TFWYH – Chapter 657 Mutation Occurs

Clack!

The outer layer of wooden pieces fell away once more, leaving behind only a miniature Qiankun Eight Trigrams Box the size of a baby’s fist.

The officials’ eyes all lit up as they stared fixedly at Tang Wan’s movements.

Grand Tutor Yi became so excited that he exclaimed, “It opened! It opened again!”

Even Grand Commandant Ji rarely revealed such admiration as he cupped his hands toward the Emperor. “Your Majesty, County Lady Wengnai is truly intelligent. Had she been present when the Southern Man envoys arrived last year, they would never have had the chance to humiliate our great dynasty.”

“Hahahaha!” The Emperor was also overjoyed. “I think the same!”

Su Qing chuckled softly. “Wan-niang, stop keeping us in suspense. Hurry and open the final layer so we may see what sort of treasure Southern Man values so highly.”

“Alright!” Tang Wan nodded and found the final movable wooden piece, pulling it free.

Clack…

Another sound rang out!

The fist-sized Qiankun Eight Trigrams Box fell apart—

And in that instant, two streaks of silver shot out in opposite directions at terrifying speed.

One headed toward the Third Prince’s Consort.

The other—

…was aimed directly at the Emperor.

“Wan-niang!” Ling Yu’s expression changed drastically as he abruptly sprang to his feet.

The moment he shouted, Tang Wan moved.

She tore the golden hairpin from her hair and hurled it toward the Emperor’s side while simultaneously rushing toward the Third Prince’s Consort and grabbing the silver streak with her bare hand.

Everything happened in less than a heartbeat.

The Third Prince’s Consort’s face turned deathly pale as she collapsed onto the floor, liquid continuously flowing down beneath her.

Meanwhile, the golden hairpin caught up to the silver streak and pinned it to the imperial table.

The Emperor focused his eyes and saw that it was actually a silver insect resembling an earthworm.

The creature had been split into two by the hairpin, yet it still writhed ceaselessly atop the imperial table.

“Your Majesty!” Su Qing cried out in alarm. Without thinking, she reached out to brush away the disgusting thing.

“Your Highness, don’t touch it with your hands — it’s a gu insect!” Ji Wushuang reacted swiftly, stopping her just in time. He immediately drew his sword and swept the two severed halves of the insect off the table.

The gathered officials stared at the scene in utter shock.

Grand Tutor Yi was the first to recover. “Your Majesty, are you alright?”

The Emperor let out a fierce sigh of relief and was just about to speak when two cries of alarm suddenly sounded below.

“Madam! Are you alright, Madam?”

“Wan-niang! Are you okay?”

The officials suddenly realized that Tang Wan had directly grabbed the gu insect with her hand.

Everyone quickly turned to look.

The Third Prince’s Consort sat collapsed on the floor, pale as paper, clutching tightly at the Third Prince’s sleeve. “Your Highness, I… I’m going into labor!”

Tang Wan, meanwhile, stood nearby with an equally pale face, gripping her right wrist tightly with her left hand.

Beneath the skin on the back of her right hand, something resembling a worm appeared to be crawling.

Ling Yu was about to grab her hand, but Tang Wan avoided him. “Husband, don’t touch it. I need silver needles!”

Before Ling Yu could respond, Ji Liu hurried over and handed her his pouch of silver needles. “County Lady Wengnai, this old man has some here!”

“Thank you!” Tang Wan looked at Ling Yu. “Husband, hold my wrist!”

“Mm!” Ling Yu immediately gripped her wrist firmly, preventing the gu insect from moving around.

Freeing one hand, Tang Wan grabbed several silver needles and stabbed them into the writhing area beneath the skin on the back of her hand.

The officials could clearly see the insect beneath her skin begin squirming even more violently.

Tang Wan’s face turned several shades paler.

The next moment, she grabbed three more silver needles and drove them in.

Only once the insect stopped moving did Tang Wan remove the needles, take out her surgical blade, and slice open the skin on the back of her hand.

Bright red blood flowed out—

Along with a silver-white worm.

“Wan-niang… are you alright now?” Ling Yu’s voice was trembling.