Chapter 274 Love at First Sight

Kidnapping a concubine is a serious crime, but there is still a chance of survival if one can escape later.

They were already wanted criminals by the imperial court. If that kid behind them were to hand them over to the authorities, their crimes would be compounded, and they would have no way out.

Being controlled by others, Meng Xiyao could only announce to the outside world, "Continue on your way."

The coachman started the carriage again, but after taking only two steps, a white horse suddenly appeared at the end of the road. The man on the horse was about seventeen or eighteen years old, with a strong and imposing appearance and a dignified bearing.

An old woman recognized the person and whispered, "It's actually General Gu."

The road was not wide, and Gu Yan was riding a horse at a relatively fast speed, so the coachman had to stop the carriage again for safety reasons.

The thief inside the carriage cursed under his breath and warned Meng Xiyao in a low voice.

"Don't say you've seen us before, or you'll definitely die before us."

When Gu Yan arrived in front of the group, he immediately reined in his horse and stopped. He glanced at the carriage, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Gu Yan. I did not mean to offend Consort Xi. Just now, two petty thieves stole money from a sick person. I chased them all the way here. I wonder if Consort Xi has seen them? Which direction did they run off in?"

Gu Yan was only a sixth-rank military officer, but because his family was full of loyal martyrs and had produced two generals, he was known as General Gu.

In recent days, while getting medicine for his grandmother, he discovered that patients in the pharmacy were frequently being robbed. The money he had painstakingly raised to save her life was missing without explanation. After keeping watch for two days, Gu Yan finally discovered the two thieves who were committing the crime.

He had followed the carriage all the way from the pharmacy to this place, and the moment he saw it, he sensed something was wrong.

Upon hearing this, the guards, maids, and nannies looked tense, but because they were worried about Meng Xiyao's safety, none of them dared to speak.

Meng Xiyao's cold eyes brightened.

The man has a very pleasant voice. The old woman just said he was a general, so he must be very tall and have a full beard.

Unfortunately, she is currently being held hostage and cannot see the general's face. She wonders if this is what she expected.

She was sitting inside the carriage, and logically Gu Yan should have asked the people outside the carriage if they could see her, not her.

Even if she is the master of these people, Gu Yan should ask her to inquire whether her subordinates have seen the two petty thieves.

Asking her directly clearly meant that he already knew the answer and was just trying to help her out of danger.

Meeting the thief's menacing gaze, Meng Xiyao calmly replied, "He ran to the right."

Gu Yan said gently, "Thank you for informing me, Consort Xi."

The sound of horses' hooves quickly faded into the distance.

The carriage continued forward.

After waiting a moment, the two petty thieves withdrew the long swords they had been holding to Meng Xiyao's neck and said, "You're smart to know what's good for you!"

He then climbed out of the car window.

One window was flipped out from each side of the car.

The two guards of Meng Xiyao greeted the thief on the left, while Gu Yan, with his head bowed and a slight smile, greeted the thief on the right.

On the left, two against one; on the right, the young general possessed superior martial arts skills. With absolute overwhelming strength, the two petty thieves were both bound.

Meng Xiyao had already opened the car window and discovered that Gu Yan looked completely different from the general she had imagined. Although he was tall and strong, he was also fair-skinned and handsome, with thick eyebrows and big eyes. He had a good appearance that could be engraved in one's heart at first glance.

Meng Xiyao couldn't help but feel a little regretful. Why didn't anyone introduce her to this man when she was frequently going on blind dates? This was the man who made her heart race at first sight.

Meng Xiyao was unaware that a matchmaker had been preparing to introduce Gu Yan to her.

Putting everything else aside, their looks were among the best of all the unmarried men and women in the capital. Unfortunately, after the matchmaker mentioned Meng Xiyao's identity to Gu Yan's grandmother, she was kicked out by Gu Yan's grandmother.

At that time, Meng Huanyan's scandal with Guan Yi'an and Eunuch Wan had just come out. Gu Yan's grandmother was a person who valued rules and reputation the most. When she heard that the woman was her sister who had been having an affair with a eunuch, she immediately changed her face. After driving her away, she repeatedly warned the servants in the mansion not to let that blind matchmaker come to the door again.

Therefore, Meng Xiyao did not know Gu Yan before, but Gu Yan had heard of her.

Gu Yan dragged the two tied-up thieves behind him, turned around and was about to say a few more polite words to Meng Xiyao, but when he looked up and met her pink cheeks and almond-shaped face, he was so amazed that he couldn't speak.

A number of words came to mind at once.

A beauty that could shame flowers and make fish sink and geese fall from the sky, a national beauty with heavenly fragrance, a delicate and exquisite beauty...

No single word could fully capture Meng Xiyao's beauty. She sat quietly by the car window, not even smiling, just giving a slightly coquettish glance, and her beauty almost made Gu Yan forget to breathe.

After the matchmaker left, his grandmother spoke to him very seriously, saying that although the Meng family held a high position, they had failed miserably in educating their daughter.

The eldest daughter caused a scene on her wedding day by breaking off the engagement and marrying someone else; the second daughter was even more shameless and disgraceful. This third daughter is probably no better; you should stay far away from her if you see her.

The grandmother looked cautious, as if she was afraid that if the three Meng daughters looked at him, they would cling to him.

Later, Meng Xiyao caught the emperor's eye and was made a concubine. Only then did her grandmother breathe a sigh of relief. She never mentioned the Meng family's daughter to him again.

Yes, she's already married...

She was still the emperor's woman.

Thinking of this, Gu Yan felt a pang of bitterness in his heart, and his eyes dimmed.

The young man and woman each had their own thoughts. After gazing intently at each other, they almost simultaneously looked away. Gu Yan forgot what he was going to say, and Meng Xiyao was at a loss for words.

The observant old woman coughed and reminded her, "It's fortunate that General Gu arrived in time, otherwise Consort Xi would have been in danger."

Upon hearing this, Gu Yan regained his senses and cupped his hands, saying, "I must thank Consort Xi's guards for assisting me in capturing the thief. Please forgive me for taking up your time. Now that the thief has been captured, Consort Xi, please go ahead."

Meng Xiyao, not wanting to speak too much with the man outside, nodded and urged the carriage to leave.

After walking for a while, Yun'er curiously lifted the curtain to look back, and then leaned close to Meng Xiyao's ear and said, "This young general is so handsome, but why is he so silly? He's been staring at Miss the whole time, and he's still watching our carriage from behind."

"Don't talk nonsense." Meng Xiyao's heart was pounding, and her face was flushed.

She thought to herself, "If only my older sister were here, I would tell her that love at first sight really exists in this world."

She met him.

Unfortunately, I encountered it a bit too late.

As they approached the palace gates, Meng Xiyao gradually calmed down.

Only then did she remember that she had been kidnapped by two thieves in a carriage when she left the palace. If this were to reach the Emperor's ears, it would certainly be disastrous.

That old man was very old and had countless concubines in his harem, but he was very strict in controlling them. Even if he knew that she was forced into it and had not done anything excessive, he would still punish her severely.