Answer:

Explanation:
The question is referring to a story where Sultan, the ruler of a kingdom, had a unique way of testing his ministers and advisors. In the story, Sultan disguises himself as a common man and visits his barber to gather information about his subjects and the happenings in the kingdom.

In the second encounter between Sultan and the barber, Sultan tests the barber's loyalty and honesty by giving him a bag of food instead of gold coins. The correct answer is option 'B' - Food.

Reasoning:
1. The first time Sultan visited the barber, he gave him a bag of gold coins as a reward for his honesty and loyalty. This was a test to see if the barber would keep the gold coins for himself or return them to their rightful owner.

2. However, in the second encounter, Sultan decides to test the barber again but in a different way. This time, he gives the barber a bag of food instead of gold coins.

3. By giving the barber food, Sultan is testing the barber's integrity and loyalty once again. He wants to see if the barber is honest enough to return the food or if he would keep it for himself.

4. The choice of food as a reward instead of gold coins may seem strange, but it serves as a way for Sultan to evaluate the barber's character and values.

5. The barber, being a loyal and honest person, returns the bag of food to Sultan, proving his integrity once again.

6. Sultan is pleased with the barber's honesty and loyalty, and he reveals his true identity to the barber. He rewards the barber for his loyalty by granting him a higher position in the kingdom.

In conclusion, Sultan gave the barber a bag of food in the second encounter to test his loyalty and honesty. The barber returned the food, proving his integrity and earning a reward from Sultan.

Because at that time, there was barely any food.