"Well..." Hearing that, Old Guan did not know how to reply. If he did not show them now, it would be like admitting that they had no grains. But if he did, the problem would be that they indeed had no grains. Old Guan was at a loss and didn’t know what to do.

Seeing that Old Guan was hesitating, those soldiers whispered, "We might not have any grains, otherwise why Uncle Guan did not let us have a look."

"If so, how will we live in the future?"

Seeing everyone talking about it, Old Guan couldn't help worrying. Why hadn't Old Ji invited General Li over yet?

At this time, a voice came behind the soldiers, "Why are you all gathering here?"

It was General Li's voice. Hearing that, Old Guan felt relieved.

Hearing the sound, those soldiers turned and greeted, "General Li."

General Li nodded and walked to Old Guan. The soldiers made way for him.

Seeing General Li coming over, General Li said with his hands arching, "General Li, you come here."

"What happened here? Why are you so noisy?" General Li glanced at the soldiers and asked Old Guan, pretending not to know what happened.

Old Guan frowned slightly and said, "General, they suspect we are out of grains. So they..."

Hearing that, General Li turned to those soldiers and shouted, "So you come to question Old Guan? Do you know that you should be guilty of undermining the morale?"

Hearing that, the soldiers looked at each other and knelt.

Seeing this, General Li went on speaking loudly, "Where did you hear the news that we do not have grains? As a soldier, you should focus on the fight against the enemy at this critical time rather than do this ridiculous thing here! Now, all of you go and get twenty strokes!"

With this order, those soldiers felt their hearts tightened and looked at each other.

Then someone raised his head and said to General Li, "General, we heard about the conversation between Uncle Guan and Uncle Ji at the kitchen door yesterday. Plus, we should have had rice for lunch these days, but it turned out to be gruel and wild vegetables. That made us suspicious and came to ask if we are lack of grains."

Hearing that, General Li frowned and looked at Old Guan and Old Ji. "So ridiculous! Your suspicions are just based on those gossips? Didn't you think that might be a trick of the enemy to undermine our morale?"

Old Guan and Old Ji looked at each other doubtfully.

When the army provisions were running short, General Li told them that the matter could not be disclosed. Even when they went to wash rice and cook meals, one of them kept watching at a distance, being afraid that someone would come suddenly, let alone discuss the matter at the door. How could anyone hear them talking about it? There must be a catch in it. Then they shook their heads at General Li.

Seeing that, General Li's forehead knotted in a frown. Was it true that people from Xiling had sneaked into the camp? They said out that in order to undermine the morale. Therefore, they could take advantage of this opportunity to take the border efficiently.

Thinking of this, General Li knew that it could not be known to the soldiers.

Now they came to question that due to some gossips they heard. If they knew the truth, they would lose momentum when Xiling's troops invaded.

That was what Emperor Xiling wished.

Now he could only suppress the truth till Xiao Mu found grains.

Thinking of this, General Li put on a serious face.

Someone said, "General Li, we do not want to disobey your order. We only want to know whether or not we have grains left. If we have, please let some of us have a look to remove our suspicions. What's wrong with this?"

"Every army has its only regulations. Your duty is to march and fight. These things are none of your business!" General Li said, staring at that soldier.

"Your Excellency, we left our hometowns and came to the border to defend our country. We know our duty. Since we dare to come, we all hang our heads on our waistbands every day. We only want to know if we can feed ourselves in the future. Please let us have a look." That soldier arched his hands and made a kowtow while saying.

General Li frowned and spoke loudly, "As you do not follow the order, another ten strokes!"

"General, we just want to know whether or not we have grains left. We do not want to defy your order. Please let us have a look!" That person made several more kowtows.

Those soldiers behind him also said that together.

Then General Li burst into anger and shouted at Officer Guo, "What are you waiting for? Take them to have the strokes!"

"General..." Officer Guo hesitated.

He did not think it was appropriate to give them thirty strokes for this.

General Li glanced at him.

Then he nodded and said, "Don't you hear that? Take them away!"

"Yes." They replied with their hands arching.

At this time, a voice came from behind, "Why are so many people welcoming me here? All of you know I come back today?"

All the people looked over and found that Xiao Mu was standing there, with seven carriages behind him.

