Xie Suzhi was silent for a moment. When he spoke again, his voice was filled with sorrow.
"She's already dead."
Shen Ningning, who was sitting at her place, froze abruptly.
The Emperor was also greatly surprised. "What? You went all the way to Shu State only to find news of her death?"
Xie Suzhi's eyes were bloodshot, with dark circles beneath them. "The year my daughter was born, a torrential rain fell upon the Capital City. That's how the legend of the 'blessed girl' came to be."
"Because of this, my wife's maidservant developed a wicked idea. She wanted to steal the child and sell her for a good price. On this trip to Shu State, I finally found that maid."
"Under harsh interrogation, she finally told the truth. As it turns out, while she was fleeing with my young daughter, the baby, being only a newborn, fell ill and died."
At this point, Xie Suzhi, known as the Iron-faced Prime Minister, wept bitterly and beat his own chest in grief.
