My Dearest Father,

From the Great Khan’s court, I convey astonishing news! Here, they possess a wondrous art for creating books, far beyond our scribes' laborious efforts. This marvel is 'woodblock printing.' Artisans skilfully carve characters onto wooden blocks, ink them, and then press them onto paper. The speed is incredible; what takes our monks months, they achieve in hours, producing hundreds of identical copies. Consequently, books covering everything from imperial decrees to stories and calendars are abundant and affordable. This means knowledge, formerly confined to the wealthy and clergy, is accessible to countless others. I believe this extraordinary technique could utterly transform Venice, and indeed, all of Europe, upon my return. It is truly a world where learning flourishes unbound.

Your devoted son, Marco