Ni Chang Episode 12 Recap
> Ni Chang Recap
Su Wenyu arrived at Fang's clothing shop and was greeted by Chengtian. Su Wenyu immediately accused the shop of plagiarizing others' clothing styles, using cheap cloth, and rough workmanship to deceive customers. Chengtian retorted, asking if Su Wenyu was there to cause trouble, asserting that while their fabric might be inexpensive, their workmanship was not shoddy. He demanded Su Wenyu leave. Just then, Ni Chang walked in, and Su Wenyu instantly recognized her, calling her "Ni'er."
He asked if she didn't recognize him, reminding her he was Su Wenyu. Ni Chang, however, pretended not to know him, introducing herself as Ni Chang, newly arrived in the capital, and politely asked him to leave if he wasn't there to buy clothes. Su Wenyu left, still half-believing it was her, pondering how she had been all these years and feeling glad to have seen her again. Later that night, Yan Wenxiu arrived at Su Wenyu's home.
She informed him that Su Gongming had praised him for confronting the "plagiarizing merchant." Yan Wenxiu also mentioned that Su Gongming wanted her to learn business at the shop so she could become Su Wenyu's capable wife in the future, a prospect Su Wenyu found utterly unappealing. Meanwhile, Ni Chang worried that Su Wenyu, having recognized her, might expose her identity as a fugitive.
Su Wenyu sought out his father, asking him to persuade Su Gongming to stop interfering in his personal affairs, especially regarding his marriage. He was upset that Su Gongming was overtly signaling Yan Wenxiu's future entry into the Su family by arranging for her to learn business at the store. His father, however, revealed that he and Su Gongming had always intended for Su Wenyu to marry Yan Wenxiu, and that he had even betrothed them when they were children.
He explained that since Su Gongming had taken control of the family business due to his own illness, he was essentially powerless. He also clarified that Su Gongming, being childless, genuinely wished to nurture Su Wenyu and had no selfish intentions. Despite his father's pleas to consider the family's welfare and marry Yan Wenxiu, Su Wenyu stubbornly refused, stating he simply did not like her. Yan Wenxiu, having overheard the conversation, was enraged.
Furious, Yan Wenxiu began packing her belongings to leave. Her maid, Di'er, tried to calm her, attributing Su Wenyu's behavior to being spoiled as a child and suggesting she wait for Su Gongming to return and intervene. Yan Wenxiu, not wanting to make things difficult for Su Gongming, reluctantly agreed to stay. At Fang's, Chengtian excitedly told Ni Chang that their shop had received so many orders it could sustain them for a year.
Ni Chang, however, expressed her unease about their practice of imitating other shops' designs and selling them at lower prices, acknowledging it was against business ethics. She decided they should stop, fearing retaliation from other merchants. Yuanxiang and Chengtian grew concerned upon learning that Su Wenyu was the young master of the powerful Su family, fearing he might seek revenge for their earlier confrontation. Ni Chang, though, remained composed, stating they would face any challenges as they came.
Later, Yan Wenxiu pretended to be asleep when Su Wenyu returned. He tried to sneak away, but she caught him. She brought up her father's recent letter, which encouraged her to learn business. Su Wenyu proposed sending her to the Su family's branch in Yihe, assuring her the shopkeeper there was highly capable. Yan Wenxiu felt he was trying to drive her away and threatened to tell Su Gongming.
His maid, Di'er, gently advised him to treat Yan Wenxiu better, reminding him of their impending marriage. Su Wenyu, however, firmly denied any intention of marrying her. Su Wenyu, still fixated on Ni Chang, secretly climbed the wall of Fang's to peer into the courtyard. Ni Chang noticed him and deliberately startled him, causing him to fall. When he explained he merely wanted to see her, she maintained her facade, reiterating that she was Ni Chang, a stranger to him.
Yuanxiang and Chengtian, seeing Su Wenyu's persistence, intervened, driving him away with incense. Ni Chang later clarified to her friends that Su Wenyu had simply mistaken her for an old acquaintance, easing Chengtian's concern. Yuanxiang then playfully asked Chengtian if he would protect her from someone with ill intentions, to which Chengtian jokingly replied that no one would dare given her "tough" and "domineering" nature. This hurt Yuanxiang's feelings, prompting Ni Chang to intervene and instruct Chengtian to apologize.
Chengtian, in an exaggerated display of remorse, repeatedly slapped himself, but then made another teasing comment, reigniting Yuanxiang's playful anger. Su Gongming was enraged when he learned of Su Wenyu's attempt to send Yan Wenxiu to Yihe. He sternly rebuked Su Wenyu for his immaturity, emphasizing the critical role of the Yan family's support in maintaining the Su family's standing, especially given the market bureau's exploitative demands for good quality goods at low prices.
Su Wenyu's suggestion to sever ties with the market bureau was dismissed as naive. Su Gongming ordered him to immediately apologize to Yan Wenxiu. Meanwhile, Xiao Lu reported to Ouyang Ziyu that despite searching the entire city, he had found no trace of Ni Chang, making Ouyang Ziyu doubt if she had indeed come to the capital. Su Wenyu returned to Fang's clothing shop once more.
Ni Chang's aunt, unaware of his history with Ni Chang, treated him as a customer. Ni Chang, however, still refused to speak with him privately, maintaining her distant demeanor. Chengtian again intervened, using incense to drive Su Wenyu away. To Yuanxiang, Ni Chang continued to deny knowing him. In his capacity as the supervisor of the Imperial Market Bureau, Ouyang Ziyu was praised by Yuan Daocheng for acquiring exquisite porcelain for the imperial family.
