Qiao Xianwen was stunned when he saw the strong liquor delivered to him. He hadn't expected to be so infamous. During his parade earlier, countless people had thrown rotten vegetables at him. If rotten vegetables weren't available, they'd hurl stones or dirt. Despite his current disheveled state, someone was offering him strong liquor.
Seeing Qi Ling Shan standing opposite him, Qiao Xianwen gave a bitter smile and shook his head. "Good brother, thank you for seeing me off. Thinking about it carefully, the reason people threw rotten vegetables at me was because I made mistakes. The public's judgment is always sharp. It's only right that I be executed to appease their anger. Please, bring the bowl to my lips!"
At this moment, all those who were to be publicly executed had been brought to the square. Their hands were bound, restricting their movement within the prisoner carts. They couldn't even accept a bowl of wine from someone else; they needed assistance to drink.
Qi Ling Shan said, "No problem. Drink this bowl of liquor and you'll be drunk. When the blade falls, you won't feel the pain, and your life will be over. If there's a next life, be a good person!"
Qiao Xianwen quickly drank the bowl of strong liquor. The alcohol content was over 70%. The liquor burned a fiery path down his throat, capable of corroding the stomach lining and causing ulcers. However, this potent drink also induced bruising quickly, making one less responsive to external stimuli – essentially, getting drunk.
The other prisoners did not receive such treatment. No one dared to offer food or drink to those facing execution. Everyone was trying to distance themselves, so why would anyone invite trouble by offering strong liquor?
Meanwhile, Li Xiang declared, "Everyone around me, listen up! I want to eat a dish. Go find it for me quickly!"
Someone, upon hearing this, couldn't help but curse, "You'll be a dead man under the blade soon. You still want to drink? What a pipe dream."
"Don't be like that. The City Lord has already given instructions. Whatever he wants to eat, try to satisfy him. He's a dying man anyway, so show some pity. Ask him what he wants to eat, and we'll go buy it for him, then it'll be over. The expenses are reimbursable, so why bother being so stingy?" someone who knew the situation said. The guards stopped their actions and sent others to purchase the dish.
"What else do you want to eat? Speak up! Delaying the execution will only postpone your journey. Don't end up reincarnating as a pig!" someone began to question Li Xiang about his desired dish.
"Right now, I only want to eat stir-fried scallions with tofu!" Li Xiang calmly stated. His face was gaunt, and the earlier frenzy had subsided, clearly indicating he had accepted his fate.
"So, you wanted to leave this world pure and untainted. Unfortunately, that's impossible. You've committed so many sins, consumed so much grain, and yet you wish to depart with a clean slate. It seems unlikely. Well, have some vegetables to lift your spirits," a nearby executioner said, shaking his head and sighing.
There is a Chinese saying, a *xiehouyu*, about scallions mixed with tofu: "pure and untainted."
Thus, many people say that one should live like scallions mixed with tofu, traversing the world with purity. Only then can one live up to their potential, having experienced this beautiful world, arriving pure and leaving pure, leaving no trace but taking away a lifetime of beautiful memories.
Alas, many condemned individuals make peculiar requests before their execution. Some desire bear paws, others pig trotters, and some even crystal pork knuckles – generally rich, meaty dishes. Few ask for stir-fried scallions with tofu. Now, Li Xiang, facing execution, is the first to request this dish.
"Your requested dish has arrived. Eat quickly. However, since your hands are bound, we will feed you!" Someone then purchased the dish and placed it before Li Xiang. The tofu looked incredibly tender, and the scallions were vibrant green. The two ingredients appeared to have perfectly melded together.
An executioner supported Li Xiang's body, holding a stainless steel spoon. He scooped the scallions and tofu into Li Xiang's mouth. Li Xiang ate ravenously. He was disheveled, showing no trace of his former imposing demeanor.
Many onlookers witnessed this scene, and discussions erupted. "This guy actually gets to eat stir-fried scallions with tofu before dying? How ridiculous! That scoundrel should eat Zhou Hei Ya!"
