Chapter Thirty-Three: Challenging the Envoys of Five Nations

Cai E, originally named Cai Gengyin and styled Songpo, was of Han descent. In the near future, he would launch the National Protection War against Yuan Shikai’s attempt to proclaim himself emperor. But now, in 1914, Yuan had not yet declared himself emperor. Even so, Cai E was already a distinguished military leader of the early Republic of China. In his youth, he studied under Liang Qichao and Tan Sitong, absorbing the reformist ideas of Liang and others. He later attended Nanyang Public School in Shanghai (later renamed National Chiao Tung University, the predecessor of today’s Shanghai Jiao Tong University and Xi’an Jiaotong University). As a young man, he traveled to Japan, studying at Tokyo Daido High School and Yokohama East Asia Commercial School, then entered the Army Officer School to study military science.

At the time, China was under the rule of the moribund Qing dynasty, its lands fractured, national strength feeble, and imperialist powers circling like wolves and eagles. The country faced an unprecedented national crisis. Like many passionate young men, Cai E urgently sought a path to save the nation and its people. In one of his poems, he wrote: “To shed blood and save the people is our duty; our courage and loyalty will endure for a thousand autumns.” This line revealed his fervent patriotism.

Cai E shared a deep and cross-generational friendship with Jin Shaohua, the military governor of Jiangning. This time, Cai E’s arrival in Jiangning was under the secret orders of Yuan Shikai to investigate the case of Major Yoshida and samurai Fujiwara Ichiro from Japan, who had been murdered. Yuan Shikai was no fool, and he knew the Japanese were even less so. The reason the Japanese had let the matter drop so easily was that they had suffered a silent, unspoken loss—an insult they could not publicly admit.

On the other hand, Yuan Shikai genuinely feared the Japanese might deploy bacteriological warfare in China, which could destroy the realm he had schemed so long to control. There was another possibility that troubled him even more: all signs suggested that this case was the work of some formidable figure lurking in Jiangning. Although the incident had deceived international society and the Japanese at home, Yuan worried that these mysterious experts might continue to harm foreign diplomats, inevitably provoking chaos. He was even more concerned that these figures might one day become a threat to him, which is why he sent General Cai E to Jiangning for a secret investigation.

During his earlier studies in Japan, General Cai E had minored in reconnaissance along with military science. After some investigation, he indeed uncovered several clues. First, Yoshida’s body had not been burned to death but was hacked to death and then moved to the explosion site. Second, there was no intact corpse of Fujiwara Ichiro at the blast scene. Third, it was said that on the night in question, the celebrated courtesan Li Shishi of the Yi Hong Courtyard had accompanied Yoshida to a banquet, yet she emerged unscathed. Finally, the Japanese had forced Hu Baiwan to suppress the Green Dragon Mountain bandits, and at that very moment, the Japanese met their demise—two events too coincidental to ignore.

In truth, the case was riddled with suspicious points. The representatives dispatched by the Japanese and other foreign legations in China all noticed that the severed arms, legs, and torsos collected at the scene could not be reassembled into a complete body for Fujiwara Ichiro. They had no idea this was precisely the result of Xiao Fei’s deliberate misdirection.

However, the Japanese secret biochemical experiments were now exposed to the world, and the foreign diplomats seized the opportunity to pressure the Japanese government. This was a result every country except Japan wished to see. Furthermore, as the Japanese government was drafting plans to join the Great War and declare war on Germany, the matter was set aside for the time being, allowing Xiao Fei and his companions to slip through unscathed.

Yet they could not escape the discerning eye of General Cai E. But as a Chinese general with iron in his veins, every scenario that Yuan Shikai feared was precisely what Cai E hoped for. He wished nothing more than for all the foreign powers’ agents in China to meet an untimely end.

That day, General Cai E visited Jin Shaohua’s residence and happened to witness the farcical performance of foreign diplomats in China. He understood well that behind these jesters stood the foreign legation’s challenge to the patriotic and righteous military governor Jin Shaohua, and by extension, a challenge from the foreign governments to the Beiyang government.

“Brother Jin, it seems your days are far from easy,” Cai E said with a smile.

“Hmph, as long as there’s breath in this old man, I’ll never allow these brutes to run rampant in my Jiangning!” Jin Shaohua replied angrily.

“Brother Jin, I truly admire your loyalty and righteousness. I’m here in secret this time, or I’d go out there and personally teach those rascals a lesson,” Cai E said coldly.

“This is just a small matter, hardly worth troubling you, General Cai. You’ll see—China’s sons and daughters are not so easily bullied. Today, someone will surely smash that plaque!” Jin Shaohua declared with confidence.

“Well then, let us wait and see!” Cai E shared his confidence.

Yet the next few bouts left many disappointed, as several young Chinese men took the stage, only to be kicked off the ring by Russian strongmen.

“Damn it, I’ll go up myself!” Cai E exclaimed in anger, momentarily forgetting his own position.

“Hey now, brother, have patience—wait a moment, don’t get too worked up,” Jin Shaohua counseled.

Sure enough, at that moment, a young man leapt onto the stage, astonishing everyone present.

Especially Jin Shaohua, whose heart tightened and breath caught.

For that youth was none other than his only son, Jin Zhengri.

“My good son, take them down!” Jin Shaohua found himself saying, his concern for his son mingling with pride at his display of manly courage—a display that only deepened Cai E’s admiration for Jin Shaohua.

“Well done, my disciple! You haven’t shamed your master!” Cai E shouted his approval.

Five years earlier, upon returning from Japan, Cai E had met the young Jin Zhengri and secretly taught him some martial arts. From then on, they addressed each other as master and disciple.

