Dance Of The Phoenix
29. Wagering

"Hey, you're Gu Yue who's looking for attention with the Crown Prince, right? I suggest you give up on support. The Crown Prince won't help a weak boy like you to enter the inner courtyard easily."

"Right, only Boss Wang alone could earn that trust."

"Gu Yue oh Gu Yue, I heard you provoked Young Master Xiao from Yi Empire during the final exam of the academy selection. Young Master Xiao has a cousin in the inner courtyard and has already achieved the academy's arena ranking, you won't have a good day."

"Young Master Xiao? Who's that?" Gu Yuena chuckled. Who is this Xiao clan? Feels familiar, is it possible because of the name Xiao market?

"You don't know Young Master Xiao? Young Master Xiao is the prime minister's son. His position was very important in the Yi Empire. You're just a commoner, not a noble. It is better to give up and apologize immediately to Young Master Xiao so as not to let your parents down when you return home."

"The prime minister is a vindictive person. I suggest you obey."

Gu Yuena pulled the corner of her lips, putting on a polite smile. He does not want to create problems and serve problems, then solve them quickly without further ado.

"Sorry to have offended your Young Master Xiao. I didn't know that it made Young Master Xiao angry, so I apologized in earnest. As for the Crown Prince's matter, if you think that I want the great benefits of being a subordinate to the Crown Prince, it's unfortunately wrong. I'm not interested. You guys who are interested in working on it, I won't interfere."

"It's good that you're conscious." The man surnamed Wang snorted. Then he felt something was wrong.

Not true, shouldn't Gu Yue refuse to apologize so she had a reason to beat him up?

"If there's nothing else to say, I go first." Gu Yuena turned around about to leave, but the man surnamed Wang stopped her. His men instantly swarmed around Gu Yuena in a circle form. Gu Yuena turned around, with the same smile. "Isn't our problem over?"

The man surnamed Wang snorted. "You think I'm stupid to believe what you say? How can I be sure that you're really giving up?" He sizzled while rubbing his chin. "That's it. You kneeled and kowtowed three times while saying that Big Brother Wang Liang was the best, then recommended me to the Crown Prince to be taken to the inner courtyard. In this way, our debt is breakeven."

Gu Yuena pulled next to her eyebrows. "debt? I don't feel like I'm borrowing money from you."

Wang Liang growled in annoyance. "You owe me for stealing my chance to get close to the Crown Prince, you have to pay it off!"

"Stupid." Gu Yuena was lazy to deal with a fool. He has humbled himself by apologizing because there may be some actions that are out of bounds for them.

But he would not accept being humiliated like that. Just apologizing is not difficult, but doing what an idiot says to bring yourself down is not justified.

"Why? Still a snob?" Wang Liang glared at him.

One of his henchmen kicked Gu Yuena's knee hard until it almost fell down. "Just prostrate, follow Boss Wang's words!"

Gu Yuena remained standing. He looked at Wang Liang with an unchanging smile from the start, while Xiao Hei was already growling in his arms, feeling like he wanted to pounce on them.

"I'm not the one who's looking for or causing trouble, but you're sending me trouble." Gu Yuena smiled wryly.

"Huh, it's your own fault. Better get it right, or I'll finish you off!"

"There are no battles on the academy grounds. If there was a certain conflict that required one to fight, then it was done in the ranked arena." Gu Yuena said with a certain intent.

"Ck, so you're challenging me?" Wang Liang looked at his minions. "Hey you guys, who wants to hit him first in the arena?"

Gu Yuena spoke before the others replied, "The arena rules are only the lower levels can challenge. I should've challenged it officially, but ...."

"You'll challenge who, it's none of my business, and you'll lose anyway." Wang Liang laughed out loud. New students can challenge seniors.

"I don't want to challenge without profit. I will challenge you, but you are stronger than me. So I have to have some conditions. Otherwise, I'll let my little cat handle it."

At the same time, Xiao Hei jumped up from his arm and swelled up like a monstrous black panther. His sharp claws pressed against the ground until it cracked, accompanied by his striking pitch-black body. His red irises were like demons, looking at the seniors who were besieging Gu Yuena viciously.

