Ni Chang Episode 11 Recap
> Ni Chang Recap
Ni Chang, Chengtian, and Yuan Xiang arrived in the bustling western suburbs of the capital, a place Yuan Xiang believed would surely accommodate them, especially with her uncle's supposedly large clothing shop. However, their hopes were dashed upon seeing the dilapidated and small "Fang's clothing shop," far from Yuan Xiang's childhood memories. Yuan Xiang’s aunt, the owner’s wife, did not recognize her, and only after Yuan Xiang embraced her uncle did he recall his long-lost niece.
When Yuan Xiang introduced Ni Chang and Chengtian as companions also seeking refuge, her aunt immediately objected, stating their own family struggled to eat and could not possibly take in three more people. Yuan Xiang’s uncle, torn, tried to persuade his wife, highlighting Yuan Xiang as his deceased sister’s only child and their own lack of offspring. While the aunt relented to keep Yuan Xiang, she insisted Ni Chang and Chengtian must leave.
Ni Chang and Chengtian, unwilling to burden Yuan Xiang, prepared to depart. However, Yuan Xiang adamantly refused to separate, declaring they would all stay or all leave together. After much pleading from her uncle, the aunt finally agreed to let all three stay, but with strict conditions: they must work diligently and earn their keep, with no room for laziness. Grateful, the trio immediately pledged their obedience and began helping with chores.
Meanwhile, a man named Shen, having gambled away his money and accumulated a 30-liang debt to a procuress, once again sought funds from Su Gongming. Su Gongming, visibly annoyed, instructed Housekeeper Xiao to dispense money from the accounting room to send Shen away, feigning illness to avoid a personal meeting. Su Wenyu, witnessing Shen's peculiar visits, inquired about him. Su Gongming dismissed Shen as a distant relative from the accounting department and told Su Wenyu not to concern himself.
Su Gongming then pressed Su Wenyu to be more attentive to Yan Wenxiu, emphasizing her family's status as a leading weaving company and a vital supplier to the Su family. Yan Wenxiu later approached Su Wenyu, complaining he had forgotten their arrangement to review her new clothing designs. She insisted on showing them to him first, despite his suggestion to consult his second uncle, but Su Wenyu, feigning tiredness, made an excuse to leave, exasperating Yan Wenxiu.
Ni Chang, Yuan Xiang, and Chengtian energetically cleaned out a cluttered storage room, transforming it into a habitable space. The aunt was pleasantly surprised by their efforts. Soon after, two thugs arrived demanding their monthly protection fee, which the struggling uncle couldn't pay, leading to him being physically assaulted. Yuan Xiang intervened but was harassed by the thugs, almost sparking a fight with Chengtian.
Ni Chang quickly stepped forward, offering all their remaining silver, but only if the thugs signed a written agreement promising not to bother them for a full year. The thugs, impressed by her resolve, agreed and departed. Yuan Xiang was dismayed that Ni Chang had given away all their money, and the uncle and aunt felt deeply ashamed. However, Ni Chang reassured them, affirming that they would face any future challenges together, as they were now a united family.
Elsewhere, Xiao Lu and Xiao Qin gossiped about Ouyang Ziyu, noting his distraction and his continued search for Ni Chang in the western suburbs. Xiao Lu speculated that Ouyang Ziyu's jade pendant, now missing, had likely been given to Ni Chang as a token of affection. Ouyang Ziyu, overhearing their chatter, sternly reprimanded them for their idle talk.
Later, at a meal, Ouyang Ziyu remained without appetite, prompting Xiao Lu to comment that he was still thinking of Ni Chang, noting her unfortunate situation as an orphan now that Yunjinzhuang had burned down. Ni Chang visited her former home, the Xie family residence, now in ruins, a stark contrast to its once prosperous state, bringing tears to her eyes. Meanwhile, Su Wenyu was seen contemplating a handkerchief.
Yan Wenxiu, observing this, later took the opportunity to enter his room. Back at Fang's clothing shop, the aunt scolded her husband for watering flowers instead of seeking business. Ni Chang, Yuan Xiang, and Chengtian enthusiastically returned, explaining they had been out promoting the shop. Ni Chang proposed a strategy: they would draw maps to their secluded shop and post them around the capital.
