Ti Qi's four bloody splatters - the bloody file of the factory guard secret service

When it comes to the Ming Dynasty's Jinyiwei East Factory, West Factory and Neihang Factory, many people will shudder. In many film and television works, Jinyiwei and East and West Factories have always been portrayed as eerie and murderous hell and demon caves. What was going on with the factory guard secret service in the Ming Dynasty? What heinous evil deeds have been committed?

"Ti riding" brocade guard

Jinyiwei is an official name of the Ming Dynasty, the full name is "Jinyi Prince Military Command Envoy", that is, the emperor's guards and personal military office. According to the military setup in the early years of the Ming Dynasty, the Janissaries of the Imperial City consisted of 12 pro-army guards, and Jinyiwei was one of them. Jinyiwei was established by Zhu Yuanzhang, the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty. Due to the peculiarity of his origin, Zhu Yuanzhang attached great importance to the consolidation of imperial power, so he set up the Jinyiwei Force directly under the emperor, with the purpose of strengthening imperial power.

The setting of the Ming Dynasty Jinyiwei originated from the personal guards of previous dynasties, but the functions were different. The duties of Jinyiwei are to "control the guards" and "patrol and arrest". The former is well understood, that is, responsible for the emperor's defense and ceremonial work. The soldiers engaged in this part of the work, also known as the "Han generals", were selected from the army to fill them with dignified, burly and loud men, and stood at the palace gate to serve as the façade of the imperial court. The latter is the unique function of the Ming Dynasty Jinyiwei, that is, engaged in investigation, arrest, interrogation and other work personally ordered by the emperor, which is equivalent to the emperor's special forces. Jinyiwei's judgment does not need to be reviewed by the national judicial department, and can deal with criminals on its own. This is why Jinyiwei is "very famous".

Jinyiwei's special agent functions are completed by the subordinate Zhenfu Division, among which there is a difference between the South Zhenfusi and the North Zhenfusi. The Southern Township is mainly responsible for investigation and arrest, while the Northern Township is responsible for hearing cases and sentencing criminals, and has its own prison (called "Zhaojiu"). The soldiers of the Zhenfu Division are called "captains" or "warriors", and when performing tasks, they are also called "Ti Cavalry", and are generally held by soldiers with strong bodies and high martial arts skills in the army. They are dressed in beautiful "flying fish suits" representing the emperor's gifts, which are veritable "brocade clothes" guards.

The chief of Jinyiwei was called the "commander", and was generally held by the emperor's closest generals (rarely by eunuchs). Whenever the Ming emperor had doubts and worries, the "Ti Cai" would attack everywhere, from the princes and ministers to the ordinary people, all within the scope of their surveillance and arrest.

Jin Yiwei also has a famous function - to take charge of the court staff. The "court staff" was a form of torture unique to the Ming Dynasty to punish courtiers. When the ministers angered the emperor, they were pulled out of the noon gate to execute the "court staff". After Jin Yiwei tied up the minister, it was a mess, and many ministers died under this torture.

Later, because of its great authority, Jinyiwei became a tool for court battles. Many traitors colluded with Jinyiwei's "commanding envoys" to weave charges, mutilating Zhongliang, bringing calamity to the country and the people, and Jinyiwei also quickly degenerated into a major evil disease in the decline of the Ming Dynasty.

East Factory, West Factory and Neihang Factory

In the Ming Dynasty, alongside the setting of Jinyiwei were the East Factory, the West Factory and the Neihang Factory, the most important of which was the East Factory.

The East Factory, also known as the East Anti-Incident Factory, was a unique secret agency and secret investigation agency of the Ming Dynasty, established by Zhu Di, the ancestor of the Ming Dynasty. Because Zhu Di took the throne from his nephew and had a bad name, he was particularly concerned about the maintenance and consolidation of his power. In order to suppress the political opposition and extinguish the conspiracy against usurpation, he set up a new secret agency, the East Factory, which was directly under his own. The function of the East Factory is to detect and arrest rebellious and traitors, and it is functionally parallel to Jinyiwei. Unlike Jinyiwei, the head of the East Factory was a eunuch trusted by the emperor, called the "East Factory Palm Eunuch" or "Factory Owner" and "Factory Supervisor".

