Siege in Fog Episode 17 Recap
> Siege in Fog Recap
Qin Sang stood in the courtyard, holding a gun and shouting for Fu Rongcai to come out. Yi Liankai rushed after her, attempting to persuade her to calm down, but in her agitated state, Qin Sang accidentally fired a shot into the air. The sound drew Cheng Yunzhi, who admonished them, stating that this was Yongnan, and even the influential Yi family could not wield weapons indiscriminately.
At that moment, Fu Rongcai emerged leisurely from the room, boldly proclaiming himself the matchmaker responsible for Qin Sang's union with his fellow disciple. Yi Liankai tried to lead Qin Sang away, but she stubbornly insisted that Fu Rongcai explain everything. Fu Rongcai chuckled triumphantly, revealing he had been anticipating this moment of truth since the very day Yi Liankai got married.
Yi Liankai attempted to silence him, but Qin Sang, enraged, pointed the gun at Yi Liankai and ordered him to stop talking. Yi Liankai criticized her for daring to point a gun at her own husband. Qin Sang scoffed, declaring her sole desire for the truth, and directly asked Fu Rongcai about his actual relationship with Yi Liankai. Fu Rongcai then disclosed that he was Mr. Fan’s eldest disciple, and Yi Liankai was Mr. Fan’s closed-door disciple.
Qin Sang confronted Yi Liankai, demanding to know if Fu Rongcai’s words were true. Instead of answering directly, Yi Liankai countered by asking if she truly intended to shoot him, given she couldn't even hold the gun steady. Qin Sang retorted, surprised that he, Yi Liankai, could also be afraid. Yi Liankai clarified that his fear was not of her shooting him, but of her injuring herself due to her inexperience with the gun.
Qin Sang's anger was tinged with sorrow as she recalled asking Yi Liankai countless times about Fu Rongcai’s whereabouts, only for him to always deflect and claim ignorance. Yi Liankai admitted that he had indeed lied to her, but insisted he had his reasons. Fu Rongcai, still present, continued to stir the pot, offering to reveal the entire story to Qin Sang. Yi Liankai warned Fu Rongcai that if he uttered another word, he would face severe consequences.
Cheng Yunzhi intervened, instructing his housekeeper to escort Qin Sang back to her room and arrange for a calming soup to be sent to her. Yi Liankai urged Qin Sang to return to her room, promising to explain everything later. Alone in her room, Qin Sang remembered her mother's warning about Fu Rongcai's cunning nature and his involvement in the bribery incident that implicated her father, Qin Housheng, and led to his imprisonment.
She also recalled asking Yi Liankai about Fu Rongcai, only for him to feign ignorance and claim not to know such a person. Yi Liankai had vowed to find Fu Rongcai and deal with him. Outside Old Master Cheng's quarters, Fu Rongcai mocked Yi Liankai’s composure, remarking on his progress in remaining calm even at such a critical juncture. Yi Liankai threatened to kill Fu Rongcai before Qin Sang could discover the full truth, should he reveal anything more.
Fu Rongcai taunted back, saying Yi Liankai was indeed scared that his beautiful wife would learn the truth from the past. Yi Liankai dismissed Fu Rongcai's comment, accusing him of involving a woman in their business and calling it a sign of incompetence. Fu Rongcai retorted that people would judge his competence, not Yi Liankai.
He lamented about the unfairness of the world, where those born into power could reach great heights regardless of their abilities, while he, despite his talent, had to suppress himself. Yi Liankai called his bragging, but Fu Rongcai insisted their teacher valued Yi Liankai's family identity over his own wisdom.
He further explained that since Yi Lianshen and their teacher had disagreements and Yi Lianyi was useless, their teacher chose Yi Liankai, who was closer to the core of power, to use his reputation, coupled with Fu Rongcai's intellect, to achieve his goals. Yi Liankai questioned why Fu Rongcai was now aiding Li Chongnian, betraying their teacher's wishes. Fu Rongcai replied that if Yi Liankai could break their pact for a woman, he was free to find another path.
He sadly concluded that their teacher's life goal was ruined by both of them. Fu Rongcai then challenged Yi Liankai, hoping that when they met Old Master Cheng, their teacher's soul could witness which of them was truly superior. In a flashback, Mr. Fan, Yi Liankai, and Fu Rongcai discussed how to counter Li Chongnian. Mr. Fan acknowledged the new government's symbolic significance but also noted Li Chongnian's growing power through parliamentary seats.
Yi Liankai proposed not directly fighting but instead sabotaging Li Chongnian's plans by making his bribery scheme explode. Fu Rongcai suggested finding the bribed officials and publishing scandals. Yi Liankai argued that mere scandals would not cause significant damage in Qianping's corrupt government. Instead, he proposed actively assisting Li Chongnian in his bribery to amplify the scandal. Mr. Fan agreed, noting that Li Chongnian had already bribed four key figures, but they were too powerful to be easily removed.
He suggested they create a less influential, bribed official as a target. Yi Liankai selected Qin Housheng and volunteered to persuade him in Qianping. However, Mr. Fan decided to send Fu Rongcai, deeming it a good test for him, promising him the position of top political advisor in Jiangzuo if he succeeded. Yi Liankai questioned this decision, citing Fu Rongcai's inefficiency.
