Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

"I'm not going!"

Li Chengqian buried his head in the pillow, like an ostrich burying its head in the sand, every cell in his body resisting.

"The Turkic royal court? Is that a place for people?"

"The wind and sand are strong, the ultraviolet rays are intense, making it easy to get a tan, and we can't even get a decent drink of hot water!"

"Most importantly, that place reeks of mutton! Are you trying to suffocate me so you can inherit my Alipay account?"

Li Chengqian was ranting and raving in his mind.

Having just pacified Chang'an, they were finally able to enjoy a couple of comfortable days.

Now you want him to go eat sand in the desert thousands of miles away?

None of the doors!

The system's cold, mechanical voice remained completely unmoved by the host's tantrum.

[Please note, host, this is a main quest concerning the fate of the Tang Dynasty.]

If we don't go, the Turkic border troubles will continue for twenty years, and the Tang Dynasty will suffer losses every year...

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Li Chengqian abruptly threw off the covers, his face full of impatience.

"Don't talk to me about the fate of the nation, money, or ideals."

"My current ideal is to sleep."

"The fate of the nation is something Old Li should worry about. What does it have to do with an eight-year-old like me?"

He turned over, preparing to go back to sleep.

"unless……"

Li Chengqian snorted twice, "Unless you give me something concrete."

The system remained silent for a moment, seemingly calculating the host's bottom line of greed.

A few seconds later.

A golden light exploded in Li Chengqian's mind.

【Ding! 】

[Host lack of motivation detected; system requests additional combat readiness support!]

[As long as the host accepts the mission and successfully checks in at the Turkic headquarters.]

[Reward 1: Mysterious Industrial Revolution Blueprint Fragment *1 (Collect all fragments to summon the Steampunk Tang Dynasty).]

[Reward Two: ...]

The system paused deliberately, building up the anticipation.

[God-tier firearms - Red Cannon (Modified Version) *10! Includes 500 explosive shells!]

[Caliber is justice; range is truth.]

With it, you will have the strongest backbone of this era!

Li Chengqian's eyes, which had been tightly closed, suddenly opened.

The pupils reflected the illusory, dark muzzle of the cannon—a romantic notion belonging to men, the ultimate aesthetic of steel and gunpowder.

cannon?

Or is it the Red Cannon?

Li Chengqian swallowed.

A picture instantly flashed into his mind:

On the battlefield, the Turkic cavalrymen brandished their scimitars and shouted wildly.

He sat in a rocking chair, sipping iced cola, and gently waved his hand.

boom--!

One shot, and the world was quiet.

Forget about unparalleled archery skills, forget about being the lord of the grasslands; before caliber, all beings are equal!

This isn't going to war!

This is clearly a trip to educate those uncultured barbarians about the science of physical exorcism!

"Cough cough."

Li Chengqian sat up in bed, straightened his slightly disheveled pajamas, and his expression instantly became righteous and awe-inspiring.

"System, you've misjudged me."

"Am I, Li Chengqian, the kind of person who covets weapons?"

"I can't stand seeing the people suffer, and I can't bear to hear the cries from the border."

"For the peace of the Tang Dynasty, for the peace of the northern border, and so that the Turks may also feel the warmth of truth..."

He took a deep breath and clenched his small fist.

"I'll take this job!"

"It's just the Turkic royal court, isn't it? Treat it like a tourist attraction!"

[Task accepted.]

[Host, please set off as soon as possible; time waits for no one.]

The system left those words and then disappeared again.

Li Chengqian was in a great mood, jumped out of bed, and stretched.

Since we've decided to go on a long trip, we need to prepare properly.

Everything else is fine, but the main thing is that we can't make do with food, drink, and other necessities along the way.

"Old Xu!"

Li Chengqian shouted towards the door.

"This old servant is here."

Xu Xiao pushed open the door and entered, carrying a basin of warm water in his hand, clearly having been waiting at the door for some time.

"Go, have someone modify my carriage."

While washing his face, Li Chengqian instructed, "We must maximize the shock absorption; the thickest Persian carpet must be laid inside."

"We also need to add an ice cream stand, the kind where you can have chilled plum juice anytime."

"Also, have Shen Lian pick out a few chefs who can roast whole lamb and bring them along."

"This time we're going to the grasslands, and the main focus is on a 'culinary journey through the north'."

Xu Xiao was stunned for a moment, then grinned, his wrinkled old face blossoming into a chrysanthemum.

"Your Highness, who are you going to harm this time?"

"What does 'harmful' mean?"

Li Chengqian dried his face, threw the towel into the basin, and said, "I am going to spread civilization and educate the barbarians."

"While I'm at it... I'll collect a debt."

Thinking of that coward Jieli, Li Chengqian's lips curled into a wicked smile.

Last time on the Wei River, you ran quite fast.

This time, I'm bringing cannons to your doorstep, let's see where you can run now!

Just as the master and servant were discussing whether to bring cumin powder or chili powder.

