Nian Bing took out the map from the Space Ring and carefully identified the location. Just as Sang Jie had said, Lanmeng City was parallel to Ulan City. If she wanted to go directly to the Ottoman Empire's capital, Aulan City, she would have to pass through Ulan City. This was the shortest distance. If she went through Lanmeng City, she would have to take a detour. However, to avoid being affected by the war, going to Lanmeng City now was obviously the best choice. Anyway, Luo Rou's wedding would only be held two years later. There was plenty of time. She might as well stay in Lanmeng City for a while and use this time to cultivate her magic. At the same time, she could also deepen her practice of cooking. Through the practice with Ming Hui, Nian Bing had a certain understanding of the Mysterious Jade Hand. Although he couldn't practice the Mysterious Jade Hand as special as the Mysterious Jade Hand, with his control of the fire element, the heat wouldn't affect him too much. If he practiced more, he might be able to achieve the effect of breaking the water and protecting his face. Lanmeng City. Let's go to Lanmeng City.
Thinking of this, Nian Bing put away the map, chanted the Blizzard spell, and went down the hill. The road from Binglan City to Lanmeng City was sparsely populated. Nian Bing had a map this time, so she didn't take the main road. Instead, she looked for a shortcut. She tried to use the Blizzard spell to fly for a long time. However, the Blizzard spell wasn't a wind-elemental spell. Even if she tried her best, she could only fly for a little more than two hours. Even so, a two-hour flight was equivalent to two days of walking. Nian Bing realized that this was a very good method of cultivation, and it was very beneficial to the increase of his mana. He decided to give up on walking, and relied purely on the snowstorm to travel. Whenever his mana ran out, he would find a secluded place and use a magic scroll to defend himself. Once his mana recovered, he would continue his journey.
Relying on the speed of the Blizzard, she reached her temporary destination three days later — Lanmeng City.
Lanmeng City was already in sight from afar. Perhaps it was because this was the backyard of the Ottoman Empire. There wasn't much defense. The city walls weren't tall, only ten meters or so. It couldn't be compared to Binglan City's level of defense. The city gates were wide open, and there weren't many people passing by. There were only four Ottoman Empire soldiers guarding the city gates.
The people of the Ottoman Empire were not too different from the people of the Ice Moon Empire, except that they were shorter in stature. Their hair was mainly blue, purple, and black. The people of Auland who had blue hair were almost the same as the people of the Ice Moon Empire. It was extremely rare to see someone with blonde hair like him. Nian Bing strode towards Lanmeng City. Since she had decided to wait here until the end of the war, she had to find a cheap and good inn.
While thinking, Nian Bing had already arrived at the gate of Lanmeng City. The guards didn't make things difficult for him because of his blond hair. He didn't even look at him and just let him go in. Entering Lanmeng City, he immediately had a special feeling. The entire city seemed to be enveloped by a peaceful aura. It was close to noon, and there weren't many people on the street. However, from their faces, one could see a comfortable and satisfied smile.
"Little brother, are you here to sign up?" Nian Bing was looking for an inn on the street when a strange voice suddenly appeared behind her. She turned around and saw a middle-aged man in his thirties looking at her. He was thin and small, and the smile on his face looked a little obscene. Before Nian Bing could speak, he took the initiative and said, "Looking at your appearance, you should be a foreigner. You must have come to our Lanmeng City to study. What do you want to learn? Martial arts? That's too common. Once you join the army, war is merciless. It's better to learn a skill that will be useful for the rest of your life! "
Nian Bing smiled and said, "Must one come to Lanmeng City to study?"
The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment and said, "Are you not here to study? For a foreigner of your age to come to Lanmeng City, other than to study, I really can't think of any other reason. Lanmeng City is known as the city of academies, and that's not for nothing. We have academies for all kinds of professions in our city, especially the only comprehensive academy in the continent. It's the largest academy in the entire continent. Although the tuition fees are a little high, you'll definitely be able to learn the knowledge you need from there. Young people should learn more. Otherwise, it'll be difficult to learn when you enter society. "
The words' City of Academies' aroused Nian Bing's interest. "Then what can you learn from the comprehensive academy here?"