Then Xiao Mu walked forward and pointed those people with a smile. "Why are you still standing there? Come and take the things on the carriages to the kitchen."

Officer Guo asked his men to release those soldiers. Those soldiers looked at each other, not knowing what happened.

Seeing that no one moved, Xiao Mu continued, "What are you doing? Come on!"

Hearing that, the soldiers came to the carriages, cast off the ropes, and lifted the bags down on the carriages.

By touching them, they thought those seemed to be some lumps. Another one seemed to be rice.

More and more soldiers gathered around the carriages. Xiao Mu walked to the carriage loaded with rice and pretended to help them lift the bags down from the carriage. He put his hand over the top of the bag and opened it. Then, pretending to be careless, he made the bag fall from his hand and said, "Oops!"

The bag fell on the floor, and the rice spilled.

Xiao Mu hurriedly crouched down and said, "Oh! What a pity!"

Old Guan ran to him quickly.

"Young Master Xiao, it doesn't matter. Let me clean it up." Old Guan said to Xiao Mu with a smile.

Xiao Mu nodded and said, "Then sorry to trouble you."

"It doesn't matter." Old Guan put the rice back into the bag.

Then Xiao Mu stood up, clapping his hands.

Those people around felt relieved after seeing the spilled rice.

No sooner had Xiao Mu returned to the camp than he saw lots of people gathering there. After knowing the reason, he asked his men to draw the carriages straight to the kitchen.

He made the rice fall from his hand deliberately.

By doing this, he could let the whole camp know about this matter. If not so, everyone would be jittery. Then how could they fight against Xiling's army?

Therefore, he made the bag fall deliberately. In this way, those soldiers would regard this matter as a farce. Moreover, they could realize that the people who spread the news had malicious intentions.

When soldiers knew that, they would not easily rise to the bait in the future.

Only in a few moments, the bags of rice and potatoes on the carriages were carried to the kitchen.

Then the crowd dispersed.

That soldier who knelt in the front just now walked to General Li and knelt, "General, as a soldier, it's my fault to listen to the rumor and question you. Please punish me."

"Please punish us!" Those soldiers behind also followed him.

General Li breathed a sigh of relief. To be honest, he would not know what to do just now if Xiao Mu did not show up in time.

Fortunately, it was a false alarm.

Then General Li pretended to be very angry. "You listened to and believed the rumors, and then you came to create disturbance and undermined the morale. Do you know how serious this is? If the people spreading the rumors are the enemies who sneaked into our camp, your behaviors will fit in with their wishes! If the enemy attacks the border at this moment, do you think you can protect the border by doing this?"

"Please punish us!" Those people said together.

Xiao Mu walked up to General Li, glanced at those soldiers who knelt there, and said to General Li with his hands arching, "General Li, I've heard this matter. Although they are wrong in this matter, there must be someone stirring up trouble. Fortunately, the matter did not deteriorate. So, please be lenient. This would not only show the magnanimity of you but also follow the regulations in the army."

"Since Young Master Xiao said that, just ten strokes! I need to let you remember that!" General Li took this opportunity and spoke loudly.

Xiao Mu said hurriedly as General Li stopped speaking, "Why are you still staying there? You should thank your General! You must know that you are supposed to pay with your lives for creating fear and panic."

While saying, Xiao Mu made a slicing gesture with his hand by his neck.

Hearing that, those soldiers felt their hearts tightened. They knew that it was their fault, so they said submissively, "Thanks, General!"

Officer Guo walked to his men and said, "Take them away."

"Yes." They pulled those soldiers up and took them away.

When all the people had left, General Li looked around and said to Xiao Mu, "Here is not a good place for talking. Follow me."

"OK, General, you go first, please." Xiao Mu nodded and stretched out his right hand for a please gesture.

Then General Li walked forward.

Xiao Mu then turned to his men and said, "Let them go back and have a rest when everything's done."

Then he followed General Li.

In General Li's tent

General Li came in and filled the cup on the table with tea. Then he smiled at Xiao Mu and said, "Why are you standing there? Sit down."

"Yes, General." Xiao Mu was quite candid as he knew that the Generals were forthright people who did not care about those etiquettes.

Then Xiao Mu sat down and drank the tea off.