2823 Her Excellency Lady Qiaoqiao in a Huff

Under the morning's gentle embrace, Her Excellency Lady Qiaoqiao adorned herself in a lotus-pink skirt and a vibrant red cloak. She resembled a petite, exquisite jade figurine with her stoic countenance, sitting gracefully on a stone stool in the garden, her round eyes fixed firmly upon the two intruders.

The young one's hair had been neatly tied into a simple yet elegant ponytail, with a delicate golden butterfly playfully fluttering amidst her tresses. Her cheeks radiated a rosy and tender hue, and her skin possessed the luminance of fine jade—an enchanting sight that stirred the hearts of those who beheld her.

However, their clandestine escapade had been unexpectedly interrupted by the vigilant Her Excellency Qiaoqiao, the mistress of the estate. Both of them froze in their tracks before gingerly approaching her.

"My dear, why are you awake so early?" ventured one.

"Good morning, Qiaoqiao," greeted the other warmly.

The pair exuded an air of nonchalance, their faces devoid of guilt.

Her Excellency Lady Qiaoqiao's beady eyes scrutinized the two individuals before her, darting back and forth between them inquisitively. With a stern visage, she turned her attention to Dao Seeking and inquired, "What were the two of you doing wandering about in the middle of the night?"

A smile tugged at Mo Lian's lips, though he wisely suppressed it. He couldn't risk his wife's ire.

From Qiao Mu's perspective, the situation did appear quite suspicious.

"Weren't men said to be an enigmatic species? They could gallivant in open-crotch pants through brothels and mingle with viscounts, all in the name of revolutionary camaraderie," she mused inwardly.

Mo Lian noticed her contemplative expression and discreetly inched his hand toward her head, intending to pat it affectionately. However, a sudden recollection of his recent encounter with an unpleasant elder made him swiftly withdraw his hand.

Observing his hesitant action, Her Excellency Lady Qiaoqiao couldn't help but find him even more dubious. He seemed innocent enough, so why was he so averse to touching her?

The little fellow sprung to her feet and scampered over to them with tiny, determined steps. She gazed up at them and demanded, "Spill it! Where did you two go?"

"Cough." Duan Yue blinked innocently, offering a perfectly guileless look. "Qiaoqiao, I was awakened by Mo Lian."

"I spotted this guy sneaking out of the door when I came out!"

Mo Lian pivoted and shot him an exasperated glare, silently communicating, "Brothers would be doomed if this gets out…"

"Basically, hubby did venture out in the middle of the night!" In other words, the truth had come to light.

Her Excellency Lady Qiaoqiao turned her petite head away, her voice stern. "Tell me the truth."

Mo Lian explained swiftly, all in one breath, "I set up a small outpost in the Beiwang Great Forest, and late at night, I arranged for a group of people to inspect it. Unbeknownst to us, we stumbled upon not one, but two old geezers deep within the outpost's dungeon. One of these geezers insisted that I pay homage to him as my master. After enduring a series of trials and tribulations, I managed to return at dawn!"

Her Excellency Lady Qiaoqiao took a step back and wrinkled her nose in distaste. "Oh! So that's why you both reek so badly. It was because of the old geezer! So foul, so foul!!"

The two esteemed gentlemen, who had just been scolded by Her Excellency, expressed their extreme innocence.

Before they could exchange any words, a commotion erupted behind them. "Who smells foul? Young lady, kindly clarify!"

Mo Lian jolted and turned swiftly to see Chen Qi and Lu Zhan, the two elderly men, standing at the garden's arched entrance, their eyes shining brightly.

"Why did you two follow us?"

Duan Yue was equally stunned, bordering on disbelief.

/Could Little Seven not outpace these two old geezers with his speed? Who on earth were they?/

With his and Mo Lian's cultivation, they actually didn't sense the two old men following them the entire time.