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“Mother.” Tang Wei said in a happy tone.
Upon hearing Tang Wei’s voice, the woman looked away from the frail looking man and looked toward where Zhang, Ai and Tang Wei were standing. With delicate features and a smile that could brighten a dark room, it was no wonder Tang Wei’s father was so in love with his mother.
“Wei your back, come here and greet your father.” The woman said, but once she noticed Zhang and Ai she got up and curtsied.
“Are you two perhaps my Little Wei’s friends?” She asked in a kind tone.
“Mother, Brother Lee Ming here might be able to cure father's illness!” Tang Wei said in an excited voice.
“Really?! If you can then I, Sheng Yi, will forever be grateful.” Tang Wei’s mother said.
“Madam, I fear my medical skills may be lacking, however if I can help someone then I will try my very best.” Zhang said as he arrived at the Tang Wei’s father’s bedside and began to assess his condition.
“Don’t worry, this disease is not contagious at all.” Tang Wei said, assuring Zhang it was safe.
“Please do not resist or else implications may occur.” Zhang said as he extended his hand and placed it atop Tang Wei’s father’s forehead, Zhang sent a pulse of essence throughout the man’s body to inspect it to see what was wrong after pulling off the blanket that had covered the frail man’s body.
“There seems to be something living inside of his body, it should be located right about here. If memory serves and my guess is right, there should be an adolescent Corpse Eating Silkworm inside your father.” Zhang said as he pointed toward Tang Wei’s father’s abdomen.
“What!?” Tang Wei and his mother said in disbelief.
“It had hatched and began to gouge itself inside your father's stomach and once it finished eating his insides, it’ll hatch out of his body that is not acting like it’s cocoon and become a Blood Moth. From my examination, it’s consumed roughly half of his insides.”
“So there's nothing you can do?” Tang Wei said with a grim look on his face.
“The question here is how it got into his body, since Corpse Eating Silkworms generally only are found in bodies of the deceased and do not even live anywhere near this region.” Zhang said, not replying to Tang Wei’s question.
“Someone probably infects his lordship with it.” Ai pointed out.
“It has to be him…” Tang Wei mumbled as his brow creased.
“You couldn’t mean…” Sheng Yi, Tang Wei’s mother said as if she had a suspect in mind.
“Tang Shiang… Father fell ill only days after he announced for me to be his successor and as if he was prepared, Tang Shiang was able to gather all of the influential people in the province under his banner in a matter of days.” Tang Wei said.
“Sorry to interrupt but if I act now I may be able to save him.” Zhang said, interrupting Tang Wei and his mother.
“What?!”
“If you can get me some much-needed supplies, I can extract the Corpse Eater Silkworm out of his body and give him some medicine to help him get better.”
“But you said that thing has already consumed nearly half of my father’s insides.” Tang Wei said.
“Half is not all and with proper medication and help. Your father will be able to live for countless more years.” Zhang said with a smile.
“I’ll have someone lead you to our medicinal store room, everything in there you can use at will.” Tang Wei said to Zhang as hope ignited in his eyes.
“If I save his father then Tang Wei will definitely be indebted to me and as long as he fights his brother then chaos would surely ensue so my objective would have been met. If I take things a step further and help him take care of his brother, then there’s also a chance that I can bring Tang Wei to my side and have him cooperate with me once the girls arrive.” Zhang thought.
In the end, Zhang’s goal was still to aid Lingqi, Yuying, and Ling once they arrive, so as long as things were occurring that could possibly benefit his plans in the future, Zhang was ready to act.