In fact, there was a South Factory and a North Factory in the Ming Dynasty! However, the South Factory and the North Factory are not directly called this, because everyone knows that the "factory" is led by eunuchs, while the South Factory and the North Factory belong to the Royal Guards and are led by the Royal Guards. The official names are "Nanzhen Fusi" and "Beizhen Fusi".

1382, Zhu Yuanzhang abolished the pro-military Dewey House and Yiluan Department and replaced them with Royal Guards. The deputy envoy of Beizhen was responsible for the cases decided by the emperor, so the people who went out were called "imperial envoys". At the same time, there are many foreign tasks, which can be carried out nationwide, and you can have your own prison, and you can arrest, interrogate, execute and execute yourself without going through ordinary judicial institutions.

Because Beizhen Fusi is directly responsible to the emperor, local officials are respectful when they see Beizhen Fusi, and dare not be careless, calling them "officials" or "imperial envoys".

However, Nan Zhenfu's strength is much smaller. Just internally, responsible for the law and order of the Royal Guards. However, if the people of Beizhen Fusi violate the law and discipline, Nanzhen Fusi can also intervene in the investigation and deal with it according to law, which is equivalent to the internal supervision department of Royal Guards.

Dongchang was first established in "1420" in the 18th year of Yongle in the Ming Dynasty, and it was also the earliest national intelligence agency in the world, mainly taking orders from the emperor.

In the Ming Dynasty, there was another famous factory just like the East Factory, which was the mysterious West Factory. Established in the 13th year of Chenghua (1477), the West Factory is a new organization besides the East Factory.

Extended data

The difference between East Factory and West Factory:

Dongchang's position was to arrest a rebel spy, initially under the command of Ming Chengzu. The reconnaissance scope of the East Factory is very wide, from the government to the people, everywhere. Every yamen in the imperial court has people from the East Factory to monitor the officials' every move, and the documents of the yamen are also examined by people from the East Factory. If the suspect is found, he will be arrested immediately and handed over to the Royal Guards for trial.

The leader of the West Factory was an organization headed by Wang Zhi, whose personnel were mainly selected from the imperial army, and its personnel and power soon surpassed that of the East Factory. The responsibilities of the West Factory are somewhat similar to those of the East Factory. They are mainly detectives, investigating the words and deeds of civil servants, and detaining suspects and punishing them. Xichang also confuses the prison with the court, and can arrest the minister of the DPRK at will without inviting the emperor to play.

Reference Baidu Encyclopedia-East Factory

Baidu encyclopedia-west factory