To the officials and nobles in the capital, they colluded with each other and bribed each other.
However, they were extremely cautious in their actions and rarely let others catch hold of them.
After all, this was a matter of losing their heads. No one wanted to let the handle fall into the hands of others and become a weapon for the other party to threaten them.
But why did these corrupt officials do it so flawlessly, yet they often couldn't escape the eyes of the Jinyiwei?
This was actually very simple. To investigate a case, one had to start from the people around the corrupt officials.
After hundreds of years of experience, the Jinyiwei had long developed their own simple and effective investigation methods.
Not to mention the Jinyiwei's terrifying reputation, it was said that there were thousands of kinds of torture that would make people wish they were dead.
There was a saying that it was hard to guard against thieves at night. The people around these corrupt officials, such as servants, concubines, and even the people beside their original wives.
Over time, these people often had evidence of corrupt officials 'crimes.
Usually, if the Jinyiwei wanted to investigate someone thoroughly, they would first start with the family of a corrupt official.
The Jinyiwei intelligence agency was extremely sophisticated. They would usually take advantage of the opportunity when officials were attending court or going out.
When the servants of their residence went out, they would directly grab them and interrogate them.
In fact, there was no need to say much. The Jinyiwei only needed to show their waist tags or simply wear official clothes. The other party would immediately be scared out of their wits when they saw it.
At this time, the Embroidered Uniform Guards would begin to ask questions. They would first take out a small notebook and record every word of the other party's words.
If you are found to be lying in the future, then you should hurry home and prepare for your funeral.
Because even if the Jinyiwei chased you to the ends of the earth, they would not let you go.
The only consequence of capturing you is death, and an extremely cruel death.
Death was not scary, but the feeling of not being able to live or die was the most terrifying.
Fear had always been the weapon that the Embroidered Uniform Guards used to deal with others.
There was once a Thousand Households of the Brocade Guard who said that the most terrifying thing about the Brocade Guard was not the torture tools in the Imperial Jail, but the fear that chilled people to the bones.
At this time, the servants would obediently answer whatever the Brocade Guard asked.
As long as you are willing to be a tainted witness of your master, no matter how heinous your crimes are, the Jinyiwei will let you off.
They would even protect your family.
However, if you are unwilling to be a tainted witness and risk your life to protect your master, or even betray the Jinyiwei and tell your master that he is in danger, then you will be killed.
Then you are finished. Not only you, but your family will also be massacred by the Jinyiwei.
This was the cruelty of the Embroidered Uniform Guards. Therefore, in the entire history of the Darming Dynasty, there had never been anyone who was willing to die to protect their master.
Therefore, once the Jinyiwei investigated an official's servant, the servant would never tell his master when he returned.
No matter how loyal they were, they had to think about their families.
Once you tell your master that the Embroidered Uniform Guards are investigating you, your family will be killed by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
Even so, these officials would usually not be able to escape the net of justice in the end.
Because the Jinyiwei has a hundred ways to get to the bottom of your investigation.
For example, the Left Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Rites, Lord Chen Yan, was leisurely sipping tea at home.
However, what he never dreamed of was that his two concubines, the official, two maids, and an old maid had all been questioned by the Embroidered Uniform Guards.
As long as these people confessed everything they knew, even if Chen Yan's entire family was exterminated in the future, these people would be exempted from punishment because they had reported meritorious deeds.
Therefore, they would tell him everything they knew.
Based on the movements of the Jinyiwei, the time Chen Yan ate yesterday, when he got out of bed, where he went, who he met and what he said were all clearly recorded in the Jinyiwei's small notebook.
Only Chen Yan himself was kept in the dark.
What he didn't know was that outside the Chen Residence, the Brocade Guard in plain clothes had been secretly monitoring them.
Chen Yan was still humming a tune and eating tea at home. He felt that his life had reached its peak.
Because of a conversation with Emperor Chongzhen, he had learned the contents of the conversation from the eunuch Wan Fuyou.
Therefore, when faced with Chongzhen's questions, he answered them fluently.
Chongzhen was overjoyed and called him a loyal minister and pillar of the court.
Hehe, who would have thought that I, Chen Yan, would suddenly become the favorite of Lord Wansui, the number one favorite!
Similarly, Wei Zaode, the scholar of the Imperial Academy, was also staring at a painting that someone had given him at home, admiring it.
This was a painting of the Five Horses by the Song Dynasty painter Li Gonglin.
This painting depicted five horses that were presented to the Northern Song Dynasty by the Western Regions, each led by a Xi official.
Behind each horse is an inscription by Huang Tingjian of Song Dynasty, which states the age of the horse, the time of tribute, the name of the horse, the stable where it was collected, etc.
Each of the five horses had a good name, which made people wonder. The phoenix head is white, The brocade arm is white, The good head is red, The night is white, And the river is full of flowers.
Among the five Xi officials, the first three were dressed in Western Region clothes, and the last two were Han people.
Such a valuable painting was a gift from an examinee.
His goal was simple. He hoped that he could take care of them in the general examination.
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