The middle-aged man rubbed his hands, and his small eyes revealed a look of a target who had taken the bait. Although it was just a flash, it was still caught by Nian Bing. "Little brother, the most famous place in our Lanmeng City is Lanmeng Academy, which is the comprehensive academy that I mentioned to you just now. There are dozens of the most popular industries there, and each of them has very strong teaching staff. According to the different industries, the tuition fee is also different. Moreover, it's not something that can be enrolled just because you have money. You also need to pass a certain examination. If you can have a graduation certificate from Lanmeng Academy, you can find a suitable job for yourself no matter where you go in the future. Of course, the examination to enter the academy is a little difficult. If you don't pass the examination, it doesn't matter. Our Lanmeng City has many small academies that are involved in a wide range of industries and are not inferior to Lanmeng Academy. Moreover, the tuition fee is much lower. Sometimes, the teachers of Lanmeng Academy will also come to these academies to teach some classes. How about it? Which industry are you interested in? "
Hearing this, Nian Bing couldn't help but recall that when she had just arrived at Ice Snow City, Xuejing had asked her which culinary school she had graduated from. She subconsciously asked, "Then, does Lanmeng Academy have a culinary department?"
"Culinary?" When the middle-aged man heard these two words, he couldn't help but be stunned. He couldn't imagine that this tall and handsome young man in front of him would be interested in the culinary profession, which had always been at the bottom of the continent. However, his reaction was very fast. After being stunned for a moment, he hurriedly smiled and said, "Of course, of course there is. Being a chef is also a very common profession. Do you want to learn culinary skills? No problem. In our academy city, there's nothing that you can't think of that we don't teach. How about it, little brother? Do you need me to introduce you? No matter if it's Lanmeng Academy or an ordinary small academy, I have connections. "
Nian Bing smiled slightly and said, "Then I'll have to trouble you to introduce me to Lanmeng Academy."
The middle-aged man chuckled and said, "This is simple, this is simple. As an ordinary profession, the culinary department's fees are relatively low and modest. However, that's your own business. As long as you can pass the exam, if your results are outstanding, you may even be able to get the treatment of free tuition. However, as for the recommendation fee … "Speaking up to this point, he rubbed his fingers.
When Nian Bing had started to tell her about the academy, she had already understood what this person did. However, he had just arrived here and wasn't familiar with everything. Listening to his explanation was very beneficial to her. At this moment, seeing the other party reveal his true colors, she couldn't help but smile and said, "The recommendation fee is easy. As long as you can let me participate in the exam, that's enough. However, does this Lanmeng Academy enroll students at any time? Could it be that there are no special rules for this? "
The middle-aged man said, "Of course not. Lanmeng Academy is very special. No matter which department, you can take the exam at any time. As long as you pass, the department's tutor will arrange for you to enter the corresponding grade to study. The culinary department seems to be divided into five grades. However, I have to remind you that if you want to enter Lanmeng Academy, you must have a certain foundation in your profession. Otherwise, it will be very difficult to pass the exam. As for the recommendation fee, I'll charge you one gold coin. The price is cheap. With my recommendation, you can take the exam today. How about it? "
"One gold coin? You might as well go and rob. "Nian Bing said unhappily. She had only spent one gold coin to buy the entire Sky Spring Pavilion's kitchen utensils. This middle-aged man really knew how to demand an exorbitant price.
The middle-aged man chuckled and said, "My fee is very reasonable. It's definitely worth it. If you don't have my recommendation, you will need to wait until there are ten people before you can take the exam. Every day you delay, won't you miss out on learning a lot of things? Alright, how about this. Seeing that I met you the moment I arrived at the city gate, I'll give you a 20% discount. That's cheap enough. "
Nian Bing laughed, "Cheap? Eight silver coins may not be much to some rich kids, but look at me robbing. Do I look like a rich kid? Moreover, rich kids probably don't learn culinary arts. One silver coin, this is the price I can afford. Any more and I won't do. I'd rather wait until there are ten people. "
"One silver coin? Kid, you're too stingy. " Once he heard that Nian Bing could only pay so little, the middle-aged man's attitude immediately changed. His original 'little brother' directly dropped to 'kid'.