Ouyang Ziyu humbly responded that genuine treasures are often found among the people and that he merely sought them out with dedication, giving credit to folk craftsmen. He declined Yuan Daocheng's offer of a celebratory feast, citing his dislike of alcohol and his belief that such lavish banquets were a waste of imperial funds. Yuan Daocheng and Mr. Gao secretly resented Ouyang Ziyu's principled and unyielding nature, finding him difficult to manage, especially with his new oversight role.
Later, while Ni Chang and Yuanxiang were being strong-armed by a street vendor over an expensive bracelet, Su Wenyu intervened. He paid a fair price for the bracelet, which was a knock-off, and gifted it to Ni Chang. She declined the gift, once again asserting that she was Ni Chang from Huaizhou, a newcomer to the capital, and denied any past acquaintance with him. Su Wenyu was left wondering if he had truly mistaken her identity.
The incident with the bracelet, however, sparked an idea in Ni Chang. She decided they could create their own line of affordable accessories using materials like shells, animal hides, and colorful polished stones. While walking through the city, Ouyang Ziyu's attention was caught when he heard Yuanxiang call out Ni Chang's name, but he looked up only to see that she had disappeared into the crowd.
Later, he overheard Xiao Lu flirting with Xiaoqin, praising her beauty, particularly her glowing complexion. Ouyang Ziyu interrupted, chastising Xiao Lu for his "disgusting" flattery. He then conceded that Xiaoqin indeed looked charming that day, which Xiaoqin attributed to her new dress. She explained it was made at a small shop in the western suburb by a seamstress named Ni Chang, whose excellent craftsmanship and affordable prices attracted many customers.
Hearing the name "Ni Chang," Ouyang Ziyu immediately realized it must be Xie Xiaoni. Xiao Lu, who had fruitlessly searched the entire city, instantly apologized for overlooking such a small workshop. Ouyang Ziyu quickly headed to Fang's. Meanwhile, Su Wenyu arrived at Fang's yet again, this time formally accusing them of mass-producing and selling cheap imitations of Su family designs, causing significant financial losses. He threatened to report them to the authorities if they didn't cease immediately.
Ni Chang agreed, stating that she had already been considering this change for a long time. She acknowledged that imitation was merely a temporary solution and that Fang's needed to develop its own unique style to avoid being criticized and to grow. Yuanxiang and Chengtian expressed concern that abandoning their current model would lead to a loss of customers, but Ni Chang was resolute in forging their own path.
Su Wenyu, still skeptical, declared that he would visit daily to ensure she upheld her promise. Ni Chang, unfazed, told him he was welcome to come if he had nothing better to do. She then left to gather flowers for inspiration. Ouyang Ziyu arrived at Fang's while Ni Chang was out. Yuanxiang and Chengtian, surprised to see him, respectfully greeted him. Yuanxiang informed him that Ni Chang had gone to the mountains to pick flowers and often spoke of him.
Ouyang Ziyu offered his help should they encounter any difficulties and then left to find Ni Chang. Ni Chang's aunt scolded Yuanxiang and Chengtian for their idle chatter, urging them back to work. Ouyang Ziyu eventually found Ni Chang in the mountains, her basket full of flowers. Ni Chang was stunned to see him but then expressed her joy.
Ouyang Ziyu playfully reminded her of the embroidery he had commissioned and asked why she hadn't sought him out upon arriving in the capital. He then apologized for his absence during the Yunjin incident, but Ni Chang reassured him he was not to blame. Ouyang Ziyu lamented the demise of Yunjin and encouraged her to look beyond merely sustaining Fang's, urging her to build her reputation and experience to prepare for greater endeavors.
Ni Chang affirmed her ambition to elevate Fang's beyond mere survival, aspiring to make it a renowned establishment. As Ouyang Ziyu escorted Ni Chang back to Fang's, he advised her to be wary of jealousy from competitors. Recognizing that Fang's increasing orders might strain their limited workforce, he suggested outsourcing some parts of the production process to smaller workshops in the city.
This would not only allow them to manage more orders but also foster alliances, preventing isolation and strengthening their collective position against larger textile businesses. Ni Chang found his counsel insightful, realizing this strategy could create a powerful cooperative network. Before he departed, Ni Chang presented Ouyang Ziyu with a silk handkerchief she had embroidered with a camellia, the very item he had commissioned her to make in Yunjin.
She expressed her profound happiness at their reunion, a sentiment Ouyang Ziyu reciprocated, pleased to have been able to help her. Soon after, a beautiful dancer named Ye Rong from Tianxiang Theater came to Fang's. Ni Chang's aunt, recognizing her profession, rudely attempted to turn her away, disparaging her as someone who "solicited customers on the street" due to dwindling business. Ni Chang intervened, kindly inviting Ye Rong to explain her needs.
Ye Rong revealed she had been sold to Tianxiang Theater as a child, where she excelled as a dancer and became a top performer. However, with age, her appeal had faded, and she now faced being demoted to the workroom unless she won the theater's annual Dancing Contest. Ye Rong implored Ni Chang to create a stunning dance costume that would captivate the audience, emphasizing that this was her last chance to save her career. She proudly stated that despite societal perceptions, she had always conducted herself with integrity, never engaging in any immoral activities.
