Mu Zhiyao took the opportunity to reclaim the death-exemption gold token she'd given Consort Rong, then handed it to Consort Zhang.
Lou Junyan had been lying in wait in the palace for days, sneaking into Mu Zhiyao's bedchamber several times while she slept. Once, he happened upon Xiaobai, who had fallen out of a pocket dimension after getting drunk, landing right in his arms. Suspicious of the little creature, he took it back to his own quarters.
After a long time without seeing Xiaobai, Mu Zhiyao searched the pocket dimension and discovered it was gone. She launched a frantic search throughout the palace. Xiaobai, meanwhile, was living the good life with Lou Junyan and soon forgot all about Mu Zhiyao. Lou Junyan used the opportunity to take credit for finding Xiaobai, then proposed to Mu Hanchen that he marry Mu Zhiyao as his principal consort and also take Consort Xiangyang as a secondary consort.
Mu Zhiyao refused, and so did Mu Hanchen.
But under pressure from the court and with war raging at the border, Mu Hanchen could not state his position. Mu Zhiyao therefore began to consider running away from home.
When Mu Hanchen found out, he gave her his full support, preparing ample money and valuables for her and Yu Jue to leave the palace.
