Siege in Fog Episode 1 Recap
> Siege in Fog Recap
In the early days of the Republic of China, warlords clashed incessantly, leaving the populace in despair. The Yi family, led by Yi Jipei, held significant power as the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of Jiangzuo Province. His eldest son, Yi Lianyi, was intelligent but confined to a wheelchair after an old injury, serving as his father's trusted advisor. The second son, Yi Lianshen, was a courageous and strategic military leader.
The youngest, Yi Liankai, born to Yi Jipei's third wife and a student of the esteemed Fan Zhiheng, maintained a reputation for being a frivolous playboy, even after marrying Qin Sang. Despite their marriage, their relationship was strained, and Yi Liankai’s indifference was apparent, especially when he failed to appear during Qin Sang's recent serious illness.
Meanwhile, the Yi family faced a formidable adversary in Li Chongnian, a warlord who had once served under Yi Jipei and now coveted his territory. Their constant warfare allowed Murong Chen, a northern warlord, to intervene. Murong Chen sent his son, Murong Feng, under the guise of mediation, to blockade Zhishan Villa, Yi Jipei’s hinterland, effectively trapping Yi Liankai there.
In Fuyuan, Fan Zhiheng, the Political Advisor of Jiangzuo Province, urgently arrived at the train station to meet with Yi family officers. He was on his way to negotiate with Murong Feng's envoy, but he considered it merely a delaying tactic. He instructed his subordinates that if negotiations failed, signaled by him dropping a cup, they were to immediately assassinate Murong Feng's envoy.
This would buy time to mobilize Jiang Jinyi's troops and force the Murong family to change their military direction, thus preventing direct conflict. Unbeknownst to Fan Zhiheng, a man disguised as a newspaper reader was intently listening to his plans. As Fan Zhiheng prepared for his mission, Qin Sang arrived at the station with her maid. She adamantly demanded to go to Zhishan to find Yi Liankai, asserting her intention to live or die with him as his wife.
Initially, Fan Zhiheng refused, emphasizing the extreme danger of the war-torn route and the besieged mountain. However, Qin Sang's persistent pleas, reminding him of her father-in-law's respect for his counsel on military affairs, eventually swayed him. He reluctantly arranged for her and her maid to be placed in the last railcar of the train, instructing his men to ensure her safety. On the train, a man claiming to be Murong Feng's envoy entered Fan Zhiheng’s compartment.
Later, at Fangjiadian station, Fan Zhiheng was discovered dead, seemingly assassinated. Shocked by the news, Qin Sang remained resolute in her decision to reach Zhishan. Unable to proceed with the train, she decided to seek help from her close friend, Deng Yulin, who she contacted by phone. Qin Sang explained her desperate situation to Deng Yulin, who, despite her worries, agreed to drive her to Zhishan. As they approached the mountain, they were stopped at a Murong family checkpoint.
Qin Sang, asserting her identity as the Yi family's Third Young Mistress, demanded passage. A Murong family officer, recalling her wedding two years prior, shared his observations of her sadness on that day and Yi Liankai's "forced" hand in marriage, before allowing her to proceed, noting how Yi Liankai had sent a lamb to their camp the previous day, which he interpreted as a gesture of care.
As they continued up the mountain, Qin Sang spotted a flirtatious woman descending, who smiled provocatively at her, further fueling her anger. Upon reaching Zhishan Villa, Qin Sang found Yi Liankai casually playing golf, seemingly unfazed by the siege. Suppressing her fury, she informed him of Fan Zhiheng's assassination. Yi Liankai, however, scoffed at her, claiming Fan Zhiheng had "died" many times before and dismissed her news as a lie.
Yao Jingren, the Yizhou District's Chief Military Advisor, then pointedly questioned how Qin Sang managed to get up the mountain when others couldn't descend. Yi Liankai sarcastically remarked that after a previous "Miss Min" left, he expected another beautiful companion, not his "official's wife." When Qin Sang tried to speak to him privately, he insisted she speak in front of everyone. Exasperated, Qin Sang loudly declared that Fan Zhiheng was killed while trying to save Yi Liankai.
Yi Liankai’s only reaction was to tightly grip his golf club before walking away without a word. At the Yi Manor, Yi Jipei mourned Fan Zhiheng, lamenting that he might not face him in the afterlife if he failed to realize Fan Zhiheng's aspirations for governing the country. Yi Lianyi tried to console his father, acknowledging that Fan Zhiheng died for a worthy cause.
