Siege in Fog Episode 35 Recap
> Siege in Fog Recap
In the Yi family study, Yi Jipei recalled how his brother, Yi Shoucheng (referred to as Old Six), used to enjoy arm wrestling and asked Pan Jianchi who was stronger between him and Old Six. Pan Jianchi admitted that even uninjured, he couldn't last long against Yi Shoucheng, acknowledging his loss. Yi Jipei noted Yi Shoucheng's enduring strength despite his age and reminisced about his inability to eat spicy food as a child.
He then asked if Yi Shoucheng could tolerate spicy food now. Pan Jianchi questioned Yi Jipei's motives for these nostalgic remarks, given that they were currently engaged in a deadly struggle. Yi Jipei explained that among his six brothers, only he, Second Brother, and Old Six shared the same mother. He wanted to know if Yi Shoucheng's feelings towards his brothers could change if his core habits hadn't.
Pan Jianchi stated that Mr. Liang (Yi Shoucheng) was driven by ideals, not personal feelings. Yi Jipei found this incomprehensible, arguing that if one’s important people were hurt and feelings lost, then ideals were meaningless. Pan Jianchi accused Yi Jipei of using psychological tactics, but Yi Jipei clarified he wasn't attacking Pan Jianchi's heart but rather trying to communicate with his brother through him. Pan Jianchi, however, dismissed Yi Jipei's efforts as futile.
In the courtyard by the rockery, Yi Lianyi gathered his younger brothers, Yi Lianshen and Yi Liankai, reminiscing about their childhood, when they had no barriers between them. He specifically recalled when Yi Liankai fell from the fake mountain and how their subsequent estrangement began when Yi Lianyi felt ignored after an argument. Yi Lianyi then expressed his anxiety over the years, witnessing their open and hidden conflicts.
He reminded them of the story of the fox dividing a cake, warning that they were no longer competing for a small piece but for the entire Jiangzuo. He urged them to reveal any lingering grudges, even if it led to arguments or fights, rather than keeping them hidden. Yi Liankai, feeling resigned due to his impending departure, stated there was nothing to say, a sentiment echoed by Yi Lianshen who felt too much time had passed.
Yi Lianyi became furious, calling them "assholes." He declared that while warlords fighting caused only physical pain, brothers warring and parents hiding secrets were the true heart of the family's troubles. He warned that if they didn't awaken to the danger, the Yi family would be utterly destroyed. Provoked, Yi Lianshen and Yi Liankai began to fight, channeling years of suppressed grievances into their punches and words.
They accused each other of past wrongdoings, from breaking things to taking prized possessions, and even favoritism from their parents. As they fought, the tension broke, and the atmosphere lightened with playful accusations. Yi Lianyi, watching his brothers finally reconcile, clapped his hands with joy. The three brothers continued to playfully wrestle, as if transported back to their carefree childhood.
Later, during dinner, the brothers were still teasing each other about their fight, with Yi Liankai jokingly accusing Yi Lianshen of bullying him. Yi Jipei, observing their lighthearted interaction, joined them in a toast, celebrating the newfound harmony. Fu Rongcai, representing Commander Li Chongnian, met with Yi Jipei. Fu Rongcai stated that while Yizhou provided for its citizens, it lacked an economic talent, and Commander Li was feeling melancholic.
He boldly requested that Yi Jipei send his eldest son, Yi Lianyi, to Yizhou. Yi Jipei initially refused, citing Yi Lianyi's poor health, which Fu Rongcai acknowledged. However, Fu Rongcai pressed on, explaining that the peace treaty, while a grand gesture for the greater good, faced objections from Commander Yao and others. To appease the public and provide Commander Li with an acceptable explanation, Yi Lianyi, being intelligent and tactful, was needed in Yizhou.
Yi Lianyi astutely deduced that Li Chongnian wanted a hostage, not merely a talent. Fu Rongcai then candidly explained that with the Murong and Cheng families allied with the Yi family through marriage, Yizhou felt like an outsider and needed a guarantee of trust. Yi Jipei firmly told Fu Rongcai to inform Li Chongnian that he would not agree.
