Ni Chang Episode 35 Recap
> Ni Chang Recap
The second round to test on spices began, requiring contestants to identify more than five types from a dozen mixed and powdered spices within the time it takes for one incense stick to burn. Xie Xiaoni, the boss of Herb Hall, skillfully identified six kinds, all correctly. Mrs. Zhou from Ningxiang Pavilion distinguished eight, also all correct. Princess Lan Zhao announced that both Xie Xiaoni and Mrs. Zhou would advance to the third round.
Lord Yuan Daocheng then laid out the rules for the third test: each contestant had five days to create a summer balm, with the longest-lasting fragrance determining the winner. They were granted special permission to use the finest spices from the Palace and City Bureau's warehouse. As Xie Xiaoni collected her chosen spices, she encountered Ouyang Ziyu, who had anticipated her presence. Xie Xiaoni revealed her intention to secretly examine the old account books in the warehouse's registration room.
She believed that finding the input and output records for the ill-fated pearl powder was crucial. She explained how account books could reveal hidden truths, using examples like increased silk purchases due to frequent banquets or pearl shortages due to typhoons in the East China Sea. This, she asserted, would expose who was truly responsible for the pearl powder incident and if it had been tampered with.
Ouyang Ziyu, reminding her that her permission was only for spices, not records, urged her to proceed with extreme caution, to which Xie Xiaoni assured him she had a plan and would be careful. Later that night, Xie Xiaoni, under the pretext of needing more materials, gained entry to the warehouse and was led to the registration room.
Outside, two deacons complained about Xie Xiaoni's demands, working late into the night searching for "annals," and lamented her status as a "celebrity." Yan Wenxiu, overhearing their grumbling, quietly snuck into the registration room. Inside, Xie Xiaoni found no record of the specific batch of pearl powder she sought, concluding that if it was a deliberate frame-up, no one would document it. She then departed. Yan Wenxiu, after witnessing Xie Xiaoni's search, also hastily left.
Just as the deacons were preparing to extinguish the lights, Xie Feng, presenting himself as Wuyi, an envoy of Princess Lan Zhao, arrived with a list of items to search for in the warehouse. He was surprised to learn that Xie Xiaoni had just been there, not in the main warehouse, but in the registration room.
Xie Feng proceeded to search the registration room, but like Xie Xiaoni, he found no relevant records regarding the pearl powder that had implicated the Xie family. Observing Princess Lan Zhao and Liu Zixuan happily playing shuttlecock, Xie Feng was transported back to memories of himself and Xie Xiaoni sharing similar joyous moments. Liu Zixuan invited Xie Feng to play chess, but Xie Feng declined, admitting he didn't know how.
Liu Zixuan, finding the princess also unable to play, then suggested seeking out the old women of the Palace and City Bureau for stories, claiming their knowledge of palace events was vast and varied, surpassing any storyteller. This suggestion sparked an idea in Xie Feng. Meanwhile, Yan Wenxiu reported to Su Gongming that she had personally witnessed Xie Xiaoni searching through "annals" in the Palace and City Bureau's registration room.
Su Gongming expressed concern that Xie Xiaoni might uncover something damaging to the Su family, given their past dealings with the Bureau, and instructed Yan Wenxiu to keep a close watch on her. Su Gongming then tried to convince Yan Wenxiu to stay overnight at the family home, suggesting she should mend her relationship with Su Wenyu, emphasizing that a woman should know when to relent.
Yan Wenxiu firmly refused, stating her heart was already "dead" towards Su Wenyu and they had no future together. As she was leaving, Su Wenyu appeared, urging her to abandon her hatred, warning that she had become "too scary." Unmoved, Yan Wenxiu defiantly declared that she was doing well and would make him, and anyone else who looked down on her, regret it, adding that he was the least qualified to speak about reputation.
Alone, Xie Xiaoni despaired over the lack of clues and her inability to access the account books, lamenting that the truth of the past seemed to be forgotten. As she pondered, a mysterious note flew in, bearing the message: "No trace of the old case, old things can be found, old people can be asked."
Ouyang Ziyu, upon seeing the note, interpreted it as a hint that there were still traces to follow and that the sender was likely not an enemy. Both of them pondered the meaning of "old people." Following this clue, Xie Xiaoni visited the elderly women working at the Palace and City Bureau, bringing with her a selection of rouge and balm. She found them complaining about their daily task of cleaning commodes and feeling overlooked.
Xie Xiaoni charmingly asserted that all women, regardless of age, deserved to feel beautiful. She applied a long-lasting balm behind the ear and on the wrist of Wang Po Po, the most senior and initially gruff of the old women, delighting her and the others. Xie Xiaoni gifted them the balms and promised to bring new lip balms next time, mentioning that her new formula contained "pearl powder."
