Siege in Fog Episode 45 Recap
> Siege in Fog Recap
After their conversation, Yi Liankai, Qin Sang, and Murong Feng exchanged a few more pleasantries. As Yi Liankai and Qin Sang walked Murong Feng to the door, Qin Sang realized she had forgotten her bag, prompting Yi Liankai to go upstairs to retrieve it for her. While waiting, Murong Feng confided in Qin Sang, recalling her courage in insisting on climbing Zhishan in the past and how he admired her for it.
Now, seeing how deeply in love Qin Sang and Yi Liankai were, he envied Yi Liankai's good fortune. Qin Sang returned the compliment, praising Murong Feng as a young hero with a casual and elegant bearing, asserting that he and his future wife would surely be as harmonious as a zither and se. Murong Feng admitted he had never met his fiancée, Cheng Jinzhi, but he trusted Qin Sang and hoped Jinzhi would be a girl like her.
Qin Sang reassured him, saying that even if it wasn't Jinzhi, he would surely meet someone he would love for a lifetime. Murong Feng thanked Qin Sang for being his matchmaker and took his leave. Qin Sang bid him farewell, stating she would wait for Lan Po (Yi Liankai's nickname) and not see him off further. Murong Feng and Shi Busuan had only just departed when a rickshaw stopped in front of them.
As Murong Feng prepared to refuse the ride, the rickshaw puller suddenly restrained him, firing two shots. Murong Feng collapsed into a pool of blood. The assailant, who was Yi Lianshen disguised as a rickshaw puller, looked up and softly apologized. Yi Liankai and Qin Sang, hearing the gunshots, rushed to the scene.
In his dying moments, Murong Feng clutched Qin Sang's hand, speaking of his desire to ride a train back to Qianping, where he believed he would meet the person he would love for a lifetime. Yi Liankai, distraught, demanded to know who was responsible, but Murong Feng closed his eyes before he could speak. It was then that Shi Busuan revealed the shooter to be Yi Lianshen.
Posters with Yi Lianshen’s likeness and a bounty were immediately put up across Fuyuan. Murong Feng’s body was brought to the Yi family mansion. Murong Qian, heartbroken by the death of her only brother, collapsed onto his coffin, weeping inconsolably. Yi Liankai promised his eldest sister-in-law that he would ensure justice for the Murong family. Fu Rongcai was astonished by Yi Lianshen's brazenness.
He had assumed the situation in Jiangzuo was settled, but Yi Lianshen’s murder of Murong Feng meant that Murong Chen from the North would not rest until he had his revenge. Yao Shizhang suggested that they first handle Murong Feng’s corpse properly, then use it as leverage to negotiate with Murong Chen, threatening to withhold the body if he dared to attack.
Fu Rongcai found it perplexing that Yi Lianshen, now a man without a master, could evade such a thorough search, suspecting someone must be aiding him. Fu Rongcai, undeterred, ordered a widespread arrest of suspects, including members of the Tian Meng Association, to capture the criminal. With Murong Feng’s death orchestrated by Yi Lianshen, the political landscape of Jiangzuo was poised for another drastic shift.
Pan Jianchi instructed Tian Xuan to send a telegram to the Tian Meng Association headquarters, alerting them to Murong Chen's impending attack on Jiangzuo and the need for early preparations. Tian Xuan suggested that the most urgent matter was to appoint a temporary leader for the Tian Meng Association, proposing Pan Jianchi for the role. Pan Jianchi initially resisted, acknowledging his sentimental nature and his fear that emotional blindness could bring disaster to thousands of people.
However, Tian Xuan reminded him of Mr. Liang’s belief that Pan Jianchi possessed the capability to lead, but hesitated because he hadn't yet carried a heavy enough burden. Now, with the lives of thousands of Tian Meng Association members resting on his shoulders, Tian Xuan argued, he would no longer waver, likening their situation to having a single wooden bridge over deep abysses.
