Serenade of Peaceful Joy

In early 11th-century China, Emperor Renzong of Song (Wang Kai) is on a bold mission to reform the government. His plan involves boosting administrative efficiency and strengthening local government – measures that prove exceptionally unpopular among his power-hungry ministers. The ministers attempt to slow down his progress – and hope they can force him to abandon his reforms altogether. But the Emperor is sidetracked in his struggle when he learns a secret about his true identity. His biological mother is not, as he had thought, the Empress Dowager, but her maid and his imperial father’s concubine. Overcome with guilt on learning this news, he decides to marry off his daughter Zhao Hui Rou (Ren Min) to a member of the concubine’s family. However, the marriage does not go well. Zhao Hui Rou finds her new husband to be a bore, and begins to show her displeasure by flaunting court etiquette – irking the conservative court ministers more than ever! How will the Emperor choose to deal with his freedom-loving daughter – and what impact will his decisions make on the future of the realm? “Serenade of Peaceful Joy” is a 2020 Chinese period drama directed by Zhang Kai Zhou.