By Cai Siyun, Janet Huang, Vision Times
New revelations in the Yu Menglong case have turned attention towards a figure whose identity is shrouded in mystery. For weeks, speculation held that Xin Qi — believed by netizens to have orchestrated Yu’s death — was in fact the illegitimate son of Cai Qi, a member of the CCP’s Politburo Standing Committee, China’s top ruling body.
But analysts now suggest another name fits the profile even more closely: Cai Yijia, a young actor whose resemblance to Cai Qi has drawn intense scrutiny.
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Suspicions around the younger Cai
Cai Yijia (whose real name is Cai Zhengjun) has now been identified as one of 17 individuals implicated in the alleged plot against Yu Menglong. The X account (formerly Twitter) “News Investigation” posted:
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“Previously, people assumed Xin Qi was Cai Qi’s illegitimate son, but their appearances don’t match. One is from Fujian, the other from Hubei, so they had little overlap. Instead, the final revealed culprit, Cai Yijia (real name Cai Zhengjun), looks very much like Cai Qi, shares the same surname, and comes from a mysterious family background that cannot be traced.”
According to Baidu, Cai Yijia was born on June 25, 1996, in Fuzhou, Fujian Province, into a civil servant family. He studied acting at the Central Academy of Drama and entered the industry in 2016 with the youth drama “Our Teenage Years.” His resume includes roles in “Begonia in Rain” (2017), “The Big-Nosed Lover” (2017), “About Love” (2018), “Dear Little Mermaid” (2021), and sequels, including “About Love 2” (2022) and “CEO Tortures Me a Thousand Times” (2022).
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Why suspicions point to the Cais
“News Investigation” outlined several reasons it believes Cai Yijia could be Cai Qi’s illegitimate son:
- A strong physical resemblance that suggests a genetic link.
- Cai Yijia was born while Cai Qi was serving in Fujian, raising speculation his mother was Cai Qi’s mistress.
- Both share the surname “Cai”; in Chinese culture, men often ensure even illegitimate sons carry their surname.
- Since 2017, media efforts to trace Cai Yijia’s family background have been unsuccessful — something only a senior CCP official could manage.
- Despite having a relatively ordinary appearance, Cai Yijia has received abundant acting opportunities, often supported by established stars.
- In the Yu Menglong case, early suspects such as Cheng Qingsong, Jiguangguang, Song Yiren, Fang Li, Tian Hairong, and Fan Shiqi are now viewed as decoys, with Cai Yijia emerging as the true power behind the scenes.
The YouTube channel “Financial Cold Eye” also observed that any mainland discussion linking Cai Yijia to Cai Qi has been swiftly deleted, and Cai Yijia’s own accounts no longer allow comments. These signs, the channel suggested, strengthen the likelihood of a hidden father-son relationship.
Netizens also pointed to overlapping timelines: “Cai Yijia (Cai Zhengjun) was born in Fuzhou in 1996, while Cai Qi was pursuing a master’s degree at the School of Economics and Law, Fujian Normal University in Fuzhou from 1994 to 1997, so their timelines overlap. Xin Qi is at the vice-bureau level, completely scrubbed online; Cai Yijia is also Cai Qi’s illegitimate son — they share the same father but have different mothers.”
Others speculated about the boldness of the crime: “Daring to commit murder so brazenly and openly right under the Emperor’s nose in Beijing — this mastermind must come from the elite ranks of the Plain Yellow Banner, a legitimate Zhao family member; otherwise, they wouldn’t have the confidence to act so boldly.”
Cai’s public praise of Xi Jinping
Even as speculation about his family swirled online, Cai Qi maintained a high-profile presence in official channels. On Sept. 17, he spoke at a symposium marking the release of “Xi Jinping: The Governance of China, Volume V.”
Cai declared during the speech that studying the book meant fully grasping the “decisive significance” of the “Two Establishes” and carrying out the “Two Safeguards” — political slogans crafted under Xi Jinping to enforce loyalty.
He further claimed: “We must deeply grasp Xi Jinping’s insightful reflections on the broader logic and major trends of human societal development.”
Some netizens living overseas mocked the speech:
- “Flattering to the level of an academic — impressive!”
- “Became Secretary of the Secretariat just by sycophancy. One word: extraordinary!”
- “Miss three days of study and you can’t keep up with Cai Qi.”
Others ridiculed the content of his remarks:
- “When Cai Qi talks about ‘grasping Xi’s insightful reflections on major trends in human development,’ is he referring to the ‘trend’ of living to 150 with organ transplants? Ordinary people don’t have that many organs.”
- “Cai Qi is truly bizarre… He once demanded that people study Xi’s words ‘into their brain, heart, and lungs,’ yet the public treats Xi like SARS, avoiding him at all costs. Having such a treacherous official nearby, Xi’s fate may be precarious.”
Independent commentator Cai Shenkun noted: “With the Fourth Plenary Session approaching, Cai Qi is once again excessively glorifying Xi, much like before the 20th Party Congress. He likely hopes to maintain his influence as the one person just below the top leader.”
“News Investigation,” which had just published claims of Cai Qi’s illegitimate son’s involvement in the Yu Menglong case, added: “In recent days, Cai Qi has been wildly displaying loyalty — abnormal behavior.”