Nian Bing said indifferently, "You just need to say a few good words for me. One silver coin is already quite a lot. If you don't want to, then forget it. I'll find it myself. "
The middle-aged man's eyes revealed a trace of disdain, "Alright, one silver coin it is. But I'll say it first. I'm only responsible for bringing you there. If you can't pass the exam or don't have the money to pay the tuition fee, I won't care. I won't refund you the money. Come, follow me. "Saying that, he walked down the street towards the city.
Did Nian Bing really care about money that much? Of course not. He just wanted to get his money's worth. A culinary school. Not bad. If he studied here, not only would he not have to look for a place to stay, he might even be able to interact with some culinary experts. Using the time at night to cultivate magic was indeed the best choice now. Thinking of this, he couldn't help but be glad that he came to this city. Now, he only hoped that the Lanmeng Academy was really like what the middle-aged man said, worthy of the title of the continent's number one academy.
Perhaps because Nian Bing paid too little, the middle-aged man didn't bother to waste his breath on him. He led him into the depths of Lanmeng City through many twists and turns. As they walked, Nian Bing observed the surrounding environment. Soon, he discovered that although the middle-aged man was a little greedy, he wasn't lying. Along the way, he already saw no less than ten places with academy signboards. Although they didn't look big, they were involved in various industries, including forging, magic, martial arts, politics, tailoring, commerce, etc. They even had some involvement in some of the more remote small industries. The surroundings of these academies were also the more prosperous areas of Lanmeng City. He could often see similarly dressed young people walking on the streets. The logo on their clothes clearly stated the name of the academy.
After walking all the way from the north of the city to the west, the middle-aged man finally stopped. "We're here. It's here." Nian Bing looked in the direction he was pointing, but didn't see any academy signboards. It was a very ordinary medium-sized restaurant with the words "Ru Jia Restaurant" hanging above it. There was no one at the entrance.
"Here? Did you make a mistake? Is this an academy? "Nian Bing was a little displeased.
The middle-aged man snorted and said exasperatedly, "Idiot, who said I'm taking you directly to the academy? If you don't go through the assessment, it's useless even if you go to the academy. This restaurant is Lanmeng Academy's culinary arts assessment site. Go on in. Give me the referral fee first, and I'll take you in to take the assessment. "
Nian Bing took out a silver coin and threw it to the middle-aged man. He wasn't afraid that this obscene fellow would go back on his word. His body wasn't as tough as those high-level warriors of the Iron Blood Knights.
The middle-aged man tossed the silver coin in his hand and put it into his pocket with some dissatisfaction. "Follow me." He threw down a sentence indifferently and took the lead to walk towards Ru Jia Restaurant.
When they entered the restaurant, it was more lively than Nian Bing had imagined. The restaurant's lobby was several hundred square meters, and the fifty to sixty tables were fully occupied. The service staff shuttled back and forth endlessly, and the business seemed to be quite good.
The middle-aged man brought Nian Bing to the counter. Behind the counter stood a young girl. She wasn't tall and only reached Nian Bing's chest. She was wearing a blue shirt and pants without too many decorations, looking very plain. Her long blue hair was combed into a large braid that hung down her back. She had her head lowered and was fiddling with an abacus, as if she was calculating.
"Miss Meng, hello, I've brought you a new student." The middle-aged man smiled apologetically and said to the young girl behind the counter.
The young girl raised her head. When Nian Bing saw her appearance, his heart was suddenly stunned. This young girl in blue had a pair of big purple eyes. Her gaze was very calm and somewhat cold. Although she wasn't tall and wasn't as plump as Xuejing, she naturally had a kind of otherworldly aura. When she saw the middle-aged man, the coldness in her purple eyes became more intense. "What are you doing here? Haven't you been pulling people from the Martial Arts Academy recently? How come you have time to come to our place today? "
The middle-aged man pointed to Nian Bing beside him and said: "Miss Meng, it's like this. Today I met this kid outside the city gate. He wants to enter the Academy to learn cooking, so I brought him here."
