The instant they recognized the Governor, the young scholars and students all had the same thought at once:
Coming to this bookstore today was absolutely the right decision!
Under normal circumstances, even catching a glimpse of the Governor was no easy matter. Who could have imagined that simply coming to read books in a bookstore would allow them to stand so close to him?
This was nothing short of a windfall—an enormous gain.
The group hurriedly rose to their feet and bowed in unison.
Chen Qiyu glanced at them briefly, then waved his hand casually, signaling for them to continue as they were.
The scholars promptly sat back down. Outwardly, they appeared to be reading, but in reality, not a single word entered their minds. Their attention was entirely fixed on Chen Qiyu.
Chen Qiyu was naturally aware of this, but he had no interest in worrying about a group of youngsters. Smiling faintly, he turned to Gao Shan and said, "I have been looking forward to the opening of your bookstore for quite some time."
Gao Shan laughed.
"Thank you for your kind support, Governor. The note you previously sent made the process of opening the shop much smoother. None of the yamen runners responsible for this area dared to come and cause trouble."
Chen Qiyu smiled.
"As it should be. A bookstore opening here benefits both the people and the state. It's only right that I offer some assistance."
Gao Shan asked politely, "Will the Governor be selecting any books today?"
Chen Qiyu smiled faintly.
"I brought a few people with me," he replied, "to look over some technical manuals."
He had long heard reports from his subordinates that the New Village Bookstore had a dedicated section for technical books, containing many practical manuals. That was precisely why he had brought several officials along.
Gao Shan accompanied them inside.
Chen Qiyu himself did not examine the shelves closely. Instead, his subordinates browsed carefully, pulling books down one by one and flipping through them.
Before long, the master artisan among the group selected several volumes from the shelves:
Methods for Optimizing Steel Quality
How to Forge Unbreakable Blades
Detailed Explanation of Furnace Temperature Control Technology
How the Patterns on Japanese Samurai Swords Are Created
He opened them and skimmed through the contents. The more he read, the more astonished he became.
After several moments, he closed the books, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply to Gao Shan.
"Master Gao," he said excitedly, "these books contain secret techniques that master craftsmen pass down only to their sons, never to their daughters!"
Gao Shan burst into laughter.
"In Gao Family Village," he said, "uttering the phrase 'pass down only to sons, never to daughters' would earn you a beating!"
He was not exaggerating.
Everyone in Gao Family Village knew that Dao Xuan Tianzun loathed that phrase intensely.
The phrase offended on two levels. First, it embodied patriarchal thinking, an attitude Dao Xuan Tianzun openly despised. Second, it obstructed the spread of knowledge and hindered technological advancement.
As a result, in Gao Family Village, anyone who dared say "pass down only to sons, never to daughters" would immediately be criticized by passersby. At best, they would receive a stern lecture; at worst, they would be dragged before a statue of Dao Xuan Tianzun and ordered to reflect deeply on their misguided values before the divine image.
All technologies developed in Gao Family Village were bought out by the village after the inventor received a generous Scientific Invention Incentive Award. The technologies then became village property, and explanatory manuals were compiled and printed for all students to study.
The books Gao Shan had brought out this time were merely the more basic technical manuals.
Naturally, he would not bring out anything truly advanced.
First, there was the risk of technological leakage. If Gao Family Village and the imperial court were ever to fall out, it would be problematic if the court turned around and used Chassepot rifles against the Gao Family Village militia. Second, even if some technologies were leaked, outsiders would not necessarily be able to understand them.
Books that no one could comprehend would not sell, which would not align with his business interests.
Even so, these "basic" technical books from Gao Family Village were already considered advanced—at the level of "pass down only to sons, never to daughters"—in the eyes of outsiders.
No wonder the master artisan from Yan'an Prefecture was so excited.
Chen Qiyu turned his head and asked, "Are these books truly that good?"
The artisan nodded vigorously.
"Extremely good! Truly 'pass down only to sons, never to daughters' level!"
Chen Qiyu laughed, half scolding him.
"They've printed an entire shelf of them and put them out for anyone to buy. Why are you still muttering about 'passing down only to sons, never to daughters'? Buy several more. Take them back and distribute a set to each craftsman household."
The artisan replied, both amused and distressed,
"But the craftsmen are illiterate! These books may be mostly illustrations, but they still contain text."
Chen Qiyu fell silent.
Did he really have to hire scholars to read technical manuals to craftsmen?
No scholar would be willing to do such a thing.
Chen Qiyu sighed.
"Governor!" the official in charge of agriculture suddenly exclaimed. "I've found a large number of agricultural books here—The Benefits of Winter Plowing for Next Year's Sowing, Methods for Planting Potatoes, Corn, and Sweet Potatoes, How to Increase Cotton Yields…"
Chen Qiyu asked, "Are these also at the 'pass down only to sons, never to daughters' level?"
The agricultural official looked somewhat embarrassed.
"I suppose… one could say that."
Chen Qiyu nodded decisively.
"Good. Buy them all and promote them vigorously. It doesn't matter if the farmers can't read. Let the literate scholars in each village read to them. This is far more important than artisan techniques."
In this dynasty, officials traditionally valued agriculture over industry, and Chen Qiyu was no exception.
Just moments earlier, he had found it unthinkable to have scholars read technical manuals to craftsmen. Yet when it came to agriculture, the idea suddenly became perfectly acceptable.
Blatant hypocrisy, indeed.
Watching this unfold, Li Daoxuan found himself speechless. He could only sigh inwardly.
Slowly… slowly things will change.
The agricultural official leaned closer and lowered his voice.
"Governor, there's something else…"
Chen Qiyu frowned.
"What is it? Why are you hesitating?"
The official whispered, "Last year, rainfall was abundant, and the Yellow River even overflowed. But since the beginning of this year… the rain has been rather scarce. I fear we may be facing another drought."
"What?" Chen Qiyu was greatly startled. "How can you say that? It's only March!"
The official replied, "Governor, think about it—how long has it been since it last rained?"
Chen Qiyu froze.
Li Daoxuan also frowned involuntarily.
Another drought? Then the bandits we just suppressed… I'm afraid they'll rise again.
No sooner had the thought crossed his mind than—
Speak of the devil.
A messenger burst in from outside and dropped to his knees with a loud thud at the bookstore entrance.
"Reporting, Governor!" he shouted. "Wang Chenggong—the rebel leader who was pacified two years ago—taking advantage of the Mongol incursions at the border and General Wang Cheng'en's absence, has once again gathered his followers and rebelled in Xichuan! He has plundered Shuanghuyi and is now encamped at Wangjia Fork, commanding a force of over two thousand men!"
Li Daoxuan cursed inwardly.
Damn it!
Chen Qiyu stiffened.
"This again?"
He hesitated for less than three seconds before hardening his resolve. With a wave of his hand, he ordered,
"Go at once and invite Garrison Commander Shi Jian."
Watching his expression and movements, Li Daoxuan could not help but recall a scene from Journey to the West—when Sun Wukong wreaked havoc in the Heavenly Palace, and the Jade Emperor hid beneath his desk, shouting, 'Go quickly and invite the Buddha Rulai!'
Chen Qiyu added, "Send the previous messenger. He's been there before—he knows the way."
A subordinate stepped forward.
"Reporting, Governor! The previous messenger has already fled. We have no idea where he's gone."
Chen Qiyu stared at him, utterly dumbfounded.
"???"