Ni Chang Episode 33 Recap
> Ni Chang Recap
Nichang was upset with Ouyang Ziyu, who quickly apologized for his impulsive reaction after seeing her closeness with Liu Zixuan. Nichang countered, pointing out that Ouyang Ziyu had then "held hands with Princess Lan Zhao and left happily," even "hugged her waist." Ouyang Ziyu admitted he "just wanted to see if she would be jealous," calling Nichang "childish" for ignoring him instead of speaking directly.
After some playful banter and tickling, Ouyang Ziyu insisted Nichang play the flute, to which she agreed, despite claiming to be out of practice. The two shared a sweet moment. Meanwhile, Xie Feng, observing them, felt relieved but also recalled past happy times with the three of them, which brought a tinge of sadness. Late at night, Xiao Lu covertly observed several individuals handling goods, noting their furtive behavior.
He overheard them discussing a suspicious accounting practice, where "Yunjin clothes" were being recorded as "Sujin clothes" in the palace market bureau's books. Elsewhere, Yuan Daocheng discussed the national gifts presented by Lan Zhao, which had already been warehoused. He instructed an aide to meticulously manage the accounts, emphasizing that as long as all transactions were recorded publicly, no one could uncover any irregularities.
He expressed his frustration with Prince Luo, who "always offends him," but confidently asserted that his "hands are clean," making it impossible for Prince Luo to find fault with him. Yuan Daocheng also mentioned that "Mr. Gao might not be so clean." His aide, however, hinted that it was "his own" hands that were doing the "dirty" work for Yuan, ensuring Yuan's public image remained unblemished.
Separately, Su Wenyu sought to partner with several merchants to open a restaurant, noting the current difficulties in the silk industry. He proposed to Mr. Jiang that the Su family would provide the premises, and Mr. Jiang would only need to invest 500 taels of silver to receive a 20% share of the monthly profits.
After some initial hesitation from Mr. Jiang about his limited funds, Su Wenyu subtly pressured him by suggesting he would seek other investors if Mr. Jiang declined. Mr. Jiang promptly agreed to join the venture. Yan Wenxiu, determined not to repeat her previous failure with the Phoenix cloak, decided to take a different approach.
She recalled a rare, masterfully preserved embroidery she had seen during her travels with her father years ago, a piece so unique it was "never seen on the market." She planned to copy this design, believing it would secure her victory. Curious about Nichang's strategy, Yan Wenxiu was surprised to learn that Nichang's embroidery was openly displayed in her room for anyone to view.
Observing Nichang, Yan Wenxiu noted with a hint of disdain that she was embroidering another "waist belt." In the second round of the weaving competition, Nichang presented a waist belt. When a manager commented on the repeated item, Nichang revealed its unique design: the belt was adorned with various accessories, including sachets and small bird ornaments, which could be rearranged to form different patterns, each representing a distinct meaning.
She demonstrated how a double dragon jade pendant could symbolize "auspicious dragons and phoenixes" and a sachet embroidered with words could signify "the country is prosperous and the people are at peace." The judges were impressed by her ingenuity. Following the competition, Herb Hall, Yan Wenxiu's workshop, Bai Rou'er's workshop, and Zhang's workshop advanced to the next round, tasked with creating informal dresses for a five-pin lady using imperial red cloth and soft yarn.
Bai Rou'er congratulated Nichang, confessing her own work was "inferior" and she no longer aspired to win. She expressed deep worry that if she failed, her father would face "insults from uncles and nephews," jeopardizing their family's position. Yan Wenxiu, having overheard this conversation, resolved to eliminate Bai Rou'er as a competitor. Later, she covertly entered the warehouse and set fire to Bai Rou'er's imperial cloth, only to be apprehended by several managers as she attempted to escape.
An official from Ruiyuan brought Yan Wenxiu before Lord Yuan, accusing her of trespassing into the warehouse and destroying the imperial cloth. He explained that Ruiyuan required Lord Yuan's authority to handle such a grave offense. Lord Yuan informed Yan Wenxiu that destroying imperial items carried severe penalties, from "fifty spankings" to "beheading in public." Terrified, Yan Wenxiu desperately pleaded for Lord Yuan to save her, insisting it was an "unintentional fault" and offering "a generous gift."
Lord Yuan, however, stated that "money is meaningless," making it clear his interest lay elsewhere. Realizing his intention, Yan Wenxiu tearfully acquiesced and embraced his arm. Nichang suffered a disturbing nightmare where Ouyang Ziyu confessed his love for Princess Xinyue and announced his decision to become the "Prince Consort" in Lan Zhao, cruelly dismissing Nichang as an "ordinary woman" beneath him.
