Attempted Rape Of Mu Nihuang

The **Attempted Rape Of Mu Nihuang** was a plot by Noble Consort Yue and Crown Prince Xiao Jingxuan to drug Mu Nihuang with the Qing Si Rao liquid and have Sima Lei rape her. It was foiled by Mei Changsu, who sent Xiao Jingyan, Empress Yan, and the Grand Empress to Consort Yue's palace to disrupt the attempt.

It takes place in Episode 4 and Episode 5, with some final aftermath of repercussions in Episode 6.

## Sequences Of Events

### Episode 04

1. The Empress ordered Consort Hui to go to the Empress Dowager's palace and burnt incense to pray to apologize for not copying texts well. Consort Jing sees that Consort Hui is scared of going and offers to go with her. As they leave the Empress Dowager's palace, they overhear two servants discussing Qing Si Rao and that it was what the Empress Dowager had used on Grand Princess Liyang, and that the effects of it cause the victim to feel weak and then lose consciousness. Consort Hui and Consort Jing sneak away after hearing this. Consort Jing warns Consort Hui to act like she didn't hear about it.
2. In Zhiluo Palace, Consort Jing is finishing embroidering a silk pouch. She tells Xin there is no need to wait up for her and to go to bed.
3. In the Grand Empress's Palace, Consort Jing waits outside while a silk pouch she made is gifted to the Grand Empress. The Grand Empress summons Consort Jing inside. Consort Jing gives another silk pouch to Grand Princess Liyang, who is attending on the Grand Empress. Inside the pouch is a letter asking for them to meet in private.
4. Grand Princess Liyang visits Zhiluo Palace on the pretext of an itch on her back and wanting Consort Jing, who worked as a doctor before entering the Palace, to help. Consort Jing dismisses the servants and discusses the Qing Si Rao wine with Grand Princess Liyang, who was the previous victim of it. Consort Jing tells Grand Princess Liyang that someone in the Inner Palace intends to use this wine on Mu Nihuang. Consort Jing asks Princess Liyang for help.
5. At Mu Manor, Grand Princess Liyang arrives to visit Mu Nihuang, but is told that she and her brother Mu Qing are not home.
6. In Xie Manor, Grand Princess Liyang is helped into her cloak. She asks where her son Xie Bi is and is told that he is still at Prince Yu's manor attending a feast. Princess Liyang tells her servants that if her sons come to visit her, tell them that she's sleeping. Princess Liyang then goes to Snow Cottage to see Mei Changsu.
7. At Snow Cottage, Meng Zhi hides while Grand Princess Liyang enters. Princess Liyang tells Mei Changsu about the Qing Si Rao and asks Mei Changsu that, since the next day will be the fight with Baili Qi, to use that opportunity to warn Mu Nihuang to be careful when interacting with the Inner Palace overall, since Princess Liyang does not know who precisely will be attempting to rape Mu Nihuang or when. Mei Changsu assures Princess Liyang that he will send her message to Mu Nihuang. Meng Zhi wonders who would do such a thing. Mei Changsu says it will be either Empress Yan or Noble Consort Yue and that tomorrow, they will see who invites Mu Nihuang to their Palace.

