The immortal of the Tang Dynasty, but the game starts at Xuanwu Gate?

Yan Shigu had thought that if he directly refused, Chen Huai'an would at least be disappointed, or even angry. He was prepared to deal with anything.

Unexpectedly, after hearing his refusal, Chen Huai'an simply nodded slightly: "No need to apologize, you have your reasons, I can understand."

"Anyone who says they would risk their entire family to fight against the Five Clans and Seven Noble Families would weigh the pros and cons and consider whether it is worth it."

"I wouldn't be willing to stake the Chen family's interests on this."

Yan Shigu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. If Chen Huai'an had forced him to agree, he really wouldn't have been able to refuse.

In the entire Tang Dynasty, there are very few people who dare to refuse or are able to refuse Chen Huai'an.

"But... Supervisor Yan," Chen Huai'an changed the subject, "have you ever considered that risk often comes with opportunity?"

"I admit, it's too risky to let you do this kind of thing... well, I can't say too risky, the risk is practically off the charts."

"However, precisely because of such great risks, the rewards are also enormous."

"I don't want to use morality to bind you, nor do I want to talk to you about the common people or the masses."

Chen Huai'an stood up and said slowly, "My background is not a secret. Yan Shujian should know that I used to be a peasant. I got to where I am today by relying on charity I received as a dog for others."

"I have suffered, but my parents and my sister have suffered even more because of me."

"That's why I know just how difficult this road is."

"Fortunately, I made it up, I climbed up, and I became the powerful Duke of Anguo I am today."

"I think it's time for me to hold up an umbrella for those who come after me, since I've been through the rain myself."

"So..." Chen Huai'an turned around and said seriously, "Please allow me to take up a little more of your time."

Yan Shigu was stunned.

Without any moral blackmail, threats, or coercion, he said... "Please allow me to bother you for a little longer?"

Yan Shigu could not refuse such a reason.

"good....."

Chen Huai'an smiled slightly: "The five surnames and seven clans have controlled the interpretation of the classics for hundreds of years, relying on the difficulty of copying the classics and their exclusive authority."

"When I presented the papermaking technique, they immediately accused me of using a strange and ingenious trick, trying to suppress me with a distorted interpretation of the great principles, and trying to smear the papermaking technique, which can benefit all people."

"As soon as I mentioned cooperation, they immediately changed their minds."

"I'm sure you, Yan Shujian, understand the reason behind this."

Chen Huai'an sat back down and personally poured Yan Shigu a cup of tea: "Why do I want to reform the imperial examination system? Because I want to provide an umbrella for future generations and give everyone a chance, even if it is very slim."

"I dare not reveal my trump card. If I do, I will instantly offend all the powerful families. They will do everything in their power to either obtain it, destroy it, or... fight to the death!"

Yan Shigu said with a solemn expression, "You are digging up their roots. Of course, they will do everything they can to get it or destroy it."

"Yes!" Chen Huai'an nodded. "I don't want to cooperate with them, nor do I want them to get it. After all... once they get it, no one can predict the consequences. The path to advancement might still be blocked by them."

"Then my backup plan is meaningless."

Yan Shigu remained silent.

Since Chen Huai'an doesn't want to give it, the aristocratic families will definitely find a way to destroy it. How will they destroy it? First of all, they will definitely throw dirty water on Chen Huai'an, who is now in charge.

Other methods will also be used.

He gradually understood why Chen Huai'an had sought him out; perhaps... Chen Huai'an had no other choice but to turn to him.

"I have a good idea, but unfortunately I lack enough people to endorse it." Chen Huai'an said calmly, "The Five Clans and Seven Families look down on me, saying that I don't understand classical studies. But when I print the classics, they can say that they are full of errors and mislead students, and incite scholars all over the world to resist them."

"But the Yan family is different. The Yan family's classical studies have been passed down for a hundred years. Yan Shu supervised the examination and revision of the Five Classics and corrected the classics. His foundation was solid, and no scholar in the world could deny his abilities."

"As long as the Yan family is willing to step forward and take charge of movable type printing and proofreading the original texts of the classics, the printed books will be the right path and the orthodox ones. It won't be so easy for the five surnames and seven noble families to throw dirty water on us."

At this point, Chen Huai'an said meaningfully, "Furthermore, if the new imperial examination system is to be implemented, local official schools and village schools will need to be rebuilt. Textbooks and teachers will need to be updated, and families like the Yan family, who truly understand education and are willing to get things done, will need to take the lead."

Yan Shigu's eyes flickered, and he understood what Chen Huai'an meant.

He didn't speak, staring intently at the teacup in his hand.

After a long pause, Yan Shigu said in a hoarse voice, "Since Duke Anguo has put it this way, I will not hide anything. The Yan family has been practicing Confucianism for generations, upholding the orthodox path of culture and education, and seeking peace for the world."

"The fact that the five clans and seven noble families control the interpretation of the classics and monopolize official careers is known to everyone in the court and among the people, but no one dares to easily expose this secret."

"I'll only ask you one question: what exactly is this thing you're talking about that can cause book prices to plummet? And what kind of books will it allow readers across the world to read?"

Chen Huai'an smiled upon hearing this, raised his hand to gesture to Yunyan, who then brought over a wooden box and gently pushed it in front of Yan Shigu.

"Scholar Yan, you might want to take a look at this first."

Yan Shigu lifted the lid of the box with a puzzled look. Inside, there were dozens of clay blocks, each about an inch square, neatly stacked. Each clay block had a small character engraved on it in reverse, with clear strokes and distinct edges.

He picked up a type and brought it close to his eyes for a closer look. His fingertips touched the uneven texture on the clay, and he frowned at first, then suddenly opened his eyes wide, almost dropping the clay type in his hand.

"This is... a single-character engraving?" Yan Shigu's voice betrayed his shock as he murmured to himself, "I understand, I understand!"

"By carving individual characters into molds, arranging them, and then piecing together any text, and after printing, these characters can be disassembled, rearranged, and reused repeatedly?"

"Scholar Yan certainly has a discerning eye," Chen Huai'an nodded. "This is called movable type printing."

"Woodblock printing can only print one page if one page is carved. Carving a book requires a whole set of printing plates, which is wasteful of materials and labor. Once printed, the plates become waste. But movable type is different. A batch of commonly used characters can be carved. If you want to print a book, you just need to type it. After printing, it can be disassembled and reused."

"It takes months to carve the woodblocks for a single copy of the Analects, and the labor and material costs are incredibly high. With movable type, skilled craftsmen can type it out in just a few days, and printing a hundred or eighty copies is no problem."

"If we really expand the market, book prices could drop to one-tenth of what they are now, or even lower."

Yan Shigu held the clay movable type, his knuckles turning slightly white. As the Secretary of the Imperial Library, in charge of the palace's books and archives, he knew all too well what this thing meant.

The reason why books are expensive is that the printing cost is too high.

An ordinary farmer's annual harvest might not even be enough to buy a single copy of the classics, which is why powerful families were able to monopolize knowledge and maintain their power generation after generation through their family's classical learning.

If movable type printing could be fully implemented, it would be like kicking down the threshold of knowledge!

Yan Shigu suddenly realized that some things do require consideration of risks, but some things cannot be considered in terms of risks, let alone weigh the pros and cons!

There are always some things that come above all else!

"..."