The Heavenly Court had four great gateways—east, south, west, and north. To find the Azure Emperor of the Eastern Pole's office in heaven, one had to enter through the Eastern Heavenly Gate.
Azure Splendor Everjoy Realm, Eastern Pole Wondrous Solemn Palace.
Palaces, towers, and corridors interconnected in an exquisite, open layout. Layer upon layer of colored clouds drifted overhead, purple vapors rose, crimson mists curled around the halls—an ever-changing spectacle, sacred and solemn, magnificent as a poem painted in brocade.
To put it in a nutshell, the light of righteousness shone upon the great hall.
Sun Wukong announced his name and explained his purpose. A fairy clad in rainbow robes led him to the Emperor's office.
He had expected this Celestial Venerable to sit high upon a nine-colored lotus dais, standing amid billions of auspicious rays. Instead, it was an utterly ordinary office, without the slightest special effect of divine light.
It was a rather spacious office. A sofa and tea table set stood in the middle, while three potted green plants sat before the floor-to-ceiling window: a money tree, a Chinese money plant, and a measuring ruler cactus. The theme was harmony begetting wealth.
The largest object in the office was the desk. Its surface was wide enough for two secretaries to lie upon with room to spare; if someone suddenly barged in, two more secretaries could be hidden beneath it.
Behind the desk stood a wall of cabinets whose purpose was unclear. They might have been wardrobes, or perhaps filing cabinets. Normally, cabinets like these had hidden doors. Push one open, and there would be another office inside for working the night shift, with a bed, a private bathroom, and the like—perfect for staying up late to work overtime and study foreign languages.
Sun Wukong had seen an