"You ...." Wang Liang was surprised. Who would have thought he would see a monster released just like that in the courtyard. "It's violation! The academy forbids any student from releasing his contract animal."

"He's not a contract animal, but my pet. Are you so stupid that you don't realize that there's no contract mark on his body? Oh, you won't realize until someone tells you the truth after reporting me. Thank you, I saved your face this time." Gu Yuena showed a smirk.

Wang Liang was silent. He pressed his fist, feeling extremely annoyed at this situation. It should have been him who beat up that shameless little fellow, why was he even being suppressed by a big cat as well as Gu Yue's annoying words!

"Say terms!"

Gu Yuena smiled completely. Indeed, problems do not fully bring misfortune. This time he was lucky to find a victim. "If I win, you will have to pay 10,000 taels of gold for the treatment of the injured me. To be honest it's a little money for nobles, no problem, right?"

The disciples who surrounded Gu Yuena were shocked. The amount of 10,000 gold taels was too much! It could even be used to buy a simple house in the empire, what little young man wanted to rob!

Wang Liang snorted. "Good!"

"Boss Wang, isn't this a robbery?" One of his henchmen objected.

"Shut up! We'll win anyway." Wang Liang smiled triumphantly at Gu Yuena. "The bet you put up is too light. If I lose, I will pay you 100,000 gold taels. If I win, you must obey my orders just now and exit this academy voluntarily!"

The amount of 100,000 gold taels was the entire assets of the Wang Family for 8 years. Although it was very much, he was confident that he could win from Gu Yuena. As long as he could enter the inner courtyard, he would risk everything.

Gu Yuena was getting excited. He felt like he wanted to jump in joy because he got a lot of money, but he tried to control his emotions. "Okay, I take the bet. As verification, this bet must be filed with the arena jury to be fair."

The jury of the arena cannot be bribed by a person like Wang Liang or the Prime Minister's Son, not even by the Crown Prince. It's gonna be a fun bet.

"To respect the opponent, I'll give a week's rest in preparation. We'll meet at the arena in a week. I hope you don't run." Wang Liang also went to bring his minions with a carefree feeling. Apparently it was very easy to provoke Gu Yue compared to a stubborn child who was pretentious in self-defense. Gu Yue was quite talkable.

Gu Yuena looked at their departure with a full smile and a sense of happiness finding a suitable opponent. Xiao Hei approached with his large body and headed towards Gu Yuena before the girl finally relaxed the knee she had just kicked.

"Ah, it hurts a lot." Gu Yuena complained while massaging her aching knee. Those people are too much to kick him.

"Miss, are you okay?" Xiao Hei was worried. If only the nona hadn't banned, he would have eaten them all by now.

"What's wrong, just a small wound, it'll also heal." Gu Yuena leaned against the large body of Xiao Hei.

"Wang Liang's strength is roughly level 5 3-star, has Miss already considered? He was slightly stronger than Ye Suanwu, not to be underestimated."

Gu Yuena smiled widely. "Aren't your nonas very strong and smart? Only level 5, nothing."

"Not to be underestimated, but .. Miss's magic skills are still very few!"

Gu Yuena put on a thinking face. "Don't it just take the magic book and study it? Mage magic is the magic of a witch, I can use it without chanting. When using it, I just need to pretend to cast a spell."

"If magic can be learned in less than a week, everyone will choose to be a mage."

"Me and everyone else are different. Remember, I have a photographic memory and a phoenix blood talent. It's not a big deal at all." Gu Yuena was confident of being able to pass this ordeal.

Although he was actually agitated with a joyful face.

...ΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩΩ...

Gu Yuena peeked at the quiet kitchen of the canteen. Look around to make sure no one is around, then step foot inside like your own home.

It was late at night when he had just left class and was hungry for the umpteenth time. Bread alone does not hold enough stomach. So she decided to cook right now.

The ingredients in the kitchen are enough to meet the needs. Gu Yuena took the apron and washed her hands, then searched and retrieved the necessary ingredients before finally starting to cook.

It does not take long to cook simple dishes. Within minutes, a delicious aroma began to wander around the kitchen. The scent came out through the ventilation gap and was smelled by some servants who were resting. In an instant, they went straight to the kitchen to take a look.

