Chapter 1 — Champion Flower Queen

My father lost the cockfight and gave me the loss to the playboy son of the Dinh Bac Hau palace as his concubine. My uncle advised me to accept my destiny. The mother went to find her fiance, Giang Tuan, to think of a way, but in the end she brought back a resignation letter. Everyone thinks that other than obediently stepping on the palanquin, we have no other way. Only I stared at the extravagant young man sitting in the middle of the hall and said:
"My grandfather is old, so if you defeat him, it won't be glorious."
"If you have the courage, you and I will have an honest fight. Whoever loses has to go around the cockfighting ring and learn the sound of dogs barking three times. Do you dare?"
In my previous life, right when I was about to get a promotion and raise my salary at the zoo, I ended up in this strange place. An angry stomach with no place to vent. If I don't make this young man lose to the point of doubting life, I'm not worthy of being an animal language master. 01 Liu Tiep sat cross-legged in the hall, holding the contract with his ancestor's seal in his hand, shaking it until it made a loud noise.
"The paper is clearly written in black and white. The old uncle lost in the cockfight, and took Fourth Miss and assigned me to be his concubine. What's the matter? Is it the Count's mansion that he can't lose?"
The patriarch huddled on the monk's chair, bowing his head like a quail. The grandmother had just been provoked to the point of fainting, and was now leaning over the bed panting, her lips turning purple.
“Shameless!”
A long time later, the great-grandmother gritted her teeth and uttered two words. Liu Tiep sneered:
"What's wrong with being shameless? Since you've bet, you have to accept defeat. If you don't want to marry your daughter, then give me ten thousand taels of silver. Even if you take the case to Thuan Thien Palace, young master will not be afraid."
One thousand taels. If collected, the sample group can be retrieved. But she has three sons and four grandsons. She may be willing, but my uncle, my second uncle and my useless father certainly cannot bear to give up that money. The great uncle tightened his handkerchief and sighed:
"This is also sister Tuyet's fate. Consider her paying the debt on her father's behalf."
Mother held my hand tightly, shaking non-stop. Last night, she came to ask for help from my fiance. This morning, the Giang family brought a farewell letter, accompanied by a sentence:
“If you bet, you have to accept defeat.”
In addition, it says:
"Our second master said that the third young lady of the noble house is talented and handsome, and can be a concubine."
All around are enemies. I stepped out from behind my mother. Luu Tiep observed me from top to bottom, curling the corners of his lips:
"Fourth young lady, don't worry. According to the young master, even being a concubine will be happier than being a young lady here."
I ignored him and went to the bamboo cage placed in the corner of the hall. In the cage is a red-crested fighting cock, tilting its head to look at me. I squatted down and looked straight into its eyes. It clucked twice. After listening, I stood up.
"Liu Ngu, my grandfather is old. There is nothing glorious about you winning against him. If you have the courage, fight with me."
The hall was silent for a moment.
“You?”
Luu Tiep looked at me like he was looking at a rare object.
“You want to have a cockfight with me?”
"That's right. Do you dare to bet? If I lose, I will be your concubine. If I win, you have to go around the cockfighting ring and learn the dog's bark three times."
I stared at him:
“Do you dare?”
He raised his head and laughed loudly, then placed the teacup firmly on the table.
"Okay!"
The two sides negotiate the date, time and bet amount, sign their names, and invite an intermediary to testify. Luu Tiep led his people and left proudly. There was only silence left in the hall. Mother rushed to hug me tightly, her whole body trembling.
"Tuyet Nhi! I've never fought a cock before!"

I don't explain. The fighting cock in the cage is using its beak to comb the injured feathers, tilting its head and clucking. It told me that Luu Tiep's Tho Phon fighting cock is extremely ferocious, has great strength, but has a weakness. It cannot withstand prolonged battle. I reached out and gently touched its crest and said to my mother:
“I will not lose.”
“Even if you use an old hen, you can still beat him.”
02 Early the next morning, I brought a few taels of scrap silver to the market and chose to buy an old hen. After that, I closed the hospital door tightly and buried myself in training it. My grandfather and great-grandmother came to see my "fighting cock" and almost couldn't stand.
“Fourth girl, do you think cockfighting is that simple?”
Several brothers, sisters-in-law and sisters also came to watch, everyone widened their eyes. The leader observed for a long time and then came to a heavy conclusion:
“This is really just an old hen.”
Third sister Lam Lo looked for a long time and said:
“Are you planning to give up and let it go?”
Mother held the lamp and stood in front of the chicken coop for a long time. She held my hand, her eyes red.
"Tuyet Nhi, listen to your mother. Let's escape from here tonight..."
"If you run away, Liu Tiep will charge this debt to the earl's palace, to your mother and to your brother."
The mother opened her mouth and tears immediately fell.
“Mother.”
I grabbed her hand back.
“I will not lose.”
She looked at me, then at the hen with her head buried in the coop eating corn. Finally, she silently wiped her face, took the lamp and left. The light cast a long shadow on her back. I squatted down again, picked up a grain of corn from the trough and brought it in front of the chicken. It tilted its head to look at me, its eyes fierce.
“Eat quickly.”
I said:
"After eating, I will massage you, guaranteed to help you develop three times your strength."
It clucked loudly, as if to say: You better keep your word. 03 Cockfighting day soon arrived. Mother and second-in-law arrived very early. Looking at the way I dressed, my mother was briefly stunned, then her eyes turned red, she covered her mouth with her hand and turned away. The great-grandmother sat in the main hall, her eyes also red. She used her stick to gently tap the ground but said nothing. The eldest aunt and the second uncle were both present. A person holding a towel said:
“The fourth girl is dressed very neatly today.”
The other person immediately continued:
"That's right. Even if you lose, you have to lose for the sake of dignity."
His mouth was comforting, but his eyes clearly looked like he was waiting to see a joke. Lam Lo from the second room held a handkerchief and said:
"That's good. Regardless of whether we win or lose, Fourth Sister will not suffer any loss."
"I have specifically asked. Liu Tiep's wife is the young lady of Vinh An Ba Palace. Vinh An Ba Palace is not even as good as our house. Four sisters have such a mother, surely life will not be too difficult in the future..."
The leader came in from outside. He looked at the way I dressed, then looked at the chicken cage that Bich Ha was carrying in her hand, covered with black cloth on the outside. The corners of his lips twitched and he sighed.
“Let's go, I'll take you there.”
He lowered his voice:
"Don't be afraid. If we really lose, we won't let you be his concubine."
When he helped me onto the carriage, he leaned close and said:
"My sister-in-law has thought of a way. If we really get to that point, we will at best be out of debt."
I stopped walking and turned my head to look at him. The prefect's face carried some confusion and concern. Obviously he also knows this method is not very honorable, but there really is no other way.
“Is this what your sister-in-law means?”
"Yes. But you have to keep it to yourself, absolutely don't say it out loud."
I was silent for a while then got on the carriage. Arriving at Binh Khang ward, the front door was crowded with people. Many people were standing around the counter to place bets. But the people who bet on me winning are pitifully few. I asked the boss:

“Do you have silver?”
"…Have."
“Then go bet and support your sister.”
I turned to Phuong Thao again:
“You should also bet on me to win.”
“Miss, how much to order?”
“Didn't we bring two hundred taels of silver?”
This is my entire inheritance.
“Put them all.”
“Remember to bring back your bet voucher.”