he was promoted to be the Commander-in-Chief of the First Division and made a Lieutenant General. During the subsequent two years, his troops under his personal director were engaged in the suppression of banditry at Dolonor and Suiyuan districts. In October 1916 he was awarded the Second Class Chiaho. In July 1917 General Ts'ai was appointed Commander of the 7th Unit of the forces engaged in the expeditionary campaign against the southern opponents. In August 1917 he was made Tutung of the Charhar Special Dstrict and also given the brevet of Full General. In August 1919 he was awarded the First Class Wenfu; in October 1919, the Second Class Tashou Chiaho, and in October 1920, the Third Order of Merit. In the new-year of 1921 he was appointed Tuchun and Civil Governor of Kansu province. But he did not proceed to this post and was appointed Minister of War in May 1921. This post he held until December 1921 when he was made a Chiangchun of the College of Marshals with “Chi-Wei” as special title. In May 1922 General Ts'ai was appointed Commander-in-Chief of the northern forces sent to defend Kiangsi province against the invasion by Li Lieh-chun. In June 1922 he was ordered to assume control of the military forces in that province. In September 1922 he was appointed Military Director (Tuchun) of Kiangsi. In October 1922 he was given the Second Order of Merit. In November 1923 he was made a Full General. In December 1923 he was ordered to act as Civil Governor of Kiangsi concurrently.
