Serenade of Peaceful Joy Episode 69 Recap
> Serenade of Peaceful Joy Recap
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Ouyang Xiu heard Han Qi's guess, knowing that Han Qi was talking about Zhao Huirou's matter. Ouyang Xiu felt that Sima Guang was too rigid on this issue. Although Zhao Huirou was a princess, she was, after all, an ordinary woman and could not be the saintly figure Sima Guang envisioned. Inside the princess's mansion, Li Wei requested to see Zhao Huirou. It was only under Jiaqingzi's pleading that Zhao Huirou agreed to meet Li Wei.
Li Wei said he wanted to give Zhao Huirou a gift. Zhao Huirou did not understand what Li Wei meant. Li Wei told Zhao Huirou that he had already submitted a memorial impeaching himself for insufficient service to his lord, so Zhao Huirou could return to live in the palace. He would also plead with Zhao Zhen to agree to his divorce from Zhao Huirou. The gift Li Wei gave Zhao Huirou was the divorce letter he personally wrote.
After Li Wei left, Zhao Huirou opened the document Li Wei had placed beside her. Looking at the divorce letter personally written by Li Wei, Zhao Huirou was overjoyed. After Liang Yuansheng learned that his younger brother had been impeached by numerous censors, he found Han Qi and begged him to help rescue Liang Huaiji. Liang Yuansheng's words carried a threat.
He told Han Qi that if Liang Huaiji were truly harmed, he would, regardless of the consequences, let everyone in the world know the injustice their Liang family suffered beneath this prosperous era. After hearing Liang Yuansheng's words, Han Qi decided to tell Zhao Zhen about Liang Huaiji's true identity. Zhang Maoze tried to dissuade Han Qi, worrying that Zhao Zhen would feel even more guilty after knowing the truth.
But Han Qi wanted to use this to force Zhao Zhen to make a firm decision and resolve Liang Huaiji's matter, otherwise, the affair of establishing Zongshi as the heir apparent would be endlessly delayed. Zhang Maoze, feeling helpless, could only hand Han Qi's secret memorial to Zhao Zhen. Zhao Zhen was greatly alarmed upon learning Liang Huaiji's true identity and urgently summoned Han Qi to Funing Hall.
Han Qi recounted the events of that year to Zhao Zhen in full detail. Zhao Zhen was even more saddened, feeling that it was his own fault that harmed the Liang family. Han Qi said he told Zhao Zhen the truth because recently, the censors had been vehemently criticizing Liang Huaiji, and many wished to kill him. Zhao Zhen, however, said that he had never thought of using Liang Huaiji's life to quell the censors' impeachments.
In Chuigong Hall, the censors, led by Sima Guang, all submitted memorials, demanding that Liang Huaiji be executed. Zhao Zhen did not respond, but merely asked Zhang Maoze to bring Liang Huaiji to Chuigong Hall. Zhao Zhen called Liang Huaiji by his birth name, saying that from this day forward, he should change his name back. Zhao Zhen then told Liang Huaiji to face the censors.
Sima Guang relentlessly stated that Liang Huaiji had misled the emperor, and the principal culprit should be punished by death. Zhao Zhen, however, said that Liang Huaiji was not the principal culprit; Liang Huaiji was merely at fault, his mistake being that he failed to advise Zhao Huirou. Sima Guang countered by asking Zhao Zhen who he thought the principal culprit was.
Before Zhao Zhen could answer, Ouyang Xiu quickly stepped forward to ease the situation, saying that there was no principal culprit in this matter, only unfortunate individuals. Zhao Huirou and Li Wei's discord was due to their incompatible interests. Sima Guang, however, felt that Ouyang Xiu was flattering Zhao Zhen and had lost his gentlemanly demeanor. Another minister then memorialized, saying that while Liang Huaiji's death penalty could be waived, he should still be exiled from the capital.
Zhao Zhen disagreed, saying that Liang Huaiji had saved Zhao Huirou's life, and he would not exile Liang Huaiji again. Sima Guang, however, continued to vehemently remonstrate, asking Zhao Zhen to exile Liang Huaiji. Seeing Sima Guang's stubbornness, Zhao Zhen no longer wished to discuss the matter.
Realizing he could not persuade Zhao Zhen, Sima Guang knelt down and removed his official hat, saying that he had failed in his duty to admonish the emperor, and thus he had no choice but to die in service to atone for his fault. All the officials were greatly astonished. Sima Guang bowed to Zhao Zhen and was about to commit suicide.
At that very moment, Zhao Huirou appeared before everyone from behind the hall, singing a poem Sima Guang had composed in his early years. Disregarding Zhao Zhen's shouts and Liang Huaiji's attempts to stop her, Zhao Huirou questioned Sima Guang, asking if he believed that love, hatred, anger, and obsession were all sins.
Zhao Huirou raised a puppet in her hand and asked Sima Guang if he only wanted members of the imperial family to be puppets, regardless of whether there were already crumbling bones beneath the puppets. Overwhelmed with grief, Zhao Huirou had no strength left to cry after saying these words. Liang Huaiji quickly helped Zhao Huirou away. After Zhao Huirou left, Sima Guang was also deeply moved and had long forgotten his threat to commit suicide to pressure Zhao Zhen.
Zhao Zhen then took the opportunity to admonish Sima Guang and the other censors, questioning if they would disregard even his life simply to uphold the authority of the Censorate. All the officials prostrated themselves, repeatedly crying out that they dared not. Zhao Zhen, using both reason and emotion, tried his best to make Sima Guang understand that in his heart, the most important thing was the common people.
Liang Huaiji was also his subject, and he would not sacrifice the lives of his subjects to uphold the authority of the Censorate. Sima Guang had no counter-argument. Seeing this, Ouyang Xiu then suggested that Zhao Zhen approve Li Wei's external appointment, but could grant Li Wei some financial compensation to show Zhao Zhen's benevolent care.