Suddenly, a noisy commotion arose outside the gates of the East Palace.

Immediately following was a mournful and piercing wail, so loud that it drowned out the cicadas chirping in the trees and soared into the sky.

"Your Highness! Your Highness the Crown Prince!"

"Please, I beg you to see this old minister!"

"The civility of the Tang Dynasty... is about to be lost!"

Li Chengqian frowned, his good mood instantly ruined.

"Who is it? Crying at the door so early in the morning?"

"Isn't that bad luck?"

Xu Xiao's eyes turned cold, and his hand instinctively reached for the cold knife at his waist: "Your Highness, should this old servant go...?"

He made a throat-slitting gesture.

"No, no, no, we are civilized people now."

Li Chengqian waved his hand, "Go and see which fool dares to block my door."

……

At the entrance of the East Palace.

By this time, a large crowd of onlookers had gathered.

Right in the center of the gate, a large group of people were kneeling.

Leading the group was Kong Yingda, a descendant of Confucius and the Chancellor of the Imperial Academy.

This old man is usually very particular about his appearance; he would feel uncomfortable for a long time if there was even a wrinkle in his clothes.

But today, he was disheveled, his official robes were covered in dust, and he was kneeling on the ground, crying with snot and tears streaming down his face. He looked utterly miserable.

Behind him knelt hundreds of students dressed in Confucian robes.

They were all pale and thin, dressed in rags, some even had lost a shoe, and their feet were blistered.

They were like a group of refugees who had lost their homes, staring desperately at the tightly closed vermilion gate.

"Squeak—"

The heavy door slowly opened.

Li Chengqian walked out with his hands behind his back, surrounded by a group of Imperial Guards.

He glanced at the scene and was startled.

"Wow, Lord Kong, what are you up to?"

Li Chengqian looked completely bewildered. "Didn't we have a bumper potato harvest? Are you... hungry?"

Upon seeing Li Chengqian, Kong Yingda felt as if he had seen a savior. He crawled a few steps on his knees and suddenly hugged Li Chengqian's leg.

"Your Highness! It's not hunger in our stomachs, but hunger in our spirits!"

"The aristocratic families...they're too ruthless!"

Kong Yingda raised his head, tears streaming down his face, his voice hoarse like a broken bellows.

"Although the five surnames and seven clans have had their homes confiscated, their influence in the local area remains!"

"They...they conspired to block all the books!"

"Now, all the bookstores in Chang'an are closed! All the bookshops have stopped printing books!"

"They even declared that anyone who dared to sell books to poor students would be making an enemy of all the noble families in the land!"

"Your Highness!"

Kong Yingda pointed to the group of trembling, impoverished students behind him and wept bitterly.

"These kids are all promising!"

"But now, they can't even buy a basic copy of the Analects! And no one dares to lend it to them!"

"These powerful families are cutting off the path to advancement for those from humble backgrounds; they're trying to monopolize all knowledge in the world!"

"If even the books are gone, what future does the Tang Dynasty have?"

boom--!

It was as if a lightning bolt had struck Li Chengqian's mind.

He looked at the yearning yet despairing light in the students' eyes, and at Kong Yingda's grief-stricken old face.

At that moment, he finally understood.

Physical annihilation is only the first step.

The economic impact is only the tip of the iceberg.

The reason why powerful clans have been able to last for thousands of years, with emperors coming and going but the clans remaining constant, is never because of money or power.

Rather, it is a monopoly.

Absolute monopoly over knowledge!

They controlled the books, so they controlled the imperial examinations; they controlled the imperial examinations, so they controlled the officialdom; they controlled the officialdom, so they controlled the whole country!

This is their confidence, their last resort that allows them to challenge the imperial power even after their families are exterminated!

"hehe……"

Li Chengqian suddenly laughed.

The laughter was soft, but cold.

He lowered his head, looked at Kong Yingda who was crying so hard he was about to faint, and slowly reached out to help the old scholar up.

"Lord Kong, please stop crying."

Wipe away your tears.

Li Chengqian's voice was eerily calm, but those who knew him well knew it was a prelude to him about to overturn the table.

"Don't they want people from poor families to not be able to go to school?"

"Don't they think only scions of noble families are fit to wield a pen?"

"OK."

Li Chengqian turned around, his gaze passing over the kneeling crowd, looking at the rolling streets and markets of Chang'an, and at that distant place shrouded in the shadow of powerful families.

"Since they want to play the monopoly game, then I'll play a big game with them."

A mad smile curved his lips as he spoke softly to the air, and to the impending new era:

"Old Xu, go and call my craftsman."

"Also, have Qinglong prepare some good paper, as much as possible."

Kong Yingda was stunned, tears welling in her eyes, and asked, "Your Highness... what are you going to do?"

Li Chengqian turned around, his eyes shining brighter than the sun in the sky.

"What are you doing?"

"I will make all books in the world cheaper than toilet paper!"

"I will ensure that every child in this Tang Dynasty can afford to go to school and learn to read!"

"I will uproot them!"