However, Yi Lianyi surprised everyone by announcing that he would go to Yizhou, much to the shock of both Fu Rongcai and Yi Jipei. Later, in the study, Yi Lianshen tried to dissuade his eldest brother, emphasizing that neither he nor their father would agree to Yi Lianyi becoming a hostage. Yi Lianyi, however, declared that provincial autonomy was his lifelong political dream, one he had researched for over a decade.
He couldn't bear to abandon this ideal for his personal safety. Yi Lianshen angrily asked if he could bear to part with his wife, Murong Qian, suggesting she would surely follow him to Yizhou and become a hostage.
Yi Lianyi adamantly stated that Murong Qian must not go, explaining that as a daughter of the Murong clan, her capture by Li Chongnian would allow him to exploit her identity for new political maneuvers, falling into Fu Rongcai's "three birds with one stone" trap. Yi Jipei, who had been listening silently, asked Yi Lianyi if he was truly resolved.
Yi Lianyi responded that since his injury, he hadn't felt such excitement for battle and requested his father's permission to fight this "smokeless war." Yi Lianshen questioned if Yi Lianyi's political ideals were more important than Murong Qian, to which Yi Lianyi replied that while their relationship was good, compared to the stability of Jiangzuo and the public's peace, their romantic affair was insignificant.
When Yi Lianshen asked if there was a way to have both, Yi Lianyi solemnly stated that in many worldly matters, one couldn't have both fish and bear paw. The day arrived for Yi Lianyi to depart for Yizhou. Yi Lianshen and Yi Liankai saw him off, with Yi Lianshen promising to send troops to Yizhou if any problems arose. Yi Lianyi entrusted the household matters and their father's care to Yi Lianshen and Murong Qian.
Just as his car was leaving, Murong Qian rushed out with a box of Fuyuan delicacies and a knitted sweater, instructing him to take care of himself and write letters. She tearfully made him promise to return, which he did. She also urged him to be a role model for his siblings and care for the home in his absence. Watching their emotional farewell, Yi Liankai looked at Qin Sang, who immediately understood what Yi Liankai was thinking.
Suddenly, Yi Liankai intervened, lifting Yi Lianyi out of the car and declaring he would go to Yizhou instead. Yi Lianyi protested, calling it his own lifelong dream and insisting Yi Liankai's dream lay with Qin Sang and in Europe. Holding Qin Sang's hand, Yi Liankai countered that his life's dream was already in his grasp, and he begged Yi Lianyi, who he considered a father figure, to let him go.
Yi Lianyi, unwilling to see his brother sacrifice himself, reluctantly decided to postpone his departure, stating they needed to discuss the matter thoroughly. In the study, Yi Lianyi asked Yi Liankai to reveal his true intentions for going to Yizhou. Yi Liankai admitted that he anticipated Li Chongnian would rebel sooner or later, and he wanted to keep a close watch on him in Yizhou.
However, he confessed there was another, more personal reason: he wanted to investigate the true cause of his mother's death. Yi Lianyi was baffled, stating that Third Mother had supposedly drowned herself and was buried in the Yi family ancestral grave in Yizhou seven days later, leaving no room for other truths. Yi Liankai countered that the situation was far more complex.
He revealed he had discovered his mother's skeletal remains under her favorite hydrangeas in the old residence's back garden. A shocked Yi Lianyi asked how he could be sure it was his mother. Yi Liankai explained that the remains wore her clothes and earrings, leaving no doubt. He questioned who would replace his mother's body and for what purpose. Yi Lianyi then asked if Yi Liankai suspected his own mother, who had personally handled Third Mother's funeral.
Yi Liankai acknowledged Eldest Mother's kindness and the care he received from both her and Yi Lianyi when he was a motherless child. He stressed that he never forgot their generosity, but the truth about his mother's death was paramount, and he would live in regret if he didn't uncover it. He then knelt, pleading for Yi Lianyi's help to find the truth. Yi Lianyi helped him up, reluctantly agreeing to assist him.