At first, the East Factory was only responsible for "arresting people", and then handed over to Jinyiwei, and later gradually had the power to "dispose of itself" and had an exclusive prison. And because the group of eunuchs was closer to and more trusted by the emperor, the status of the East Factory gradually rose, and later came to the top, and the relationship with Jinyiwei changed from an equal level to a superior-subordinate relationship (the power of the East Factory was greater). The East Factory is also divided into various functional institutions, generally selected from the Jinyiwei to appoint capable elements, and in the specific actions are also more rigorous than the Jinyiwei, there is a reasonable division of labor and strict system. For example, the first day of each month is to be centrally assigned, each person has a fixed area of responsibility, and so on.

The West Factory, also known as the West Investigation Factory, only existed for a short time in the history of the Ming Dynasty, and its functions were the same as those of the East Factory. During the Ming Xianzong Chenghua period, a demon named Li Zilong used the left side of the door to demagogue people, and many people in the dynasty became his fans, and even news was spread that Li Zilong intended to kill the monarch and rebel. Although Li Zilong's forces were soon cut down by Jinyiwei, the terrified Emperor Ming Xianzong was still not at ease, so he sent the eunuch Wang Zhi out of the city to investigate the movements of the courtiers and the people. Wang Zhi seized this opportunity, chased the wind everywhere, deliberately made the matter very serious, and reported it to Ming Xianzong. So Emperor Ming Xianzong decided to set up a new secret agency, the West Factory, to strengthen the spying on intelligence, and appointed Wang Zhi as the leader. After the establishment of the West Factory, its power was extremely expanded, and it once controlled Jinyiwei and the East Factory. However, due to the indiscriminate killing of innocents and too many evils, under the unanimous opposition of Manchu ministers, the West Factory was abolished during the reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty.

The Neihang Factory, also known as the Neihang Factory, was the shortest-lived institution in the Ming Dynasty's "factory guard" system. During the reign of Emperor Wuzong of the Ming Dynasty, the great eunuch Liu Jin had conflicts with the leaders of the East Factory and the West Factory, so he asked the emperor to set up a new special agency, the Neihang Factory, under his own jurisdiction. The power of the inner factory is greater, not only has all the functions of the previous secret agency, but also includes Jinyiwei, East Factory, and West Factory in the scope of surveillance and hunting, with a wider range of authority and cooler punishment. The Neihang Factory only existed for five years, and with the fall of Liu Jin, it was abolished along with the West Factory. But in these five years alone, it has mutilated countless loyalty.

Ti rode four bleeding and splashed

Jinyiwei, East Factory, West Factory, and Neihang Factory, the four constitute the notorious Ming Dynasty "factory guard" spy system, also known in history as "Ti Riding Four Out". Due to the unprecedented cruelty of the Ming Dynasty's "factory guard" system and the indiscriminate killing of innocents, it can be described as "Ti Riding Four Blood and Four Splashes" - once the "Ti Horse" acts, it will be another bloody storm.

After the founding emperor of the Ming Dynasty, Zhu Yuanzhang, unified the world, in order to eliminate the threat to imperial power, he forever protected the surname Jiangshan and began the "Great Purge" of the founding heroes. He sent a large number of spies to go deep into the palace and the homes of the people to collect intelligence, and if there was a slight abnormality, he strictly ordered him to be arrested and killed. In the case of Hu Weiyong and Lan Yu alone, more than 45,000 people were slaughtered using Jinyiwei. The spies were even secretly placed in the homes of the courtiers, and even the words and deeds of the courtiers every day were clear. Once, Song Lian, a university scholar, invited a few friends to dinner at home. When he went to court the next day, Zhu Yuanzhang asked Song Lian which friends he had invited yesterday, whether he had drunk alcohol, and what dishes he had eaten, and Song Lian answered truthfully. Zhu Yuanzhang said with satisfaction: "It seems that you didn't deceive me. Only then did Song Lian react, Zhu Yuanzhang had already installed a special agent to monitor him in the mansion, and he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat. This shows how rampant the spies were at that time. "Factory guard" agents are everywhere, and everyone lives in white terror.

