Chapter 388

Zhang Tingyu's expression was solemn, and they again gave thanks and stepped back into the ranks.

Jing Sheng Di pondered, and their gaze swept over the officials below with varied expressions, and they spoke slowly:

"Gong Qing has suffered much criticism in Jiangnan, laboring for the king's affairs; the Cabinet will draft another edict."

"The Grand Secretary of Baohe Hall and Governor of Zhili, Gong Dingzi, serves wholeheartedly, governing Jiangnan with talent and ability."

"Grant him the titles of Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince and Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, concurrently overseeing military affairs in Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Hubei; let one of his sons enter the Imperial Academy to study; in all matters he may act at his discretion without needing to submit memorials."

This edict of added grace undoubtedly plainly shows support for Gong Dingzi's pacification of Jiangnan!

Needless to say, the Grand Tutor to the Crown Prince is the pinnacle of civil officials.

Adding the title of Right Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate is to enable him to better supervise civil and military officials in the jurisdiction.

As for expanding 'Governor of Zhili' to 'Governor of Zhili, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Hubei military affairs', this extends his authority from one province to four provinces.

This is also to better mobilize troops and employ personnel; this appointment clearly aims to check and balance the Jiangnan army.

Granting his son means bestowing his legitimate son or grandson entry to the Imperial Academy to study, allowing him to enter officialdom without passing the civil service examinations.

This measure extends the grace to his descendants, and has long been one of the practical benefits most valued by civil officials.

As for acting at discretion without needing to submit memorials, this indicates Jing Sheng Di's trust.

Gong Dingzi originally had the authority to act at discretion; now he need not memorialize every matter and can decide independently!

Chen Tingjing heard this, his mind slightly shaken, secretly sighing that Gong Dingzi had won such trust from the Son of Heaven and held such great authority.

If he truly succeeds in pacifying Jiangnan and implementing the New Policies, I fear that upon his return I, as the head of the Cabinet, will have to step down and make way for the worthy.

However, despite Chen Tingjing's inner turmoil, he again stepped forward expressionlessly and said:

"Your humble servant receives the edict!"

Jia Jing beside him had a composed expression, his thoughts inscrutable.

Gong Dingzi's list of titles is already nearly as long as that of Councillor Di!

"I am surnamed Di, named Renjie, a person from Bingzhou, holding a position equivalent to that of a Chancellor of the Phoenix Pavilion and Oriole Terrace..."

The Son of Heaven delegating authority thus likely does not truly wish to use troops against Jiangnan; it is best to keep the situation within the bounds of 'contending without breaking'.

Moreover, civil officials differ from military nobles; no matter how much authority is delegated, recalling it later is merely a matter of a single edict!

However, will the Jiangnan gentry submit to Gong Dingzi's strong authority, or will they resist even more fiercely?

In Jia Jing's view, the latter is likely more common.

After all, whether pushing forward the New Policies or cleansing the bureaucracy, these are substantive matters that directly affect the core interests and futures of the Jiangnan gentry.

More seriously, it even concerns personal wealth, life and death, and family survival; to accomplish such a thing without violence is likely as difficult as climbing to heaven!

Moreover, the current situation in Jiangnan is already similar to that of the late Ming dynasty in later times, with many corrupt officials and the power of aristocratic families deeply entrenched.

Given such a grave situation, only a decisive battle can hope to bring about change!

At this moment, seeing Jing Sheng Di remain silent, Zhang Tingyu stepped forward, clasped his hands, and said:

"Your Majesty! I do not know whether the matter of the capital inspection raised by the Duke of Jingguo should be implemented."

"I have already taken the blame for starting a great prison; the infamy of the capital inspection also needs someone to bear it!"

Zhang Tingyu's face sank solemnly; his gaze swept over Chen Tingli, Li Guangdi, Fang Congzhe, and Xiong Cilu, and a strange look flashed in his eyes.

