I'm Done Playing the Lovesick Supporting Role - Chapter 210.1

The implementation of free education began with an enormous investment in school construction, which took nearly six months to complete. Once the foundation was established, Gu Jingyu faced new challenges: finding teachers and creating suitable textbooks.

He turned his attention to scholars who had failed the imperial examinations. These individuals had spent decades immersed in study and possessed ample knowledge to teach. For the textbooks, Gu Jingyu assembled the court’s Grand Preceptors, and after more than a month, they produced materials suitable for children.

Though Gu Jingyu found the books rudimentary compared to modern standards, they were groundbreaking for the current era. He then invested heavily in a movable type printing press, ensuring a steady supply of textbooks across the kingdom.

However, the cost of these reforms quickly depleted the funds recovered from corrupt officials, even draining the emperor’s personal treasury. National funds remained untouched, as they were reserved for emergencies. Desperate, Gu Jingyu launched a specialized anti-corruption task force. Within two months, the group yielded substantial results, recovering enough wealth to sustain the reforms.

Education was just the beginning. Gu Jingyu focused on agricultural innovations and industrial development, leading to the eventual discovery of gunpowder several decades later.

One day, while reviewing state affairs, Gu Jingyu felt an inexplicable sense of finality. Realizing his time was near, he hurriedly prepared an abdication letter and detailed instructions for his successors. He sat calmly at his desk and took his last breath.

When An Naihai entered the room, he found the emperor sitting lifelessly at his desk. A wave of panic struck him as he confirmed Gu Jingyu’s passing. Falling to the floor, An Naihai was overcome with grief.

News of Gu Jingyu’s death spread the next day, plunging the nation into mourning. Farmers abandoned their tools in the fields, collapsing to the ground in tears. For three years, no weddings or major celebrations were held. When festivals eventually resumed, Gu Jingyu’s legacy as a beloved ruler endured.