"At today's grand court assembly on the first of the month, His Majesty announced the dissolution of the Eastern Depot and Western Depot, and the reorganization of the Divine Capital Office under a new name: the Patrol Bureau. The Patrol Bureau will draw personnel from the former Divine Capital Office, the Night Guard, the Five-City Military and Horse Bureau, the Capital Camp, and other organizations. Its jurisdiction covers the Divine Capital and the twelve surrounding counties, divided into four routes-east, west, south, and north. It will specialize in investigating and apprehending ranked individuals and special factions, and may not act without written authorization from the Inner Factory. With that authorization, the Patrol Bureau has the authority to mobilize the Divine Capital Prefecture, the Inspection Office, the Five-City Military and Horse Bureau, the Night Guard, and the Capital Camp outside the city," Han Anbo said slowly.
Li Qingxian thought it over carefully. "A bigger organization with greater authority, but a narrower remit and a tighter leash?"
"Exactly."
"Does that mean the Patrol Bureau will only nominally belong to the Night Guard?"
"I'm afraid so."
"In the future, even the Night Guard might take all its orders from the Inner Factory?" Li Qingxian asked.
"That's almost the consensus now. But everyone's used to it. We took orders from the Eastern Depot before, anyway. Everyone says it won't be long before the entire Night Guard becomes an oversized Patrol Bureau."
"That's very likely. An organization like the Night Guard can only be a blade; it can't have a brain of its own. The current Night Guard really is too sprawling. Unless something unexpected happens, the Imperial Prison and Black Lantern Bureau will eventually be separated from it entirely and placed directly under the Inner Factory."
"Not the Black Lantern Bureau. Those Fate Arts