He concluded by quoting, "Cutting off both heads, just relying on one's sword to pass through the cold," emphasizing the dire responsibility. After deep consideration, Pan Jianchi accepted the weighty leadership role. Suddenly, brothers reported that Li Chongnian's soldiers had surrounded them. Tian Xuan grew worried, but Pan Jianchi calmly instructed him not to panic, stating that they must transition from being prey to predators. Shi Busuan sought out Yi Liankai.
Yi Liankai expressed surprise, questioning how a Murong family servant could now be a representative. Shi Busuan clarified that "representative" or "ambassador" were merely titles for a messenger. He explained that since Murong Feng's death, he felt obligated to convey Murong Feng's final wishes to Yi Liankai and Fu Rongcai. Fu Rongcai scoffed, questioning Shi Busuan’s qualifications. In response, Shi Busuan revealed his nickname, “Shi Busuan,” which stunned Yi Liankai.
Yi Liankai recognized him as the fortune-teller who had once read his fate. Fu Rongcai, now understanding, lamented that the renowned Shi Busuan had been a Murong family member all along, acknowledging Marshal Murong's superior foresight. Shi Busuan, with pride, stated that as a tactician, he sought the bigger picture and eternal fame, vowing never to reveal himself until his grand scheme was accomplished.
He asserted that if someone of Fan Zhiheng’s caliber knew he worked for the Murong family, their elaborate plans would never have deceived him. Fu Rongcai, finally convinced, admitted that their constant struggles against the Murong family made sense now. Shi Busuan candidly told Fu Rongcai that his intelligence was on par, but his significant weakness lay in his lack of courage for self-sacrifice.
A valiant general leads the charge, but a tactician must be even further ahead, willing to lay down his life for his strategy. Fu Rongcai possessed the wisdom to devise grand schemes but lacked the great courage to sacrifice for them. Shi Busuan then bluntly warned Yi Liankai and Fu Rongcai that they could not stop Murong Chen.
With his only son murdered, Murong Chen would abandon his fight against Jiang Shuangxi in the Northwest and launch an all-out assault on Jiangzuo. He stressed that their only hope to avert Murong Chen's wrath was to quickly hand over the killer, Yi Lianshen, otherwise, Murong Chen's fury would engulf Jiangzuo, and the Yi family would be annihilated.
Shi Busuan added that his true family name hailed from the Changbai Mountains beyond Shanhai Pass, but Yi Liankai cut him off, stating he had no desire to know his true identity. Yi Liankai angrily accused Shi Busuan of being responsible for the Yi family's current predicament. He declared that denying Shi Busuan the fame he craved, letting him disappear nameless from history, would be his cruelest revenge.
Shi Busuan, impressed by Yi Liankai’s ability to "kill and expose hidden motives," mused that he had indeed not misjudged Yi Liankai's unique destiny. He accepted his fate, acknowledging he had "worshipped the wrong god," and wished them good luck. Cheng Yunzhi expressed disbelief upon hearing of Murong Feng’s death, but Fu Rongcai directly confronted him, suggesting his sorrow stemmed more from the inability to leverage the Murong family’s power anymore.
Cheng Yunzhi coolly retorted that the Yongnan Cheng family, having built their wealth on trade and credibility, had no need to rely on others. Yi Liankai reminded them of the Cheng family’s engagement to the Murong family. Fu Rongcai then proposed that Cheng Yunzhi arrange for Cheng Jinzhi to "marry" Murong Feng posthumously, sending her to the Murong family to preserve the Cheng family's reputation. Yi Liankai urged Fu Rongcai to be more respectful.
Fu Rongcai responded that he was merely reminding everyone to be adaptable. Ultimately, Cheng Yunzhi agreed to Fu Rongcai’s suggestion and immediately decided to go to Yizhou. Yi Liankai sighed, realizing the Cheng family had also become a mere pawn in the unfolding chaos. Meanwhile, Pan Jianchi evaded street searches and met with Miss Yao Si. Back at the Yi mansion, Yi Lianyi was asleep in his wheelchair.
