Romance of a Twin Flower Episode 11 Recap
> Romance of a Twin Flower Recap
Nie Sangyu finished tidying up their new residence when she was startled by a mouse, and her scream woke Ning Yuxuan. After Gui Bai searched the room but couldn't find the mouse, Ning Yuxuan suggested Nie Sangyu sleep in his room for the night. He offered to sleep on the floor while she took the bed, an arrangement she accepted after some initial hesitation. As a reward, she gave him a blue bead.
Recalling her past success managing the servants in the Ning Mansion, she proposed a bet: if she could successfully win over the servants in Haifang, he would give her two red beads. Ning Yuxuan scoffed, countering that if she could actually manage it, he would give her one hundred red beads, a deal she eagerly accepted. In court, Minister Wang reported that Prime Minister Liu Pingzhang was still too ill to attend and proposed appointing an acting prime minister.
He recommended Ling Jianxing, the Right Consul, noting that the Left Consul, Ning Yuxuan, was in exile. The Emperor dismissed the idea, stating that Liu Pingzhang would recover in a few days. However, Lord Tan then arrived and also argued that the aging Liu Pingzhang should be replaced, similarly recommending Ling Jianxing. The Emperor, wary of the coincidence, said he needed more time to consider such an important decision.
When other ministers also urged for a swift appointment, an official loyal to Liu Pingzhang spoke out against the hasty decision and even nominated himself. This prompted several other ministers and a general to also put themselves forward for the position. The Emperor, calling the situation ridiculous, ended the court session, promising to think it over.
Later, Nie Sangyu complained to Ning Yuxuan that her attempt to win over the servants had failed, as they were stubborn and refused any bribes. Ning Yuxuan hinted that the problem might not be a matter of money. Deciding to pursue her original plan to open a cosmetics shop, Sangyu announced she was going into town to scout locations. Ning Yuxuan offered to accompany her, and she agreed.
In the market, Nie Sangyu was thrilled to discover that pearls were sold at only a fifth of the price in the capital. She planned to grind them into powder to add to her Feiwan Face Cream, enhancing its quality while lowering costs. At a flower stall, Ning Yuxuan bought some Jidan flowers for her after learning they were popular hair ornaments for local women.
Nie Sangyu was also drawn to a Calla Lily, and despite the owner's warning that it was poisonous if eaten, she bought several, dismissing the idea that anyone would eat a flower. When she asked about future purchases, the owner explained that all shipments required permission from the Dragon Gang to dock, and their operations were controlled by the Magistrate's Residence since the previous magistrate's death.
She was warned not to ask too many questions, as the gang had spies everywhere. Feeling hungry, Nie Sangyu was steered by Ning Yuxuan to the Tingyun Restaurant. Upon seeing the empty establishment and its exorbitant menu, she declared it a tourist trap and stormed out, calling him a spendthrift.
Ning Yuxuan stayed behind and instructed the waiter to tell the owner, "Mr. Lu," that he expected better quality and would not tolerate the same tricks that were used on the previous magistrate. After leaving, Nie Sangyu was confronted by a thug. She warned him that the Calla Lily she was holding was poisonous, but he scoffed and ate a petal, immediately suffering the effects. As he was carried away, she urged him to see a doctor.
Nie Sangyu then ran off but was knocked unconscious. She was rescued by Yuan Lang, who claimed he fought off her attackers, whom he described as bandits. Meanwhile, Ning Yuxuan interrogated the butler, Lu Dekui, threatening him with a coffin. He confirmed that Lu Dekui was the owner of the Tingyun Restaurant and forced him to reveal who might have targeted them.
The butler confessed that Li Ming from the Jiumu Casino had been threatening to cause trouble for the new magistrate. Ning Yuxuan went to the Jiumu Casino and demanded Li Ming reveal his wife's whereabouts. Li Ming feigned ignorance and challenged Ning Yuxuan to a game of dice, offering information as a prize. The stake for losing was that Ning Yuxuan would have to put on Li Ming's shoes, a humiliation previous magistrates had endured.
Ning Yuxuan agreed, calling it a minor matter, and proceeded to lose several rounds. Just as Li Ming declared he was about to win the final round, Ning Yuxuan exposed him for using loaded dice. Nie Sangyu woke up in a strange residence with Yuan Lang by her side. He explained he was a wandering merchant in Haifang and had saved her from bandits.
Suspecting Ning Yuxuan was involved in her attack, she set off to find him after Yuan Lang told her he had gone to a casino. She arrived to hear the crowd gossiping about the new magistrate's heavy gambling losses. Enraged, she burst in and began swinging a stick at Ning Yuxuan, ignoring his attempts to explain that the women around him had swarmed him. She bit his hand when he tried to restrain her.
When she swung the stick again, he dodged, and she accidentally struck Li Ming. Ning Yuxuan praised her bravery, declaring that Li Ming, as the owner of a crooked casino, deserved it, and then had him seized. To the cheers of the crowd, Ning Yuxuan ordered Gui Bai to shut down the casino. Afterward, Nie Sangyu explained she was angry about seeing the women with him.
He apologized, and she told him that Yuan Lang, a merchant from the capital, had saved her. Intrigued, Ning Yuxuan instructed Gui Bai to investigate Yuan Lang. Wang Jinyao, a local dignitary, heard about the magistrate's wife being accosted and sent an invitation for Ning Yuxuan to attend his birthday banquet as a gesture of goodwill. He warned his daughter to be cautious, as Ning Yuxuan was no ordinary official but had been personally appointed by the Emperor.
Meanwhile, Nie Sangyu was frustrated after a long day of searching for a suitable shop. Yuan Lang found her and, learning of her trouble, led her to a perfectly located shop. The owner offered it for 800 taels. Though she loved it, Sangyu didn't have the money. Yuan Lang immediately offered to buy it for her.
She initially refused, but he persuaded her by detailing the shop's strategic location near the Shuiyan House and wealthy residences, demonstrating a surprising knowledge of her cosmetics business, which he claimed to have heard about from a friend. She accepted, insisting the money was a loan she would repay. Back at the residence, an ecstatic Nie Sangyu announced she had found the perfect shop.
Ning Yuxuan then showed her the invitation to Wang Jinyao's party, suggesting it would be a great opportunity to network with Haifang's elite ladies, her potential customers. Wary of another trick but tempted by the prospect, she agreed to go.
