Love in Flames of War Episode 17 Recap
> Love in Flames of War Recap
The mole, identified as Mo Xibai, managed to evade capture despite Xiao Beichen's elaborate trap and Instructor Du Heng waiting at the train station. Mo Xibai returned home, feigning a night of heavy drinking with friends, which did not arouse suspicion from his son, Mo Weiyi. Upon receiving reports from Xu Zijun and Mo Weiyi detailing the confirmed whereabouts of other high-ranking Ying Army officials, all of whom had alibis, Xiao Beichen admitted that the operation had alerted their target.
Instructor Du suggested waiting for the mole to resurface, as Commander Kang Jingxiong's ultimate goal was the Ying Army, and the mole would become useless if inactive. Xiao Beichen agreed, instructing Xu Zijun and Mo Weiyi to keep a close watch on Commander Kang. Xiao Haishan, upset that the mole escaped, told Xiao Beichen to halt the investigation to avoid unsettling the army, emphasizing that troop training was now the priority. Meanwhile, Jin Xiang and Xiao Rong argued.
Xiao Rong passionately defended Xiao Beichen, revealing to Lin Hangjing that he had endured severe punishment, including kneeling for a day and a night and receiving thirty lashes, followed by confinement in the East Camp's dark, sitting-only cell. These punishments were for violating orders to save Lin Hangjing’s father, a selfless act that almost led to a conflict with Xiao Haishan. Lin Hangjing remembered that Xiao Beichen had offered to save her father only if she married him.
Troubled by this revelation, Lin Hangjing lay awake that night. She watched the sleeping Xiao Beichen, and involuntarily reached out to touch him. He suddenly opened his eyes, startling her, and she quickly turned away, feigning sleep. At Chengjing Girls' School, Lin Hangjing taught the character "I," advocating for independent thought. However, some students' mothers had taught them that a woman's main role was marriage and child-rearing.
One girl wished to write a letter to Tieniu to break up with him for flirting with another girl. Another student expressed a desire to see her father, a cook at Chief Sun’s house, and asked Lin Hangjing to teach her how to write "father." Lin Hangjing complied, finding herself thinking of her own father. Xiao Beichen arrived at the school, embracing Lin Hangjing and causing a stir among the students.
He gave her a bag of osmanthus-flavored candies, making her blush and run off shyly. Commander Kang, concerned about Mo Xibai's near exposure, ordered his subordinate to tell Mo Xibai to suspend all contact and not act rashly. He suspected Xiao Beichen had influenced his father, Xiao Haishan, to investigate the mole. Elsewhere, Mu Zizheng was injured after secretly sketching an arms trade. He was spotted by patrol soldiers, shot, and his fate became unknown.
Later, Lin Hangjing, seeing a kite flying, was reminded of Mu Zizheng and worried about his safety. As she pondered, Qiao Jiang, a new acquaintance, arrived at the school. Chengyu introduced Qiao Jiang to Lin Hangjing, explaining that he had generously provided the school with much-needed imported equipment from his family's pharmaceutical factory. Xiao Beichen, after a long day at the East Camp, went to Yun Bao Zhai to buy Lin Hangjing her favorite osmanthus-flavored candies.
Upon his return, he found Lin Hangjing holding a kite, lost in thought, clearly missing Mu Zizheng. His mood instantly soured. He confronted her, asking if he was interrupting her thoughts of Mu Zizheng. He expressed his frustration that despite his unwavering devotion, she remained untouched and continued to pine for another man in front of her husband. Enraged, Xiao Beichen tore the kite.
Lin Hangjing, with tears in her eyes, defiantly reminded him that their marriage was merely a contractual arrangement. Xiao Beichen, hurt, retorted that she was right and he had no right to control her. Still fuming, Xiao Beichen dragged Xu Zijun and Mo Weiyi to stay up all night with him. To escape his grumbling, his friends advised him that his problem with Lin Hangjing was the lack of "process" in their hasty marriage, suggesting he give her a keepsake.
Though he pretended to scoff at the idea, Xiao Beichen immediately bought a pair of earrings. Later, Zheng Fengqi visited Lin Hangjing at the girls' school, claiming to mediate between her and Xiao Beichen. She played on Xiao Beichen's pride and temper, asserting that a man should always apologize first to a woman. Lin Hangjing was touched by Zheng Fengqi's words, genuinely believing her to be a kind person.
That night, Xiao Beichen paced in his study, holding the earrings, but ultimately placed them in a drawer, unable to bring himself to give them to Lin Hangjing. Lin Hangjing, in turn, tossed and turned, unable to sleep without him by her side. Meanwhile, Mu Zizheng, critically injured and delirious, was rescued by Jin Rouke, the daughter of Governor Jin.
In his feverish state, he repeatedly called out Lin Hangjing's name, leading Jin Rouke to believe she was his true love. She instructed the doctor not to inform her father, Governor Jin, about Mu Zizheng's presence. Qiao Jiang officially decided to become a sponsor for Chengjing Girls' School. Given that Zheng Fengqi had previously suggested a charity performance, Lin Hangjing and Chengyu invited them both to discuss a plan.
They decided to organize regular stage plays to generate income and foster independence among the girls, rather than solely relying on donations. Qiao Jiang offered to play the male lead in their upcoming performance of "Romeo and Juliet." At his home, Lin Hangjing discovered a room filled with various kites from different regions, showcasing Qiao Jiang's passion for collecting them.
Seeing a poster for the school's performance, Xu Zijun and Mo Weiyi urged Xiao Beichen to attend, suggesting it was a perfect opportunity to reconcile with Lin Hangjing. Convinced, Xiao Beichen arrived at the school with a bouquet of roses and the earrings, only to witness Lin Hangjing and Qiao Jiang rehearsing an intimate scene from "Romeo and Juliet." When Qiao Jiang leaned in to kiss Lin Hangjing, Xiao Beichen's fury erupted.
He stormed onto the stage and punched Qiao Jiang. Despite Chengyu's and Lin Hangjing’s pleas and explanations that it was merely a rehearsal, Xiao Beichen was beyond reason. He furiously warned Qiao Jiang that the next time he saw him, he would shoot him. Concurrently, Commander Kang, realizing Mo Xibai's position was becoming untenable, decided it was time to turn him against the Xiao family directly.
He reflected on the Cheng Army's shift to covert operations through financial infiltration to destabilize Zhibei from within, and how the Suiling Eighth Brigade, stationed in the harsh Eagle Beak Hill, harbored long-standing resentment toward Governor Jin. He concluded that an agent positioned close to the Xiao family could deal a deeper, more decisive blow. Later, Zheng Fengqi visited a still-angry Xiao Beichen at the East Camp.
Trying to calm him, she inadvertently mentioned Qiao Jiang's simple life and hobby of collecting and making kites. This detail further enraged Xiao Beichen, connecting Qiao Jiang to the kite he had just torn, intensifying his jealousy.
