Siege in Fog Episode 11 Recap
> Siege in Fog Recap
Fan Yanyun, accompanied by Qin Sang and the Eldest Sister-in-Law, arrived at Yi Liankai’s private villa. Upon entering, Qin Sang immediately noticed a large tapestry hanging on the wall and learned it depicted Yi Liankai’s late mother. Qin Sang observed the striking resemblance between Yi Liankai and his mother. Min Hongyu, the villa’s current occupant, confronted the trio, demanding to know their purpose for barging into her home.
The Eldest Sister-in-Law insisted it was an Yi family residence, but Min Hongyu retorted that Yi Liankai had gifted the house to her, along with the tapestry and every item within. Fan Yanyun, furious, criticized Yi Liankai's behavior, calling it inappropriate to give his mother’s belongings to an "indecent woman." Min Hongyu then sarcastically remarked that had she not known Qin Sang, she might have mistaken Fan Yanyun for the Third Young Mistress.
Qin Sang interjected, explaining that Min Hongyu had aided her and Yi Liankai on Zhishan, suggesting the villa was a token of gratitude. Fan Yanyun, however, demanded to take the tapestry, calling it her third aunt’s relic. Min Hongyu defiantly pulled out a lighter, threatening to burn it. Fan Yanyun pleaded with her not to, but Min Hongyu refused to yield.
It was only when Qin Sang calmly asked her not to burn the tapestry that Min Hongyu extinguished the flame, declaring she would only listen to Qin Sang. A visibly angered Fan Yanyun then stormed out. Min Hongyu commented to Qin Sang that she didn't want to hear Fan Yanyun's inappropriate remarks, and mused that Qin Sang's calm, understanding demeanor, especially regarding the house gift, likely explained why Yi Liankai admired her.
She advised Qin Sang not to interfere with Yi Liankai's actions, stating that the Third Young Master always had his reasons. Qin Sang responded indifferently that she would not concern herself with Yi Liankai’s affairs and that since he had given the house to Min Hongyu, it was now hers. Min Hongyu then bid Qin Sang farewell, implying their brief "sisterly" interaction was over.
Fan Yanyun, still seething from the encounter, returned home and shattered a photo of herself with Yi Lianshen. Her mind replayed Min Hongyu's taunts and her own father's past counsel. She recalled her father predicting turmoil in the Yi family, stating that two tigers could not coexist on one mountain. He foresaw an inevitable conflict between the second and third sons once the chief marshal aged and needed an heir.
Her father emphasized that Yi Liankai was kind-hearted, while Yi Lianshen was brave and decisive, and feared Yi Lianshen might try to kill Yi Liankai. He had insisted that Fan Yanyun, as the future Second Mistress of the Yi family, and having grown up with Yi Liankai, was uniquely positioned to act as a buffer to mitigate their potential hatred and, at a critical moment, save Yi Liankai's life, thereby preventing a disaster for the Yi family.
Fan Yanyun, in her memory, had vehemently resisted the idea of marrying Yi Lianshen, declaring her love only for Yi Liankai. Later, the Eldest Sister-in-Law confronted Yi Liankai, reprimanding him for his reckless behavior. She expressed her sympathy for Qin Sang, who she believed was deeply hurt by Yi Liankai gifting the family house and his mother’s tapestry to an outsider. Yi Liankai assured her he would handle the matter, promising to treat Qin Sang better.
Meanwhile, Yi Lianyi, concerned about Qin Housheng, asked his wife, Mourong Xian, to visit Qin Housheng since he had traveled to attend Mr. Fan's funeral and was staying longer to spend time with Qin Sang. Mourong Xian, however, voiced her unease, mentioning Fan Yanyun’s recent loss, the strained relationship between Fan Yanyun and the now-suspended Yi Lianshen, and Yi Liankai’s seemingly absurd actions. She admitted to feeling frustrated by all the recent events.
Yi Lianyi tried to comfort her, suggesting that some things were beyond their control and that everyone had their own fate. Qin Sang later approached Yi Liankai to discuss seeing his mother’s tapestry. She complimented his mother’s beauty and noted the striking resemblance to Yi Liankai. He, in turn, questioned her indifference towards Min Hongyu, but Qin Sang maintained that their relationship, though cold, was honest, and she saw no reason to be jealous.
She praised his mother’s content, peaceful beauty and expressed how the tapestry, a masterpiece by a famous southern artist, reflected his father's deep affection. She lamented that she might never experience such love in her own life. Yi Liankai offered to commission a tapestry for her as well, suggesting they compare it with his mother's to see who was happier, his mother or his wife.
Qin Sang dismissed the importance of the tapestry, but reiterated that Min Hongyu herself had stated it was a gift from Yi Liankai. She pointedly asked if he would be so absurd as to send the tapestries of his mother and wife to Min Hongyu's house. Yi Liankai pressed her, asking if she harbored unspoken jealousy towards Min Hongyu, which Qin Sang denied.
He then provoked her, saying if she truly didn’t care, he would hang her tapestry in the villa as well. Qin Sang calmly stated that far from being jealous, Min Hongyu's existence was a relief to her, as it helped share the burden of being Yi Liankai’s wife, a role she admitted to not fulfilling adequately. Yi Liankai, enraged by her perceived indifference, reminded her of her identity as the Yi family’s Third Mistress and his wife.
