Ni Chang Episode 9 Recap
> Ni Chang Recap
Yan Wenxiu accused Ni Chang of destroying Yunjinzhuang's credit by raising prices, asserting that Yunjinzhuang had always maintained high quality and low prices. Ni Chang countered that whether credit was damaged would be evident from the number of orders in the coming days; if orders did not decrease, it meant customers believed Yunjinzhuang's clothes were worth the price. She argued that retaining repeat customers relied on quality, not low prices, a principle Yunjinzhuang had always upheld.
Before Yan Wenxiu could press further, Yunniang intervened, praising Ni Chang for doing a good job. Yunniang clarified that she had only tasked Ni Chang with selling the clothes for 10 Liang of silver, without specifying how, thus deeming the task complete. She then revealed that she had already considered raising prices due to increasing material costs, and Ni Chang's successful trial sale had, in fact, reassured her.
Yunniang commended Ni Chang's adaptability and business talent, expressing her pleasure and inviting Ni Chang to remain at Yunjinzhuang. To celebrate, Yunniang asked Aunt Mei to prepare a feast, including a chicken she had previously withheld. During the joyful dinner, Cuiyu informed Yunniang that Yan Wenxiu was not feeling well and would not join them. Yunniang allowed her to rest but instructed Aunt Mei to set aside some dishes for her.
As graduation neared, Yunniang toasted the disciples, wishing them bright futures before they embarked on their separate paths. Yuanxiang, supported by Ni Chang, led the disciples in toasting Yunniang, acknowledging her tireless efforts in their training. Ni Chang further expressed her gratitude to Yunniang for guiding them despite their varying abilities and potentials. Yan Wenxiu, hearing their laughter from her room, was filled with resentment.
Later that evening, after Yunniang sent Aunt Mei to rest, Chengtian and Yuanxiang, heavily intoxicated, engaged in a finger-guessing game. Chengtian, in his drunken stupor, loudly declared his intention to follow Ni Chang wherever she went, prompting Aunt Mei to calm him down and have Yuanxiang give him sour plum soup to sober him up. Ni Chang offered to help Aunt Mei clean up, but Aunt Mei insisted she rest.
Feeling a bit lightheaded from the wine, Ni Chang sought solace in the backyard where she unexpectedly encountered Ouyang Ziyu. He remarked on the lively festivities, admitting he felt a "tingling" in his heart from hearing the cheers next door, especially as he hadn't been invited. Still holding a grudge, Ni Chang accused Ouyang Ziyu of nearly ruining her chance to return to Yunjinzhuang.
Ouyang Ziyu, however, remained unrepentant, criticizing her for using "cheap tricks" like street selling and hired accomplices, which he believed risked damaging Yunjinzhuang's reputation. He asserted that a true merchant should rely on the established reputation and quality that Yunniang had built over decades. He reminded her of the core principles of business: benevolence, integrity, and fair dealing, emphasizing not to be arrogant, disdainful of customers, or deceive them.
His words, reminding Ni Chang of her own father's teachings, left her stunned. Taking his instruction to heart, she thanked him and promised to remember them before returning to her room. The following day, Yunniang announced that their graduation was imminent and required passing an exam to earn the title of embroiderer. She introduced Mr. Zhao and Ouyang Ziyu as the judges, who would also select a Chief Embroiderer.
The exam required each disciple to solicit the most orders in Huaizhou City, testing their adaptability and business acumen. After Yunniang and the judges departed, Chengtian revealed Ouyang Ziyu's true identity as a prince. While many disciples were shocked and worried, Ni Chang remained indifferent, stating his status was irrelevant to her. Yan Wenxiu, however, believed Ni Chang had known all along and deliberately allowed her to make a fool of herself. Filled with indignation, Yan Wenxiu vowed revenge.
Feeling overwhelmed by the exam, Yuanxiang pleaded with Ni Chang to let her join her team. Ni Chang readily agreed, and other sisters eagerly followed suit. Ni Chang then announced that they would work together and divide any profits equally. Yan Wenxiu, rejecting collaboration, chose to work independently, taking Cuiyu with her and promising to give her enough orders to qualify as an embroiderer. Later, Ni Chang and Yuanxiang discussed their post-graduation plans.
Ni Chang intended to go to the capital. Yuanxiang, reluctant to part ways, suggested they both go to the capital and seek refuge with her uncle, who also owned a clothing shop there. Ni Chang agreed. Noticing Yuanxiang's unspoken affection for Chengtian, Ni Chang advised her to share a secret drink with him in the kitchen, where Aunt Mei hid her good wine, and confess her feelings once he was drunk.
Yuanxiang attempted to follow this advice but tragically became completely inebriated before she could utter a word to a bewildered Chengtian. The next morning, Chengtian reported to Ni Chang that Yuanxiang was still unconscious after consuming all of Aunt Mei’s wine and would miss the examination. With no time to spare, Ni Chang instructed Chengtian to fulfill Yuanxiang’s orders for her before departing with the other disciples.
