Ni Chang Episode 21 Recap
> Ni Chang Recap
One month later, Nichang, Ouyang Ziyu, Chengtian, and Xiao Lu arrived in Western Zhou. Nichang’s clothes became wet after an accidental bump with a local woman named Asuna. Asuna, profusely apologetic, immediately offered to take them back to her shop to change. Ouyang Ziyu encouraged Nichang to accept the kind offer, and she agreed. Asuna led them to her shop, Herb Hall, where they met her husband, Jiang Pingchuan.
He was originally from Fanjing in the Central Plains and expressed his deep relief at meeting fellow countrymen after years away from home. Asuna proudly showcased their unique products, including aromatherapy pills, special Western Zhou powders, and custom-made rouge and gouache, all crafted from Chinese herbs like Gastrodia, Herba, Snow lotus, and Bile wood, as well as medicinal balsams. Jiang Pingchuan, noticing Nichang’s veil, astutely deduced she had facial injuries, and also spotted wounds on her hands.
He confidently offered to heal both within ten days, explaining his expertise as a renowned doctor from Fanjing. Despite Ouyang Ziyu’s apprehension, Nichang, feeling she had nothing more to lose, decided to trust Jiang Pingchuan. They accepted an invitation to stay at Herb Hall for a few days. Asuna arranged their rooms, giving Nichang a separate space. Ouyang Ziyu expressed his lingering concern for Nichang’s injuries, prompting Asuna to playfully suggest he marry Nichang once her face was healed.
Ouyang Ziyu couldn’t hide his joy at the idea. Meanwhile, back in the capital, Yan Wenxiu brought chicken soup to Su Wenyu, who was lost in thought, holding Nichang’s handkerchief. Seeing his state, Yan Wenxiu grew angry, believing Su Wenyu had been wronged by the Fang family and offering to smash their shop for revenge. Su Wenyu, convinced Nichang was dead, indifferently stated that smashing any shop wouldn't change anything for him or Nichang.
Unmoved by his apathy, Yan Wenxiu, accompanied by her maid Dizi and numerous servants, proceeded to Fang’s shop to forcefully drive them out of the capital. Yuan Xiang, her uncle, and aunt tried desperately to resist the onslaught. Just as things escalated, Xiaoqin arrived with government officials, proclaiming that Fang’s shop was now the property of Prince Luo and warning everyone against further interference.
Xiaoqin then handed Fang’s family a letter from Prince Luo, which turned out to be from Chengtian. Yuan Xiang read the letter aloud, overjoyed to learn that Chengtian, Nichang, Ouyang Ziyu, and Xiao Lu were alive and safe in Western Zhou. The letter further detailed Nichang’s face and hand injuries and Jiang Pingchuan’s promise to heal her, bringing both relief and renewed concern to the Fang family.
Jiang Pingchuan later asked Asuna to leave them, so he could speak with Nichang privately. Nichang praised his medical prowess but wondered if his talents were being underutilized in Western Zhou. Jiang Pingchuan then revealed his past: he was once a respected doctor in Fanjing until a misdiagnosis led to a thirteen-year-old patient’s paralysis. Overwhelmed by guilt, he attempted to take his own life but was saved by Asuna.
Together, they journeyed to Western Zhou, where he discovered a rich variety of exotic plants. He dedicated himself to researching their medicinal properties, combining pharmacology with cosmetology. He recounted the benefits of Tianshan Snow Lotus for women’s health, skin whitening, and sun protection, and lavenders for calming nerves and moisturizing skin. He also explained how larch, mixed with camel fat, could be made into frostbite cream.
Jiang Pingchuan confessed his regret at never being able to return to the Central Plains, expressing his sole hope that his beauty-preserving remedies would spread there, offering him a sense of redemption. Nichang listened intently, deeply absorbed in his story. Later, Ouyang Ziyu discovered Xiao Lu and Chengtian playing with crickets. The sight of a cricket triggered a severe headache, causing Ouyang Ziyu to faint.
Jiang Pingchuan quickly diagnosed his condition as amnesia, explaining that the cricket had stimulated a repressed memory. He proposed using acupuncture to awaken Ouyang Ziyu’s memories, to which Xiao Lu readily agreed. During the treatment, Ouyang Ziyu dreamed of his past with Nichang, recalling moments of laughter and tears. He heard himself called "Bun" by his "Ni’er Sister" and their conversations, as his memories slowly resurfaced.
Upon waking, Ouyang Ziyu rushed out and found Nichang sitting in the courtyard, admiring the flowers. With a hint of trepidation, he asked her if she still liked a "bun as beautiful as a camellia." Nichang, startled, turned to face him. When she heard "Ni'er Sister," tears welled up in her eyes, and she softly called out "Bun." Ouyang Ziyu affirmed his identity, and Nichang wept with relief, overjoyed that her "Bun" was finally back.
He embraced her tightly, expressing his sorrow for her past hardships and vowing never to leave her again. They continued to playfully tease each other, affectionately using the name "Bun," their bond restored. In the days that followed, Nichang often felt down, but Ouyang Ziyu remained a constant presence by her side, encouraging her to smile and assuring her of her beauty and the eventual healing of her hands.
After ten days, the time for their departure drew near, and Jiang Pingchuan prepared a farewell feast. Ouyang Ziyu, eager to see Nichang’s healed face, pressed her to remove her veil. She hesitated, fearful of disappointing him. Finally, Asuna helped Nichang prepare, and when the veil was lifted, everyone marveled at her completely healed face and hands. Deeply grateful, Nichang knelt before Jiang Pingchuan and Asuna, pleading to stay at Herb Hall and become Jiang Pingchuan’s disciple.
She promised to bring his beauty-preserving art back to the Central Plains, fulfilling his lifelong dream. Ouyang Ziyu, Chengtian, and Xiao Lu also offered to stay and assist in any way they could. Jiang Pingchuan initially demurred, citing his lack of experience in taking on apprentices. Asuna encouraged him to reconsider. Nichang then presented Jiang Pingchuan with a delicately embroidered sachet she had crafted based on his description, a poignant replica of the one his late mother had left him.
Moved to tears by the thoughtful gesture, Jiang Pingchuan finally accepted her as his disciple, with a formal ceremony scheduled for the next day. Asuna, overjoyed, invited everyone to sit, assigning Ouyang Ziyu the task of educating their two children and tasking Chengtian and Xiao Lu with tending to a tree in the courtyard.
She then asked Nichang if she genuinely understood the gravity of her commitment, emphasizing Jiang Pingchuan's dream of spreading his Central Plains-rooted remedies, to which Nichang solemnly pledged to make her Master’s wish her own. Later, Ouyang Ziyu raised the painful topic of the Xie family case. Nichang's heart ached as she remembered her deceased parents and brother.
Ouyang Ziyu, still burdened by guilt over the injustice, reassured her of his unwavering belief in the Xie family’s innocence, promising that the truth would eventually come to light. He urged Nichang to dedicate herself to mastering her skills, for only then could she return to the capital and expose the true culprits who had framed her family.
