Munitions Empire

How beautiful is Ying Yue? Probably on par with Sofia. This is extremely high praise because Sofia's beauty is unquestionable. Describing Ying Yue as a woman who can bring a nation to its knees is no exaggeration; in fact, it's even a bit of an understatement: as the saying goes, a beauty capable of toppling empires and cities, such a lady is hard to find.

If Ying Yue weren't beautiful, Zhao Ji and the princes of Qi Country wouldn't be so eager to propose to Qin Country. After all, the quality and quantity of men pursuing a woman can somewhat reflect the extent of her beauty, right?

Originally, Tang Mo hadn't planned to meet Ying Yue before their marriage, so this meeting was very low-key, just a casual dinner and chat.

When Ying Yue walked into the room, the data and blueprints of the steam catapult on the aircraft carrier that had been occupying Tang Mo's mind flew away. This proved that Ying Yue's beauty truly exceeded Tang Mo's imagination.

So the conversation flowed more freely; Tang Mo chatted casually about various topics while eating, as if he were not the same person who had just been loudly discussing honor and blood at the military meeting.

As a fashion guru, Tang Mo had numerous topics to discuss with a woman. Whatever he mentioned casually seemed to Ying Yue like the whispering of a deity in her ear.

"I can have John send some of the dresses designed for next year's Chang'an Fashion Expo for you to try. There might be some pleasant surprises," Tang Mo said nonchalantly, not really knowing what this could mean to a fashion-conscious woman.

"You can give your feedback, and have them alter anything you're dissatisfied with. If you don't like them, they can redesign," Tang Mo said, chewing on tender beef, inadvertently setting up his pudgy Elf underling.

John is probably around 300 pounds by now; apart from his pointed ears, he no longer bears any resemblance to an Elf. The young man who once braved storms at sea for half a year is now greasy enough to be just short of balding.

"Your Majesty, you have no idea how tempting this is for a woman. When I was in Qin Country, I couldn't get the latest fashions from Tang Country at all. By the time it reached me, it was already outdated," Ying Yue flattered earnestly, with a bit of fawning that made Tang Mo comfortable.

She wasn't at all surprised that Tang Mo spoke during the meal, even though, in other countries, speaking while eating is a taboo and very rude.

Before coming here, she had specifically studied the court etiquette of the Great Tang Empire—well, the conclusion was that the Great Tang Empire basically had no court etiquette.

The princes here could take a group of Ministers' children to dig for bird's nests or ants within the Forbidden City without displeasing His Majesty The Emperor, even if they are covered in mud.

The Ministers and the princes and princesses, even the Imperial Concubines, can talk during meals, discussing matters, telling jokes, and sharing stories. Such a dining environment seems much better than eating in silence.

Moreover, the dining standards of Emperor of the Great Tang Empire also surprised Ying Yue: she knew how the King of Qin ate, and it was much simpler than the rumors among the common people.

In this respect, many kings want to have a good reputation. They all try to highlight their virtues by being frugal in areas such as dining.

However, Emperor of the Great Tang didn't seem to think this way; Tang Mo appeared to be obsessed with enjoyment. The Imperial Palace of the Great Tang Empire could be said to be the most luxurious complex in the whole world, surpassing other countries in sheer size alone.

In addition, the facilities are very comprehensive, luxurious, and often change to the latest fashion designs. Frankly speaking, Ying Yue was delighted with the place; she thought that living here would definitely be considered fortunate and joyful.

Just dining in such a complex is a pleasure, not to mention that the dietary standards of the royal family of the Great Tang Empire are frighteningly high.

A catering team of more than a hundred people revolves around Tang Mo's diet every day; meals served are exquisitely presented and delicious, with each bite being a supreme indulgence.

Before this dinner, Ying Yue could never imagine there were so many intricacies to a meal, not to mention the pairing of meat and vegetables considering nutrition, as well as the matching of raw, cold, warm, and hot dishes.

Not to mention the ingredients, Ying Yue, being from the inland, had never imagined she could eat fresh seafood in the inland city of Chang'an, which Tang Mo explained was transported by special aircraft from ports such as Linshui.

What does the laughter of a beauty outweighing the dust of a horse's ride matter? The Royal Family of the Great Tang Empire has a special flight squadron whose transport planes are dedicated to transporting seafood and seasonal fruits and vegetables, ensuring that the Emperor, Imperial Concubines, and princes can have world-class food whenever they desire.

Clearly, if a ruler can lead the people to a full and stable life, they have the right to enjoy all the benefits that victory brings.

If all common folk can eat meat, then Emperor Tang Mo is entitled to eat even better meat; if all commoners live in spacious and bright houses, then Emperor Tang Mo is entitled to reside in a grand palace.