Acknowledging their small size and meager profits, Ni Chang declared their unique selling point was competitive pricing. She suggested offering certain designs at cost price and providing free home measurements, old garment renovations, and delivery services, believing that quality workmanship would attract discerning, affluent customers and generate repeat business. Drawing on their Yunjinzhuang expertise, Ni Chang confidently promised to revitalize Fang's clothing shop within three months.
Yan Wenxiu presented Su Wenyu with a new, embroidered handkerchief, explaining she made it because his old one was tattered. Su Wenyu reacted with anger, demanding to know who gave her permission to touch his belongings and peek at his personal effects, then threw the new handkerchief to the ground before storming off.
On the street, Ni Chang encountered a father and daughter who were turned away from an expensive shop because they couldn't afford a wedding dress the daughter admired. Ni Chang offered to create an identical dress for them at only a third of the price and led them back to Fang's clothing shop. However, the father hesitated upon seeing the modest establishment.
Ni Chang, determined to prove their worth, offered to make the dress without a deposit, assuring them they would only pay if completely satisfied; otherwise, it would cost them nothing. This bold move enraged the aunt, who threatened to expel them. The uncle intervened, subtly encouraging his wife to reconsider while seemingly reprimanding the trio. Ni Chang, apologizing for her impulsiveness, passionately argued that the shop’s stagnant business required a "do or die" approach.
Moved by her conviction and the uncle's persuasion, the aunt finally relented. Ni Chang subsequently visited Su's shop, meticulously observing the expensive wedding dress's details. She quickly departed when Su Wenyu appeared to check the accounts. Back at her uncle's shop, Ni Chang pondered how to replicate the luxurious dress on their limited budget, specifically considering using shells as a substitute for pearls. Hearing of Su Wenyu's outburst, Su Gongming reprimanded his nephew for his poor treatment of Yan Wenxiu.
He reminded Su Wenyu of the clear affection Yan Wenxiu held for him and the arranged marriage between their families, emphasizing the Yan family's significant influence and past assistance to the Su family. Su Wenyu, however, reiterated his focus on business, deferring any thoughts of marriage. That night, Yan Wenxiu was tormented by nightmares of Yun Niang, prompting her maid, Di'er, to enter.
Yan Wenxiu instructed Di'er to send a message to her father, requesting to be brought home, feeling she was annoying someone. Ni Chang, having worked through the night on the wedding dress, was brought breakfast by her aunt. Startled awake, Ni Chang exclaimed excitedly that she had figured out what to use as a substitute for the pearls. Yan Wenxiu and Su Wenyu seemingly reconciled.
Yan Wenxiu once again pressed him about the identity of the handkerchief's owner, but Su Wenyu deflected, making her visibly upset. Ni Chang and Yuan Xiang toiled tirelessly on the wedding dress, with Chengtian assisting them. Meanwhile, Ouyang Ziyu continued his persistent, yet fruitless, search for Ni Chang in the western suburbs, much to the exasperation of his attendant, Xiao Lu. Ni Chang successfully completed the exquisite wedding dress, creatively using polished shells in place of pearls and vibrant linen.
Although it differed slightly from the original design from Su's shop, it was nevertheless stunning, and the father and daughter were overjoyed. This triumphant creation quickly garnered widespread attention, leading to a surge of orders from ordinary families at Fang's clothing shop. Three months later, the Su family's ready-made clothing business saw a significant decline.
Housekeeper Xiao informed Su Wenyu that Fang's clothing shop in the western suburbs was brazenly copying their designs and selling them at half, or even a third, of their price. This strategy attracted not only common folk but also many prominent ladies and wives, who became regular customers. Enraged by this plagiarism and the perceived damage to the industry, Su Wenyu stormed off to Fang's clothing shop. Upon arrival, he confronted the shop's occupants, accusing them of plagiarizing designs and using cheap materials and shoddy craftsmanship to deceive their customers.
