The Empress palace, Lu Xiaolian's rooms.
Lu Xiaolian had just returned from paying her respects to Dowager Noble Consort Xu and had just undressing into a normal Hanfu, When a maidservant announced the arrival of her Stepmother and sister.
Lu Xiaolian stood and went out to welcome them. She walked out of her private chambers and Standing in front of her Stepmother bowed in greetings and said
"Xiaolian greets Mother"
Ming Meiren with smiled and said "Xiaolian"
"Do have a seat Mother, Yue'er" Lu Xiaolian said.
Ming Meiren and Lu Yue walked up to the seat and took their seats. The servant withdrew from the room to give them their Privacy.
Lu Yue had always been very close to her elder sister so as soon as they were alone she quickly stood, rushed up to Lu Xiaolian and giving her a tight hug. She had really missed this sister of hers all these while. She would have visited often but her mother advised her not to as the Imperial palace had very strict rules.
"Xiaolian Jei jei I missed you, the Manor is boring without you when will you be back Home" Lu Yue said acting spoiled.
"Yue'er" Lu Xiaolian said smiling. She had always been fond of this naughty sister of hers.
"Be good Yue'er, Xiaolian is getting married so she will be living with the crown Prince from now on. If you will have to pay her a visit her" Ming Meiren said. These two have always been close, it's no surprise that they would have a hard time being apart for so long.
"How about this, if Yue'er misses me you can pay me a visit" Lu Xiaolian said smiling brightly.
"Good don't take back your words Jei jei" Lu Yue said and ran back to her seat.
"Mother how has father, elder brother and everyone been" Lu Xiaolian said softly even though she had been getting updates on everyone from Her shadow guard Lu Yan she still wished to ask.
"Everyone is doing well, your father and Brother left to defend the northern towns from the Wo bandits,They will be back in time for your wedding" Ming Meiren said in reply.
"Oh that's good" Lu Xiaolian said. She had no idea that her father and brother had gone to war until.
"I heard that Imperial Consort Su has been giving you a hard time through the Dowager Imperial Noble Consort" Ming Meiren be said.
"Mother doesn't need to worry herself, My stay in the Palace has been very uneventful, Dowager Imperial Noble Consort Xu was still getting used to meso she was a little strict" Lu Xiaolian said still maintaining her smile it wouldn't do to make her mother and father worry least of all her family knowing her second aunt's temper, she just might barge into the palace.
"As you wish, luckily you won't have to worry about that anymore. The Emperor has finally shown his hands, the Su family had been thoroughly ruined and the Imperial Consort Su confined to her palace so you can have a little moment of peace" Ming Meiren said. She could already tell that Xiaolian didn't want her to worry. Lu Xiaolian has always been a considerate child right from a very young age. She never disclosed how she felt so as not to make her loved ones worry. She already knows Xiaolian's character and hence knew how to tell Xiaolian innermost feelings. She only wished that Her little Xiaolian doesn't suffer much in the future because of this.
"Really? Lu Xiaolian asked surprised. She had no idea that was the Emperor's end game, she always thought that he wished to suppress the Su family not completely ruin them.
"The Su family has been demoted to commoners and banished to the country side, Old master Su and eldest master Su were removed from their position"Ming Meiren replied.
"This is bound to weaken the third Prince's fraction" Lu Xiaolian said.
"It did the Third Prince is now on house arrest, the third prince has really suffered a set back as did the First Prince fraction. The Engagement between the Sixth Princess Zhongshan Xiu and the Eldest young master of the Ning family has fallen through" Ming Meiren continued.
"Eh I thought the sixth Princess and young master Ning were already engaged, How can the Ning family break an engagement set by the Emperor" Lu Yue said confused. The sixth Princess and Lu Yue were the same age so it was no surprise that she was more familiar with the Princess.
"That's not completely true Xiao Yue, the engagement between the Sixth Princess and young master Ning have not yet been decided. The Gao Family and Imperial Noble Consort Gao had first suggested the union but the Ning family never agreed neither did the Emperor"Lu Xiaolian said in reply.
"Hmm why is it presumed that the Sixth Princess was engaged to Young master Ning? Lu Yue asked
"That is just a ploy by Imperial Noble Consort Gao and the Gao Family to force the Emperor's hands" Ming Meiren said with a slight smile. The Imperial Noble Consort and the Gao had always been too smart for their own good thinking that by spreading rumors of the be Engagement they could manipulate the Emperor to write a decree.
"That's__ ! Lu Yue said loss of words. She had always wondered why the loyal and powerful Ning family would agree to this engagement. The Ning family has always been neutral to all power struggle.
"Unacceptable, manipulative, strange. That has always been Imperial Noble Consort Gao style it seams" Ming Meiren said.
"I bet she didn't count on the Ning family call it off or the Emperor turning a blind eye to it all" Lu Xiaolian said.
" Good I never liked that sixth princess she has always been too proud for her own good" Lu Yue said cheerfully.
"My thoughts exactly the Power ranks has been thoroughly rearranged by the Emperor and in just a short while" Lu Xiaolian said thoughtfully. She couldn't honestly state the Emperor's end game but one thing was certain and that was that the Emperor wished to remove the Xu family from the Equation but she had no idea what the Emperor's reasons were.
Young master Sheng, Sheng Xiaoli has been appointed as the Minister of Reform, while Young master Ning Renshu was promoted to a third rank official in the ministry of justice. The most surprising is most definitely the appointment of Young Master He as the governor as Yuping" Ming Meiren said.
"I guess this was to make up for the Su family actions" Xu Xiaolian said finally smiling a true smile. Based on recent occurance the Emperor seems to be cleaning house.
Ming Meiren and Lu Yue stayed for lunch after which they returned to Duke Wu Manor.