Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 13 Recap
> Serenade of Peaceful Joy Recap
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Emperor Zhao Zhen, upon giving gifts to his ministers, faced criticism from some who deemed his actions extravagant and inconsiderate of border generals and common citizens. Zhao Zhen defended the gifts, explaining they were from accumulated palace stock, not an extra expense, and suggested ministers could donate them if they wished to share the princess's joy with the people.
While Yin Zhu eventually ceased his opposition, other ministers seized the opportunity to press Zhao Zhen on a different matter: citing his lack of a son and Miao Xinhe having only a daughter, they demanded he select a clan member to adopt as an heir or establish as the Crown Prince. This demand greatly annoyed and upset Zhao Zhen. After court, a vexed Zhao Zhen visited his beloved daughter, Zhao Huirou.
On a whim, he decided to place a luminous pearl, a tribute item, at her bedside. Miao Xinhe, Zhao Huirou's mother, became anxious and tried to decline the gift for her daughter, feeling she was too young and undeserving of such high favor. Zhao Zhen was angered by her refusal and nearly reprimanded her.
Empress Cao Danshu quickly intervened, calming Zhao Zhen and persuading Miao Xinhe to accept the pearl, downplaying its value and suggesting it be seen simply as a light for the princess at night, thus providing a graceful resolution for both parties. Later, Miao Xinhe confided in Cao Danshu, expressing her pity for Zhao Zhen due to the constant oversight from the censors. She also worried about potential public criticism for her promotion to Zhaoyi despite having only a daughter.
Cao Danshu comforted her. Knowing Zhao Zhen was still troubled by the court's demands for an heir, Cao Danshu sought him out in Funing Hall, hoping to invite him for a private drink at Kunning Palace and mentioning she was preparing his favorite venison jerky. However, Zhao Zhen misunderstood her intentions, suspecting she was probing him about the matter of adopting a clan member. He blamed and challenged her.
Cao Danshu, feeling insulted, explained she had come out of marital affection to comfort him, not to align with the ministers. Zhao Zhen dismissed her sentiment, believing there was no genuine marital affection between them. Angered by his words, Cao Danshu retorted that she was merely a suitable empress candidate chosen by him, with no true marital bond. She immediately apologized for her outburst and returned to Kunning Palace for self-reflection.
Zhao Zhen, further enraged by her words, left alone to clear his head. Back in Kunning Palace, Cao Danshu had lost her appetite despite the venison jerky being ready, instructing her maids to distribute it to other palace ladies. Zhang Maoze, aware of Zhao Zhen's harsh words to Cao Danshu, visited her under the pretext of discussing attendants for Zhao Huirou, but his true intention was to comfort her and encourage understanding for Zhao Zhen.
Cao Danshu, appreciative of his kindness, revealed that she neither blamed nor resented Zhao Zhen; instead, she pitied him. She explained that Zhao Zhen, in an effort to balance various court factions, repeatedly brought women he didn't favor into the palace, yet his heart truly belonged only to Miao Xinhe. Consequently, he had only ever spent nights in Miao Xinhe's palace, resulting in only one daughter.
Cao Danshu found Zhao Zhen even more pitiable because the ministers disregarded his beloved daughter and insisted on imposing a clan member on him. After hearing her heartfelt words, Zhang Maoze admitted his real reason for visiting was to console her. He confessed that from their wedding night, he knew Cao Danshu was Zhao Zhen's destined empress and then returned a small wooden doll she had previously discarded.
Meanwhile, after his argument with Cao Danshu and still frustrated by the court's demands, Zhao Zhen walked alone in the Imperial Garden, carrying a lantern to clear his head. He heard singing from dancers of the Imperial Music Bureau practicing for an upcoming palace banquet.
He approached, and the instructor, Jia Jiaoxi (also known as Jia Yulan), who had just been scolding the dancers, including Zhang Bihan, for singing "frivolous songs" and ordered them to return quickly, led them in bowing. Among the dancers was Zhang Bihan, who recognized Zhao Zhen as the "Big Brother" she had met in her childhood, though she was unaware he was the Emperor.
Excited, she mentioned their past encounter, but Zhao Zhen, not recognizing the now adult Zhang Bihan, denied having met her. Nevertheless, he took off his cloak and draped it over her, then told her to go back. After Zhao Zhen departed, Jia Jiaoxi comforted Zhang Bihan, assuring her that Zhao Zhen likely favored her and that she would find a way to help him remember her.
Annoyed and frustrated by the court's pressure and his ongoing personal troubles, Zhao Zhen ultimately resolved to address the succession issue: he instructed an inner attendant to summon an un-summoned noble lady to serve him in bed every ten days. He also resolved to take unpleasant tonic medicines prescribed by imperial physicians to hasten the birth of a son.
Separately, Liang Yuansheng returned to Liaocheng and discovered that his brother, Liang Huaiji (also referred to as Liang Yuanheng), had been sold. He uncovered that his maternal aunt and the county magistrate were committing adultery and were responsible for selling his brother. He tied them both in a bedroom and attempted to report them to the local yamen, but his complaint did not receive fair treatment.
Zhang Lihua, proprietress of Qingfeng Tower, received a letter from Liang Yuansheng detailing his accusations against the county magistrate. She immediately sought help from Han Qi. Han Qi, upon reading the letter, learned that the accused county magistrate had recently received an "excellent" rating in official evaluations, obtained official recommendations, and was soon to be summoned to the capital for an appointment.
Han Qi promptly visited Wang Zeng, explained the entire situation, and demanded a thorough investigation, urging Wang Zeng to bring the matter up in court during the morning session. In court, Han Qi publicly exposed the county magistrate's embezzlement and adultery. He directly implicated Lu Yijian, accusing him of accepting bribes, engaging in corrupt and illegal practices, and manipulating official promotions by heavily promoting unqualified officials and labeling them as "excellent."
Lu Yijian challenged them to provide evidence of his bribes. Wang Zeng countered that even without direct bribes, Lu Yijian's actions — corrupting the court atmosphere and demoting or suppressing honest and capable officials — constituted dereliction of duty, which was a greater harm than merely accepting money. Han Qi and Wang Zeng, along with others, demanded a full court debate on the matter before Zhao Zhen.