Mr. Fan explained that as a non-Yi family member, Fu Rongcai had fewer vulnerabilities if exposed, whereas Yi Liankai, as the third son and the hope for Jiangzuo's future, needed to remain impeccably clean and discreet, hiding his talents and staying out of the limelight to fulfill Mr. Fan’s grand blueprint for Jiangzuo. Yi Liankai understood.
Later, Old Master Cheng received Yi Liankai and Fu Rongcai, acknowledging Fu Rongcai as a renowned Jiangzuo talent and Yi Liankai as an emerging figure. He expressed difficulty in choosing between them without offending the other. To ensure fairness, he proposed asking them a question: "How many people are there in the world, and how many in Jiangzuo?" Yi Liankai answered that the world had 400 million people, with Jiangzuo accounting for 60 million.
Fu Rongcai, however, dramatically claimed there were only seven or eight people who truly mattered in the world, and five or six in Jiangzuo. He elaborated on these influential figures, naming regional warlords, the president of Qianping, and the financial power represented by Old Master Cheng himself, as well as the Yi family and its military.
He then explained that Yi Jipei's advanced age and the power struggle between his sons had diversified the decision-makers in Jiangzuo to five or six, which Marshal Li was exploiting. As Fu Rongcai spoke, Old Master Cheng appeared to doze off. Cheng Yunzhi apologized, explaining his father’s advanced age and daily nap routine at that hour. Meanwhile, Yi Lianshen accompanied Fan Yanyun, showing her a photo album and recounting the stories behind each picture.
When Fan Yanyun reached the end, she found several blank pages. Yi Lianshen explained he intentionally left them empty, envisioning filling them with many future photos of them and their children, happy family moments. Fan Yanyun was deeply touched by his heartfelt sentiment. After Yi Liankai and Fu Rongcai had left, Old Master Cheng "awoke." He mused on Mr. Fan’s lifelong shrewdness, wondering how he could have trained such seemingly ineffective disciples, whose words lacked substance.
He recalled playing chess with Mr. Fan, where Mr. Fan consistently lost by a single move, only for Old Master Cheng to realize in the third game that Mr. Fan's skill far surpassed his own, allowing him complete control over the game. Such individuals, he noted, were truly formidable. He pondered whether Mr. Fan’s two disciples were genuinely incompetent or deliberately concealing their abilities. Cheng Yunzhi admitted his difficulty in choosing between them, seeing both pros and cons.
Old Master Cheng then revealed that he had already decided to ally with Li Chongnian, and his meeting with Yi Liankai and Fu Rongcai was merely a formality to gauge their intentions. He advised his son to always conduct business with strangers rather than acquaintances, as his familiarity with Yi Jipei made dealings complicated. Yi Liankai returned to his room to find Qin Sang still seething, refusing to even look at him.
He approached her, taking her hand and expressing concern for her injured wrist. Qin Sang angrily pulled her hand away. Unperturbed, Yi Liankai commented on her incorrect gun-holding posture, noting that one shot had hurt her wrist, rendering her incapable of killing anyone. He emphasized that her gun should never be aimed at him. Qin Sang coldly asked if he was still feigning affection to elicit sympathy.
Yi Liankai reminded her that they were guests in the Cheng family's manor, and in public, they must maintain the appearance of a married couple. Qin Sang sighed, lamenting that their entire situation had been a tragedy from the start, with Fu Rongcai as its source, as his actions had led to her family's downfall and her forced marriage to Yi Liankai.
Hurt by her words, Yi Liankai remarked that their two-year marriage had apparently always been a tragedy in her eyes. He then instructed her to pack her belongings and leave Yongnan immediately. He explained his intention to kill Fu Rongcai, reasoning that Old Master Cheng, despite his status, would not retaliate against him, the third son of the Yi family.
Furthermore, Li Chongnian would not mourn Fu Rongcai, and Old Master Cheng, a shrewd businessman, would simply choose the next best buyer. Qin Sang cautioned Yi Liankai, reminding him that Old Master Cheng valued the combined influence of their families, not just one individual.
She argued that while her actions as a woman with a gun might be overlooked, Yi Liankai killing Fu Rongcai would be a direct affront to Old Master Cheng and turn him against the Yi family, ruining Yi Liankai's chances of gaining his father's trust. She proposed that the best course of action was for the Yi family and Li Chongnian to remain unaligned with Cheng.
Yi Liankai retorted that she had just feigned weakness and was now acting tender and reasonable, adding that he wished someone would stop constantly nagging him to avenge her father. Qin Sang pressed on, asking what if he let Fu Rongcai escape again. Yi Liankai responded by telling her to focus on leaving Yongnan. Meanwhile, Pan Jianchi arrived at a flower field with a kite, his mind replaying a past conversation with Qin Sang in that very field.
He remembered expressing his patriotic ambitions despite feeling powerless, and his fear of eventually becoming the very kind of person he despised. Qin Sang had then promised to stay by his side, no matter what. The vows still echoed in his mind, but circumstances had irrevocably changed.
