Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 34 Recap, Plot

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Zhao Huirou told Liang Huaiji to remember her words, and Liang Huaiji agreed. Zhao Huirou was unhappy that Liang Huaiji only came every three or four days. Liang Huaiji comforted her, saying that Zhao Zhen had just issued an edict that Liang Huaiji would accompany Zhao Huirou to study every day from now on.

Liang Huaiji was to explain everything taught in the palace school, and he was also to teach Zhao Huirou anything she was interested in that the palace school did not teach. Furthermore, Zhao Huirou was specially allowed to ask questions to the ministers. Zhao Huirou was happy to hear this, knowing that Zhao Zhen still loved her. Fan Zhongyan's reforms had been implemented for over two months, and hundreds of officials had been dismissed in the capital.

In the council hall, Zhang De asked, looking at the list of dismissed officials, voiced his opposition. When Su Zimei argued with him, Wang Gongchen brought news that a dismissed official had committed suicide, and his family had lost their source of income. Furthermore, over a hundred dismissed officials had jointly submitted a letter requesting Zhao Zhen to show compassion for the people and stop the harsh policies. Today, there was a Double Ninth Festival palace banquet.

Zhao Zhen and Han Qi walked to the back garden, discussing Zhao Huirou's marriage. Zhao Huirou was a princess, and to prevent the consort's family from interfering in politics, the husband of a princess could not wield real power. Cao Danshu and Dong Qiuhe were walking to the back garden. Cao Danshu mentioned that Cui Bai had painted a picture for Dong Qiuhe, expressing his love for her.

Now, the painting was in Cao Danshu's hands, and Cao Danshu wanted Dong Qiuhe to give her an answer: whether she wanted to step out of the painting into a plain life, or stay in the palace, continuing to guard these palace walls. Although the palace walls were lonely and desolate, there were also opportunities and chances to gain power here.

Cao Danshu knew Dong Qiuhe was a competitive woman, so she specifically spoke to her about her relationship with Cui Bai, hoping Dong Qiuhe would think clearly about whether she wanted to be a female official within the palace walls or a wife living a simple life outside the palace.

If Dong Qiuhe stayed in the palace, she would indeed have opportunities for promotion and might become the manager of the Shangfu Bureau, but if she were promoted, there would be no hope of leaving the palace. Zhao Huirou saw Yao Yao in the courtyard and excitedly wanted to play with her. The palace maid next to Yao Yao quickly stopped Zhao Huirou, saying that Zhang Bihan had ordered that no one was allowed to approach Yao Yao.

Zhao Huirou was disappointed, so she said she would give Yao Yao her favorite beads and sachet to play with. As she was handing the items over, Zhang Bihan saw this scene and rushed over, pulling Zhao Huirou away. She questioned Zhao Huirou why she still wouldn't leave her and her daughter alone. As she spoke, Zhang Bihan was about to hit Zhao Huirou, but the maids nearby quickly pulled her back.

At this moment, Zhao Zhen heard the commotion and arrived. Zhang Bihan saw Zhao Zhen and immediately knelt down, crying and saying that she suspected someone had poisoned Yao Yao's personal clothing and felt that Zhao Huirou giving Yao Yao the sachet was malicious. As Zhao Zhen helped Zhang Bihan up, Zhang Bihan questioned Zhao Huirou why she gave Yao Yao the sachet. Zhao Huirou said that Zhang Bihan was crazy.

Zhao Zhen knew that he couldn't let the two continue arguing, so he didn't listen to Zhao Huirou's explanation and ordered her to return to the Yifeng Pavilion to reflect. Zhao Huirou thought Zhao Zhen didn't trust her, so she ran away feeling wronged. Zhao Zhen quickly signaled Liang Huaiji to follow. Zhao Huirou ran to the garden and couldn't help but cry.

The others didn't dare to follow, so Liang Huaiji stepped forward alone to comfort Zhao Huirou, saying that Zhao Zhen trusted Zhao Huirou very much, so naturally, she didn't need to explain. But Zhang Bihan was a pitiful person, having lost her father when she was young and then lost her child. In this world, she only had Zhao Zhen to rely on.

Miao Xinhe knew about the conflict between Zhang Bihan and Zhao Huirou and was complaining in the palace that Zhang Bihan was narrow-minded when Zhao Zhen suddenly came to the Yifeng Pavilion. He asked a few questions about Zui Xinglai's situation and then went to Zhao Huirou's room. Zhao Huirou heard Zhao Zhen coming and immediately turned her back, pretending to be asleep.

Zhao Zhen held a food box and coaxed Zhao Huirou, but Zhao Huirou was unmoved and continued to pretend to sleep. Zhao Zhen saw that Zhao Huirou wouldn't wake up, so he rewarded the food box to Zhao Huirou's maid and pretended to leave, tricking Zhao Huirou into getting out of bed.

Zhao Zhen comforted Zhao Huirou, saying that he knew Zhao Huirou was not at fault, but Zhang Bihan was stubborn, and Zhao Zhen couldn't persuade her, so he could only advise Zhao Huirou to understand Zhang Bihan's concerns. Zhao Huirou understood a little after hearing Zhao Zhen's words and promised Zhao Zhen that she would no longer provoke Zhang Bihan in the future.

Zhao Huirou also asked Zhao Zhen, who was often criticized by the remonstrating officials, how he relieved his anger and grievances. Zhao Zhen said that when he was angry, he would tell himself that the remonstrating officials' advice was out of loyalty, and if they wronged him, it was because they hadn't spent enough time with him and didn't understand him enough. Thinking this way, he usually didn't get angry.

Zhao Huirou asked what about the few times he still got angry. Yan Shu and others were discussing Fan Zhongyan's matter in the Hanlin Academy. Su Zimei was ridiculed by Jia, the chancellor, because his political views differed from Jia's, and the two were arguing fiercely when Wang Gongchen arrived. Wang Gongchen's arrival almost involved him in Su Zimei's and Jia's argument. Yan Shu didn't want them to continue arguing, so he asked Wang Gongchen why he had come.

Wang Gongchen then told Yan Shu about the suicide of a dismissed county magistrate and requested Zhao Zhen to stop the reform of the bureaucracy. Wang Gongchen's wife went to Zhang Bihan to complain, accusing Ouyang Xiu's lyrics of insulting her and her husband and crying to Zhang Bihan for justice.

Jia Yulan heard what Wang's wife said and interjected with some suggestions, telling her to go back and remind Wang Gongchen to find lyrics by Ouyang Xiu that showed he had rebellious or lewd thoughts in order to take revenge. Lan Qiao confessed to Instructor Jia that she had placed the cursed dolls, but adding _Broussonetia papyrifera_ flowers to the handkerchief was not targeted at Yao Yao.

Rather, she remembered that Zhang Bihan was allergic to _Broussonetia papyrifera_ flowers and wanted to harm Zhang Bihan. Lan Qiao didn't understand why Instructor Jia was always biased in the teaching hall. Instructor Jia didn't answer, saying she was willing to give Lan Qiao a house and inexhaustible gold and silver as long as Lan Qiao left the palace, but Lan Qiao refused to leave. She said that she would no longer target Zhang Bihan in the future.

As Instructor Jia was about to press her further, Lan Qiao took out Shi Jie's letter to Fu Bi, which Xia Song had always wanted. Lan Qiao used this letter to prove that she was useful to Instructor Jia, asking Instructor Jia to let her stay.

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