The Embroidered-Clothes Envoy of the Tang Dynasty

The Embroidered-Clothes Envoys originated in the Han dynasty. They were tasked with inspecting the realm on the emperor's behalf, investigating wrongdoing, keeping officials in check, and prosecuting criminals. They declined and fell into obscurity with the collapse of the Han dynasty. By the Wude era of the Tang dynasty, the Qin Prince's residence was on the brink of disaster. The Five Great Clans and Seven Surnames controlled the bureaucracy, while the Turkic khagan Jieli watched hungrily from the sidelines. The Tang realm was beset by crises at home and abroad. To win the succession and consolidate imperial power, Li Shimin secretly reestablished the Embroidered-Clothes Bureau, appointing his trusted attendant “Di Ting” as its director. Thus, the ferocious beast that had slumbered for centuries awoke once more.