Miss Meng raised her head and looked at Nianbing. From her cold eyes, Nian Bing didn't see any emotional fluctuations. "Him? You should bring him to the Cosmetology Department. There are many beauties there. Maybe he can charm a few of them. He can directly enter the Academy without the examination. We don't accept trash here. You can take him away. "
The middle-aged man laughed and said: "I don't think he's cut out to be a chef. Anyway, I've already brought him here. Since you don't want to accept him, then it has nothing to do with me. Kid, you can't blame me. If you have the ability, then persuade Miss Meng yourself. She will be in charge of the examination this time." After saying this, the middle-aged man turned around and left, not giving Nian Bing a chance to react.
Nian Bing didn't pay attention to the middle-aged man. Bringing her here was already enough for her. This cold and elegant Miss Meng made Nian Bing a little curious. From her body, Nian Bing could see that this Lan Meng Academy had some skills. He didn't pay attention to Miss Meng's appearance, but her hands. She had a pair of slender hands. Her nails were neatly trimmed. There were no ornaments on her hands. When she fiddled with the abacus, her fingers were extremely flexible. This was definitely a pair of hands that only a high-level chef could have.
Seeing Nian Bing still standing there, Miss Meng couldn't help but frown: "Didn't you hear my words? You can go now. Don't stand here and be an eyesore. Why are you so tall? "
Nian Bing smiled and said: "It doesn't seem to be my fault that I'm tall. Just now, that person said that as long as he brought me here, I can accept the examination. I haven't taken the examination yet, so how can I leave? "
Miss Meng snorted and said: "I'll teach you a lesson. Just now, that guy is called Li San Er. He is a famous green-skinned chef in the city. By chance, he saved the dean of our Academy. The dean unintentionally promised him that as long as it was a student brought by him, he could directly take the examination without waiting for ten people. But who would have thought that he would seize this opportunity to make a living and charge a high referral fee. Presumably, you also spent a lot of money. However, your money was wasted. In the future, don't trust others so easily. This is a lesson for you. "
Nian Bing smiled and said: "A silver coin for a lesson, it doesn't seem cheap! Since Li San Er has the dean's permission, then I should be able to participate in the examination! "
Miss Meng said indifferently: "Your examination is already over. So, you can go now. We don't accept incompetent people here. Even if you study for five years, you won't have any achievements. Being a chef may be a lowly profession. But not everyone can do this profession well. "
Nian Bing laughed in her heart. Even if her cooking skills hadn't reached the top, she certainly wasn't an incompetent person. She curiously asked: "Miss Meng, can you tell me how you tested me and determined that I'm not a chef material?"
Miss Meng was obviously impatient. She coldly said: "It's very simple, your hands. Although your clothes are simple, a person's temperament won't be easily changed. Plus, your hands obviously haven't worked. A man wearing a ring, do you think you're very handsome? In my eyes, you're just an idiot in cooking. I see. You're engaged in some industries that focus on appearance, so there are still alternatives. Leave here, we don't welcome students like you. "
Nian Bing looked at his hands. He knew that this Miss Meng had already regarded him as a playboy. It was useless to explain anything now. Only facts could prove everything. "Miss Meng, no matter what, I spent a silver coin to buy this examination. If you let me go like this, I will definitely not give up. How about this, give me a chance and let me try cooking a dish."
Miss Meng looked at Nian Bing with some surprise. She didn't expect Nian Bing to be so persistent. She coldly said: "You don't have to go through so much trouble to cook. Do you see the cold dishes over there? As long as you can sell all the cold dishes in half an hour, it proves that you have the talent to be a chef. You can improve these cold dishes at will. Of course, the premise is that no one will die from eating them. "
Nian Bing looked in the direction of Miss Meng's finger. He saw that not far from the counter, there was another counter. The counter was covered with transparent gauze. There were more than ten cold dishes inside. These were not ordinary small plates, but large plates. It seemed that each plate of cold dishes could be filled with more than ten ordinary plates. In this way, at least each guest at the table had to buy more than three plates of cold dishes to sell all these. Selling these in half an hour was obviously difficult for him. Smiling slightly, Nian Bing didn't say anything. He went to the water root next to the counter and washed his hands. Then he went to the back of the cold dish counter.