The first thing they saw was a tiny young man wrapping his food to take away.

"Are you the new cook?" One of the servants approached.

Gu Yuena remained silent for a while, then turned around slowly. He should have solved everything faster so as not to be caught. What's he supposed to do?

Looking at the uniform the little young man was wearing, they were shocked. "You're an academy student? Why is it here?"

"What are you doing here? If you want something to eat, you can take it up front." A big man who seemed to be also a cook came over to take Gu Yuena out.

Gu Yuena dodged the man's hand, then put on an awkward smile. "Uncle, I'm here to cook. What if we eat together? I see, neither have you eaten for waiting your turn."

"The rules of the academy don't prohibit his students from cooking their own food, so it doesn't matter if I'm here. As payment for having 'borrowed' the ingredients, I'll share them with you." Gu Yuena was forced to change plans. He turned to open the place he had wrapped himself in cloth, and took all the bowls in the place.

"Wait a minute!" The man stopped Gu Yuena. "There's a lot of food in the cafeteria, you don't have to cook yourself. Are you doubting the ability of the academy cook?"

"It's not like that. Actually ...." Gu Yuena tried to think of the best alternative. "Uncle, can I be your cook too? It's a pity that my talent isn't being put to good use. I can also help you when the class is over, it won't cause any trouble."

"No way, you are an academy student."

Gu Yuena pouted. "So, if you're not satisfied with my food, you can kick me out. I won't come to the kitchen anymore to cook for myself."

They looked at Gu Yuena in disbelief. It made Gu Yuena very upset.

"Uncle, I won't trouble you. I couldn't afford the food upstairs, could only cook for myself, but I was short on ingredients. If you accept me working here, I promise to cook you too. I won't make any trouble and will develop a free ground floor meal for the better."

The kitchen here is a kitchen devoted to cooking free meals of the students. Unlike the upstairs, this place is made simple with an ordinary cook. Origin can maintain energy in food, not even tasty still served. Unlike the upper floor that gets a budget from the sale of food.

They looked at each other again, then looked at Gu Yuena doubtfully.

The man finally agreed after some consideration. "All right, I'll judge it. If you graduate, you can be here to help us."

Gu Yuena allowed the man to try his cooking. He is confident and not worried about not going to pass all the qualifications. If not, what are all the trophies for?

As Gu Yuena stepped aside, a woman who was no longer young spoke to her in a resigned tone.

"It's like that, I hope you don't put it in your heart" the aunt said.

"No problem." Gu Yuena remained calm. He waited until the big man tasted his cooking.

"How's it?" Another middle-aged woman asked the man curiously. After tasting him a little, the man remained silent.

The man straightened his back, then looked at Gu Yuena with curiosity. But he put away all that curiosity and approached Gu Yuena.

He awkwardly said, "From now on, you can be the cook here."

Gu Yuena smiled in satisfaction, while the others heaved a heavy sigh. The number of cooks on the ground floor is small, good if anyone offers themselves.

But to be able to get their senior cook's recognition of the academy's students, it was indeed beyond belief. Almost all of the academy's students had haughty and proud temperaments. Having been accepted into the renowned academy, they forgot themselves that their path was still very long and underestimated the workers in the academy.

In general, academy workers were just ordinary people who needed a lot of money to support a family, different from students who were average nobles and from famous families. Disciples who came from commoners could only curry favor with them and become minions. It is very clear how discrimination often occurs.

"So you said you wanted to take us out to eat together. Why just stay there?" The man said cynically, but it just looked funny in Gu Yuena's eyes.

"Good." Gu Yuena immediately brought the bowls containing simple food to the table outside the kitchen.

Others also helped her prepare the place and put down the food. There were only the servants of the ground floor canteen who numbered four people including the big man earlier. Five plus Gu Yuena.

After putting all the food onto the table, Gu Yuena sat down on the chair that was already provided with the others. He sighed silently. Plan succeeded.

"Eat not much, because I think only I eat it. If anything is lacking, just tell me." Gu Yuena was being friendly while picking up chopsticks on the table. He's very hungry. "Oh yeah, call me Gu Yue."