Xie Feng then appeared, telling her that Ouyang Ziyu, and even he, no longer belonged to her, urging her to forget them. Nichang woke up in a panic, only to be confronted by a distraught Bai Rou'er, who tearfully revealed that her imperial cloth had been destroyed, condemning her "whole family" to imprisonment. Nichang, trying to calm her, wondered how the safely stored cloth could have been ruined.
Bai Rou'er affirmed she had not returned to the warehouse after depositing it. Nichang then resolved to help by using her "ancestral dyeing technique" to replicate the imperial fabric's color, though she cautioned that due to time constraints, the color might "fade away" if washed. She believed it was necessary to "handle it for a while" and "get through this crisis." Concurrently, a disheveled and dispirited Yan Wenxiu returned to Ruiyuan.
She secluded herself in her room, where she broke down in tears. Princess Lan Zhao and Xie Feng reviewed the embroidery entries. Xie Feng immediately identified Nichang's waist belt, explaining that despite its simple appearance, it showcased over eight "extremely complicated" embroidery techniques, representing a "great achievement of Daning's weaving and embroidery industry" and reflecting her "well-intentioned" approach. He deduced from her work that she was a "delicate, pure and dignified" person.
The Princess, finding it "strange" that she "just can't hate her," decided to attend the cutting competition at Ruiyuan to select informal dresses for a five-pin lady, with Xie Feng encouraging her to serve as a judge. During the competition, Yan Wenxiu presented a "lively and pretty" dress, but it was dismissed by Lord Yuan and the five-pin lady as "too fancy" and not universally suitable. Nichang’s informal dress, adorned with a peacock motif, immediately impressed everyone.
Princess Lan Zhao, a keen admirer of peacocks, and the five-pin lady both expressed their strong approval, much to Xie Feng's quiet satisfaction from behind a screen. Bai Rou'er then presented a "dignified" and "chic" dress that also received positive feedback. However, Yan Wenxiu quickly exposed it, claiming the dress was "not made with the red cloth gifted by the emperor." Lord Yuan ordered an immediate inspection, confirming the accusation.
Bai Rou'er tearfully explained it was an "unavoidable measure" due to her original imperial cloth being destroyed. Nichang stepped forward, admitting she had helped Bai Rou'er by dyeing white cloth to match the imperial red. Yan Wenxiu aggressively questioned the dye's safety, suggesting it might contain "toxins." To silence her doubts, Nichang dramatically drank a portion of the dye. Despite this, Yan Wenxiu and Lord Yuan remained accusatory.
Lord Yuan declared that Bai Rou'er would be "driven out from the bidding conference, never to be hired again," for her negligence, and Nichang would be "driven out" for protecting her. Princess Lan Zhao intervened, advocating for Nichang, arguing that such talent, capable of perfectly replicating the imperial color, "should stay in and win glory for Daning."
Swayed by the Princess's "kind and generous" plea, Lord Yuan allowed Nichang to remain and advance to the next round, though Bai Rou'er was still eliminated. Princess Lan Zhao reflected that she and Ouyang Ziyu were simply "without fate." She wondered when her own fated partner would appear. Just then, Liu Zixuan arrived, inviting her to go hunting, and her eyes lit up with excitement.
Meanwhile, Yan Wenxiu paid a visit to Lord Yuan, claiming to express her gratitude for his earlier assistance. She confessed that Bai Rou'er was never a real concern, and that "only Nichang is my big trouble." Yan Wenxiu pledged that if Lord Yuan helped her achieve her ambition to become a Lan Zhao tribute merchant, she would "do anything for him" and "be by his side."
Lord Yuan, raising her chin, stated he "never leaves useless people around me," to which Yan Wenxiu confidently retorted that she was "by no means useless." Their conversation was abruptly interrupted by an urgent summons for Lord Yuan from the palace, causing Yan Wenxiu to hastily excuse herself.
Su Wenyu's restaurant was proving highly profitable, and he was pleased with the month's earnings, instructing his manager to distribute the shares to the other investing bosses at the end of the month. Nichang had prepared some cherry blossom pastries for Manager Chen, as the bidding conference was ending soon. Liu Zixuan, however, playfully snatched a plate, praised Nichang's "amazing" cooking skills, and cheekily asked if she had made them specially for him. Nichang, calling him a "daydreamer," could only watch as he ran off with the treats. Later, as Nichang was out gathering cherry blossoms, Ouyang Ziyu appeared and offered his assistance.