From the princes and nobles, down to the common people, from conspiring against rebellion to whispering, these are all within the surveillance range of the Ming Dynasty's "factory guard" agents. No matter who it is, the slightest mistake may attract the arrest of "Ti Qi". Once caught, they will be taken to the "factory guard" prison like a hell and demon cave, where they will be severely tortured. Some were killed innocently; Some people, even if they survived, were permanently disabled or even inhuman when they were released; And many more are tortured to death in this hell by various tortures.

In order to interrogate "prisoners", the "factory guard" spies invented various "unprecedented" cruel punishments. When interrogating "prisoners", the spies used to "interrogate" and interrogate "prisoners" while caning. And for the hard-mouthed "prisoner", there is a difference between "good life and questioning" and "good life really asking", until the "prisoner" is beaten to the skin. In addition to "caning" and "conventional" punishments such as "sticks", "finger nails" and "brain hoops", there are also gruesome "special" tortures.

"Bowel pumping": a wooden pole crossed at a high place, with a rope tied to one end of the rope and a heavy object falling on the other end. Then cut the anus of the "prisoner", hook the head of the "prisoner's" large intestine with an iron hook, and then put down the heavy object at the other end, and use the force to extract the "prisoner's" intestines whole, resulting in death.

"Brushing": The "prisoner" is stripped naked and tied to an iron bed, poured boiling water on him, and then rubbed the "prisoner" repeatedly with an iron brush until the skin and flesh are brushed and the white bones are exposed. The "prisoners" died long before the end of their sentences.

"Peeling the grass": Peel off the skin of the "prisoner", fill it with grass, and hang it at the city gate for public display. In the early Ming Dynasty, peeling was to decapitate the "prisoner" and peel it, and in the late Ming Dynasty, there was already a punishment of peeling human skin alive, and even more so, the molten asphalt was poured on the "prisoner", and when the asphalt solidified and struck, the human skin was peeled off along with the asphalt.

There are many examples of such torture. The Ming Dynasty is the most famous dynasty in Chinese history for using torture, and the executors of these tortures are these "factory guard" spies.

The head of the East Factory, Wei Zhongxian

Speaking of the Ming Dynasty's "factory guard" system, it is impossible not to mention the great eunuch in the last years of the Ming Dynasty - the "nine-thousand-year-old" Wei Zhongxian. Wei Zhongxian, formerly known as Li Jinzhong, was a city scoundrel at first, but was forced by gambling debts and castrated himself into the palace to become a eunuch. After he entered the palace, he married the nanny of the imperial eldest grandson Zhu Youxiao (a "husband and wife" between the eunuch and the palace maid, and ate together), taking the opportunity to be extremely flattering to Zhu Youxiao. Later Zhu Youxiao succeeded to the throne, known as Emperor Mingxizong, and Wei Zhongxian, because of his favor, was promoted to eunuch of Si Lijian Bingbi, whose duty was to "approve red" on behalf of the emperor (in fact, he could not read a word). Later, he was appointed to also be in charge of the East Factory, and used the East Factory spies to vigorously attack the opposition and Donglin Party members, causing the "Apocalypse Prison". The arrogant and domineering Wei Zhongxian also proclaimed himself "nine thousand years old", and even his infant clansmen were given the high title of "Prince Dowager". After the death of Emperor Mingxizong, the Chongzhen Emperor succeeded to the throne. He was well aware of Wei Zhongxian's ugly deeds and ordered Jinyiwei to arrest Wei Zhongxian. Wei Zhongxian knew that he would inevitably die, and hanged himself, ending his heinous life.

Zhongliang died in vain and the "factory guard" died in the country

Under the control of the "factory guard" system, countless unjust souls died in vain, many of them loyal generals and pillars of the imperial court. And their murder seriously consumed the vitality of the Ming Dynasty.

