Chapter Thirty-One: The Cai Family

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  "Ding Xun, going like this is just seeking death!"

  Sun Xiyu stopped Ding Yunyi: "The Ghost King Pill has 26 ships and more than 400 people. Can you win with just a dozen or so brothers on Penghu Island? That's just sending yourself to death!"

  One sentence calmed Ding Yunyi down.

  It's true that a small force can defeat a large one, but the gap in strength between the two sides is too great. Rushing into battle would be suicidal.

  What can I do now?

  Sun Xiyu seemed to have already thought of a plan: "There is a way, but it depends on whether Inspector Ding has the ability to do it."

  "Mr. Sun, please go ahead and speak." Ding Yunyi said respectfully upon hearing this, with a glimmer of hope.

  "Get someone out." Sun Xiyu stretched out a finger and said: "This person lives in Quanzhou, surname Cai, name Qizhen, word Wenhe, one of the four great families of the Song Dynasty, Cai Xiang's descendant. He is a well-known merchant in Fujian, specializing in sea travel. This man is my number one or two maritime merchant in Fujian and even the entire Ming Dynasty. Guangfu ships have three ships, each equipped with a large Fa Hu Cannon, a large Fanglang machine gun, 3 bowl-mouthed guns, 60 spray tubes, 10 bird guns, and 100 smoke bombs... There are also many Lou ships, Boats, Sha ships, Cang ships, Tongjiu boats, and Hai fangs. When traveling at sea, pirates dare not offend him easily. However, he had previously fought with the Ghost King Wan during his heyday, although several ships were lost, but he escaped safely. The strength of the Cai family's fleet can be imagined. But they also have a grudge against the Ghost King Wan."

  Ding Yunyi suddenly understood: "Mr. Sun means for me to ask the Cai family for help?"

  "It's exactly what I meant." Sun Xiyu nodded and said, "If we want to defeat Guī Wáng Wán, we must ask him to show up in person. He has only suffered losses at the hands of Guī Wáng Wán before, and he has been eager for revenge. Although Guī Wáng Wán's power is not as great as it was in the past, Guī Wáng Wán is extremely ferocious, and Cài Qǐzhēn also does not dare to act rashly. But this person has a strange temper, and it's hard to say whether he can be invited or not."

  He added, "He has a young son named Cai Jiu Zhou, also known as Zhen Xing. He is only 19 years old but has a sturdy build and has been learning naval warfare since he was a child. At the age of 16, he became Cai Qi Zhen's right-hand man, and now he is in charge of many things for the Cai family."

  Xie Xuan also being a local of Quanzhou, chimed in: "Cai Jiu Zhou is a man of his word and generous with his wealth, his reputation is very good. However, he has a bit of a temper and can be extremely explosive if not careful."

  Ding Yunyi thought for a moment: "Trouble Mr. Sun to take me to visit this Cai family."

  Sun Xiyu agreed in one breath. Time was pressing, and there was no time to arrange, so he directly took Ding Yunyi and Qin Yun to visit the Cai family. The silver at the inn was asked to be taken care of by Xie Xuan. Duan Sanye was also left behind.

  Arrived at the entrance of Cai's house, it was indeed impressive.

  Sun Xiyu was also a frequent visitor here. He said hello to the doorman at the entrance, who went in to report and came out soon after saying that Mr. Cai had invited him in.

  As soon as they entered the Cai's house, a large courtyard appeared in front of them, where dozens of young men aged 18 or 19 were practicing martial arts.

  As soon as they entered the main hall, Sun Xiyu smiled and said: "Wenhe brother, I'm disturbing you."

  In the hall also came laughter: "Old Sun, it's been a long time since we met, where did you go to drink flower wine?"

  Inside, a father and son were sitting there. When they saw the guest coming in, they didn't get up to greet them. It seemed that it was indeed Cai Qizhen and his son Cai Jiu Zhou. Cai Jiu Zhou looked refined and elegant, with a gentle appearance, and he didn't seem like someone with a hot temper at all.

  When Sun Xiyu came in, he thought that Ding Yunyi and Qin Yun behind him were his followers, and Cai Qizhen didn't pay attention to it either. He asked Sun Xiyu to sit down.

  "Wen and brother, this time I came to introduce you to a young hero." Sun Xiyu said as soon as he sat down.

  Cai Qizhen faintly replied, "This world is full of young heroes everywhere. Those who have won a fight are young heroes, and those who have won money in a gamble are also young heroes in the eyes of gamblers. I don't know what kind of 'young hero' you, Old Sun, want to introduce me to."

  His temper is indeed strange and he doesn't give any face in front of guests at all.

  Sun Xiyu also got used to it and didn't think much of it: "In the recent battle at Lao Wan Bay, our Ming naval forces defeated the joint forces of Hongyi and Liu Xiang. There was a young man who jumped onto Hongyi's warship, killed two people, injured one person, and captured one of Hongyi's warships. Is such a person worthy of being called a hero?"

  Ding Yunyi quietly observed and found that Cai Jiu Zhou's eyes lit up for a moment, but Cai Qi Zhen remained expressionless: "But being able to fight a little doesn't necessarily make one a hero."

  He said, looking at Qin Yun first: "I suppose you've brought this 'young hero' along too. This one has white and clean hands, long fingernails, doesn't seem like he can fight. As for this one..."

  His eyes fell on Ding Yunyi again: "I suppose this is the young master Ding Yunyi of Fujian's Ding Yuanzhao, Ding Junwu?"

  Ding Yun's heart was surprised. Cai Qizhen just took a glance and distinguished it, and in fact he had already known about his "deeds" in the Battle of Lao Bay.

  "Wen and his brother are sharp-eyed, I admire them." Sun Xiyu was accustomed to it: "This is indeed the young master Ding Yunwei of Ding Junwu! Inspector Ding, come and see Mr. Cai."

  "Penghu Inspector Ding Yunyi has met Mr. Cai!"

  Cai Qizhen sat there, motionless: "Although this is not a deep palace or a grand mansion, it's not a place where ordinary people can come in. Some time ago, the Minister of Works from the capital came to see me and had to wait for five or seven days. However, since Ding Junwu is diligent in his duties, loves the people, and is upright and impartial, I have always admired him, so I gave him some face and let you come in here."

  Ding Yun felt a sense of wonder in his heart, could it be that Cai Qizhen had known all along that he was coming?

  At this moment, Cai Qizhen's son Cai Jiu Zhou smiled slightly: "Ding Xun Jian, why didn't you bring Duan San Er?"

  Ding Yunyi and Qin Yun were both shocked. Cai Jiu Zhou laughed and said: "Ding Xun Jian's skills are quite good, no more than a glance at the guest house, Duan Saner became a prisoner under the stairs. It's just that later when Duan Saner was captured by you into the room, our people only heard a few mournful cries, what did you do to Duan Saner we don't know."

  Ding Yunyi immediately understood that the inn was also full of eyes and ears from the Cai family, and that his capture of Duan San'er had probably already been reported to the Cai family. Upon further thought, he suspected that the little servant who had knocked on the door was also a spy arranged by the Cai family.

  Now that he understood this, Ding Yunyi became calm and composed, slightly bowing: "The Cai family is powerful, I've heard Mr. Sun mention it before, this time I'm here to ask for Mr. Wen's help."

  Ding Yunyi's calmness was somewhat unexpected by Cai Jia's father and son. Cai Qizhen looked at the young man in front of him several times: "Tell me, what do you want me to help with?"

  "I want to ask Cai Jia and me to join forces to deal with the Great Pirate King Wang, to eradicate this evil bandit."