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Sima Shang did not want to discuss matters regarding Li Mu too much. After all, was there anything wrong with what Li had just said? You all only think about yourselves, yet you speak so confidently as if it were the truth! Hearing Huang Fei bring this up again, he quickly waved his hand to indicate it was no big deal.
As the Kuto of this city, Han Yongcheng naturally bore the responsibility of adjusting the atmosphere. Noticing that the current mood was not great, he clapped his hands to signal. With the sound of footsteps approaching, Yingying and Yanyan entered, instantly filling the room with delightful aromas.
This is much better! Far superior to Li Mu!
It is said that music can adjust a person's mindset, and this was fully confirmed at that moment. The musician Songstress played a lively tune, and the earlier oppressive atmosphere vanished without a trace.
Just as Sima Shang was about to reach out and embrace the Beauty beside him, he inadvertently turned his head and saw Li Mu appearing in the courtyard. Noticing this esteemed figure looking around, he quickly made a face to signal him to leave. He had already decided that under no circumstances could this person be allowed to come in. As soon as he saw Li Mu walking over, he rushed out to block him.
Li Mu had come over to check out the lively music and dance, originally looking for a restroom but now faced with an odd scene. Just as he was about to step in and disrupt things, he caught sight of Sima Shang signaling him. He could only grunt heavily in response, stomp his foot, and turn back without looking.
As Li Xin, he was quite concerned about Li Mu. This person acted strangely and never took action without reason. If Li Mu were to use the pretense of causing trouble to investigate the Granary, he would surely uncover something. Seeing this angry young man exit through the door, he quickly stood up under the pretext of going to the restroom and followed him out through the side door.
Exiting the Alley, Li Xin indeed saw Li Mu inquiring with Soldiers about something, so he cautiously followed behind. Once Li Mu left, he pretended to be nonchalant and approached to ask questions. The Soldiers were unaware of what the two gentlemen intended and simply shared what they knew. Earlier, Sergeant Li had asked about the location of the Granary in town but did not inquire further.
After confirming this information, Li Xin praised the Soldiers a few times and then slowly made his way in the direction Li Mu had gone.
Li Mu strolled leisurely to the Granary entrance and struck up a conversation with a Veteran who was feeding horses. To uncover real information, one cannot rely on what officials casually say; they are merely prepared for appearances. They excel at covering things up when necessary. However, those who work there year-round are different; as long as one does not reveal their identity, they can learn about the actual situation.
Whether something can be done or how it should be handled is a matter for higher-ups. But providing feedback on the current situation is his responsibility. Since Old General trusts him so much, he certainly cannot just go along with whatever others say.
Li Mu was inherently perceptive and knew where his shortcomings lay. Moreover, those few in the hall were well aware of him; as long as there was some commotion before leaving, they would likely not hold it against him. The key point was that he already found such insincere occasions bothersome; creating a scene provided an excellent excuse to leave. It saved him from wasting precious time sitting there—he would rather spend that time reading more!
As for the afternoon audit, it was merely a formality. Even if they had come in a few days ago, the result would have been the same, which is why Li Mu was not anxious at all. During their enthusiastic conversation, he discovered that the most suspicious Han Yongcheng was actually a good official. He took meticulous care of his subordinates, and there had never been any incidents of withholding rations. Moreover, his father was originally from Kuto in this city, so they were all old friends.
Li Mu nodded and asked, "Now the military is reporting that there is too much sand mixed in with the grain. Does the old man know why? Since our grain reserves are sufficient, why is this happening?"
Upon hearing this, Old Horse Head sighed heavily. After knocking the ash out of his pipe, he said, "Don't mention it! It's all because of that Zhao General... No! It's all because of that General Zhao who just arrived! Ever since that kid came, it's been parties every night." After finishing, he raised his pipe. "To put it simply, we have this one bag of supplies in the city. If we conserve it, we can ensure a steady supply. But if we use it all up in one day, then there will be nothing left for tomorrow!"
After hearing this analogy, Li Mu nodded seriously. Even a veteran who tended horses understood better than those generals; indeed, the real experts were among the common people! It seemed that there was indeed a problem with the granary! However, it wasn't Han Yongcheng's fault but rather that Zhao Weiran's! Hmph! A typical case of someone being well-fed and unconcerned about the floods outside!
Old Horse Head looked around to ensure no one was nearby before quietly reminding him, "Recently I've heard that the Zhao Army has sent people to audit accounts. We must not let those high-ranking generals hear what we've just discussed."
Li Mu was puzzled by this statement. "Old man! If we don't tell them the truth, the problem won't be fundamentally resolved. How can the soldiers fight against the Qin Army if they can't even get enough to eat?"
Old Horse Head slowly filled his pipe with tobacco and waited for the young man to light it for him. After taking a puff and enjoying it comfortably while shaking his head, he said, "Young man! You don't understand these matters! There has always been a saying about officials protecting each other; it's not just a joke. Even if we tell them, it won't help; it will only bring trouble upon ourselves. As for complaining about unfairness, this world has never been fair! We just need to ensure we have enough to eat and drink."
"That makes sense!"
Old Horse Head stood up and advised, "Since we know some things, do those officials not know? If they could solve it, they would have done so long ago. Anyway, these matters are not our concern; let them worry about it. Just look at how well we are doing now! When the Korean Lord led us like this, now that we're under Zhao's rule it's still the same. Nothing has changed much at all. Even if one day the Qin Army comes in, as long as they don't let us go hungry!"
Li Mu also stood up and surprisingly had no doubts about this reasoning. If we beneficiaries don't love our country anymore, how can we expect ordinary people to love it? After thanking the old man again, he turned and left the granary. He had gathered most of what he needed to know; now it was time to get down to business!
To give hope to the soldiers and let everyone know that being a Zhao person is an honor! This is what we should be doing right now; we cannot just focus on our own comfort while ignoring the suffering of others!
Once Li Mu disappeared at the end of the road while gathering information, Li Xin emerged from behind a haystack. Looking at Meng Wu who was still smoking quietly, he smiled and said, "Just as you expected! That kid Li Mu really came to snoop around."
The work of the Old Horse Head is truly something that Meng Wu can handle, after all, he has a history of being a Woodcutter. His hands are rough and strong, making him look nothing like a general who has been pampered all day. The hardships of sleeping in the wind and eating in the open cannot be faked. If Li Xin were to do this, his hands alone would be enough for Li Mu to discern the truth. At this moment, with Meng Wu stepping in as a friendly horse feeder, it makes this future deity, favored by Luzi, completely convinced.
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