At the mention of pearl powder, Wang Po Po recoiled, stating she "dared not use it," having "experienced even the imperial pearl powder" and implying ordinary versions were even worse. Intrigued, Xie Xiaoni pressed her for details. During this time, Su Gongming visited Yuan Daocheng, offering him a beautiful piece of jade.
He expressed his apprehension about Xie Xiaoni's unexpected delving into the Palace and City Bureau's archives, fearing she might uncover past wrongdoings involving the Su family and the Bureau, and asked Yuan Daocheng for continued "care" for his family. Yuan Daocheng, initially dismissive and noting Su Gongming's prolonged absence, declared the "old matter" had been "uprooted." However, after Su Gongming's persistent pleas, Yuan Daocheng, despite outwardly rebuffing him, secretly instructed his subordinate, A'mo, to "survey Xie Xiaoni."
Separately, a servant named A'qiang tricked Fu San'er into escaping from Mr. Gao's residence. A'qiang enticed Fu San'er with promises of gambling and women at Tianxianglou, despite Fu San'er's fear of having his legs broken if he left. As Fu San'er excitedly slipped out the back door, he was ambushed and knocked unconscious by Xiao Lu, who then transported him to Prince Luo's Mansion.
Back at Yuan Daocheng's residence, as Yan Wenxiu was assisting him with his dressing, Mr. Gao Xuan burst in, frantically announcing Fu San'er's escape. In his panic, he inadvertently blurted out that Fu San'er was the one previously sent to poison Ouyang Ziyu. Yuan Daocheng, enraged, ordered Fu San'er to be found and silenced permanently, fearing the consequences if Ouyang Ziyu captured him. Yan Wenxiu, observing Yuan Daocheng's distress, shrewdly intervened.
She pointed out Ouyang Ziyu's lack of real influence in the capital compared to Yuan Daocheng's powerful position. She proposed that if the matter escalated, Mr. Gao could simply claim Fu San'er was a known robber who attacked Ouyang Ziyu for personal gain, thus absolving Yuan Daocheng of any involvement. Yuan Daocheng was greatly relieved and pleased by Yan Wenxiu's clever solution.
Soon after, Xiao Lu reported to Ouyang Ziyu that Fu San'er had confessed, confirming that Mr. Gao Xuan was behind the poisoning attempt, aiming to prevent Ouyang Ziyu from interfering with the Palace and City Bureau's financial affairs. Ouyang Ziyu, however, recognized that Gao Xuan was merely a "pawn" and Yuan Daocheng was the true "mastermind."
Knowing that Fu San'er's testimony alone was insufficient to bring down Yuan Daocheng, Ouyang Ziyu ordered Xiao Lu to keep Fu San'er imprisoned, to be used strategically later for a "dog-eat-dog" scenario when the time was right. Xie Xiaoni then returned to Wang Po Po, bringing her some homemade braised beef, which the old woman thoroughly enjoyed. Taking advantage of Wang Po Po's relaxed and slightly inebriated state, Xie Xiaoni gently pressed her again about the unusable pearl powder.
Wang Po Po, becoming more talkative, recounted that years ago, a box of "imperial pearl powder" had arrived at the Palace and City Bureau, destined for the Xie family, the cloth-making family in the eastern part of the city. She confessed to having stolen a small amount, mixed it with pollen, and shared it with her sisters to use as a facial mask. The next day, however, their faces swelled "like pig heads."
She also revealed that back then, it was common for palace staff to steal items for personal use or to sell. Wang Po Po vividly recalled entering the warehouse and seeing Su Gongming "doing something" around the pearl powder box before she managed to pry a small amount out with her hairpin. She was later scolded by the deacon in charge for the incident.
When Xie Xiaoni asked if Su Gongming's entry would have been recorded, Wang Po Po, now quite drunk, suggested that "Deacon Zhao," who was responsible for checking items in and out, "should have a record." Xie Xiaoni immediately relayed this critical information to Ouyang Ziyu. Together, they pieced together the fragments: Su Gongming had likely tampered with the pearl powder.
However, Xie Xiaoni emphasized that when her family received the pearl powder, the imperial seal on the box was perfectly intact. She argued that Su Gongming, a mere merchant, could not have forged such a seal nor could he have freely entered and exited the imperial warehouse without authorization. They both concluded that this sequence of events strongly indicated that Yuan Daocheng was the mastermind pulling the strings behind the scheme. Ouyang Ziyu acknowledged this important deduction but reminded Xie Xiaoni that they still needed concrete evidence to prove Yuan Daocheng's involvement.