Fang Xiaozi was a famous scholar, literary scholar, and thinker in the early Ming Dynasty, and a doctor of literature from official to official, and once served as a teacher of Emperor Jianwen. He was a loyal man and was known throughout the world for his character and knowledge. After Emperor Zhu Di of the Ming Dynasty staged a coup d'état to seize the throne (known in history as the "Battle of Jingjian"), Fang Xiaozi vowed not to draft an edict for Zhu Di's succession, and rebuked him in person for his usurpation. Zhu Di became angry and ordered the cruel brocade guard to cut the corner of Fang Xiaoxiao's mouth, tear it to the root of his ear, and then drag him to the busy city to be executed. After that, Zhu Di also ordered Dongchang and Jinyiwei to separately search for Fang Xiaoxiao's family members and relatives, and together with Fang Xiaoxiao's students, a total of 873 people were executed together, creating an unprecedented massacre of the "Ten Tribes".

During the reign of Emperor Jiajing of the Ming Dynasty, the "factory guard" spies created the "Zuo Shunmen Blood Case". After the death of Emperor Wuzong of Ming, Zhu Houzhao, because he had no heirs, he chose Zhu Houxi, the eldest son of Zhu Youqi the Prince of Xingxian, to inherit the throne, and was known as Emperor Shizong of Ming. After Emperor Ming succeeded to the throne, he always wanted to give his biological father the title of emperor, but was opposed by Manchu officials. Ming Shizong insisted on going his own way, and as a result, a collective consultation broke out from the opposition courtiers. Including 23 Jiuqing, 20 Hanlin, 21 Shizhong, 30 Yushi, and more than 220 court officials collectively knelt outside Zuoshun Gate in the palace to give bitter advice. Emperor Ming Shizong ordered Jinyiwei to arrest several ministers at the head, causing further chaos. Emperor Ming Shizong was enraged and ordered the arrest of almost all the officials who had consulted and the punishment of more than 180 of them with "court staffs". For a time, hundreds of people outside the noon gate were tortured, blood splattered everywhere, and it was miserable. In the end, 17 court officials were beaten to death by Jinyiwei, setting another bloody record in Chinese history.

In the last years of the Ming Dynasty, the imperial government was chaotic, traitors were in charge, and the "factory guard" spies were even more popular, persecuting the only "few pillars" of the imperial court. During the Apocalypse Year, Ming Xizong was a natural "carpenter wizard", who ignored the imperial government all day and concentrated on carpenter work. Wei Zhongxian gradually seized power in the dynasty. Gu's ministers Yang Lian and Zuo Youdu Yushi Zuo Guangdou and other direct ministers jointly impeached Wei Zhongxian. The incident was learned by Wei Zhongxian, who used the power of the "factory guard" to fabricate the crimes of Yang Lian and others, and ordered Jinyiwei to arrest them and put them in prison. Yang Lian was beaten to the point of being beaten in prison, unable to sit up at all during interrogation, so he had to lie on the ground for trial, and was eventually killed in prison. When Yang Lian died, his body was crushed by earth bags, and iron nails were inserted into his ears, and the scene was very terrifying. Zuo Guangdou was also beaten to perfection, his face was tortured to a charred point that he could not be identified, and his muscles and bones below his left knee were completely detached, and he finally died tragically in prison.

Not only the officials of the imperial court, but also the common people were shrouded in the shadow of terror all the time. According to the "History of Ming and Criminal Law", also during the Ming Xi Dynasty, one night, four people were drinking in their cottage, and one of them drank a little too much, and opened his mouth to scold Wei Zhongxian a few words. Before he finished speaking, the "factory guard" agent kicked in the door, arrested four people and imprisoned them, and executed the abuser Ling Chi in front of the other three (one said that he had skinned them alive), and the other three were so frightened that they almost went crazy.

In this way, the brutal "factory guard" system remained with the Daming Dynasty until its demise. The "factory guard" system was established with the intention of strengthening imperial power, but on the one hand, it mutilated countless loyalties and destroyed the foundation of the imperial court; On the other hand, it encouraged the arrogance and power of eunuchs and courtiers, and amplified the corruption and darkness of the imperial court. The Ming Dynasty's qi was gradually exhausted in the fierce contradictions and internal friction caused by the "factory guard" system, and finally collapsed weakly under the iron feet of the Qing army. It is no wonder that later generations said: Daming did not die from rogues, but from the "factory guard".