“Today is my birthday, and yet you set up a challenge here, first disregarding me, then insulting my great nation. Today, I’ll show you what I’m made of. Come, I challenge all five of you foreign envoys!” Jin Zhengri’s declaration sent an even greater stir through the crowd.

Among those present, Xiao Fei, who had been quietly observing from below, felt genuine admiration for Jin Zhengri and was secretly pleased at having befriended him.

“They say Governor Jin’s son is a real firebrand—today I see it’s true. He boasts before even stepping onto the stage. Bart, finish him quickly and don’t waste our time,” the Russian team’s Howard said to his teammate Bart.

“No problem,” Bart replied confidently.

Bart strode onto the stage and beckoned to Jin Zhengri, saying, “Aren’t you coming over for a beating?”

Jin Zhengri snorted coldly and replied, “Just you alone?”

“What, you want to fight all of us? Jin Zhengri, if I can’t knock you down in three minutes, I’ll count it as my loss.”

With that, Bart charged at Jin Zhengri.

Bang!

Everyone was stunned. Bart had barely approached when, just as he was about to strike, Jin Zhengri leapt forward and, with a single kick, sent Bart flying off the ring.

“Sorry, I can’t give you three minutes—three seconds is enough.”

Jin Zhengri landed lightly.

He turned his gaze to Howard and said, “Howard, is it your turn now?”

Howard laughed loudly. “You think you’re worthy to fight me? Kid, you’re not qualified.”

“In that case, I’ll defeat all your Russian teammates first, then fight you,” Jin Zhengri replied, his eyes flashing as he looked at Howard’s teammates. Extending one hand with brazen arrogance, he declared, “I, alone, challenge all of you here.”

The audience was in shock. Was Jin Zhengri mad? Even if he could defeat Bart, how could he possibly fight the entire Russian team alone? Was this not suicide?

But Jin Zhengri seemed not to regard the Russian team at all. He stood on the stage, commanding and formidable.

His bold declaration was too much for the Russian team to endure. They all charged onto the stage, making the small platform suddenly crowded, Jin Zhengri apparently swallowed by the throng.

But just as the crowd was reeling, another astonishing scene unfolded: one by one, Russian martial artists were sent flying off the stage. Those who fell lay sprawled on the ground, each bearing bruises from fists or kicks—none seriously injured, but none able to rise and continue fighting.

In less than three minutes, only Jin Zhengri remained standing on the platform. He pointed a finger at Howard below and said fiercely, “Now, it’s your turn.”

Howard’s heart began to race. He hadn’t expected this rich young man to possess such formidable Chinese martial arts. Every move was lightning-fast, precise, and ruthless, giving his opponents no chance to react before they were defeated.

This Jin Zhengri was more formidable than he’d imagined. It seemed Howard would have to enter the ring himself.

Howard clenched his fists. Even if Jin Zhengri hadn’t challenged him, he could not allow the entire Russian team to lose.

With a swift motion, Howard leapt onto the stage in a single bound, landing squarely to face Jin Zhengri.

Anyone with discerning eyes could see that Howard’s skills surpassed Jin Zhengri’s.

“I don’t know how you learned such powerful ancient martial arts, but today will be the last day you use them—soon you’ll be crippled. Don’t take it personally; blame yourself for crossing my path. But if you surrender now, I might spare you,” Howard said coldly.

Jin Zhengri felt no fear. Though he sensed Howard’s formidable aura and knew Howard was reputed to be a leading martial artist among young Russians, Jin Zhengri was not one to back down. No matter the strength of his opponent, if they were an enemy, he would never retreat.

“Haha! An elder once told us: ‘When you meet the enemy, draw your sword. Better to die advancing than to die cowering!’” Jin Zhengri recalled Xiao Fei’s words and smiled at him from the stage.

This scene surprised Xiao Fei. He’d always thought the boy had spirit, but did not expect such prowess. Clearly, Jin Zhengri had concealed his true strength before. But why? Was he trying to get close to Xiao Fei with some ulterior motive?

No matter what, today Jin Zhengri had brought honor to China, and Xiao Fei was proud to support him.

“If that’s so, then from this moment on, prepare for the hospital,” Howard’s words had barely fallen when he lunged at Jin Zhengri with blinding speed, too fast for the crowd to see.

Bang!

With a single punch, Howard sent Jin Zhengri flying several meters.

Jin Zhengri steadied himself; Howard’s punch had landed squarely on his chest, and pain radiated throughout his body.

“Again,” Jin Zhengri said, stepping forward to his original spot.

“You have a death wish,” Howard replied.

Bang!

Another punch—this time, Jin Zhengri spat blood, sending the audience into an uproar.

“Haha, looks like Jin Zhengri is finished now!” Howard’s teammates jeered.

Bang! Bang! Bang!

Three more punches, all to Jin Zhengri’s chest. Now he could barely endure, his body weak, but he refused to fall.

“My son!” Jin Shaohua and Cai E, watching from afar, were deeply worried.

From the balcony above, his sister Jin Wanyu was drenched in cold sweat. “Brother, you must hold on,” she whispered.

As the governor’s son, Jin Zhengri’s defeat was a serious matter. The heads of the foreign legations urged the Russian envoy, “Call off your fighter at once!”

Howard launched a final, deadly punch, aimed at Jin Zhengri’s heart—a blow that, if it landed, would cripple or kill him.

But at that very instant, a fierce gust of wind swept through. The crowd shielded their faces, and when they looked again, a figure in white had appeared at Jin Zhengri’s side, blocking Howard’s punch with a palm and sending Howard flying off the stage with a single movement.