The substitute prince: Reported the emperor's brother at the beginning

Chapter 251 Threatening the Dongfang Family

A general outside the city, Marquis Wuding, who was personally dispatched by the emperor, arrived outside Qizhou and shouted, "Uncle of the State, Dongfang Wang, Your Majesty has issued an order. The country is in crisis. As uncle of the state, Dongfang Wang must contribute to the country. Failure to do so will be considered treason. The army will forcibly attack the city, confiscate all property, and escort him to the capital."

The young master Dongfang You stood on the city wall and shouted arrogantly: "Marquis Wu Ding, who do you think you are? How dare you speak to my father like that? My father is the emperor's uncle."

"If you dare to attack the city, you are committing treason. Wait for the emperor to confiscate your property and exterminate your clan."

Dongfang Wang did not stop his son from cursing. Instead, he calmly said to the people below the city: "Marquis Wu Ding, my Dongfang family is a royal family. You cannot threaten us with force at will. My sister is the Empress. If you dare to order a violent attack, you will not end well."

These words are effective when said to anyone at ordinary times, and everyone has to give face to Emperor Wu.

But today, Marquis Wu Ding did not do so. He looked towards the east on the city wall and said, "My uncle, it's not that I don't give face to your Dongfang family."

"Your Majesty personally issued the order. If the Dongfang family remains stubborn and unyielding, I will have no choice but to take action."

"Now the country is in crisis, and the border is in danger. The princes of the country have all sent troops to support it. But the uncle of the king is only interested in enjoying himself and not working for the country. He has ignored the crisis of the Great Wu Kingdom. So, does the uncle of the king want to wait until the barbarians break through the border so that he can give all his property to the barbarians?"

"You are slandering me." Dongfang Wang was also angry.

They dare not wear such a hat casually, otherwise the old Emperor Wu would really dare to order the massacre of their entire family.

Marquis Wu Ding said calmly, "I'll give you three days. If you're still unwilling after three days, the army will attack the city. If you have any grievances, go to the capital and speak to His Majesty. Let's go."

Dongfang Wang's face turned pale as he watched Marquis Wu Ding leave with a group of cavalrymen.

Dongfang You also shouted: "Who the hell is he? He's just a marquis. He has to kneel down and kowtow to my aunt when he sees her."

"Dad, don't bother with him. He'd be scared to death and wouldn't dare to attack."

Dongfang Wang glanced at him and said, "You know nothing. Go home."

As soon as he returned to the Dongfang family, Dongfang You was still quite unconvinced: "Dad, you don't really want to give them so much money and food, do you?"

"If that happens, will our Dongfang family still have any face? And by then, not only will all the noble families laugh at us, but the other vassal kings will also not care about our face."

Dongfang Wang looked at his arrogant and fearless son.

Then he looked at the steward who was bending slightly beside him and said, "Tell me, do they really dare to attack the city?"

The housekeeper immediately bowed and said, "Master, in my opinion, they dare not."

"Our Dongfang family is the most aristocratic family, and is also the family of the current queen. If you forcibly attack our Dongfang family, it will bring discredit to His Majesty. Wouldn't the whole world say that His Majesty is heartless and ungrateful?"

"That's right." Dongfang You said disdainfully, "Unless Your Majesty doesn't care about face at all, how dare you touch my Dongfang family at will?"

Dongfang Wang was still a little hesitant. He pondered for a moment and asked, "Has the messenger to the capital returned yet?"

"Master, he hasn't come back yet." The housekeeper said immediately: "He will probably be back in the next two days."

"Then wait a little longer." Dongfang Wang decided to wait and see.

He didn't necessarily care about that little bit of money and food, but he couldn't lose face for the Dongfang family.

Two days later, the messenger finally came back and handed him two letters, one from Dongfang Qing.

Dongfang Qing said it simply, let his brother discuss it with the Sixth Prince, he would help the Dongfang family.

But when Dongfang Wang read the second letter, his face turned extremely ugly.

The Sixth Prince ordered him to provide money and food.

Because he is the first of the aristocratic families, if the Dongfang family dares not to provide money and food, Emperor Wu really dares to take action.

The border crisis this time is very serious. The barbarian army of hundreds of thousands has been unstoppable.

The emperor even mobilized the troops of the vassal kings, and all the vassal kings had to send troops.

But if the Dongfang family dares not to pay money and grain, other families will follow suit, and the emperor will definitely make an example of them to scare the monkeys.

Compared with the emperor's kingdom, the face brought by the Dongfang family is not important at all.

The little money and food that the Dongfang family paid was earned back with just a small business deal.

Could it be that the family property is not as important as this little thing?

The emperor doesn't want to be besieged in the capital again. Dongfang Wang, if you want to gamble on whether the emperor cares more about face or loves the country more, this prince can't do anything.

Dongfang Wang put the letter down. He believed that the Sixth Prince would not speak nonsense.

Although he also hated the Sixth Prince's random ideas, he insisted that the princes and aristocratic families provide money and troops to help the court fight the war.

However, the Sixth Prince’s ascension to the throne is inseparable from the Dongfang family.

Dongfang You saw his father finish reading the letter and immediately asked, "Dad, what did my aunt and Wu Lingyun say in the capital?"

Although he did not think highly of the Sixth Prince Wu Lingyun, he even hated him.

He was locked up in the dungeon and beaten frequently, but now he just wants to hear the news from the capital.

Dongfang Wang said calmly, "The Sixth Prince wants to provide money and food."

"What?" Dongfang You immediately erupted in anger. "He's an incompetent loser. Our Dongfang family used to help him all the time, but when it comes to big things, he becomes a coward."

"Dad, don't bother with him. Don't worry about him anymore. He deserves not to become the crown prince. Now we won't pay any money or food, let's see what the army outside the city can do."

The housekeeper also advised: "Master, our Dongfang family is the number one family in Dawu State. We are of noble status. We are not worried about the group of soldiers outside the city. We would not dare to scare them to death."

They are usually arrogant and everyone who sees them is respectful. How could they care about the group of soldiers outside the city?

But as the head of the family, how could Dongfang Wang not care?

Even though the soldiers usually act like dogs, they are scared to death when they see him.

But once they received the emperor's order, they were like vicious wolves, staring fiercely at the Dongfang family's property.

Dongfang Wang looked at the butler calmly and said, "Tomorrow is the third day. We'll see then."

Dongfang Wang still couldn't make up his mind. After all, if the Dongfang family bowed their heads, they would be looked down upon by all the aristocratic families.

He just wanted to see whether the army outside the city really dared to take action.

On the morning of the third day, while he was eating, a servant came hurriedly outside and said, "Master, something bad has happened. The army is moving out."

"What?" Dongfang Wang immediately dropped his chopsticks and stood up: "Are they really attacking the city?"

He was worried in the morning, after all, he was afraid that Emperor Wu would really be furious.

At this time, Dongfang You came in from outside: "Dad, don't worry, those soldiers are just trying to scare people."

The housekeeper also persuaded: "Master, our Dongfang family is the most prestigious, how dare they..."

"Shut up." Dongfang Wang glared at them fiercely. "No matter how noble you are, is it as noble as the emperor?"

"No matter how noble you are, the emperor's kingdom is more important."