Chapter 2748 Qiaoqiao, Long Time No See!
"Ahahahaha!" Senior Elder Kongyin couldn't help but chuckle nervously. He had an uneasy feeling that if he didn't turn around at this very moment, the quilted gaze of the Crown Prince Consort might just pierce through the back of his head!
And so, he mustered his composure amidst the surrounding chaos, offering an awkward, simpering smile as he nodded at the Crown Prince Consort. "Ahaha, Qiaoqiao, it has been quite some time."
A sudden hush fell over the entire arena, the silence almost palpable.
In that moment, Zhongli Zhiwei and Chen Baojia, who had previously been sporting unsightly expressions, found their eyes widening in astonishment. Their gaze now bore a fierce intensity directed at the young Crown Prince Consort and Senior Elder Kongyin, their apprehension of the impending situation almost too much to bear.
/What on earth was happening here?/
The sight of Senior Elder Kongyin acting like an old acquaintance of the Crown Prince Consort, addressing her so naturally, was truly confounding.
From the displeased countenance of the youthful Crown Prince Consort to Senior Elder Kongyin's obsequious grin, the whole scene seemed as if the sky itself was on the verge of collapsing!
/Did anyone actually know that the young Crown Prince Consort had such a longstanding connection with Senior Elder Kongyin?/
In an instant, the typically dignified image associated with the Council of Elders faded from everyone's memory…
"You promised to bring Kongkong along after returning from your journeys! And yet, here you are in the Divine Province??" With every passing thought, the young lady became increasingly convinced that this old man was nothing short of deceitful.
After all, he had been entrusted with Kongkong's care, yet he had seemingly abandoned his responsibilities to gallivant across the world.
"You're no monk!"
"Who says I'm not!" Senior Elder Kongyin hurriedly waved his hand while uttering a Buddhist mantra. "I have been devoted to the monastic life for several years."
The Second Elder, sporting a reddish nose, began to feel a sense of unease. He glanced at his Boss, a mix of disbelief and bewilderment in his gaze. "Elder Brother, what's gotten into you?"
In their assessment, it appeared that the Boss had experienced a significant shock, prompting his decision to shave his head and embrace a monk's life.
Senior Elder Kongyin suppressed a mouth twitch and regarded Second Elder and the others with a solemn expression. "I can assure you without a doubt that I wasn't provoked in any way!"
"Let's not divert from the matter at hand," the young Crown Prince Consort interjected abruptly. "We had an agreement that we would bring Kongkong back once we had traveled for a while."
She couldn't shake off the feeling that this wily old man was deliberately attempting to leave her with the responsibility of caring for the young monk.
Considering the tranquility and challenges of Shadow Moon Monastery, it hardly seemed prudent for the elderly monk to depart and leave the little monk to fend for himself.
As it turned out, he wanted to return to the Divine Province and conveniently passed the task of looking after Kongkong to her.
"Perhaps there's been some misunderstanding," Senior Elder Kongyin admitted, his smile tinged with embarrassment. He hastened to add, "Kongkong is living quite contentedly now, isn't he?"
"I have complete faith in your family's care," he reassured, looking towards the Benefactress.
Second Elder regarded him with a baffled expression, his demeanor revealing a sense of oddity.
Something was certainly off about Big Bro. He kept switching between referring to himself as "this old monk" and the Benefactress. Could he have genuinely adopted the path of a monk?
"Senior Elder," Fourth Elder began tentatively, only to receive a swat on the back of his head from Senior Elder Kongyin.
"Why are you so inattentive, Fourth Brother?" Senior Elder Kongyin snapped at him. "Why involve yourself in the affairs of this young couple? Just heed Second Brother's words, alright?"
Fourth Elder stood in dumbfounded silence.
/Did Senior Elder's public head smack really constitute appropriate behavior?/
"The arrangement for the wedding banquet is settled. Ultimately, it is His Majesty's prerogative to make the final decision," Senior Elder addressed the Emperor with a respectful cupped-hand gesture, leaving the monarch equally taken aback.
Then, pivoting abruptly, she delivered a swift slap to the back of Sixth Elder's head, her tone laced with disappointment as she reprimanded, expecting a higher level of decorum, "I must ask, why do you all persist in being so thoughtless? Hmm? This era is making progress, you see! Ah! This continent is advancing! Ah!"