The people of the Great Tang Empire harbor no discontent for Tang Mo's extravagance, for they only need to glance at the total amount of taxes His Majesty The Emperor collects annually to forgive all his "luxuriant and boundless desires."

They would take the Emperor's opulent lifestyle as a topic of conversation over tea and meals, boasting about their nation's incomparable strength and scoffing at other nations' monarchs who flaunt frugality as unsophisticated bumpkins.

In other nations, luxury is merely an adjective, but in the Tang Empire, it is an achievable form of flaunt. When Ying Yue caught sight of the fresh split coconut brought over by a maid dressed in a white chef's attire, she even felt a bit dazed.

Suddenly, she realized that she couldn't remember how long it had been since she last saw this fruit. The coconut carried by the maid was readily available in Nanshan Port, but it was not easy for Qin Country to get a taste of it.

"This tastes good, the key is that it's natural, healthier than drinking other beverages," said Tang Mo, taking the coconut from the servant, smiling, "So this is the drink of choice for tonight."

Chang'an never runs out of wine, and the best wine recognized worldwide is from there. The Brunas three-year vintage, which fetched sky-high prices a decade ago, is now hardly circulating in the market anymore, only the Chang'an series of fine wines remain commonly seen.

It is well known that the Emperor of the Tang Empire has collected the highest-quality part—a Royal Family's boutique series not available in the market, piled up like mountains in the wine cellars of the Forbidden City.

"This comes from the South, not common in Qin Country," Ying Yue also took a coconut, curious about the straw inserted in it.

Plastic, this kind of material, is no longer a rare item in the Tang Empire, but is still difficult to find in other countries. The seemingly simple coconut represents the formidable power of the Tang Empire on the rise.

"I can't afford to send coconuts to the King of Qin, but I can still afford a few bottles of fine wine," Tang Mo said generously, instructing a servant beside him, "Prepare some gifts for the King of Qin, pick five bottles of the best quality Chang'an ten-year vintage from the wine cellar."

"Yes! Your Majesty." The servant bowed slightly, gesturing to a maid standing at a distance. After whispering a few words as she approached, the maid immediately departed, evidently to attend to the Emperor's orders.

"Thank you for your generosity, Your Majesty." Ying Yue wanted to raise the coconut in her hand, thought better of it, and refrained. She knew that her father would definitely love the gift from Tang Mo, because it represented an attitude, an attitude desperately needed by Qin Country.

As for Tang Mo, he didn't mind, lifting the coconut in a toast and smiling, "Are you a bit unaccustomed? No matter... How did the jewelry selection go? If there's nothing to your liking, it's fine, just have John find craftsmen to redesign it."

"I chose the set of Star and Moon, which I like very much. My name already contains the word 'moon,' and the jewelry set is quite beautiful…"

"Glad you like it." Tang Mo brought this up with a sense of relief; after all, when he "married" Alice, Yulin, and Yue'er, the conditions weren't as favorable.

Back then, the wedding was hardly organized; it was only after the Great Tang Empire had crushed Zheng Country and taken its place that a simple edict of the Princess's appointment was issued following the move from Dragon Island to the Western Continent.

Only when Qin Country sent a Princess and a wedding was needed did Tang Mo remember that he seemed to have not given a proper wedding to the former three Imperial Concubines.

Realizing the gravity of the oversight, Tang Mo immediately took remedial measures. First, he bestowed many rewards on the three Imperial Concubines and also personally designed many sets of jewelry for them to choose from, finally managing to preserve his own place in the imperial harem…

It was only after the three Imperial Concubines had picked the jewelry that pleased them that Tang Mo dared to let Ying Yue choose the jewelry for her wedding… This was something he had not yet informed Ying Yue about, a prime example of deceit from above and below.

At times, Tang Mo felt baffled. Other transmigrators managed to keep a peaceful harem with a large group of wives and concubines, so why did he start to feel overwhelmed with just four?

Just as Tang Mo was lamenting his lack of success compared to other transmigrators, Wes entered the dining room with a mischievous smile and made his way to Tang Mo's side.

He bent down, lowered his voice, and whispered a freshly confirmed piece of news to Tang Mo, "Your Majesty, just confirmed—the Emperor of the Poplar Empire, upon hearing of Qin's marriage alliance, has prepared... and sent over his brother's daughter too... She is already on her way and will soon board the ship at Hotwind Port…"

"What? Say that again?" Tang Mo was startled, then realized, and widened his eyes to look at Wes. His expression was as if he had heard of a country declaring war on the Great Tang Empire.