Murong Qian, preparing to leave the Yi family after Murong Feng’s death, instructed the servants to care for Yi Lianyi, mentioning his morning routine, dietary needs, and the importance of massaging his legs due to his immobility. As she prepared to depart, she gently spoke to the sleeping Yi Lianyi, expressing that every day she had spent with him in their long marriage had been filled with happiness and love, wishing they could have more time together.
Yi Liankai pleaded with his eldest sister-in-law to stay, assuring her that he was actively searching for Yi Lianshen and would bring him to her for atonement once caught. Murong Qian, however, insisted on leaving, stating that she and the Yi family would always be kin, and she wished for no more mutual harm. Yi Liankai countered that Yi Lianshen had disregarded her feelings when he killed Murong Feng.
Murong Qian, understanding the root of the conflict, remarked that if Yi Lianshen hadn't been an Yi family son, and Murong Feng hadn't been the Murong family's only son, none of this would have happened, attributing the tragedy to the destructive nature of power. Yi Liankai asked how Murong Qian planned to face Murong Chen’s wrath upon returning home. Murong Qian expressed confidence that her father, no matter how angry, would not harm his own child.
Moreover, as a sister, she felt it was her duty to bring her brother home. She asked Yi Liankai to promise to thwart any future schemes of Yi Lianshen, not only for the Yi family but for all of Jiangzuo and its people, emphasizing that a regime built on sins would lack justice. Later, Yi Liankai found Yi Lianyi gazing sadly at Murong Qian's photograph. He offered his brother comfort, telling him it was alright to cry.
Yi Lianyi replied that it was no time for personal sorrow, as every moment he indulged in sadness would mean greater suffering for the people of Jiangzuo. Yi Lianyi revealed he had long known Murong Qian would return to her family but admitted he had no right to ask her to stay, given that his own brother had killed hers.
He also stated that Murong Qian had to return for her own survival, to avoid watching him die or dying with him if Murong Chen attacked. Yi Liankai recounted Murong Qian's words to him, and Yi Lianyi, touched, was moved that she remembered his chance remarks from years ago, including a quote from Tacitus. Qin Sang, heavy-hearted, saw Murong Qian and Murong Feng's memorial tablet off.
She struggled to comprehend why Yi Lianshen had to kill Murong Feng, believing it had driven them all to a desperate situation. Yi Liankai mused that perhaps that was Yi Lianshen's intention: since he couldn't escape his fate, he decided to drag everyone else down with him. Yi Liankai was convinced that Yi Lianshen was still lurking in Fuyuan, waiting for an opportunity.
He felt compelled to continue searching for his brother, even if he couldn't catch him, because it was the only way to stall Fu Rongcai, otherwise, they would be forced to surrender him to the Murong family for atonement. Yi Liankai then asked Qin Sang if she could bear to part with him if such a day came.
Qin Sang, avoiding the emotional aspect, responded pragmatically that trading one life for the welfare of all Jiangzuo would be a worthwhile bargain. They also discussed Fan Yanyun, with Yi Liankai admitting he dared not tell her about Yi Lianshen, and that locking her up was the last thing they could do for her, as both Li Chongnian and the Murong family sought to gain something from her.
Back at the Murong family manor, Murong Qian offered her father a bowl of ginseng soup. Murong Chen, however, presented her with divorce papers, demanding she sign them. He declared that he could not allow her to continue living with the Yi family, enemies of the Murong family, and insisted she divorce and remarry.
Tearfully, Murong Qian knelt, pleading with her father to spare her, reminding him she had already left the Yi family and begging him not to force her further. Murong Chen, his heart hardened, replied that it was not he who was forcing her, but the Yi family who were pushing him to his death.
