Chapter Eighty-six: Altitude Sickness

Suddenly, Li Shimin seemed to recall something. He raised his head abruptly and looked at Mo Dun, speaking word by word: “Are you saying that the chest tightness, shortness of breath, dizziness, and fatigue on the Tibetan Plateau are caused by a lack of oxygen?”

“Of course it's due to lack of oxygen. The predecessors of the Mohist School called it plateau sickness. That's because ordinary people live on the plains, and when they suddenly arrive at the plateau, the altitude is high and the air thin. Once the human body is deprived of oxygen, the most direct symptom is purple lips and fingertips. Isn't that precisely the sign of oxygen deprivation?” Mo Dun replied, puzzled.

“Is that so?” The court officials stared at each other, big eyes looking at small ones; how would they know the symptoms of oxygen deprivation?

“Your Majesty, I once presided over cases in the Ministry of Justice, and indeed, in numerous records of deaths by suffocation, the victims all had purple lips and fingertips. If we go by Lord Mo’s explanation, this is truly a sign of lack of oxygen,” Li Daozong stepped forward, having once served as Minister of Justice and thus being sensitive to such cases.

“That’s right! According to the soldiers, in repeated battles with Tibetans and in the Tu Hun Valley, many soldiers exhibited these symptoms,” Li Jing confirmed.

“Excellent! Excellent! I did not expect today to unravel Tibet’s greatest secret,” Li Shimin laughed heartily, his previous gloom swept away.

He was still in his prime, eager to establish achievements. For him, vague tales of spirits and gods paled in comparison to expanding his empire’s borders.

The Tu Hun Valley and Tibet relied on their terrain, frequently raiding Tang’s borders. The Tang dynasty retaliated multiple times, yet each time the soldiers pursued the enemy onto the plateau, they developed chest tightness, shortness of breath, and weakness in their limbs. Their combat effectiveness plummeted, and they were often defeated by the Tibetans who waited for such opportunities.

Though the Tang army was powerful, it was forced to take a defensive stance against Tibet and Tu Hun Valley, which only fueled their arrogance. They boasted it was the blessing of their gods, growing ever more audacious.

“So how did the Mohist ancestors overcome this plateau sickness?” Li Shimin asked urgently.

“According to the records, their group consisted of ten followers. Six suffered severe plateau sickness, nearly losing their lives; three had milder symptoms and gradually adapted after three months, becoming no different from the locals; one remained unaffected throughout. The Mohists believed this was related to individual constitution,” Mo Dun said.

“Related to constitution?”

The military leaders immediately began to calculate. Out of ten, one was unaffected, and three could adapt over time. Compared to Tibet and Tu Hun Valley, the Tang dynasty’s greatest advantage was its population. With time, they could surely train a force capable of fighting on the plateau. Once Tibet and Tu Hun Valley lost their advantage of plateau sickness, facing the fully armed Tang soldiers, victory would be much more likely. The balance of offense and defense would quietly shift.

“Moreover, according to Mohist records, there is an herb called Rhodiola, which is remarkably effective in treating plateau sickness!” Mo Dun added, delivering yet another surprise.

“Rhodiola?” Li Shimin was overjoyed and asked the imperial physician nearby, “Chief Physician, do we have this herb?”

The gray-haired Chief Physician pondered and then recalled, “Your Majesty, we do have this herb. It’s an excellent tonic, but only a small amount reaches us from Tibet each year.”

“Very little!” Li Shimin and the military officials were instantly disappointed. Clearly, Tibet was aware of its medicinal value and controlled its supply, so the limited quantity could never support the needs of the army.

“No need to worry, Your Majesty. This herb also grows on the high mountains around Qilian, and in the neighboring regions of Nanzhao and Tibet, Rhodiola is widely distributed. Though its efficacy may not match that of Tibetan Rhodiola, it still works,” Mo Dun quickly revealed all he knew, eager to redeem himself.

Seeing Mo Dun’s eager display, Li Shimin couldn’t help but laugh. However, he couldn’t let him off so easily; these mischievous children caused trouble time after time. Last time, they invented woodblock printing to cheat, and now they had launched a giant Kongming lantern, stirring up half of Chang’an.

Li Shimin pondered for a moment, then commanded sternly, “Mo Dun and his three companions are unruly and lazy, failing to strive for progress. If they are not strictly disciplined, how can they serve the nation in the future? Take them away and give each ten strokes with the rod!”

“Ten strokes?” Mo Dun was dumbfounded. He hadn’t expected that after all his effort, he’d still be beaten. Surely his merits could offset his faults!

But Mo Dun wisely knew not to argue with the emperor and resigned himself to his fate.

“Congratulations, Your Majesty! With this new weapon and the secret of Tibet unraveled, you have gained two new tools of victory for our Great Tang,” the officials all congratulated him.

Li Shimin smiled with satisfaction. Although Mo Dun and his companions caused trouble time after time, they always brought him surprises. This time, Li Shimin saw an opportunity to finally resolve the long-standing rivalry with Tibet and Tu Hun Valley.

Qin Qiong, Cheng Yaojin, and Yuchi Jingde beamed with joy, not at all embarrassed that their children were being punished. Aside from the princes, whose children could receive such personal discipline from the emperor? Didn’t he say that after discipline they could serve the nation better?

Many officials looked at the three with envy. Their own children were busy with trivial pursuits, while Qin Huaiyu and his companions had brought forth printing, hot air balloons, and other inventions of great benefit to the country, not to mention the famous Mohist scion.

This fellow was almost extraordinary. In terms of ability, he single-handedly transformed Mohist Village from poverty to prosperity, altering the fate of five thousand people. In terms of learning, he surpassed all at the Imperial Academy, his poetry renowned throughout Chang’an.

As for status, he presided over a school of thought. With the display of Mohist technique, no one dared underestimate the Mohists anymore. Perhaps the once illustrious pre-Qin school would rise again.

“Ah! Other people’s children!”

Li Shimin and all the officials heard the distant cries of pain, but none felt inclined to mock. Instead, they felt relieved it wasn’t their own children being beaten.

Li Shimin glanced around and looked down at the two sacks of walnuts at his feet, his eyes lighting up.

“Ahem! Pang De, send these two sacks of walnuts to the palace. The princes have been studying hard lately; let them use these for nourishment,” he said casually.

The officials immediately recalled the recent rumors in Chang’an about walnuts. At first, they’d laughed off claims that walnuts could boost intelligence, but seeing the two bulging sacks and the huge hot air balloon before them, they could no longer remain indifferent. Could it be that Mo Dun’s walnuts truly had miraculous effects?

Whether emperor or official, they might be cold and ruthless to others, but their own children were always the softest spot in their hearts.

Fang Xuanling thought of his second son and shamelessly stepped forward: “My second son, Fang Yiai, is quite dull. May Your Majesty grant some walnuts to me as well?”

“My child too…”

...

In the end, Li Shimin managed to keep only one sack of walnuts; the rest were snatched by the officials.