"The "capital inspection" of the Da Han Empire is a periodic evaluation of officials in the capital, intended to reward the good and punish the bad, to clean up the bureaucracy; ultimately, it is also an offense‑prone task!"

"Together with the "outer inspection" (also called the "grand plan") targeting local officials, it forms an important part of the Da Han Empire's civil‑official evaluation system."

"The capital inspection basically occurs every six years; it not only concerns officials' futures, but its procedures are also extraordinarily complex and strict."

"First, evaluation authority is divided according to officials' ranks:"

"Officials of the fourth rank and above are personally evaluated by the Son of Heaven; they must submit a "self‑declaration memorial" detailing their duties, and the emperor makes the final decision on their retention or removal."

"Officials of the fifth rank and below are evaluated jointly by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate."

"The usual procedure is: department heads conduct an initial assessment, the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate conduct a joint re‑review (the "hall review"), and the emperor gives final approval."

"Second, the capital inspection also has two key roles: the "remonstrators" and the "hall officials"."

"The "remonstrators" refer to remonstrating officials such as the Attendants and Censors, who have the right to propose supplementary impeachment against evaluation results, but nowadays they have basically become tools of partisan struggle."

"The "hall officials" refer to the senior officials of each department who give evaluation remarks to their subordinates, directly determining the fate of lower‑rank officials."

"The evaluation standards of the capital inspection are divided into the strict "Eight Methods" and the "Four Categories"."

"The "Eight Methods" are punitive standards, used to discipline incompetent officials, encompassing greed, cruelty, recklessness, inadequacy, old age, illness, weakness, and carelessness."

"Depending on the severity of the offense, the penalties are divided into four grades: retirement, demotion, idle posting, and assignment to the people."

"The "Four Categories" are promotion standards, used to promote outstanding officials, evaluating them in four aspects: integrity, administrative ability, talent, and age."

"The original intention of the capital inspection was to purify the bureaucracy, but in practice it has produced complex effects."

"Because it concerns the vital interests of all officials' careers, nowadays the capital inspection is often used by various factions to exclude and attack rivals, making it a "powder keg" of partisan strife that has lasted decades."

"All civil‑official factions engage in fierce maneuvering during capital‑inspection years, vying for dominance to eliminate their political enemies."

"The "self‑declaration memorials" of officials of the fourth rank and above have basically turned into political theater; the emperor routinely urges them to stay, while they routinely resign."

"Therefore, Jing Sheng Di has not launched a capital inspection for nearly ten years of his reign, because domestic and foreign troubles and the tendency of the capital inspection to provoke factional strife have kept it dormant!"

"Upon hearing this, Jing Sheng Di pondered for a moment and then asked Jia Jing:"

"Zi Jie, you have remonstrated about the capital inspection; do you know its harms?"

"Jia Jing glanced at Zhang Tingyu, stepped forward, and presented his memorial:"

"Your Majesty! The capital inspection has both benefits and drawbacks; during the Taizu era it was an effective means of purifying the bureaucracy, so why has it now become a tool of partisan struggle?"

"In my view, policies are not inherently good or bad; rather, the circumstances and the people implementing them have changed."

"The court only needs to reform the capital inspection slightly; it will surely make up for deficiencies, eradicate corruption and evil, and revive the court's discipline."

"Hearing the two words "reform," Jing Sheng Di's eyes flickered with interest, and he asked:"

"Zi Jie, please elaborate on how to reform it."

Jia Jing said in a deep voice:

"I believe that reforming the capital inspection should revolve around three core principles: First, performance‑oriented; the assessment criteria must be quantified and objective, looking at what officials actually 'did' rather than what they 'said';"

"Second, rights and responsibilities must be balanced; granting authority requires bearing the corresponding responsibility, one cannot enjoy power without bearing the consequences;"

"Third, prevent factional strife, plug the loopholes in the capital inspection system, and ensure the fairness of the assessments."