Chapter 814 - Grandmaster Botanist

Jiang Ji stood on the lecture platform and stared at the 200-pax classroom where there weren’t even 50 students inside. His mental state then shook a little.

“This shouldn’t be the case, right?”

Jiang Ji mumbled.

The effect of his self-introduction wasn’t bad. Also, the subjects he was teaching were alchemy and herbology. Regardless of the locations, the Central Plains or the northern areas, they should be extremely popular subjects that interested many.

Naturally, the main thing was that during the alchemy lesson in the morning, Jiang Ji’s performance was extremely outstanding. Not only was his tone of the lecture relaxed and humorous, but it was succinct and precise as well. One could say that the students were like basking in the spring wind and could learn in a relaxed manner.

For ordinary students, they would all be able to feel as though they were top students when they attended Jiang Ji’s class. No matter what type of knowledge, they would be able to learn it easily.

Logically speaking, for students who attended the morning lesson, even if they didn’t all come for the second one, there shouldn’t be a problem for him to hit 90% attendance.

Jiang Ji had the confidence. But now when he looked at the number of people in the classroom, he was so psychologically impacted to the point where he started to doubt life.

Could it be that the brains of people from the barbarian tribes were different from people from the Central Plains?

(Sigh, you guys don’t know how to cherish such an impressive great teacher like me. No wonder, your tribes have always been suppressed by the various empires from the Central Plains.)

…

Honestly speaking, this had nothing to do with Jiang Ji’s capabilities. It was purely because he was too unlucky and just so nicely ‘clashed’ with Sun Mo’s second lesson’s timing.

As for the morning, Jiang Ji’s lesson was at 7 a.m. and perfectly differed from Sun Mo’s. After that, Jiang Ji had gone back to his bedroom to prepare for his next lesson. Hence, he had no idea about the commotion that Sun Mo caused.

…

Sun Mo entered the classroom as the bugle horn sounded. He saw the 200-pax classroom was filled to the brim and the others were peering in by stretching their necks from the corridor. His expression was calm, but he was smiling with satisfaction in his heart.

(My battle strategy has succeeded.)

Speaking arrogantly, he made use of Wanyan Zhenghe’s popularity to attract people before displaying an outstanding performance to shock the entire crowd, shooting to fame after a single lesson.

Although half of the people in the classroom were purely here to watch a good show, the other half truly wanted to learn things.

“Hello, students!”

Sun Mo greeted.

Maybe it was because he had suffered a disadvantage during the morning, Wanyan Zhenghe was much more low-profile this time around and sat at the last row.

“Is there anyone who can tell me the greatest usefulness in understanding plants?”

Sun Mo asked.

“To find original ingredients for alchemy pills!”

“It can increase our survival rate when we explore the Darkness Continent!”

“To find useful medical herbs.”

The vast majority of the answers revolved around ‘discovering herbs’. This was nothing strange as even in modern eras, not many people researched this subject. After all, the earnings from it were too little.

“Everyone isn’t wrong, but there’s an even more important aspect – making money.”

Sun Mo smiled.

Hua~

Sun Mo’s words caused all the students to start.

“Teacher, you are so direct!”

The male student with braided hair from the morning class also came. After hearing this, he couldn’t help but joke.

“Teacher, I remember that you people from the Central Plains emphasize on the behavior of gentlemen. But why do you sound like an unscrupulous businessman?”

Wanyan Zhenghe started blasting.

“Little prince, your status is noble since birth, and you have never suffered hunger before, right? The goal many students are pursuing isn’t to become a great hero or people with higher statuses. They only wish to be able to fill the bellies of their family.

“When they look at their father’s dark skin from being baked by the sun’s heat, the grime on his hands and his body, the sweat produced due to the physical labor, all to earn money just for his family…wouldn’t the children feel like earning money?

“Their mother has to graze sheep and cows despite the coldness of winter, working hard to warm them and prevent them from dying due to the chill. This is because if the animals died, the family would have no money to send their kids to school. After living through such days, wouldn’t the children want to earn more money?

“Naturally, if they don’t earn money, they won’t be able to afford the tax, and the great army of the little prince’s clan will start to confiscate their properties because of this. Their parents, sisters, and brothers would become slaves…”

…

Sun Mo’s retort echoed out loud in the classroom.

Those sons of nobility and descendants of rich clans were still comparatively better, but those children of ordinary families felt their eyes turning red.

Livestocks couldn’t be considered wealth because after an epidemic, they might all die out. To herdsmen and others from ordinary families, hunger was the most fearsome word.

Wanyan Zhenghe’s expression grew unsightly because the gazes of some students were filled with rage when they looked at him.

After all, as a little prince, he didn’t need to worry about food or lodging due to the taxes paid by everyone.

“So, don’t look down on people who talk about earning money. Everyone has to depend on their hands and sweat to earn the money through bitter efforts. That can be considered their medal.”

Sun Mo swept his gaze through the students of the class.

“Cultivation is a difficult path. It’s impossible to go far if you have no money. Even if the school waives the school fees, what about your clothing, food, and lodging? What about your weapons and the alchemy pills you need?

“My greatest wish of teaching botany is so you guys can discover herbs with value and transform them into silver, becoming rich from there.”

As Sun Mo spoke, the eyes of the students from ordinary families turned bright. Their mental states were stirred and they became much more focused.

Who wouldn’t want to become rich?

In the crowd, a middle-aged teacher with some streaks of white in his hair stood up straight and watched Sun Mo’s lecture.

After hearing this, he couldn’t help but nod.

