Chapter 85: The Celestial White Jade Capital

“It has nothing to do with you?”

Under the formidable bureaucratic machinery, the house where Qin Huaiyu and his two companions built their hot air balloon was quickly located and thoroughly searched. When Pound laid out all the hot air balloon materials, the big black sheep, the accomplice Lu Ding, and the two large bags of leftover walnuts before Mo Dun, he immediately knew that this time, he was beyond any hope of defending himself.

But what was the meaning of presenting the bags of walnuts as well—were walnuts now considered evidence? Mo Dun cast a resentful glance at Li Junxian, who had gone to search the manor.

“How underhanded!”

“You four have stirred up the city of Chang’an with tales of spirits and immortals, causing an uproar throughout the capital. What punishment do you deserve for this?” Emperor Taizong glared at the four with fury.

Even now, half the citizens of Chang’an still believed that a celestial sheep deity had descended, and were burning incense and kneeling in the streets. The mutton trade in Chang’an was about to plummet, and it would take no less than half a year to recover.

The truth was soon uncovered. This oversized Kongming lantern was Mo Dun’s idea; Qin Huaiyu and the other two did the actual work, and Lu Ding, the accomplice, was recruited by Mo Dun. None of them would be able to escape responsibility.

“Your Majesty, please quell your anger! Our intention in constructing this Kongming lantern was not to promote tales of spirits and immortals, but to serve the country!” Mo Dun cried out in protest.

“How amusing—after causing such a disaster, you claim not only innocence but merit?” Emperor Taizong was so furious he laughed.

The four hurriedly nodded with all their might.

“Your Majesty, please look! This large Kongming lantern, which we call a hot air balloon, is an improvement upon Master Zhuge’s original lantern.” Mo Dun hastened to explain, eager to distance himself from any association with superstitions.

“Get to the point! If you ramble further, I’ll have you punished at once,” Emperor Taizong rebuked. The principle of the Kongming lantern was common knowledge, and though this one was enormous and deserved the name ‘hot air balloon,’ its function was clear.

Mo Dun quickly continued, “Your servant observed that a Kongming lantern could carry a slip of paper skyward, and reasoned that if the lantern were enlarged, its buoyancy would increase as well. If made large enough, it could carry a person into the sky.”

“Your Majesty, think of it! In battle, if our soldiers ascended in such a hot air balloon, they could survey the enemy’s formations from above. Every movement of the foe would be laid bare, securing victory for us.” Mo Dun finished in a single breath.

“Indeed, indeed! That was precisely our intention,” Qin Huaiyu and his companions hurriedly echoed, thinking, “Mo Dun truly has a quick wit! Had we confessed to making the balloon just to show off before the scions of Chang’an, we’d surely leave here in disgrace.”

“Hiss—” At Mo Dun’s words, the military officials could not remain calm. On the battlefield, intelligence shifted in an instant; if they truly had such an ‘eye in the sky’ to observe enemy movements and respond immediately, they would be invincible.

Even Cheng Yaojin, Qin Qiong, and Yuchi Jingde now looked at their sons differently. What they had thought was mere mischief turned out to have such a dramatic twist.

Emperor Taizong, seasoned in warfare, quickly grasped the potential of the hot air balloon. But as no one had ever tested it, perhaps these youths were simply inventing tales to escape punishment.

“What nonsense! A hot air balloon soars so high, and with the chaos and noise of battle below, how could those above hear any shouted commands?” Emperor Taizong pointed out an obvious flaw.

“Your Majesty,” Mo Dun replied, “I believe signal flags can replace shouted orders.”

Signal flags had long been used in China—not only simple color codes, but also complex patterns and gestures, making for a rich language on the march or in battle. Emperor Taizong was familiar with this, and even the generals nodded in agreement—it was a sound idea.

“And what if your balloon runs wild, as it did today?” Emperor Taizong gave Mo Dun a half-amused, half-mocking look, causing the court to stifle laughter.

Mo Dun, suddenly embarrassed, replied, “I believe we can use stronger ropes to secure the balloon. Moreover, with soldiers aboard, they can control the furnace and choose when to extinguish the fire and descend.”

“Oh? If this hot air balloon is so useful, why did none of you ascend to control it, but instead sent a sheep, causing chaos in the city?” Taizong asked the question on everyone’s mind.

“Uh… I’m afraid of heights,” Mo Dun fabricated, not daring to say his companions were too scared to go up, lest their friendship end on the spot.

“Yes, we’re all afraid of heights!” Qin Huaiyu and the others quickly nodded in agreement—being afraid of heights was better than being branded cowards.

Emperor Taizong gave a cold laugh but did not expose their lie. Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde’s faces had already darkened in shame; these rascals had truly disgraced them.

“Are you truly not motivated by tales of spirits and immortals, wishing to ascend to the heavens?” Emperor Taizong’s gaze sharpened suddenly.

The courtiers, all seasoned men, fell instantly silent. Every eye fixed on the four—should they dare invoke tales of immortals before the emperor, punishment would be swift and severe.

Even the boisterous Cheng Yaojin grew solemn; history was littered with examples of emperors who, in pursuit of immortality, had thrown their dynasties into chaos. Even the great First Emperor of Qin had dispatched five hundred children to seek out immortal mountains. Though Taizong stood at the height of his power, the lure of ascension stirred a longing in his heart, for to rise heavenward was every man’s dream.

Mo Dun, seemingly oblivious to the weight of the moment, gave a bitter smile and replied, “Your Majesty, the Mohist school indeed speaks of spirits, and among the people there are tales of the Jade Capital in the sky, the Twelve Towers and Five Cities, and rumors of ascension in broad daylight. Yet I believe such things are impossible—all are false.”

Under the predatory gazes of the ministers, Mo Dun gritted his teeth and pressed on.

“The Jade Capital in the sky, the Twelve Towers and Five Cities,” Taizong’s eyes brightened, sharp as a blade. “There are detailed descriptions—how can you say they are false?”

Qin Qiong looked anxiously at Mo Dun; a wrong answer would offend either the court or the emperor.

“Because of oxygen!” Mo Dun answered resolutely.

“Oxygen?” Taizong and the court stared at Mo Dun.

“Your Majesty, the Mohist school believes that oxygen exists in the air, and the higher one climbs, the thinner it becomes. Our forebears, on reaching the Tibetan plateau, immediately suffered headaches, shortness of breath, chest tightness, dizziness, and fatigue. I am convinced this is due to the high altitude and the scarcity of oxygen. If the Jade Capital truly existed, it would be higher than the world’s tallest mountains—there would be no oxygen, and ordinary people could not survive.”

“Oxygen?” The ministers breathed a sigh of relief. No one had expected Mo Dun to offer such an original explanation. Though utterly unfamiliar, it was convincing; no one could survive without air. Even if the Jade Capital existed, the emperor was still mortal—he could not live without air.

“Your Majesty, I believe Lord Mo speaks wisely. Even if such places for immortals exist, they are not fit for mere mortals like us,” Wei Zheng stepped forward to add.

A wave of disappointment washed over Emperor Taizong. Though reluctant, he had no choice but to accept it. So long as one relied on air to live, the pursuit of immortality must be abandoned.