Chapter 348: Chapter 217: Never Underestimate Xiao Shi Part 3
Zhao Yao felt that professional matters should be left to professionals. Moreover, he and his second uncle didn’t know many people, especially in this field, so it would be better to let that uncle help him. This way, it would not only save a lot of trouble but also gain a trained force. It was a win-win situation; why refuse it.
Honestly, Zhao Yao’s trust in He Lianfang surprised He Lianfang himself. He didn’t expect Zhao Yao to trust him so much, entrusting him completely with the task of training his own people.
He asked Zhao Yao why he trusted him so much, wasn’t he afraid that he might harm him?
At that time, Zhao Yao said, "Uncle, even though I’m a child and don’t understand many things, I can feel that you mean no harm to me. The most important thing is, I look like your old friend, and in the face of your old friend, you wouldn’t harm me."
He Lianfang hadn’t expected this response, "How do you know you look like one of my old friends?"
"I could see it, you were very surprised the first time you saw me." Zhao Yao pointed to the dimple on the left corner of his mouth and said, "I guess your old friend probably had a dimple like mine."
For a moment, He Lianfang thought Zhao Yao had discovered his identity.
"Uncle, your old friend is very important to you, isn’t it?"
"Yes, very important." He Lianfang’s face was very serious, "Without him, there’d be no me."
"No wonder I just have a dimple resembling your old friend, and you’re so good to me." Zhao Yao laughed and said, "Uncle, your old friend is fortunate to have such a good friend like you."
Prince Yi Yong once said the exact same words to He Lianfang: "Lao He, to have such a good friend like you, I’m so fortunate, so happy."
"Although I don’t know who you really are, uncle, nor your identity, I can be sure you won’t harm me." Zhao Yao smiled brightly, "So, I believe you’re genuinely willing to help me."
This complete trust in him was just like the master in the past.
"Mm, I won’t harm you, so rest assured and leave things to me."
Zhao Yao said without reservation, "I’d be more than happy to."
Regarding the matters of Dahua Village Manor, He Lianfang was very attentive, personally arranging all the plans. He intended to train an elite army and a remarkable advisory team for Zhao Yao, one that wouldn’t lose to the people around Prince Yi Yong back then.
Back then, the capable people around Prince Yi Yong were all cultivated by He Lianfang. Unfortunately, with Prince Yi Yong’s passing, these people gradually disappeared. Of course, some still existed, but He Lianfang didn’t plan to employ them.
He Lianfang had confidence he could once again train people even more outstanding than those around Prince Yi Yong before.
After Zhao Yao handed over the affairs of Dahua Village Manor to He Lianfang, he didn’t inquire again, so he didn’t know what exactly He Lianfang was doing for him.
Seeing Zhao Yao trust him so much, He Lianfang didn’t know whether to praise him or criticize him. However, seeing Zhao Yao rely on and trust him so greatly, He Lianfang was truly pleased in his heart.
When he learned that Zhao Yao had developed the movable type printing technology, He Lianfang was also very surprised; he didn’t expect Zhao Yao to be so talented in this area. In this aspect, Prince Yi Yong was not as capable as Zhao Yao.
Because Zhao Yao developed new paper and movable type printing technology, he gained a wave of fame in the court and among the common folk. Although the ministers in the court changed their opinion of him, no longer considering him utterly useless, they still did not support him. Even though his maternal grandfather was promoted to governor, the ministers still looked down upon his background.
The common people didn’t have much of a response to the new paper and movable type printing technology, but the scholars and literati were different. These two items were precisely what they used in their daily lives. Therefore, the scholars and literati throughout the country were filled with gratitude towards Zhao Yao.
The cost of printing a few books using movable type printing is very high, but for hundreds and thousands of books, it’s very cheap. Its emergence significantly reduced the price of books, which was a boon to many impoverished scholars and literati.
The emperor ordered several thousand copies of the "Analects," "Doctrine of the Mean," "The Great Learning," and "Mengzi" to be printed using movable type printing and bestowed them upon some private schools in the capital. The students in these private schools mostly came from impoverished backgrounds, and the books they used were all worn down.
Zhao Yao developed movable type printing technology intending to make books more numerous and affordable, enabling more people to be able to read books. Other benefits, such as gaining the support of scholars and literati across the country, he hadn’t even contemplated.
Besides, he wasn’t interested in these matters. After developing movable type printing technology, he remained as he had always been, without any sense of having accomplished something significant.
Yet, due to the movable type printing affair, he gained Zheng Cheng as... in Zhao Yao’s dream world, you might call him a fanboy!
He also attracted the attention of Zheng Qian!