Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 24 Recap
> Serenade of Peaceful Joy Recap
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In Kangding Second Year, Zhang Bihan gives birth to a daughter, Zhao Chuyue, who is cared for by Jia Yulan, Zhang Bihan's governess. Zhang Bihan's arrogant and self-willed temper persists. When Zhao Chuyue falls ill with a fever, Zhang Bihan becomes excessively worried and paranoid, convinced someone is secretly harming her daughter.
She contrasts Zhao Chuyue's frequent illnesses with Zhao Huirou's consistent good health, leading her to suspect Empress Cao Danshu of manipulating the harem, favoring Zhao Huirou, and neglecting Zhao Chuyue. Jia Yulan advises Zhang Bihan against openly displaying her animosity towards Cao Danshu. She instructs Zhang Bihan to hide her true feelings and instead find ways for others to speak ill of Cao Danshu to Zhao Zhen, aiming to make the Emperor disappointed in the Empress.
Meanwhile, palace attendant Zhang Hexi speculates that Liang Huaiji, an eunuch, refuses to serve the favored Zhang Bihan because he aligns with Zhang Maoze, a supporter of the Empress. Separately, Liaozi reports to Zhang Maoze about Jia Yulan's involvement in an illegal private salt trade outside the palace.
Zhang Maoze stops Liaozi, warning him that Zhao Zhen is aware of Jia Yulan's illicit activities and dislikes them, but tolerates her due to Zhang Bihan; pursuing the matter could endanger Liaozi's life. Concurrently, Empress Cao Danshu chats with Miao Xinhe, who is pregnant again, while they watch Zhao Huirou and Gao Taotao play.
Miao Xinhe expresses her hope to bear a son for Zhao Zhen, feeling anxious that neither she nor Zhang Bihan has yet given Zhao Zhen a male heir. She blames herself and recounts the tension she felt during Zhao Huirou's birth, prompting Cao Danshu to comfort her. On the Yanzhou/Tingzhou border, General Di Qing achieves a minor victory against the Xia army and reports to Fan Zhongyan.
Di Qing requests to lead the vanguard against Yuan Hao's main force for a decisive battle. Fan Zhongyan, who regards Di Qing as a promising general despite his lack of formal education, instead gives him a book on military strategy, explaining that the character "æ¦" (wu) signifies stopping violence to protect the homeland, not merely killing. Moved by this lesson, Di Qing immediately kneels to formally take Fan Zhongyan as his teacher.
Han Qi arrives to discuss war strategy with Fan Zhongyan. Han Qi advocates for actively seeking out Yuan Hao's main force for a decisive battle to avenge past defeats. Fan Zhongyan, however, maintains that Yuan Hao lacks resources and insists on a defensive strategy of holding fortifications. Their differing political views, despite previous alignment, lead to a heated debate. Xia Song, unable to reconcile their positions, summarizes their arguments in separate memorials to Zhao Zhen for a final decision.
Zhao Zhen is surprised by the disagreement and, noting Xia Song's change of mind, believes an offensive is not impossible, attributing Fan Zhongyan's cautious stance to his old age and a perceived lack of youthful sharpness. Han Qi, after bidding farewell to Fan Zhongyan, leads his troops on an offensive. General Ren Fu receives what he believes is good news: false intelligence indicating Yuan Hao is moving south towards Liupan Mountain to occupy Weizhou.
Ren Fu proposes to cut off Yuan Hao's supply lines and force a retreat, but falls into Yuan Hao's trap, is ambushed, and dies in battle. The devastating news reaches Zhao Zhen. Overwhelmed with grief, Zhao Zhen becomes deeply distressed and hides himself, having forbidden his attendants from following him. The attendants inform Cao Danshu of Zhao Zhen's state. Cao Danshu immediately goes to Funing Hall, where she finds only Fan Zhongyan's memorials, feeling deep pity for Zhao Zhen.
Zhang Maoze informs her that Zhao Zhen had previously gone to worship his ancestors twice when distraught, suggesting she might find him there. Guided by this, Cao Danshu finds Zhao Zhen kneeling before his ancestors' shrine. Zhao Zhen is filled with remorse, blaming himself for the defeat and regretting that he had prioritized personal achievement and not listened to the advice of Fan Zhongyan and Yan Shu.
Angered by her presence, Zhao Zhen confronts Cao Danshu, accusing her of always doing what she believes is right and never fearing him as emperor or the possibility of being deposed as empress. Cao Danshu clarifies that she is not fearless, but trusts that Zhao Zhen, even in anger, would never indiscriminately kill innocent people. Her words further agitate Zhao Zhen, causing him chest pains and making it difficult for him to breathe.
Worried, Cao Danshu immediately calls for an imperial physician and tries to calm him. Zhao Zhen continues to self-reproach, blaming his own stubbornness for the deaths of so many innocent soldiers, feeling he has killed more people than a wicked thief. Cao Danshu embraces him, advising him not to think that way and promising to share the burden with him, even if there are vengeful spirits. Touched, Zhao Zhen manages to utter "I'm sorry" before fainting.
Cao Danshu then reveals her own vulnerability, muttering her fear of losing Zhao Zhen. Learning of Zhao Zhen's illness, Zhao Huirou, unable to sleep or visit him, secretly goes to the lakeside at night to pray to heaven/the gods, offering to take on Zhao Zhen's sickness and shorten her own life for his well-being. Liang Huaiji accidentally overhears her heartfelt prayer and is deeply moved by her filial piety.
Hearing a sound, Zhao Huirou asks who is there, and Liang Huaiji responds. However, patrolling eunuchs/guards discover their presence, forcing Zhao Huirou and Liang Huaiji to return separately without revealing themselves to each other. After Zhao Huirou leaves, Xu Lanshao deliberately places a doll cursing Zhao Chuyue under a large rock at the spot where Zhao Huirou had been. Zhang Bihan discovers the cursed doll, which intensifies her conviction that someone is harming her daughter.
Zhang Bihan orders Jia Yulan to conduct a thorough investigation, and Jia Yulan summons and interrogates all palace maids and eunuchs who had been near the lake, threatening to expel them if they did not confess. Under this pressure, Xu Lanshao seizes the opportunity to frame Zhao Huirou, admitting that Zhao Huirou had been to the lake.
Zhang Bihan, already resentful and jealous of Zhao Huirou, is greatly surprised by this revelation and her suspicions are amplified, leading her to irrationally believe Zhao Huirou is responsible for the curse.
