Northern and Southern Commanderies
The Jinyiwei were internally divided into two primary branches: the Northern Commandery (北镇抚司, Beizhenfu Si) and the Southern Commandery (南镇抚司, Nanzhenfu Si). In A Whisper of Fall: Jinyiwei, the rivalry between these two divisions is a central element of both the gameplay and narrative.
Northern Commandery (北镇抚司)
The Northern Commandery handled the Jinyiwei's most sensitive work: secret surveillance, counter-espionage, and the management of the imperial prisons (诏狱). It was the branch that wielded the most feared aspects of Jinyiwei authority. The power to arrest, interrogate, and imprison without going through normal judicial channels.
In the game, the protagonist is a member of the Northern Commandery. This is his cover identity. Officially, he carries out cases and investigations on behalf of the Northern Commandery while secretly serving the black market. Power within the historical Jinyiwei was determined by who controlled the Northern Commandery, and the same political dynamic applies in-game.
Southern Commandery (南镇抚司)
The Southern Commandery handled military criminal investigation, discipline of garrison personnel, intelligence work, and weapons research and development. Historically less feared than the Northern Commandery, it was still a formidable force.
In the game, the Southern Commandery is a rival faction. The Deng Yang demo mission is framed as a competition of speed between the Northern and Southern Commanderies. Both divisions are pursuing the renegade Deng Yang. Along the methodical exploration path, the player encounters four Southern Commandery officers who function as sequential mini-bosses, each blocking a different route through the level.
Rivalry
The internal rivalry between the Northern and Southern Commanderies reflects the broader political fragmentation of the late Ming Dynasty. Both branches serve the same emperor, but their institutional interests diverge. The game uses this tension to create situations where the protagonist must navigate between competing Jinyiwei factions while also serving the black market. Three-way loyalties where every choice carries consequences.
Narrative implications
In the Deng Yang mission's branching endings, one variation involves the Southern Commandery's lockdown force arriving after the boss fight. If the player spares Deng Yang, the Southern Commandery becomes hostile, and Deng Yang fights alongside the player as an ally. The relationship between the two Commanderies is not fixed. Player choices can shift alliances within individual missions, feeding into the game's broader branching narrative.