There was already a young chef behind the counter. He naturally heard Miss Meng's words. When he saw Nian Bing walk over, he gestured for him to take a seat. He then stood aside with an expression as if he was waiting to watch a good show.
Simply looking at the style of the cold dishes in front of him, Nian Bing picked up the chopsticks and tasted each of them. He began his promotion process with confidence. First, he chose a plate of cold cucumber. He directly took the large tray out from behind the gauze curtain on the counter and put it on the counter. Then he said to the chef next to him: "Do you have a kitchen knife?"
The chef froze for a moment and said: "This is to buy cold dishes, not cooked food. What do you want a kitchen knife for?" He didn't think that the handsome young man in front of him, who seemed to be younger than him, could do anything.
Nian Bing smiled slightly and said: "How do you want me to sell without a kitchen knife? Please provide me with a kitchen knife. If I can't sell it in half an hour, I will naturally leave. "
"Give him a kitchen knife." Miss Meng's voice sounded. The young chef complied and ran to the back of the kitchen. After a while, he came back with a kitchen knife.
Taking the kitchen knife, Nian Bing shook it in his hand. He spread the cucumber on the plate with the spoon used for cold dishes. Then he put his thumb on the back of the knife and his index finger on the edge of the knife. His middle finger, ring finger, and little finger clenched the handle of the knife, making the whole knife stand up. The wide and thick head of the knife was not suitable for him to use, but he didn't want to expose his magic, so he could only reluctantly do this. He turned his head to look at Miss Meng. She was looking at him, but now her eyes no longer had the disdain from before. Instead, it was replaced with a dignified look. It seemed that she had paid attention to the way he held the knife.
"Green Dream Cucumber, does anyone want it?" Nian Bing raised his voice and shouted. The silence in the restaurant was suddenly broken. All the guests cast their eyes in his direction. Most of them had a look of disgust. However, their expressions soon turned into surprise because the knife in Nian Bing's hand moved. The wide and thick kitchen knife seemed to dance in Nian Bing's hand. The tip of the knife in front of him was like a spinning top. His wrist seemed to have no bones, changing into any position he wanted. The cold cucumber in the large tray did not splash out under the stimulation of the tip of the knife, but the originally diamond-shaped cucumber was changing shape. What was the Green Dream Cucumber? It was very simple. All the cucumbers turned into the word 'Meng', and the crumbs of the cucumber were cleverly picked to the side and separated from the cucumber itself. There was no effect at all. Nian Bing's hand was very steady. Almost every time it trembled, there would be a dozen cucumbers turned into the word 'Meng', but the kitchen knife in his hand was really not suitable. So the word 'Meng' was not exactly the same. There were some differences in some places, but for now, it was enough.
The guests at the table near the cold dish counter saw it the most clearly. Just the knife in Nian Bing's hand was enough to attract them. One of the middle-aged men with a medium build got up and walked to the cold dish counter. When he saw the changes in the cucumbers on the plate, he suddenly opened his mouth in surprise. This was not completely in the category of cooking. Such exquisite knife skills were not something an ordinary person like him could understand.
The knife in Nian Bing's hand stopped moving. He smiled and said: "Do you want a plate? One silver coin for a plate. "
The middle-aged man was stunned for a moment. "One silver coin? Are you kidding me? This was originally three copper coins a plate, but now it is twice as long? "
Nian Bing proudly said: "Do you think this word 'Meng' is not worth one silver coin?"
The middle-aged man Nianbing gave a thumbs up and said: "It is, young man. Your saber skills are truly marvelous! Give me a plate, one silver coin it is. "
Nian Bing smiled and handed over a plate of Green Dream Cucumbers. He pointed to the counter and said: "Please give the money to Miss Meng. Who else needs this Green Dream Cucumbers?"
Several old guests nearby stood up. Even if they didn't buy, their curiosity urged them to come and see what was going on. When they saw the cucumbers with the word 'Meng', they couldn't help but be stunned. Such a magical knife skill made them open their pockets to buy a plate. Just when Nian Bing wanted to continue selling his handmade Green Dream Cucumbers, Miss Meng's figure appeared in front of him.
