Munitions Empire

Chapter 1503: Premature White Hair



In the morning, Tang Mo didn't wake the sleeping Elf Iryn beside him. Instead, he went to the bathroom himself and began freshening up with warm water.

He saw himself in the mirror and realized he was becoming more familiar with his own face. There was gray hair at his temples, and he was already over 40 years old.

Twenty-odd years is neither too long nor too short. From the time he traveled here to now, it's been enough to change many things.

In the era he was familiar with, it only took about twenty years for ads of landlines on every street to transform into smartphones everywhere. With his acceleration in this world, development speed was naturally faster.

Some technologies have an inertia; once initiated, they infinitely iterate and develop continuously until the material limit is reached.

In over twenty years, this young man had turned into a quasi-middle-aged man. Despite having a beautiful wife and numerous concubines, despite having countless wealth, he still lost over twenty years of time.

Looking at the no longer youthful self in the mirror, Tang Mo mechanically moved his toothbrush up and down, allowing the white foam at the corner of his mouth to fall into the sink.

Time waits for no one... If he doesn't seize the time, perhaps this life will pass by in haste, and that goal of unifying the world, standing at the pinnacle, may seem unattainable.

One cannot become complacent.

After leaving his bedroom, he habitually stretched out his arms. The maids had already prepared clothes, helping Tang Mo dress neatly piece by piece.

The butler handed over the breakfast list already selected yesterday, softly asking, "Your Majesty, here's the breakfast list. Is there anything you need to change last minute?"

"No need. Just proceed as planned." Tang Mo twisted his neck. The long hours of sitting made his shoulders ache, a problem his personal medical team was already discussing plans to tackle. The most direct and effective method was letting Tang Mo leave the office and engage in some outdoor activities.

Although His Majesty the Emperor's exercise regime has always been ensured, which is a vital reason Tang Mo maintained a good physique, his office job meant that the shoulder soreness hadn't been effectively resolved yet.

The doctors could only arrange massage therapists to relax Tang Mo's shoulders regularly. Two beautiful massage nurses were quite skilled, and their long legs were quite to Tang Mo's satisfaction.

The children rose early. Tang Yu and Tang Xuan, along with the older sisters, were already playing in the Imperial Garden of the Forbidden City. Today was the weekend, with schools closed, so they played somewhat recklessly.

In the harem, all were Tang Mo's personal attendants. These people were almost like Tang Mo's family, responsible for all Royal Family daily life, making Tang Mo quite relaxed here, as they were all familiar faces.

He had long been accustomed to his butler, the palace maids, and Wes, the always-skirting presence by his side. The man had been over fifty, yet he remained the same old self. This personal bodyguard of His Majesty the Emperor was low-key, always seemingly invisible even when standing next to Tang Mo.

The secretary, upon knowing Tang Mo had awakened, brought the notebook to the dining room where Tang Mo was eating. He needed to quickly brief the emperor on the day's agenda, allowing Tang Mo to prepare early.

"Your Majesty! This morning, you have an important military meeting with Marshal Le Fu, Marshal Bernard, Marshal Redman, and Marshal Tagg attending. Additionally, Admiral Strauss, Admiral Bolton, Admiral Ibrahim, and Admiral Xiao Yun will also be present." The secretary reported as Tang Mo was eating breakfast.

He only knew about such a strategic meeting but not its content, as the meeting was classified as "Top Secret" in the itinerary records.

For this kind of classified meeting, the fewer people who know, the better. Tang Mo's personal life secretary surely didn't know the content, as his role was merely to confirm the emperor's schedule, not to inquire about the details.

The one who truly knew the meeting's content was the Confidential Secretary, essentially the emperor's "Grand Secretary." He had to accompany Tang Mo to the meeting because there were records and content backups. Therefore, the Confidential Secretary had to know, but he couldn't know the agenda beforehand.

After confirming the day's schedule, Tang Mo instructed, "After dinner, I want to increase some exercise... You can communicate with my health team and readjust the afternoon's itinerary."

"Yes, Your Majesty." The life secretary immediately opened the recording book, noted Tang Mo's request, and respectfully exited from Tang Mo's dining room.

Another door opened, and the elegant Elf Princess Iryn emerged, her silver hair cascading down her back, exuding a homely laziness and ease.

The Royal Family of the Great Tang Empire was more down-to-earth in terms of personal life, generally paying no heed to strict rules. Tang Mo didn't wish to make his home devoid of life's essence, so he took the lead in breaking many traditions.

"Good morning, dear, why didn't you wake me?" Iryn, the Elf Princess who married into the Great Tang later, younger in age, even without makeup, retained dewy skin, sitting at the table, asked softly.

Last night, the two had been up until midnight; Tang Mo considerately thought it best to let the girl sleep a bit longer, so he didn't wake her. He was, in fact, tired too, but his biological clock wouldn't allow him to oversleep.

Thus, Tang Mo smiled, handed Iryn a slice of bread, and said, "You could use a bit more sleep. Today is the weekend."

This concept of weekends was proposed by the Great Tang Group and quickly became a nationwide "People-friendly Policy." Workers enjoyed one day off a week, meaning four days of leave each month.

Previously in Qin Country, Shu Country, Chu Country, and the Dahua region, there were no such policies. After over a year of effort, this regulation was extended, becoming an important benevolent governance, welcomed by nearly all workers.

In reality, this policy was not solely welfare; it was also a way to stimulate consumption. Only when people have time to spend the money they earn can domestic demand be driven.

However, there was a balance to maintain, needing to cater to people's willingness to consume while ensuring labor times were upheld. Overemphasizing high welfare without continually creating more material would render extended breaks meaningless.

"I don't have to go to work anyway." Iryn accepted the bread handed by Tang Mo, spreading a kind of sour plum sauce from her hometown: "But in the afternoon, I have to go to the newly opened mall on the Third Ring in Chang'an for a ribbon cutting. It's Alice's business, and since she can't make it, I'm going to be there for support."


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