He accused her of never acting like a wife and declared his frustration that she felt only "pain, responsibility, and helplessness" since their marriage. He proudly asserted that he had never been rejected by any woman and could have married any woman from a prominent family if he wished, feeling deeply insulted by Qin Sang’s demeanor. Qin Sang, tearfully stating that she understood her own insignificance, expressed her sole desire for a quiet and peaceful life.
Seeing her tears, Yi Liankai silently embraced her in apology. However, Qin Sang defiantly declared that she would never bear him children. In a fit of anger, Yi Liankai then burned their wedding photograph. Meanwhile, Fu Rongcai met with Li Chongnian, discussing the shifting power dynamics within the Yi family following Yi Lianshen’s suspension and Yi Liankai’s seemingly frivolous behavior.
Li Chongnian expressed his ambition to replace Yi Jipei and his keen interest in the internal struggles of the Yi brothers. Fu Rongcai then revealed a secret about his late teacher, Mr. Fan, explaining that Mr. Fan had long harbored a strategic plan to prevent conflict between the Yi brothers, and Fan Yanyun’s marriage to Yi Lianshen was a crucial part of this scheme. Li Chongnian agreed on the unexpected utility of women in pivotal moments.
Fu Rongcai, noting Li Chongnian’s detailed knowledge of the Yi family, deduced that Li Chongnian possessed a "trump card" in Fuyuan, suggesting that his reliance on Chenpei was merely a diversion. Li Chongnian acknowledged having a trump card but chose not to disclose its identity. Yi Liankai later met with Min Hongyu, who requested the house deed to formalize the transfer. Yi Liankai promised to have the name changed to hers the following day.
Unknown to him, Fan Yanyun had already secretly entered his room and taken the deed from its envelope. As she was leaving, she encountered Yi Liankai. She confronted him about gifting the house to Min Hongyu, accusing him of disrespecting his father’s memory, especially since his father had lost his life for Yi Liankai. She declared he owed apologies not just to his father, but also to her.
She then suddenly embraced Yi Liankai from behind, confessing her love for him. Yi Liankai tried to gently disentangle himself, clarifying that he had always regarded her as a sister. Fan Yanyun refused to believe him, recalling various childhood acts of kindness and protection, convinced he was the one she was meant to marry. She specifically reminded him of a time when she fell from a rockery and he caught her.
Yi Liankai corrected her, stating it was actually his Second Brother who had saved her. Fan Yanyun vehemently denied this, insisting there was a scar on his forehead from that incident and reaching out to touch it. Yi Liankai recoiled, prompting Fan Yanyun to question why Qin Sang and Min Hongyu could touch him but she could not. Yi Liankai firmly reiterated that Qin Sang was his wife, before leaving.
Yi Liankai then handed Min Hongyu an envelope, presumably containing the house deed. When Min Hongyu opened it, she found it empty. Yi Liankai, recalling Fan Yanyun’s presence in his room earlier, immediately understood what had transpired. He apologized, acknowledging that the situation was a misunderstanding and promising to retrieve the deed and give it to her.
To further compensate for the inconvenience, he offered to do anything for her, at any time or place, as long as it was within his capabilities. During a family dinner, attended also by Qin Housheng, the Yi family discussed the precarious political climate. Yi Jipei expressed his gratitude to Qin Housheng for attending Mr. Fan’s memorial. Qin Housheng offered condolences to Fan Yanyun, advising her not to grieve too much.
Yi Lianyi voiced his concern that with Jiangzuo having lost both its political advisor and a key general, opportunistic figures like Li Chongnian and Jiang Shuangxi might be emboldened to act. Yi Lianshen reassured his elder brother that he had intensified military training to deter any careless moves. Yi Jipei, however, reprimanded Yi Lianshen for dividing his army to surround Zhishan during a battle against Li Chongnian, sacrificing a tactical advantage to protect Yi Liankai.
Yi Lianshen defended his decision, stating Yi Liankai’s safety was paramount. Yi Jipei then turned his anger towards Yi Liankai, blaming him for the incident concerning Mr. Fan. Yi Lianyi quickly intervened, reminding their father that Yi Liankai’s quick thinking had resolved the Zhishan crisis and preserved the Yi family’s reputation, albeit drawing unwanted attention.
Yi Jipei then announced that effective immediately, Yi Liankai would take charge of all Yi family businesses, instructing him to cease his usual entertainments, seek guidance from Yi Lianyi when needed, and prove himself worthy of Mr. Fan’s cultivation. Yi Liankai accepted the new responsibility, asking his Eldest Brother for guidance.
Min Hongyu summoned Xu Adjutant, Yi Liankai's subordinate, and explained that after Yi Liankai invited her to perform at the Yi Manor, her luggage, containing a valuable "stone gourd" ceramic teapot crafted by Wang Dongshi (the only one of its kind), was stolen en route while being shipped by a friend. She requested Xu Adjutant to convey this to Yi Liankai and seek his help in retrieving the unique item. Meanwhile, Yi Liankai began reviewing the family's business ledgers.
Pan Jianchi, observing him, commented that this new role was an opportunity for Yi Liankai to covertly accumulate military influence and resources through commerce. Yi Liankai, however, dismissed the idea of accumulating military power, stating that with his father and Second Brother already in command of the army, his focus was merely to understand the accounts to avoid his father's reprimands.
Pan Jianchi countered that despite Yi Lianshen's military authority, the ledgers contained all details of daily military provisions and expenses. He further remarked that, based on these records, the Yi family’s trade routes were not yet fully developed.
