Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 4 Recap
> Serenade of Peaceful Joy Recap
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Before his death, Zhang Zhibai requested Empress Dowager Liu E to recall Yan Shu to the capital to replace him. Zhao Zhen eagerly anticipated Yan Shu's return, looking forward to his assistance. Soon after Yan Shu's return, Zhao Zhen immediately summoned him to reminisce and discuss state affairs. Yan Shu was deeply moved to see the grown-up Zhao Zhen.
Cao Danshu, intrigued by Zhao Zhen, begged her mother, who was summoned by the Empress Dowager, to take her into the palace. She wished to see the palace and Zhao Zhen, though she knew she couldn't be an official assisting him, despite her prestigious background. In the palace, she finally met Zhao Zhen, was deeply drawn to his dignified appearance, and her admiration for him intensified, causing her to stare blankly at him as he departed.
Later, while doing flower arranging and chatting with her sisters and female friends, including Du Youheng and Yan Qingsu, Cao Danshu discussed her impending marriage to Li Zhi. Li Zhi was devoted to cultivating immortality, and both were reluctant to marry but were compelled by parental command. Cao Danshu was displeased but resigned, comforting herself that since she couldn't marry the one she loved, it didn't matter who she married.
She felt marrying Li Zhi might even be good, as she wouldn't be troubled and life would be easier. As their wedding day approached, Li Zhi, prioritizing his spiritual cultivation, delegated the wedding reception to others, which displeased Cao Danshu's mother, though Cao Danshu herself was unconcerned. She assured her mother that she would uphold the family's honor and marry on schedule. On the wedding day, Li Zhi feigned illness and sent his brother to escort her.
He was eventually forcefully pushed into the bridal chamber but refused to acknowledge Cao Danshu as his wife, stating he didn't need a wife or women, and resisted the marriage. In the eighth year of Tiansheng, Yan Shu presided over the imperial examination, setting a carefully considered question with a deliberate flaw to help Zhao Zhen identify true talent. Only candidate Ouyang Xiu discerned the question's intent and identified the flaw, correctly answering it.
Zhao Zhen was greatly impressed, finding Ouyang Xiu a rare and capable talent devoted to the country. After Ouyang Xiu achieved first place in the provincial exam, he proudly went to a robe shop, where the owner, sensing his success, sold him expensive clothes, promising a full refund and additional garments if he also became "zhuangyuan" (top scholar).
However, Empress Dowager Liu E disliked Ouyang Xiu, deeming him too young and his popular "suggestive poetry" too frivolous, fearing it would corrupt the palace women and set a bad trend. She later chastised palace women for copying his poems, who then tearfully complained to Zhao Zhen, insisting their copied poems were not suggestive. Liu E's true motive was to suppress Zhao Zhen's burgeoning influence.
Influenced by Liu E and others like Lu Jianyi, who slandered Ouyang Xiu, Zhao Zhen was persuaded not to select Ouyang Xiu as "zhuangyuan". He instead chose others with more suitable moral character, including Wang Gongshou (later renamed Wang Gongchen), as "zhuangyuan", and Liu Hang as "bangyan" (second place), relegating Ouyang Xiu to fourteenth place. Zhao Zhen reported his decision to Liu E, confirming he understood her wishes.
Liu E was very pleased that Zhao Zhen had chosen someone other than Yan Shu's preferred candidate. Wang Gongchen, who had previously tried on Ouyang Xiu's "zhuangyuan" robe, now became "zhuangyuan", achieving instant fame and receiving invitations from wealthy residents of the capital. Ouyang Xiu, passing the robe shop and seeing the "zhuangyuan" inscription he had written still there, felt profoundly disheartened.
Wang Gongchen later mentioned marriage to Ouyang Xiu, who revealed he had already pledged to become a son-in-law of the Xu family during his journey to the capital for the examination. In the first year of Mingdao, during the New Year's Grand Court Assembly, where all nations paid tribute, Li Lanhui suddenly fell gravely ill. Imperial physicians declared her condition incurable. The eunuch serving Li Lanhui urgently informed Liu E of her critical state.
Deeply distraught, Liu E immediately decreed Li Lanhui's elevation to Consort Cheng. After arranging Li Lanhui's funeral, Liu E sent Ren Shouchong to inform Zhao Zhen of the news, specifically instructing him not to display impropriety at the Grand Court Assembly. Liu E herself would not attend the assembly. Zhao Zhen, preparing for the assembly, was deeply worried upon hearing of Li Lanhui's critical condition.
After a long silence, he understood Liu E's implied message and, despite his profound heartache and sorrow, suppressed his emotions and proceeded to the Grand Court Assembly. During the assembly, he was briefly distracted by thoughts of Zhao Yuanyan's past words. Noticing his distraction, his ministers caused him to regain composure, and he continued to preside. After the assembly, Zhao Zhen secluded himself in a waterside pavilion, remaining silent and refusing company.
Yang Huaimin attempted to check on him but only provoked a furious outburst from Zhao Zhen, terrifying Yang Huaimin, who then reported to Liu E. Understanding Zhao Zhen's pain, Liu E reiterated her earlier caution to Miao Xinhe, who was worried for Zhao Zhen and wanted to bring him a warm coat. Liu E mentioned that the waterside pavilion where Zhao Zhen was secluded was the closest place he had ever been to Li Lanhui.
Miao Xinhe, now resolute, declared her desire to stay in the palace and forever accompany Zhao Zhen, even if it meant being one of the many uninteresting women there. After clarifying her stance to Liu E, she went to the waterside pavilion to find Zhao Zhen. Upon seeing Miao Xinhe, Zhao Zhen immediately embraced her and began to weep. Feeling particularly at ease with her, he confided his long-buried guilt and sorrow regarding Li Lanhui.
For years, he had hoped to bring Li Lanhui back to the palace and honor her as his mother once he held power, but fate had denied him this opportunity. Overcome with grief, and then feeling cold, Zhao Zhen returned to his bedchamber with Miao Xinhe, where he kissed her and embraced her, making her his consort. She promised to only stay by his side without vying for anything, and Zhao Zhen embraced her, calling her his eternal kin.