Meanwhile, Zhao Tongshen presented Ouyang Ziyu with an exquisite piece of porcelain from Changnan town. Ouyang Ziyu admired it, noting it would serve for the palace’s next season’s gift list, and expressed a keen interest in what "amazing move" Ni Chang would make during her exam. Ni Chang decided to take her team to the bustling market. Yan Wenxiu, however, scoffed at the idea of selling Yunjinzhuang's fine silk to commoners, deeming it beneath them.
She chose to lead Cuiyu to solicit orders from wealthy households instead. Ni Chang distributed design books she had compiled, featuring various clothing styles tailored for ordinary people like farmers, fishermen, and woodcutters. She explained that these were their true customers. Furthermore, Ni Chang implemented an innovative strategy: instead of competing with small market vendors, she approached them to buy their existing orders for basic garments.
She reasoned that by offering a small profit margin to these vendors, they could secure numerous orders while utilizing Yunjinzhuang's accumulated scrap materials to create accessories, turning waste into valuable products. By sunset, Yan Wenxiu and Cuiyu had secured only five orders. Yan Wenxiu smugly assumed Ni Chang's market venture had yielded even less. Cuiyu then reminded Yan Wenxiu of her promise to share one order so Cuiyu could also qualify.
Yan Wenxiu flatly refused, claiming Cuiyu had merely assisted and wasn't entitled to anything. Enraged, Cuiyu called Yan Wenxiu despicable, asserting that the Chief Embroiderer title would be meaningless if obtained through such betrayal. Back at Yunjinzhuang, Chengtian found a distraught Yuanxiang, who was upset about missing the exam. He reassured her that he had completed her orders, revealing that Ni Chang's group had secured an unexpectedly large number of orders. Yunniang, informed of Ni Chang's success, was thoroughly impressed.
She lauded Ni Chang's ingenious idea of turning scrap materials into valuable goods, calling it a lesson Ni Chang had taught her and a testament to her "great wisdom"—a rare long-term vision in business. Ouyang Ziyu concurred, remarking that such foresight was indeed rare. Mr. Zhao declared Ni Chang's selection as Chief Embroiderer to be beyond dispute, and Ouyang Ziyu personally extended his congratulations.
Yunniang officially announced Ni Chang as the Chief Embroiderer, adding that all other disciples with commendable performances would also receive the embroiderer qualification. However, Yan Wenxiu immediately voiced her indignation, accusing Yuanxiang of not soliciting any orders and therefore being unqualified. She then implicated Ni Chang, claiming she had instructed Chengtian to complete Yuanxiang’s orders, constituting blatant cheating. Chengtian angrily defended Ni Chang, but Yan Wenxiu insisted she was merely upholding principles.
Ni Chang, kneeling before Yunniang, admitted to the allegations but pleaded for Yuanxiang, explaining her absence was unintentional. Yuanxiang, Chengtian, and the other disciples also knelt, offering to share the punishment. Yunniang, upholding Yunjinzhuang's rules, acknowledged they deserved penalties but affirmed that a single mistake would not negate years of hard work. She sentenced Ni Chang and Yuanxiang to remain at Yunjinzhuang until all pending orders were completed, and Chengtian was assigned miscellaneous duties for half a month.
The disciples, relieved, accepted their punishments. Later, Ouyang Ziyu approached Ni Chang, stating that as Chief Embroiderer, she should no longer accompany him on mundane tasks. He then made a special request for her to design and make him a winter coat. Ni Chang agreed and began taking his measurements.
During this, Zhao Tongshen rushed in with urgent news from Changnan town: a large order from Persian merchants meant the porcelain Ouyang Ziyu had ordered could not be completed by year-end. Angered and concerned about his obligations to the Emperor, Ouyang Ziyu decided to depart immediately for Changnan town.
He expressed regret for his hasty departure and, as a deposit for the coat, presented Ni Chang with a jade pendant, promising to retrieve it upon his return, leaving her to contemplate it. That night, Yunniang found Ni Chang still awake. She invited Ni Chang to talk, asking if she resented the punishment. Ni Chang denied it, expressing only fear of disappointing Yunniang.
Yunniang then revealed that she knew Ni Chang was incapable of harming Yan Wenxiu with sophora flowers and the punishment was merely a test of her patience. Yunniang recalled Ni Chang's ambition to become a successful businesswoman and praised her for achieving it. She cautioned Ni Chang about the challenging road ahead for a woman in business, emphasizing the need to be even stronger. Ni Chang, deeply moved, confessed that Yunniang was like family to her.
She then began to share her tragic story: her family were prominent silk merchants from the capital, and she had an older sister. They were unjustly imprisoned after being selected as royal merchants, allegedly due to an incident involving an emissary from Xizhou. Elsewhere, Yuanxiang and other disciples discussed plans for Yunniang's upcoming birthday. Yan Wenxiu, overhearing them, made sarcastic remarks about their late preparations. Ignoring her, the other disciples decided to seek Ni Chang's advice. Yuanxiang defended Ni Chang, suggesting she was almost god-like, while mockingly implying that Yan Wenxiu’s jealousy prevented her from matching Ni Chang’s talent, no matter how hard she worked.