They all took chopsticks and tried them. When the minced meat they took touched the tongue, their eyes immediately sparkled.

"Very good!"

"How do you make it so good? What recipe?" The middle-aged woman asked Gu Yuena curiously.

"I just added some spice that was in the kitchen. That's all." Gu Yuena answered him while chewing the food.

"Is this Wyvernia Country food? Why is bread mixed with meat?" The big man who previously said circus looked at the food in the chopsticks in surprise.

"Take it like that. My mom's from Wyvernia Country, so I can get a little of their cooking. For the reason that bread is mixed with meat, I used the Wyvernia State flavor excuse when making it." Gu Yuena could only use that excuse. He himself did not know the similarities of Wyvern Country with the western country in his world first. There are so many similarities.

"You're sure the nutrients in it aren't gone? It's very mature, what if it's gone?" The other woman wondered.

"I make sure I won't, because I'm a good firebender." Gu Yuena said proudly.

The woman chuckled. "You are this."

The food they eat is fundamentally new to their eyes. If Gu Yuena had a lot of time, she would have definitely made a more special and different—for the ancient people.

"Ah, so miss kentucky," muttered Gu Yuena looking at the fried chicken in her hand.

"What?"

"Nothing." Gu Yuena pretended to be normal. He took the chicken pieces from the food using chopsticks, but suddenly the chicken in the chopsticks just moved to another chopsticks.

That's fast. Gu Yuena was silent for a while. He turned to the chicken and saw the man he had been avoiding all day eating the chicken he had just taken.

"Nob." The man nodded.

"Luo Youzhe ...." Gu Yuena growled silently, despite looking unconcerned.

"Eh, who are you? Why are you here, instead of going back to the dorm?" The sarcastic big man commented regarding Luo Youzhe's presence.

"Her dormitory friend." Luo Youzhe replied briefly before finally sitting next to Gu Yuena while embracing her.

"I didn't ask you to come." Gu Yuena took off the embrace by force. Why is this guy always coming up all of a sudden and everywhere?

"Xiao Yue, didn't you just say you were going to cook for me? Did you forget?"

"I—"

"What if you forget. Since it's already here, I'll help you spend it." Luo Youzhe was about to grab another meal, but Gu Yuena's chopsticks directly held back his chopsticks.

"You weren't invited." Gu Yuena warned. "Look, I never let you eat my food. Cook it yourself if you can."

"Hey, you're underestimating me too much, aren't you good?" Luo Youzhe objected.

"Based face." Gu Yuena was eager to tear that face apart so as not to be praised handsome by anyone. So thick of the face that it can cover its true nature. Don't think Gu Yuena doesn't know.

"Because you're roommates, it's not good to keep fighting." The middle-aged woman advised looking at their quarrel.

"Right, Gu Yue, your friend is very handsome and looks like a good boy, in the future will have a bright future. Better not fight like a child." Another female servant said so.

"Who says a handsome face means a good boy? Gu Yue, the women only judge by their looks, don't be easy to believe." The big man who was previously cynical towards Gu Yuena was now advising her.

Gu Yuena immediately confirmed the big man's words. "Right, Uncle .. very right."

"Call me Uncle Xu."

"Uncle Xu is absolutely right." Gu Yuena completed her sentence. The next moment, he felt something was wrong. Isn't she a woman too? Uncle Xu's words shouldn't be entirely true. But .. yes, that's it.

"I think Uncle Xu has a point. Not only were men handsome, even beautiful women were more unbelievable. Especially the nobles." Luo Youzhe insinuated Gu Yuena while glancing at him.

Feeling insinuated, Gu Yuena cleared her throat to refrain from kicking the man and making a fuss. He took a drink and asked them to finish the meal quickly.

He no longer cared about Luo Youzhe joining in. If it continued to be served, he thought there would be no end.

By the way, how could Luo Youzhe know that he was here? The kitchen was always quiet and there were only workers coming in and out. If the reason is for cooking, the kitchen canteen is not just one. Is it just lucky? But what's to see him for?

Other than acting strange all day as if he was covering something up, his background other than as Young Master Luo was also suspicious. The longer one thought, the more Gu Yuena did not recognize Luo Youzhe.