“Grandmaster Duanmu feels that his words are correct?”

Beardie was also nearby. When he saw this scene, he couldn’t help but walk over and asked.

“Many great teachers want to teach a future sword god or saber saint, wanting the name of their disciples to spread through the world. However, they don’t know that what they should want the most is for their students to be able to fill their bellies.”

Duanmu Li sighed. “Only when a person is freed from hunger would they be qualified and have chances to talk about their dreams and ambitions. If not, everything would be like building a pavilion in the air.”

Beardie fell silent.

Honestly speaking, he had felt that Sun Mo was an unscrupulous profiteer earlier. (By talking like that, wouldn’t the students you teach all become money-minded?)

But after hearing Grandmaster Duanmu’s words, they did seem logical.

He recalled when he was young, he was so hungry that he couldn’t fall asleep. The only thought he had was to enter the Dragon Subduing Academy and learn some skills so he didn’t need to endure hunger anymore in the future.

“So, my thinking has become shallow!”

Beardie started to reflect.

At the same time, he began to feel a hint of admiration for Sun Mo.

Ding!

Favorable impression from Beardie +10. Neutral (35/100).

Duanmu Li looked at Sun Mo who was on the platform. Sun Mo was confident and elegant, speaking frankly with assurance. His appearance which was full of vim was like with him being present, nothing else in the world was worthy of your attention. People were intoxicated.

How many years had it been since he last saw such a fascinating lecture?

Was the content of Sun Mo’s lecture rare?

To a grandmaster botanist like Duanmu Li, it was frequently heard. But Sun Mo’s self-confidence, style, and intelligence caused people to feel intoxicated.

“Clear speech, graceful manner. What a pity, he doesn’t have a compatible face.”

Duanmu Li shook his head.

With regard to human nature, Duanmu Li’s understanding was quite clear. Because he admired Sun Mo, he said a few words of praise. Truthfully speaking, Sun Mo was using a weak point in human nature.

In this world, no one would feel that they had earned enough money.

Rather than talking about ten thousand advantages of botany, the effect might not be as great as saying you could use it to earn money. Sun Mo made use of this point to generate the interest of the students so they would take the initiative to learn.

However, he had to allow the students to see the hope of earning money before their interest was eradicated by the dull learning process.

Bait that couldn’t be eaten would eventually lead to the fish leaving.

Duanmu Li wanted to know how Sun Mo would do it. After that, he saw Sun Mo taking a brush and drawing out a plant on the blackboard. This caused him to feel shocked.

This was because even a publicly acknowledged grandmaster botanist like him had never seen such a plant before.

“Interesting!”

Duanmu Li couldn’t help but applaud.

Upon seeing this, Beardie didn’t understand what was going on. Was this Sun Mo really so outstanding?

“If there are any students or great teachers who can recognize this plant. I will give them an illustrated handbook about the Darkness Continent’s plant species.”

Sun Mo smiled.

His battle strategy was like what Duanmu Li had said. Besides, he also understood that he had to be willing to part with something as bait before he could draw more students over. Hence, he took out an S-grade darkness species.

S-grade indicated that the number of people in the entire Nine Provinces who knew about it would be extremely few.

Wanyan Zhenghe glanced at the surroundings and discovered that a few great teachers in the crowd were currently whispering to each other. Evidently, they didn’t know anything.

“Damn, is there no one who can smack his face?”

Wanyan Zhenghe grew unhappy.

“Teacher, don’t keep us in suspense. Quickly explain?”

The braided-hair guy used an honorific in his address.

“This plant is a species that lives in the third level of the Darkness Continent. Its name is oil wheat. The fruit it produces is just like what I drew, an oval-shaped fruit. After squeezing it, one could squeeze out a lot of oil. Other than using it for food, it can be rubbed on one’s body and has a miraculous effect toward treating burns.”

Sun Mo explained.

The students whispered.

Sun Mo saw that only slightly over ten people were taking notes. After that, he shook his head in disappointment. “Are you guys feeling that because this isn’t a medical herb and can’t be used as a component for alchemy, so its information isn’t worthy to be noted down?

“With your mentalities, even if the chance to become wealthy appears before your eyes, you guys won’t be able to seize it.

“This oil wheat isn’t a herb, but it is a cash crop. If one plants this large-scale, the oil from the plant can be used to replace animal grease.”

In the Middle-Earth Nine Provinces, they didn’t have such things like soybeans. Hence, there was no soybean oil either. They could extract vegetable oil, but the process was complicated and the yield was low. Hence, lard and butter were used the vast majority of times.

Having a butter lamp in your home was the symbol of a rich clan.

Children from ordinary families had limited horizons. They were a little confused. But children of nobility and rich merchants had their eyes immediately brighten. They hurriedly opened their notebook and started to copy the drawing of the plant on the blackboard.

“Although the world before everyone’s eyes is the same, if your mentality toward things is different, the world you see will naturally be different from others.”

After Sun Mo finished speaking, Priceless Advice was activated.

Beardie also couldn’t help but applaud. Well said.

There was a hint of zen within Sun Mo’s words.

Hence, Beardie contributed tens of favorable impression points again.

“You guys are really lucky. In the past, I have never publicly announced this plant. Alright, I’m going to give it a detailed introduction now.”

Just after Sun Mo finished speaking, someone exclaimed in shock.

“Teacher, are you saying that only you alone know about this plant?”

The braided-hair guy’s question caused everyone to involuntarily hold their breaths as they stared at Sun Mo in anticipation. If this was truly the case, they would be able to become rich.