[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-roaring-dragon":3,"chapter-the-roaring-dragon-the-roaring-dragon-chapter-251":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Roaring Dragon",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2282107,4463,"Chapter 251: Minor Side Story: Breakfast","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-251",251,"\u003Cp>Minor Side Story: Breakfast\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Minor Side Story: Breakfast\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zheng’an Street, Wang Fu\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At dawn, a light rain drizzled as colorful-clad maids shuttled back and forth through the western garden, delivering various dishes to a pavilion by the lake.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu crouched beside the small table, a napkin embroidered with dried fish wrapped around her neck, shaking her head eagerly as she waited for breakfast to begin.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo had spent the entire night at Ye Shirong’s residence and hadn’t slept well; now, seated beside Meiqiu, she gazed toward the distant corridor entrance, silently pondering:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After kissing me, you went straight to Lin Da’s house and won’t come back until morning…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>You said you weren’t angry—so you really just ignore me now?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once I’ve used up my three chances, I definitely won’t speak to you again…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning leaned against the ornamental bench, holding a small bowl as she fed the colorful koi in the lake, her eyes brimming with concern:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Xie Jin last night fought until his robes were shredded, then didn’t come back to let Duoduo wash and groom him—he vanished entirely. Where did he go all night?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu lifted her wing, trying to swipe at Linghu Qingmo’s neck, but sadly couldn’t reach.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo pulled her thoughts back and rubbed Meiqiu:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“He should be resting at Lin Da’s place—he’s been staying there these past two nights.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Oh?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning turned her gaze: “So you followed Xie Jin to the capital, but all you did was investigate cases, and you didn’t even sleep together at night?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo had stayed with him the first night, but Lin Da arrived the next day.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Lin Da had been Xie Jin’s lover even before she arrived in the capital; she’d only just met her, and without a legitimate reason to investigate, how could she possibly show up and steal him away?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing her friend’s veiled questions, Linghu Qingmo’s demeanor was as icy and unshakable as a Daoheart-steadfast Ice Goddess Detective:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“I came to the capital solely to investigate. Lin Da is his beloved companion; it’s only natural he stays with her at night.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Sigh…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning didn’t know how to describe this useless friend of hers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She’d known Qingmo first; even though her father and mother had subtly encouraged her for days, she’d held back out of principle, refusing to steal a love she’d never claimed—she’d practically flooded the field for Qingmo.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yet now, with Qingmo so close, she still hesitated—so she asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“So aside from investigating, have you done absolutely nothing with Xie Jin these past few days?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Mm.” Linghu Qingmo nodded, her expression as detached and frostbitten as an Ice Master!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning didn’t believe a word of it, and turned her gaze to Meiqiu.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu glanced at the table full of delicacies—since Xie Jin himself hadn’t returned, it wasn’t her fault if she couldn’t resist the “Food Trap” and confessed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She tilted her head, thought for a moment, then pecked twice at the roasted duck head on the plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning was sharp; after a moment’s thought, her eyes widened in surprise as she looked at the little ice block across from her:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Qingmo, did you and Xie Jin kiss?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Huh?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo hadn’t expected Meiqiu to betray her so easily—she immediately pulled Meiqiu back before she could snatch her reward:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“She’s just greedy for meat—don’t jump to wild conclusions!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Hmph~”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning needed only to see Qingmo’s flustered, flushed face to know her friend wasn’t as useless as she pretended—she said nothing more, picked up a small knife, sliced off a piece of meat, and placed it on a porcelain plate before Meiqiu:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Fine, fine, I won’t guess. Let’s eat. By the way, I’ve never kissed a man in my life—I’m actually curious what it tastes like.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The taste was strange—like being struck by Palm Thunder, leaving you restless and sleepless all night…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But such an experience? Linghu Qingmo had no intention of sharing it with her friend—she merely maintained her icy composure, using chopsticks to pick up crispy bamboo shoots, small radishes, and mushrooms, and placed them on Meiqiu’s plate.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii?!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu lifted her head, eyes wide with shock, sneaking a glance toward the opposite side—but she was pinned down, and only stared at her landlady with pleading eyes: Save me, save me…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning still felt sorry for her loyal informant, so she picked up Meiqiu and began feeding her; thinking of Xie Jin’s continued stay at Lin Da’s, she asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Does Xie Jin still own his house?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“It’s on Xianyun Alley, but it’s been unoccupied for three years—fallen into disrepair. He plans to fix it up once things settle down.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“You can’t let Xie Jin do that himself.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning turned toward the courtyard and called out:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Old Hou! Go clean out Xie Jin’s house. Take the best furniture from the Young Master’s room and move it over.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>House steward Hou Jiye poked his head from the corridor, eyes darting nervously:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Your Highness, the Young Master’s room is practically empty—only a bed remains. The golden nanmu desk the Prince gave him? Now it’s just two stacked boxes barely holding together…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning never went to the eastern compound unless forced—she frowned at this:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“What about writing brushes, ink, paper, and inkstone?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hou Jiye spread his hands: “The last time the Young Master picked up a brush? I’d guess it was in Danyang. He doesn’t need such things in the capital.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning had no reply; after a moment’s thought, she asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Did Xiao De get the eight thousand taels he borrowed from the Crown Prince yesterday?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“If the Young Master got it, he’d head straight to the gambling den to win it back. Paying you back? That’s tomorrow’s problem—what if he wins?”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“…”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning took a deep breath, scanning the room as if searching for a knife.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linghu Qingmo had been maintaining her icy beauty facade, but hearing this, she couldn’t hold it—her lips twitched, then she quickly restored her cold, elegant expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meiqiu understood the implication and immediately flapped her head and extended her claws:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Gujii!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Princess Changning said firmly: “Do as Meiqiu says—whether he lives or dies doesn’t matter, but the silver must be brought back!”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>“Got it.”\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This passage was originally cut, but I felt it was too good to discard—so here it is, as a free side story…\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of Chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1066,"2026-06-20T01:38:12.833Z",1,"Qwen3-Next 80B","16e93ea71af11ddcb3e1fcf0505e5edc7e3ef61689242d607f53405ebe4c5d9b","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-252","the-roaring-dragon-chapter-250",252,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-roaring-dragon-cover.jpg"]