Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 1 Recap
> Serenade of Peaceful Joy Recap
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During the Tiansheng era of the Song Dynasty, Emperor Zhao Heng passed away, and the young Emperor Zhao Zhen ascended the throne, with Empress Dowager Liu E assisting in governing the court, in accordance with the late Emperor’s will. Zhao Zhen grew up believing Liu E was his biological mother.
However, his uncle, the Eighth Prince Zhao Yuan Yan, revealed that his birth mother was Li Lanhui, a former maid of low status in the palace, currently serving as a tomb keeper. Deeply shocked, Zhao Zhen summoned his wet nurse, Xu Shi, that very night for confirmation. Xu Shi, initially hesitant, eventually confirmed the truth after Zhao Zhen pressed her relentlessly, threatening her with the crime of deceiving the emperor.
Driven by youthful impetuosity and a desire to fulfill his filial duties, Zhao Zhen, before dawn, rode to Yongding Mausoleum to bring his biological mother back to the palace. At the Yongding Mausoleum gate, he was stopped by the guarding soldiers. Zhao Zhen drew his sword, demanding they let him pass. Li Lanhui, lying ill in bed, heard the commotion and initially felt a surge of energy to prepare to meet her son.
However, she remembered the late Emperor's instructions: that Liu E should raise Zhao Zhen, and that Zhao Zhen should not know Li Lanhui was his birth mother, all to stabilize the court and for Zhao Zhen's sake. This knowledge drained her renewed vitality. To truly help Zhao Zhen, she knew she couldn’t acknowledge him. The Emperor's retinue arrived, intending to escort Zhao Zhen back to the palace, but he refused to leave.
The minister Yan Shu, dispatched by Chancellor Lü Yi Jian to persuade Zhao Zhen, also arrived. Yan Shu urged him to consider the welfare of the nation and the ancestral laws of the Song Dynasty. Zhao Zhen remained resolute, believing there was nothing wrong with seeing his mother, even contemplating abandoning his imperial position to take Li Lanhui away from the mausoleum.
Just as Yan Shu was about to dissuade him further, an old servant of Li Lanhui arrived, bearing a box of Buddhist scriptures hand-copied by her over the past year. Through the servant, Li Lanhui conveyed her wish for Zhao Zhen to become a benevolent emperor for the sake of the people, stating she was content in her life of copying scriptures and didn't want to be disturbed.
Zhao Zhen finally agreed to return to the palace and be a good Emperor. Before returning, Zhao Zhen recalled the candied fruit Li Lanhui used to make for him. He requested to have some tea and candied fruit made by her, but the servant explained that Li Lanhui hadn't made any since becoming a tomb keeper, but that she had learned from Granny Liang of the Liang Family shop.
Zhao Zhen then took his entourage to the Liang Family shop, where he encountered Han Qi intervening on behalf of the Liang family against several ruffians causing trouble. Han Qi, though a scholar, displayed courage and righteousness in preventing the thugs from entering the shop and causing disturbances. Zhao Zhen, seeing the thugs harassing the Liang family, ordered them driven away, and even suggested reporting the incident to the authorities.
Han Qi, however, stopped him, stating that the source of the problem was the imperial government itself. Intrigued, Zhao Zhen asked Han Qi to explain his reasoning, promising to protect the Liang family's business if his explanation was valid. Han Qi explained that the thugs dared to act with impunity because the imperial government forbade commoners from operating shops in residential areas.
Even if the thugs were arrested, the Liang family would still be unable to continue their business and would be penalized. Zhao Zhen, initially angered by Han Qi's words, became speechless when he witnessed the Liang family's living conditions and understood the hardships of the common people. Zhao Zhen questioned Han Qi's decision to become an official despite his disdain for the court, to which Han Qi replied he only sought to make the emperor aware of the people’s suffering.
That evening, Zhao Zhen returned to the palace, where the palace staff only discussed dinner arrangements, devoid of any matters of state, further irritating him. He refused entry to anyone in his study. Miao Xinhe, Zhao Zhen's childhood friend, wanted to visit and was turned away by the palace staff. She spoke to him through the door, and Zhang Maoze, Zhao Zhen's attendant, arrived with warmed buns. Miao Xinhe helped Zhang Maoze deliver the buns to Zhao Zhen.
Knowing that Zhao Zhen would hide away when troubled, she knew he would only emerge after everyone had left, allowing him time to calm down. The following morning at court, the officials reported Fan Zhongyan's request to resign and observe mourning for his mother. Zhao Zhen seized the opportunity to emphasize filial piety, provoking Liu E and causing Zhao Yuan Yan to mock her.
Zhao Yuan Yan had previously warned Zhao Zhen that Liu E sought to emulate Wu Zetian and usurp the throne, fueling Zhao Zhen's discontent, and leading him to support Zhao Zhen's arguments about filial piety.
