Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 2 Recap
> Serenade of Peaceful Joy Recap
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At court, Zhao Yuanyan fiercely debated with Liu E's faction, supporting Zhao Zhen and accusing Liu E of misrule. He mocked Liu E through Fan Zhongyan and implied Lu Yijian's opportunism. Lu Yijian retorted, leading to a prolonged and heated argument. Liu E eventually intervened, stopping the contention and, to allow Fan Zhongyan to fulfill both loyal and filial duties, appointed Zhang Lun to replace Fan Zhongyan in continuing the repair of the sea-wall.
Liu E subtly reminded Zhao Zhen that his perspective was still narrow and would broaden with age. Recognizing Zhao Zhen’s burgeoning resentment due to his knowledge of his birth mother, Li Lanhui, Liu E deliberately used the concept of filial piety to provoke him. To suppress Zhao Yuanyan, Liu E dispatched her trusted eunuch Ren Shouchong and imperial doctors to Zhao Yuanyan's residence, claiming his recurring madness had flared up.
This maneuver effectively removed Zhao Yuanyan from court attendance, further fueling his resentment and leading him to loudly accuse Liu E of usurpation. Zhao Zhen, feeling that Liu E exploited his youth and disregarded his opinions, grew increasingly frustrated. He disliked his "forced" wife, Empress Guo, for her clumsiness and foolishness, even though she constantly vied for his attention.
To indirectly honor his birth mother, Li Lanhui, Zhao Zhen instructed Empress Guo and Consort Yang to learn how to make Li Lanhui’s candied fruits. The two consorts argued over a box of these fruits Zhao Zhen had brought, with Empress Guo accusing Consort Yang of theft, while Consort Yang claimed she only wanted to study them.
Zhao Zhen had them work together, hoping everyone in the palace would learn to make the candied fruits as a way to remember Li Lanhui. Empress Guo, failing to grasp Zhao Zhen's subtle intentions, innocently reported the candied fruit matter to Liu E. Liu E's eunuch, Ren Shouchong, fearing Liu E's wrath, subtly interrupted Empress Guo by making a commotion outside and verbally reminding her to be cautious with her words.
Liu E, though not directly scolding Ren Shouchong for his "impropriety," understood he acted in her best interest and confided in him about her internal struggles, including her bitterness that Zhao Zhen did not understand her and intended to bring his birth mother back, effectively disregarding her as Empress Dowager.
Zhao Zhen, angered by Liu E’s opposition, complained to Zhang Maoze, feeling betrayed when Ren Shouchong’s reaction further confirmed Zhao Yuanyan’s claims about his true parentage, a fact known by many palace elders. Zhao Zhen attempted to send gifts to Li Lanhui via Zhang Maoze. However, inner official Jiang Deming intercepted Zhang Maoze.
Upon his return to the palace, Zhang Maoze knelt before Zhao Zhen, begging forgiveness for not obeying the imperial decree to leave the city and imploring Zhao Zhen to suppress his feelings for Li Lanhui to avoid angering Liu E. Zhao Zhen felt betrayed by Zhang Maoze's sudden change.
Zhang Maoze then presented a jade cup given to him by Jiang Deming, explaining its significance: his own father's downfall was due to collusion with powerful officials, and the cup symbolized Liu E's influence. Zhang Maoze revealed that during the late Emperor Zhao Heng's prolonged illness, many ministers had conspired for power, but Liu E had successfully thwarted them, preserving the Song dynasty and Zhao Zhen's position on the throne.
He emphasized that the empire required both Zhao Zhen and Liu E, but Li Lanhui was expendable. Zhang Maoze further disclosed Emperor Zhao Heng's dying wish to Liu E: that under no circumstances should there be "two empress dowagers" in the Song dynasty. He warned Zhao Zhen that his insistence on bringing Li Lanhui back could put her life in grave danger.
Jiang Deming, acting on Liu E's behalf, had already intercepted and replaced Zhao Zhen's gifts to Li Lanhui with more ordinary imperial consort-level items, leaving Li Lanhui unaware of the palace intrigues and recovering peacefully from a recent illness. Zhang Maoze's words made Zhao Zhen realize that his continued defiance could lead to the collapse of the court and widespread chaos.
Accepting the reality, Zhao Zhen abandoned his pursuit of Li Lanhui's "due" treatment and committed himself to his duties as emperor. Empress Guo, feeling disrespected by the other consorts, sought out Liu E, who told her that while she could compel Zhao Zhen to marry her, she could not make him love her, advising Empress Guo to win Zhao Zhen's affection herself.
Meanwhile, Yan Shu, a minister entrusted by the late Emperor Zhao Heng to guide Zhao Zhen, was unhappy with Liu E's plan to promote her confidant, Zhang Qi, who lacked governing talent. Yan Shu openly opposed Liu E, fully aware that his actions would displease her and lead to his demotion, which he was prepared for. He deliberately committed an impropriety by loudly scolding and pushing a servant while waiting for court, drawing Liu E's attention.
Liu E seized the opportunity, using Yan Shu's "impropriety" as justification to demote him, first to Commissioner of Military Affairs, then further demoting him to serve as the Prefect of Ying Tian Fu, while Zhang Qi was promoted to Commissioner of Military Affairs. Before Yan Shu left the capital, Zhao Zhen, understanding the true reasons behind Yan Shu’s demotion, sought his counsel on how to be a wise ruler.
Yan Shu advised him that governing was like balancing a scale, and a ruler's heart should be like a clear mirror, discerning good from evil and right from wrong. Inspired by Yan Shu's guidance and having read Fan Zhongyan's article on academy reform, which resonated with his own ideas, Zhao Zhen wrote to Yan Shu, hoping he would use his authority as Prefect of Ying Tian Fu to improve Ying Tian Academy.
Yan Shu consequently assigned Fan Zhongyan to teach there. However, Fan Zhongyan's unkempt attire caused him to be scorned by the academy's students and headmaster, who suspected him of being a fraud and accused him of disgracing scholars. Cao Danshu, overhearing the slander, angrily defended Fan Zhongyan, scolding the headmaster and even threatening to use her family's influence to close the academy.
At that moment, Yan Shu arrived, confirming Fan Zhongyan's identity and admonishing the disrespectful students, while also politely greeting Fan Zhongyan. Cao Danshu, realizing she had exaggerated, secretly urged Fan Zhongyan to flee to avoid trouble. Fan Zhongyan, however, was resolute, his debate with the students only strengthening his determination to stay and properly educate them, believing their poor performance stemmed from ineffective teaching.
Several years later, the Liang family had to leave due to a new prescription needed for Liang's illness. Han Qi, unable to locate the Liang family, decided to participate in the imperial examinations. He excelled, placing second in the first class of jinshi. During his audience with the emperor, Han Qi, the newly appointed second-place jinshi, was surprised to discover that Zhao Zhen, the current emperor, was the same individual he had argued with years prior.
Zhao Zhen, recalling Han Qi's youthful boasts, was contemplative. He inquired about Han Qi's recommendations for market system reforms. Han Qi, feeling nervous, tried to defer, citing insufficient investigation, but Zhao Zhen, no longer the naive emperor of years past, confidently shared his own analysis of the matter.
