Overwatch Council

The Overwatch Council was a spy agency directly subordinate to His Majesty the Emperor. Its authority existed outside the Six Ministries, and was not limited by the laws of the Kingdom of Qing, operating instead exclusively on the orders of the Emperor. It was split into eight bureaus.

First Bureau
The First Bureau specialized in monitoring the bureaucracy in the capital, and had spies planted in each critical department. It was the most crucial bureau of the Council.

Second Bureau
The Second Bureau was responsible for gathering and analyzing intelligence and strategy, and devising plans for the Emperor and the military.

Third Bureau
The Third Bureau specialized in manufacturing drugs, poisons, and all kinds of secret weapons.

Fourth Bureau
The Fourth Bureau specialized in monitoring the bureaucracy outside the capital, and the related work of intelligence gathering, investigation, and arrests. Its authority extended outside the national borders, and included Northern Qi and the City of Dongyi. In terms of the scope of its authority, it was the most powerful bureau next to the First Bureau.

Fifth Bureau / The Black Knights
The Fifth Bureau of the Overwatch Council had always been stationed outside the capital. It had been established on the orders of the Emperor, and comprised of the Black Knights, responsible for ensuring Chen Pingping's safety. When necessary, it could also travel long distances to mount a surprise cavalry attack. It could be said that from a martial point of view, the Fifth Bureau was the strongest section of the Overwatch Council.

Sixth Bureau
The Sixth Bureau was the least well known, yet most fearsome of all the departments, specialized in carrying out the work of secret assassinations. Of course, from another perspective, the Sixth Bureau was responsible for protecting those appointed by the Emperor.

Seventh Bureau
The Seventh Bureau was responsible for interrogation of enemy prisoners. It was more specialized than the 13 offices of the Ministry of Justice.

Eight Bureau
The Eight Bureau of the Overwatch Council, also known as the Department of Court Articles, was similar to the news examination board of the Republic of China in the real world. They were responsible for the review of all legitimate books. Only a book approved by the Eight Bureau would be published. In recent years, many of the duties of the Department of Court Articles were reassigned to the Ministry of Education, though they had still held onto their right to review books printed privately by civilians.