### Episode 05

1. Inside Wuying Hall, people are gathering and preparations are being made for the bout between Baili Qi and the three slaves. Mei Changsu tells Mu Nihuang that Grand Princess Liyang asked him to warn her about the Qing Si Rao and to be careful with invitations from the women of the Inner Palace and if she is forced to accept an invitation, be careful of what she eats or drinks. Mei Changsu tells Nihuang that her habit of not taking a maid with her is dangerous. Nihuang asks how Mei Changsu knows she doesn't take a maid with her. Yan Yujin interrupts them, and Mu Qing pulls him away and tells him off for interrupting his sister.
2. Qi Hong arrives outside Wuying Hall and tells Mu Nihuang that Empress Yan wishes to see her and invites her to Zhenyang Palace. Mu Nihuang accepts the invitation, exchanging glances with Mei Changsu, and then goes with Qi Hong.
3. Outside the Palace, Yujin points out that the freed slaves ended up going to Mu Manor, asking why Mei Changsu didn't keep them. Mei Changsu says that he is a guest at Xie Manor and so it would be inconvenient to take in three children. Yujin says that he will tell Liao Tingjie all about the battle when they play pool later. Mei Changsu realizes that if Liao Tingjie will be playing polo with Yan Yujin, he isn't inside the Palace as part of the plot to rape Mu Nihuang, and so the danger comes from Noble Consort Yue and not from Empress Yan. Mei Changsu starts having a coughing fit.
4. Inside Zhenyang Palace, Empress Yan tries to get Mu Nihuang to eat the light refreshment food laid out, but Nihuang refuses. When Nihuang reaches for a polite way to refuse eating dinner with Empress Yan, Noble Consort Yue jumps in to say that Nihuang had already agreed to eat dinner with her at Zhaoren Palace instead and talk about their shared home in Yunnan.
5. Outside the Palace, Meng Zhi rushes over to Mei Changsu, Yan Yujin, and Xiao Jingrui. Mei Changsu asks Meng Zhi for help with qi strength, while squeezing his arm and signaling to him that they have to speak privately. Meng Zhi sends Yujin and Jingrui to get the royal physician and bring warm water. Once they are gone, Mei Changsu tells Meng Zhi that he was wrong and that Mu Nihuang is in danger from Noble Consort Yue, not the Empress.
6. Inside Zhaoren Palace, Noble Consort Yue tells Mu Nihuang that Sima Lei would be a good match for her and ask Nihuang to support Crown Prince Xian. Nihuang says that since the Crown Prince is already appointed as the Crown Prince, her family will of course support the Crown Prince when he ascends in the same way they currently serve the Emperor. Noble Consort Yue suggests a toast as an apology for her asking the question. Nihuang notices that the cups were already poured and hers is set out in front of her. She thinks back to Mei Changsu's warning from earlier in the day as she watches Noble Consort Yue drink. Noble Consort Yue shows Nihuang the empty cup that Yue had just drunk. Nihuang thinks back to Mei Changsu shaking his head quickly in warning, but she is forced by social convention to drink the Qing Si Rao.
7. Outside the Palace, Mei Changsu tells Meng Zhi to tell Prince Jing to go to Zhaoren Palace, to send someone to tell the Empress, since she will not want to lose a chance to up against Noble Consort Yue, and to send soldiers to Zhaoren Palace and wait outside to catch and arrest Sima Lei as an unauthorized person inside the Inner Palace.
8. Inside Zhaoren Palace, a servant announces Crown Prince Xian and Sima Lei. Mu Nihuang is disoriented by the Qing Si Rao, but manages to fight her way out of the palace.
9. In the Grand Empress's Palace, Empress Yan is ushering the Grand Empress toward the exit, telling her that Mu Nihuang wants to see her.
10. Outside Zhaoren Palace, Xiao Jingyan arrives and fights his way through the guards blocking his way. Seeing Mu Nihuang stumble out, Jingyan goes to her and puts her arm around his shoulder to help support her. Noble Consort Yue orders the guards to stop them. Noble Consort Yue tells Crown Prince Xian to order the guards to shoot Jingyan. The Crown Prince tells the guards that Jingyan broke in to assault Noble Consort Yue and Nihuang, and orders the guards to kill him. Jingyan fights off the arrows, then flies through the air and takes Crown Prince Xian hostage with a sword up against his neck.
11. The Grand Empress Dowager is announced to Zhaoren Palace. Noble Consort Yue tells Sima Lei to leave through the back, which he does.
12. As the Grand Empress enters with Empress Yan, Xiao Jingyan goes to Mu Nihuang and helps her up from the ground. Noble Consort Yue and Crown Prince Xian greet the Grand Empress and Empress Yan. The Empress notices Nihuang being held by Jingyan and asks Noble Consort Yue what happened. Noble Consort Yue says that Nihuang got drunk. The Empress asks what all the palace guards around are for. Noble Consort Yue says they were there to demonstrate a sword and arrow technique.
13. Elsewhere in the Palace, Sima Lei is running through walkways when he is ambushed by Mu Qing, who has his men beat up Sima Lei in revenge for what he attempted with Mu Nihuang.
14. Mu Nihuang, Empress Yan, Noble Consort Yue, and Crown Prince Xian all go to Yangju Palace to speak to the Emperor. Nihuang kneels and asks for justice. She charges Noble Consort Yue with drugging her and conspiring with the Crown Prince and Sima Lei to rape her. Noble Consort Yue claims she is innocent.
15. Xiao Jingyan arrives at Yangju Palace and requests entrance to testify as a witness to the attempted rape. Xiao Jingyan enters Yangju Palace and bows to the Emperor. Kneeling throughout the audience, Jingyan testifies that he saw Sima Lei at Zhaoren Palace and that Noble Consort Yue and Crown Prince Xian ordered the guards to fire arrows at him, so he was therefore forced to take the Crown Prince hostage to delay until the Grand Empress arrived.
16. Meng Zhi is announced at Yangju Palace. He enters and reports that he caught Sima Lei outside Zhaoren Palace. Noble Consort Yue tells the Emperor that the plot was all hers and her son Crown Prince Xian is innocent in it and was only doing what a good son should and obey his mother.
17. The Emperor tells Meng Zhi to bring Sima Lei. Meng Zhi says that will have to be on a stretcher, because Mu Qing's men broke Sima Lei's leg. The Emperor passes sentence on Sima Lei, saying that he is to be stripped of his title and banished to Shanzhou. His father Sima Xu will be demoted by one rank and fined three years pay.
18. The Emperor demotes Noble Consort Yue to a lower rank of concubine and will have her stipend lowered. She will also be confined to Qingli Court to reflect.

### Episode 06

1. In Yangju Hall, the Emperor is dealing with the last of the punishments regarding the attempted rape Of Mu Nihuang. Crown Prince Xian is confined to the Eastern Palace for three months.
2. Prince Yu arrives outside Yangju Hall and is greeted by a eunuch. Prince Yu throws him a pouch of coins and asks the eunuch what's going on inside.
3. The Emperor asks Xiao Jingyan how he knew that Mu Nihuang was in trouble in Zhaoren Palace, since Jingyan has no reason to be anywhere near there. While Jingyan is considering how to reply, Prince Yu enters and claims that he was the one who told Jingyan to go to Zhaoren Palace. He claims he was on his way to Zhengyang Palace to see Empress Yan and passed by Zhaoren Palace. He claims he spotted the Crown Prince entering with Sima Lei and then was told that Mu Nihuang was in there as well. Thinking the situation unusual, Prince Yu saw Jingyan and had him go inside it would be better to have a Prince go in than guards. The Emperor asks Jingyan if this is correct. Jingyan does not dispute it. The Emperor declares that Jingyan's actions cancel each other out -- saving the princess vs. taking his brother hostage -- and so Jingyan won't be rewarded or punished. The Emperor rewards Prince Yu with money, horses, and pearls for discovering the situation and acting to prevent it.