"Well, don't sell it. Is the word 'Brocade' only worth one silver coin?" Miss Meng looked at Nian Bing with a complicated expression and stopped him from continuing to cut the cucumbers.
Nian Bing smiled and put down the kitchen knife in his hand: "Then, am I still an idiot in cooking? I don't know if I have passed the test? "
Miss Meng nodded her head and said: "Come with me. Everyone, I'm sorry, this is a new student of our cooking department. Sorry to disturb everyone's meal. "After that, she took Nian Bing to the back.
Passing through the busy kitchen, Miss Meng directly took Nian Bing to the back courtyard. "Who did you learn the word 'Brocade' from?" Miss Meng's tone was somewhat hurried.
Nian Bing said: "An old man taught me. I don't know what his name is. After teaching me knife skills for a few days, he left."
Miss Meng's big eyes widened even more: "What did you say? Only a few days? Do you think I am a fool? Ordinary people practice the word 'Brocade', without the guidance of a famous teacher, it is impossible to have any results even after decades. Who did you learn your knife skills from? "
Nian Bing said indifferently: "Miss Meng, don't you think you are asking too much? Who I learned the knife skills from is my secret. I came to the cooking department to attend classes, not to be examined by you. "
Miss Meng's anxious expression calmed down a bit. She nodded her head and said: "I'm sorry, it was my fault to look down on you before. I apologize to you." After that, she bowed slightly to Nian Bing.
Nian Bing wanted to help her, but she remembered that men and women were different. She raised her hands in the air: "Miss Meng, you don't have to be polite. From your dexterous hands, you should also be good at knife skills. If there is a chance, we can learn more from each other. The reason I'm here is to deepen my skills. "
The coldness in Miss Meng's eyes weakened a bit and said: "Let's go, I will take you to the school to register. Our cooking department also has various courses. I will recommend you to the dean."
Nian Bing smiled and said: "Then I will trouble Miss Meng. I also hope to learn more knowledge here. "
Miss Meng nodded her head. She was obviously much more polite to Nian Bing. "Please follow me." The two people left the restaurant from the backyard. Under her guidance, they walked towards the back.
When Nian Bing really arrived at Lanmeng Academy, the surprise in his heart was difficult to hide. Rather than calling it an academy, it was better to call it a small city. The walls surrounding the academy were actually five meters wide and ten meters high. Even the guards at the entrance were wearing the standard military uniform of the Ottoman Empire. Only the huge plaque hanging on the top floor of the entrance could tell that this was an academy.
Miss Meng looked at Nian Bing's almost idiotic expression and couldn't help but laugh. She, who was always cold, suddenly laughed. Like a spring breeze thawing ice, she attracted Nian Bing's gaze. She said: "Lanmeng Academy has a long history. It is one of the oldest academies in the Yangon continent. Our academy occupies a third of Lanmeng Academy's area. It can be said to be a city within a city. The walls you see are the works of the academy's architecture students. It involves the defense system, drainage system, counterattack system, and many other fields. It is said that the defensive power is much stronger than the average small city. The guards at the entrance are not real soldiers, but students of the martial arts department. The academy's martial arts department is the most famous among the various departments. The dean of the martial arts department is one of the most senior Swordsman in the continent. He is ranked fifth among the top ten martial arts experts in the continent. The attraction is that the martial arts department has the most students in the academy. They account for about a fifth of the entire academy. From our martial arts department, many talents have been sent to the Empire. As long as they are qualified graduates, they will be recruited by the Empire's various knight regiments. They even have the opportunity to enter the Empire's trump card, the Silver Feather Knight Regiment. "
Nian Bing secretly praised the scale of this Lanmeng Academy, but the expression on his face had already returned to normal. He nodded his head and said: "The academy's strength is really strong! However, I am not that interested in the other departments. Miss Meng, can you introduce us to the culinary department? Are you a teacher or a student? Looking at your appearance, you should be less than twenty years old. "
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