Debit Queen Episode 14 Recap
> Debit Queen Recap
Tao Meili came to Ling Se, expressing her distress because she had a vague feeling something was wrong at home and her father was now selling their family assets. She was scared of having nothing and being forced to marry someone she didn't love to pay off debts. Ling Se comforted her, saying she would never be alone as long as Ling Se was there, and reminded her they were friends and business partners.
She encouraged Tao Meili that they could open many branches and live well by working hard, praising Tao Meili for her good eye in investing in her shop. Tao Meili found reassurance in Ling Se's words, feeling she could live well on her own if she just tried harder. Ling Se later spoke with Xu Zilu, mentioning Tao Meili's visit and distress.
While acknowledging Tao Ziran deserved his situation, she admitted feeling sorry for Tao Meili as a friend and wanting to help her, even if she didn't know how. Xu Zilu advised her not to worry too much. Ling Se also mentioned how difficult business was lately and noted the closure of the Linchun Tea Shop, speculating it failed due to high prices and poor taste. Xu Zilu then found Tao Ziran and offered a solution to his predicament.
He revealed he had the Jiuchongtian tea blend readily available that Tao Ziran could use to fulfill his orders. He proposed a joint venture where the profits would be split evenly between their two families. Tao Ziran was moved, questioning why Xu Zilu would help him after everything he had done against the Xu family. Xu Zilu explained that to err is human, and the past issues were partly his own responsibility.
He added that he respected the Tao family's history as an honest merchant and didn't want to see them ruined, emphasizing that harmony brings wealth. Back at Xu Zilu's, his attendant prompted him to confess his feelings to Ling Se, reminding him he had put off "the things that should be done." The attendant suggested finding out what Ling Se liked and getting it for her. Xu Zilu went to find Ling Se and asked her what she liked.
Ling Se, busy thinking about an auction item, replied she liked money and someone who "reeks of money." Xu Zilu took this literally and began designing clothing to sew copper coins onto. Ling Shuo then arrived urgently, telling Xu Zilu that their father had sent Ling Se a letter threatening to throw out their mother's memorial tablet if she didn't provide 500 taels by the end of the day. Ling Se was enraged and rushed back to the Ling Manor.
Ling Shuo, worried for his sister, urged Xu Zilu to follow her, and Xu Zilu immediately rode off. At the Ling Manor, Ling Father and Mother discussed their plan, confident that threatening the memorial tablet, which Ling Se cherished, would force her to return and provide the money needed for the Ling family to "rise again." Ling Se arrived and confronted them.
She questioned how they could threaten her mother's tablet and reminded her father that he had never cared for her and refused her wish to study like Ling Shuo, saying she didn't deserve to spend his money. She also confronted Ling Mother for selling her off for 500 taels, asking if she remembered Ling Se had called her mother.
Ling Mother accused Ling Se of being ungrateful and only caring about them now that they were in trouble and needed money. Ling Se declared that she knew they needed money and wouldn't give them a single coin. Ling Se stated she would give them the money only if she could see her mother's memorial tablet with her own eyes. She was allowed to go get it herself.
She returned to the hall holding the tablet and announced she was taking it with her and would not give them any money. Ling Father became furious and slapped her, attempting to snatch the tablet. Xu Zilu arrived just in time and blocked him. He declared that Ling Se was now part of the Xu family, and anyone who dared to harm her would be opposing the Xu family.
Ling Se then spoke, revealing that she had come hoping for a sign of fatherly affection, and if she had seen any, she would have given him the money she had prepared. Seeing his reaction, she said she was disappointed and considered the slap repayment, severing their father-daughter relationship from that moment on. She then tore up the silver notes she had brought.
Ling Father was enraged, calling her ungrateful, and lunged at her, but Xu Zilu protected her and they left the manor together. Xu Zilu and Ling Se took her mother's memorial tablet to the Guanyin Temple, where it could be enshrined in a quiet place.
Ling Se shared memories of her mother, describing her as kind, skilled in making pastries, gentle, and foolishly devoted, ultimately living her life for others and dying with regret that she couldn't stay to protect Ling Se. Xu Zilu vowed to her mother's tablet that Ling Se was doing well and promised to protect and care for her from now on.
Ling Se expressed regret over tearing the 500 tael silver notes, but Xu Zilu informed her that with the proper seal, the money could be replaced at the money exchange. Hearing this and realizing she could also get back the 100 tael note Ling Shuo had torn earlier, Ling Se was overjoyed, calculating she now had 600 taels, and playfully called Xu Zilu her "lucky star" and "money-grubber."
As Ling Se had joined the Linchun Chamber of Commerce, she was required to provide an item with collectible value for an upcoming charity auction. Struggling to think of something suitable that she could afford, she discussed it with Liu Yeniang. Liu Yeniang mentioned she needed a longevity cake and figure made for an upcoming 80th birthday banquet, noting the high cost of professional dough figure artists. This gave Ling Se an idea.
She decided to create a hand-sculpted dough figure of the God of Wealth for the auction, seeing it as meaningful and requiring only her own skill rather than expensive materials. At the charity auction, Ling Se encountered Wu Qi, an Imperial Merchant from Furong City, whom she had met previously. Xu Zilu was clearly jealous of Wu Qi's familiarity with Ling Se. During the auction, Wu Qi provided a valuable jade flute as his donation.
When Ling Se's hand-sculpted God of Wealth figure was presented, the bidding started low but quickly escalated into a rivalry between Xu Zilu and Wu Qi. The bids rapidly increased, reaching 1000 taels. Ling Se stopped Xu Zilu from bidding further, telling him the figurine was only worth a few coins and she could make him a better one later. Wu Qi won the bid for 1000 taels.
Afterwards, Wu Qi showed off his purchase to Xu Zilu, who retorted that he could get one made anytime by Ling Se. Wu Qi claimed he was also Ling Se's friend and believed she would make one for him if he asked. Later, Xu Zilu warned Ling Se that Wu Qi was not to be trusted and she should stay away from him.
Despite Ling Se's busy schedule running her shop, Xu Zilu repeatedly pestered her to make the promised dough figure, specifically asking for a "better" one. Wu Qi began visiting Ling Se's shop frequently to try her new creations. Xu Zilu noticed his visits and, clearly jealous, requested Ling Se make him the "Wish You Prosperity" milk tea she had made before, as well as the figurine.
Ling Se, overwhelmed with work, again promised to make them when she had free time. Meanwhile, it was revealed that Tao Ziran had attempted to bribe Eunuch Zhou from Prince Xian's Mansion to get an order, but the fragrant goods he submitted had a flaw that Prince Xian discovered. Unexpectedly, Xu Zilu intervened and resolved the situation with Prince Xian, preventing repercussions against Tao Ziran.
As a result of this and perhaps other factors, Xu Zilu was successfully appointed as an Imperial Merchant. News also reached the Xu family that Wu Qi, the head of the Wu family from Lingnan, was in Linchun. Xu Zilu's father decided he needed to return to Linchun and arranged to sell the previous batch of goods to Mr. Qi to balance the books before Xu Zilu could discover any irregularities.
Separately, Ling Se and Wu Qi agreed to go to the suburbs together to explore local ingredients for new recipes, as Wu Qi had suggested during one of his visits to her shop. They were out foraging when they encountered Xu Zilu, who was in the area inspecting timber for his family's business.