"What do you mean by that? Feeding a dying person duck is a waste, isn't it?"
"You just don't understand. Zhou Hei Ya looks like an ordinary duck on the outside, but if you cut open its belly, it's all black inside. It's filled with dark intentions. Eating such a dish would be perfectly fitting, wouldn't it?"
"So that's how it is. I'm truly ignorant. I've never even eaten Zhou Hei Ya, so I don't know what it looks like."
"They're all dying anyway. What's the harm in letting them have a full meal? Think of it as feeding good food to dogs."
"Don't you find that fellow detestable? He never went hungry, yet he caused many people to starve. Such a person should have been punished to starve to death! But now, he gets a quick death and a full meal before dying. This is a luxury those who starved to death could never imagine."
"That's true. How many people wished they could have had one full meal before dying, but even that wish couldn't be granted. If we could have gotten a decent meal, we wouldn't have starved to death!"
Countless people eagerly awaited the upcoming execution, wanting to see if the City Lord would truly kill these grain embezzlers, especially since some were his former subordinates. Would he really be willing to kill someone who had been loyal?
But the reality was laid bare before their eyes. Amidst the anticipation, Li Xiang finished his bowl of stir-fried scallions with tofu and was then led to the execution platform to choose his method of death.
Currently, there are three common methods of execution in this era of disaster. For death row inmates, decapitation is usually chosen, known as *zhanshou*. Another method is a gunshot, striking the brainstem or heart. The third method involves injecting a drug, allowing for a painless death.
"Choose a method of death. The choice is yours!" a nearby executioner said.
"I choose decapitation. Since I must die, it's best to use the most brutal method. Perhaps those who resent me will be pleased to see this," Li Xiang replied.
After he chose his execution method, someone approached and placed a black cloth over his head, obscuring his vision. Then, a long saber was raised. The saber looked incredibly heavy, commonly known as a *gui tou da dao* (ghost-head saber), specifically used for beheading. If not sharpened, the blade would dull with prolonged use.
"Clang!" With a swift movement, the executioner brought the saber down, instantly killing Li Xiang. His head landed on the ground, blood gushing from his neck, and his body collapsed. Many people cheered, having witnessed a deserving man fall to the ground.
"I told you before that the City Lord would get justice for us. You didn't believe me. Now you see? Even a meritorious former subordinate will be killed if they cross the line regarding grain! Someone exclaimed excitedly after witnessing this scene.
Shen Feng was also watching the events from afar. He wasn't in the square itself but stood on a tall building overlooking the scene. Upon seeing that Li Xiang's head had indeed been severed, he couldn't help but shake his head in resignation, lamenting that he had to kill a loyal subordinate.
"Retrieve his head and extract the ability serum from it. It will be preserved for his son to use when he grows up! This matter is now concluded. I will also assign specific personnel to investigate the grain reserves in the granaries. If any other discrepancies are found, I will not hesitate to kill again," Shen Feng said with a sigh.
That day, newspapers published this sensational news. People bought the papers and discussed it. When they learned that even an important figure like Li Xiang had been beheaded, the common folk became even more cautious. If they dared to tamper with the grain reserves, they would face a tragic fate.
This incident caused quite a stir. It happened in Yuzhou. If such an event occurred elsewhere, perhaps no one would report it, as many places had become accustomed to such occurrences. However, the situation had changed. The security under Shen Feng had always been known for its stability, yet now a scandal of grain misappropriation had surfaced, naturally becoming a topic of gossip.
As this incident unfolded in the southwest, many emaciated figures began gathering around numerous small cities along the southeastern coast. After gathering, they found secluded spots to discuss their plans.
"Right now, even if we fight to the death, we can't obtain enough grain to support ourselves, let alone our families. But I've heard that the grain Shen Feng provided was sufficient. This means someone has been lining their pockets! Even if we want to report this, there's no channel. Even if we do report it, no one will believe us. We can only rely on our own strength to handle this!"
These emaciated figures were discussing a plan. They intended to breach the city and seize enough grain, as only then could they survive.