Read Journey to Wubang 01 - Earth to Hell for Free Online Page B

to see you again, ma’am. Lunch sometime soon? It’s been a while. Maybe in the Landmark?’ He quirked one eyebrow at me. ‘You can take the opportunity while you’re in Central to go shopping for some new clothes and some slippers for wearing around the house like a civilised person.’
    Jade snorted with laughter at the side of the room and bent double with silent hilarity, her hand over her mouth.
    Venus bowed slightly to her. ‘Princess.’ He turned back to me. ‘Don’t be a stranger, Emma. We haven’tmet for lunch in ages. Can my people contact your people and arrange something?’
    ‘Sure thing, just call my secretary,’ I said.
    He bowed slightly again. ‘See you in Heaven.’ He disappeared.
    I stormed past Jade to take the box into the office, and thumped her arm as I passed her.
    She gasped with laughter. ‘He’s right, you know, ma’am.’
    I pressed my thumb against the seal to open the box. A scroll and a small rosewood jewellery box were the only things inside. I took the scroll, undid the ribbon and opened it. It was written in English, in vermillion ink, in the Jade Emperor’s distinctive flowing hand.

Wear this while you are on the Celestial Plane and you will be unharmed. Make sure you remind me to ask you to give it back though; it’s one of my Symbols of Office. See you in a couple of days.

    I removed the tiny box and flipped it open. Inside was a gold ring set with a large oval piece of jade. I took the ring and studied it, wondered if the stone was sentient and, if so, whether I should say hello.
    The stone in my ring solved the problem for me. ‘Not sentient, just a nice piece of jade.’
    Jade came into the office and gasped. ‘The Emperor’s Imperial Ring. I’ve never seen it outside the Celestial Plane.’
    I slipped it on the ring finger of my right hand. ‘It’ll stop me from being killed when I enter the Plane,’ I told her, ‘but I have to give it back. Tell Gold to go back to Amy, we’re fine.’ Then I sighed with resignation. ‘The Jade Emperor knows.’
    ‘Of course he does; he knows all,’ Jade said. ‘Now, you only have two days to prepare. We’ll need to havesomething made for you right away, ma’am. Can you cancel your appointments and meet me at Mr Li’s tomorrow?’
    ‘I’m free after energy class at ten. I’ll meet you in Central?’
    Jade bowed slightly. ‘Ma’am. We will also need to spend the afternoon revising Imperial protocol, if you want this petition to succeed.’
    ‘Damn, Jade, how much do I need to know? All I do is go in, bow to his JEness, and talk to him about Leo.’
    Jade smiled slightly. ‘I think probably a great deal. We can spend the afternoon going through the protocol. If he meets with you in his rooms, you will need to know specific details.’
    ‘Basic things, like the fact that any seat that the Emperor sits on becomes his throne and no other person may sit on it,’ the stone said.
    Jade nodded. ‘I’ll need to write a list of things to remember. By your leave, ma’am, I’ll return home and begin.’
    ‘It’s after work hours, Jade. No need until tomorrow.’
    ‘It will take me several hours to gather the information, ma’am.’
    ‘Don’t work too hard, Jade.’
    She disappeared.
    I sighed. ‘I didn’t even ask her how her kids are.’
    ‘They are dragons,’ the stone said. ‘They are young, troublesome and hungry all the time.’
    ‘Sounds like all kids.’
    ‘You are quite correct. Now go do something else for a while, Emma. Enough worrying about this. You will be fine. And you will finally be able to extricate Leo from this little mess he has put himself into.’
    I rose to go into the training room. ‘Yes, Mother.’
    I was halfway through a demon-essence kata with the Murasame when the Tiger appeared next to the mirrors, leaning casually on the wall.
    ‘How the hell did you get in?’ I said without stopping.
    ‘Your goddamn seals are fading again,’ the Tiger said. ‘Get a different Master