Yi Liankai then suggested that Zhang Xikun might hold crucial information about the past. In the courtyard, Qin Sang sat alone, silently weeping. Murong Qian approached her, acknowledging Qin Sang's distress. Qin Sang confessed she knew Murong Qian had been the kindest to her when Yi Liankai was away, but now she found it difficult to face her. Murong Qian asked Qin Sang to close her eyes and listen to her sincere words.
She spoke of being the only traditional woman in the Yi family with bound feet, envying Qin Sang and Fan Yanyun for their education, worldly experience, and wonderful lives outside the high walls. Murong Qian admitted her world revolved entirely around Yi Lianyi, and without him, it would be shattered. She expressed her desire to be a good person, to make everyone comfortable, but confessed that in this situation, her deepest longing was for a complete family.
Understanding Qin Sang's reluctance to face her, Murong Qian apologized for her perceived selfishness. Yi Lianshen vehemently opposed Yi Liankai's plan to replace Yi Lianyi in going to Yizhou. In a fit of anger, he suggested that Yi Jipei should order him to kill Fu Rongcai and lead the Fuyuan Army to attack Yizhou directly.
Yi Jipei furiously rebuked him, calling his words reckless and reminding him of the long, difficult negotiations on Zhishan that had just secured a fragile peace. Yi Jipei stressed the importance of considering the "big picture," which often demanded sacrifices. Yi Lianshen countered, asking if Yi Jipei's pursuit of a good reputation in history was worth sacrificing his own sons.
He pointed out that it was not easy for the three brothers to reconcile after years of discord, emphasizing that a harmonious family would lead to prosperity, allowing them to overcome any obstacles with all three sons by Yi Jipei's side. Yi Liankai, however, intervened, advocating for choosing the lesser of two evils. He argued that his sacrifice would yield the greatest benefit with the smallest loss.
He also confessed that while his father and elder brothers had done so much for the family, he, Yi Liankai, had never truly contributed. He declared that his decision was firm; this time, the sacrifice must be his. Yi Lianshen sadly questioned if gaining power over the world necessarily meant losing loved ones.
Yi Jipei explained that this was merely the beginning, and if Yi Lianshen were to inherit his empire, he might have to sacrifice even more to protect it. Yi Lianshen adamantly stated he would rather not have an empire if it came at the cost of his brother's life. Yi Liankai presented Qin Sang with a German dictionary, telling her it would be useful in Europe, implying his intention for her to go there alone.
Qin Sang questioned why she would need it if they were only going to Yizhou, realizing he was lying. Yi Liankai, with great difficulty, confessed his unwavering need to go to Yizhou to solve a mystery. He urged her to live well in his absence, take care of herself, and find another man who would love her. Heartbroken, Qin Sang embraced him from behind, desperately asking how she could possibly love anyone else.
She tearfully accused him of fulfilling his duties as a brother and a son to the Yi family, but betraying her as a husband. Yi Liankai, visibly tormented, admitted his internal struggle before uttering such parting words, emphasizing his reluctance to yield the woman he loved to another, but explaining their current predicament left them with many helpless choices. As he tried to gently pull away from her embrace, Yi Jipei appeared at their door.
Yi Liankai invited his father in and prepared some kung fu tea. Yi Jipei observed that the art of tea ceremony mirrored the principles of a good marriage: not mutual torment, but mutual cooperation between tea and water. He expressed his deep affection for his three daughters-in-law, treating them as his own daughters, and stated that he would feel unwell if any of them left. Qin Sang then boldly declared that she would not go to Europe.
She asserted that she would follow Yi Liankai wherever he went, even if it meant facing certain death in Yizhou, proclaiming that she was entirely devoted to him and he would never be able to leave her. Yi Liankai took her hand, but she pulled it away, resolute. Yi Jipei, hearing this, questioned if she understood the danger of Yizhou, comparing it to a "wolf entering the lair of a tiger," a trip with no return. Qin Sang maintained her stance. Yi Jipei then advised Yi Liankai to learn more about achieving a harmonious marriage.