Yi Jipei then expressed his frustration with Yi Liankai’s idleness, but resignedly stated that if his youngest son’s life could secure half the kingdom, it would be a worthwhile exchange for the Yi family. Meanwhile, on the Yizhou front, Yi Lianshen was engaged in a fierce battle against Li Chongnian. Despite heavy casualties and his generals advising retreat from a fortified High Ground No. 5, Yi Lianshen adamantly refused, demanding they continue fighting until the last man standing.
It was amidst this battle that he received news of Fan Zhiheng's assassination. He immediately ordered his troops to Zhishan. With Fan Zhiheng's death, the situation around Zhishan grew increasingly tense, and various factions became restless. Yi Lianyi urged calm, believing that meticulous planning was essential to prevent others from taking advantage. He later reported to Yi Jipei that Jiang Shuangxi in the Northwest remained inactive, while Li Chongnian's movements were uncertain, with rumors placing him near Murong Feng’s army.
He also mentioned that Fan Yanyun was aware of Fan Zhiheng's death, but Qin Housheng remained at home. Back at Zhishan, Qin Sang noticed military movements below and deduced that Yi Lianshen was leading the Fuyuan army to their rescue. However, she realized the grave danger: if Murong Feng engaged Yi Lianshen, the first thing he would do is attack Zhishan, take them all hostage, and then negotiate with Yi Lianshen.
Their lives, she concluded, depended entirely on the outcome of this potential battle. Deng Yulin, although worried, comforted Qin Sang. She then asked Qin Sang for a favor if they survived the siege: to help rescue her distant cousin, Pan Jianchi, who had just returned from studying abroad. He had been mistakenly arrested as a member of the Tian Meng Association during a student movement and was currently imprisoned in Provincial Military Governor Gao Peide’s jail.
Despite his outward facade of nonchalance, Yi Liankai had already confirmed the news of Fan Zhiheng's death and was privately distraught. He explained to Qin Sang that he had to feign ignorance due to the many watchful eyes around him. He admonished Qin Sang for making such a spectacle of her arrival, potentially revealing their political advisor's death to their enemies.
Yi Liankai then acknowledged that even with more bodyguards, Fan Zhiheng might not have been saved, given the nature of the assassin. He expressed gratitude that Fan Zhiheng had assigned bodyguards to Qin Sang, ensuring her safety. Yi Liankai revealed that Fan Zhiheng had left him a scroll at the Chief Marshal's residence, to be opened in case of his demise. Upon unrolling it, Yi Liankai found only three characters: "Chief Marshal's Place."
He immediately understood it as Fan Zhiheng’s chosen path for him to seize power. He then offered Qin Sang a bottle of perfume, telling her that its scent brought him peace, reminiscent of his mother’s perfume, which he had initially disliked but found comforting. He asserted his control over her fate, stating that her life was in his hands and she must obey him. To prevent Murong Feng’s Cheng Army from advancing on Zhishan, Yi Liankai implemented a daring strategy.
He ordered his men to burn the only road leading up the mountain after ensuring a two-meter clearance of surrounding vegetation, saving only a hundred and twenty-eight osmanthus trees. Despite the residents' outrage and fear of being burned alive, Yi Liankai remained firm, pointing out that the wind was blowing down the mountain, directing the fire towards Murong Feng. Simultaneously, he had reporters alerted, ensuring they would capture the unfolding events.
True to his prediction, Murong Feng, facing the public outcry from reporters about the safety of Zhishan’s civilians and unwilling to be branded a war criminal for "burning the people of Zhishan," was forced to retreat to the other side of Yong River. The Zhishan siege was thus unexpectedly resolved by the supposed "playboy" Third Young Master of the Yi family. Following the retreat, Yi Lianshen dispatched his subordinate, Old Song, to oversee Yi Liankai's security.
He recognized that while Murong Feng had withdrawn, Li Chongnian had suffered a significant setback and would not easily concede. Yi Lianshen remained fearless, determined to achieve thirty years of peace for Jiangbei in the next battle. Witnessing Yi Liankai’s ingenious tactics, Qin Sang finally understood that his frivolous demeanor was merely a facade for his true capabilities.
Yi Liankai, however, continued to insist he was simply cowardly and feared death, stating his desire to remain a carefree playboy while his eldest brother handled scholarly matters and his second brother excelled in martial arts. Qin Sang then seized the opportunity to ask Yi Liankai to help rescue Deng Yulin's cousin, Pan Jianchi. Yi Liankai did not immediately agree.
