Chapter 281: You Are Going to Be My Inside Man

"What?" Zhao Li was so shocked he couldn't quite process it, "Weren't the Tribute Fruits stolen by this gang of thieves and distributed to the villagers to eat?"

"A villager wanted to atone for their crimes and voluntarily confessed, saying the Tribute Fruits were hidden in the village; they have already been found. Three carts of Tribute Fruits, not a single one is missing."

Zhao Li was stunned, "Not a single fruit is missing?"

How could this be possible?

It was clearly stated by this gang of deserters that the Tribute Fruits had already been distributed to the villagers and eaten.

Now they aren't missing?

Zhao Li came to his senses and immediately stood up.

"Prince, please forgive this general for taking his leave first to verify whether this batch of Tribute Fruits is truly authentic."

He had to go and see for himself to guard against any deception.

Before long, Zhao Li arrived at the village with a group of Imperial Guards.

He pushed open the courtyard gate, looked up, and was instantly stunned.

"It really is the Tribute Fruits..."

In the courtyard sat three horse-drawn carts, piled high with golden-yellow fruits, their fragrance hitting his nose.

Zhao Li was dumbfounded.

"Weren't the Tribute Fruits eaten up by the villagers?"

He came to his senses and hurriedly went over to inspect them himself.

The Tribute Fruits were too precious for Zhao Li to dare taste them privately; he carefully picked one up, examined it from top to bottom, and even brought it to his nose to sniff.

That's right!

These three carts of fruit were indeed the missing Tribute Fruits.

Zhao Li immediately gave the order for all the Imperial Guards to keep a strict watch and not allow anyone to approach.

Afterward, he hurried back to the Execution Ground.

At the Execution Ground, the Executioner had already finished the execution, and there was a pool of blood on the ground.

The bodies of the deceased had already been taken away.

Zhao Li found Xiao Moting, his expression grave.

"Prince, the Tribute Fruits have been found."

"Found?" Xiao Moting was also surprised, then nodded, "If the Tribute Fruits are not lost, that is truly excellent. Commandant Zhao, what do you intend to do next?"

Zhao Li frowned, "This batch of Tribute Fruits is very precious; I must personally escort them back to Shengjing."

Xiao Moting went along with the suggestion, "Good, there is no time to lose; Commandant Zhao should escort the Tribute Fruits back, and leave the matters here to me."

"These thieves..." Zhao Li turned back and scanned the Execution Ground.

At this moment, Xiao Dabao stepped forward, "Commandant Zhao, these dozen or so deserters have already been beheaded. By killing the chicken to warn the monkeys, I believe the other villagers will not dare to steal the Tribute again."

Xiao Moting said, "Since the Tribute Fruits have been found, the death sentences of the remaining villagers can be waived; draft them into the army to serve as forced laborers."

"This..." Zhao Li hesitated.

Xiao Moting looked at the sky, "The weather at the Snow Mountain Mine is cold, but it has been warming up recently. Commandant Zhao should return the Tribute Fruits to Shengjing as early as possible, lest the hot weather cause the Tribute Fruits to spoil; if the Emperor asks about it then, it will be difficult for you to explain."

Zhao Li came to his senses.

Getting the Tribute Fruits back and delivering them to Shengjing was the greatest merit.

Since the Tribute Fruits were not lost, he had no reason to insist otherwise.

Zhao Li nodded, "Very well, since the deserters have already been beheaded, these villagers will be left to the Prince to deal with."

Having said this, he cupped his hands to Xiao Moting and left in a hurry with the Imperial Guards.

Compared to punishing these villagers, escorting the Tribute Fruits back to Shengjing was the most urgent matter.

Zhao Li led a group of Imperial Guards, escorting the carts filled with Tribute Fruits, and hurriedly stepped onto the Post Road, rushing toward Shengjing.

He dared not stop.

The Tribute Fruits had already been delayed here for quite a while and were now fully ripe; if he delayed any longer, they would likely spoil on the road.

Xiao Moting saw Zhao Li and his party off to the intersection and watched them depart.

Then he quickly hurried back to the mine camp.

Just as he stepped into the camp, a large group of villagers rushed out with a swoosh and knelt before him one after another.

Kneeling in front of Xiao Moting were, shockingly, the dozen or so deserters who had been beheaded.

Er Gou knelt on the ground, kowtowing while weeping bitterly.

"Many thanks to the Prince for your grace in sparing our lives."

The deserters beside him also kowtowed one after another.

Xiao Dabao walked up and scolded them.

"You committed such a grave crime that you should have been taken to be beheaded. Fortunately, the Prince is benevolent and used death-row prisoners from the jail to be beheaded in your place. Why aren't you thanking the Prince?"

The surrounding villagers knelt on the ground in gratitude.

"Many thanks to the Prince."

"We will never forget the Prince's kindness."

"It was the Prince who saved us."

Xiao Moting's expression was stern; he scanned the crowd and let out a long sigh.

"During last year's snow disaster, every village and town was suffering from famine. I spared your lives only because I considered that you were starving and freezing, and had no choice but to steal food."

"However, you have violated military law after all, and must be dealt with according to Military Order!"

"Deserters cannot be treated lightly; each person shall receive fifty strokes of the cane and be drafted into the mine to serve as forced laborers, mining and excavating!"

"Villagers who knowingly broke the law and harbored deserters shall all be exiled to the wilderness of the mine to reclaim land and farm! Aside from keeping enough for rations, all the grain produced shall be turned over to the army. Only when the stolen grain is fully repaid will your freedom be returned to you."

The deserters and villagers knelt on the ground, pressing their foreheads against the earth.

"Thank you, Prince, for your mercy!"

Xiao Moting did not kill them; instead, he made them work as miners in the mines of Beijiang to serve as laborers, and the villagers were also sent away to reclaim wasteland and farm.

They had committed a monstrous crime, and being allowed to keep their lives was already a great stroke of luck.

Yet Xiao Moting was even going to provide them with food, and once they had paid off the grain, they would be able to return home.

This was simply a heaven-sent grace.

The villagers were moved to tears, and no one had any complaints.

At this moment, Er Gou raised his head and spoke boldly.

"Prince, this lowly one has something to report."

Xiao Moting shouted deeply, "Speak!"

"This lowly one previously served in the Yuan Family Army and heard some idle gossip: Yuan Canghai and the National Preceptor are conspiring to bring a natural disaster down upon Beijiang."

"Bring down a natural disaster?" Xiao Moting was slightly stunned, then immediately said in a cold voice, "Natural disasters are not something that can be controlled by humans; they are influenced by the climate. They are merely mortals; how could they possibly have such ability?"

"It is true, this lowly one is not lying to you." Er Gou grew anxious and pointed at the sky, "I swear to the heavens, they really want to make the gods bring down a natural disaster to destroy Beijiang. This lowly one is grateful for the Prince's grace, which is why I am revealing this matter."

Xiao Moting stared at Er Gou.

The other party's expression was urgent and did not look like he was lying.

But to make a natural disaster descend upon Beijiang—this was simply an inconceivable thing!

Even Shennü Daren could not command the heavens and the earth; how could a mere Yuan Canghai do it?

He said in a deep voice, "I will believe you for now, but what exactly is the natural disaster you speak of?"

Er Gou scratched his head, "This... I do not know. I was only a small soldier in the Yuan Family Army and had no qualifications to hear important news. However, since the Prince saved the lives of our entire village, I am willing to return to the Yuan Family Army to act as an informant for the Prince and gather news."

"You want to be an inside agent for me?" Xiao Moting was momentarily surprised.