed in Ye Qingqing's eyes. “If this succeeds, it will surely go down in history. Grandfather values his reputation highly, so I doubt he would refuse.”
“Madam Ye's righteousness is profound! If we can use printing to produce tens of thousands of copies of those books, the people of the world will never have to worry about having nothing to read!”
Shen Yu stood up and bowed to Ye Qingqing with cupped hands. “I, Yu, thank Madam Ye on behalf of the common people.”
“Young Master Shen, I am merely doing what little I can. I do not deserve such a grand gesture.” Ye Qingqing's voice was gentle. “If we want everyone to have books to read, books alone are not enough. Paper, ink, and teachers to instruct them are all difficult challenges.”
“I comprehended a craft called paper-making, which can greatly reduce the cost and time of producing paper.” As Shen Yu spoke, he pulled another sheet of paper from the stack on the table. “And here is another record of a writing instrument called a pencil.”
“As for teachers, everyone present—indeed, anyone who is literate—can become an instructor.”
Ye Qingqing was startled. “Even I can?”
“Madam Ye, you are renowned for your talent and care deeply for the people. Why shouldn't you be a teacher to others?”
Shen Yu lowered his eyelashes slightly. “There is one more thing. Please inform Elder Ye that since the books come from the Ye family, once the academy is built, we will naturally invite him to preside over the academy and take charge of the overall situation.”
He understood the prominent clans. If there were no tangible benefits, it would be difficult to persuade them through Madam Ye's words alone.
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