Chapter 389: Emperor Jing Sheng: Zi Jie, share your reading reflections

First, at the institutional level, the 'self-report' format should be abolished and replaced with a 'duty-report' system.

It requires officials of each department to detail the concrete governmental affairs completed during their term, the actual problems solved, and the results achieved, rather than self-evaluating their conduct; examiners then verify based on this to judge truthfulness.

Next, implement the 'Examination and Achievement Law', establishing an authority supervision system. The Cabinet will register the court's essential tasks, clearly assigning responsible persons, deadlines, and quality standards, and through a three-tier supervision chain of 'Cabinet, Six Offices, and Departments', progress will be checked monthly and quarterly.

Furthermore, regulate the 'Remonstrance' system, restricting the remonstrance right of censorial officials; any impeachment raised must provide concrete facts, vague accusations are strictly prohibited, and false accusers must bear equivalent responsibility.

Finally, establish an 'appeal and re-examination' mechanism, allowing officials who have been improperly punished to file an appeal within a set period, to be reviewed by a third party, thereby preventing wrongful convictions.

Moreover, establish more pragmatic assessment standards. Refine the items of the 'Eight Methods', giving clearer definitions to standards such as 'greed, cruelty, and frivolity', providing a basis for qualitative judgment and reducing discretionary leeway.

Increase the weight of 'performance', making the completion of tasks stipulated by the Examination and Achievement Law the core assessment indicator, strengthening a pragmatic orientation.

And distinguish between 'lack of ability' and 'deficient conduct', applying different handling methods to each, making the assessment more precise……

Jing Sheng Di pondered Jia Jing's words, after a long while realized their subtlety, nodded and praised:

"Zi Jie, this is shifting from judging people to judging matters, solidifying the assessment criteria into concrete 'achievements', not relying on superiors' evaluations as the basis, but measuring by how much concrete work has been done."

"Moreover, changing the original six‑year‑once assessment into continuous evaluation; this advocacy of pragmatism indeed reduces factional infighting, and I must say, this method truly has unique merit!"

Indeed, Zi Jie is also a reformist talent with sound strategies.

Before I hadn't really noticed, but lately I often find in his memorials one or two arguments discussing the gains and losses of previous dynasties' governance, along with reformist ideas.

I suppose it's also because these days he reads tirelessly, and with my daily reviewing and instructing on his memorials, he has made progress through constant exposure!

Jing Sheng Di felt greatly relieved, thinking that Jia Jing's reform of the capital inspection system was quite excellent!

You should know that, in past capital inspections, metropolitan officials, fearing punishment under the 'Eight Methods', would engage in endless mutual attacks—writing exposés, impeachments, throwing filth, smearing, slander, and so on.

And the evaluative comments of superiors who hold appraisal authority are mostly filled out according to factional stance and vested interests.

How could such a subjective judgment standard fail to become a political tool for each faction to eliminate rivals and seize power and profit?

And Jia Jing's proposed reform actually has at its core Zhang Ju Zheng's Examination and Achievement Law, with a touch of later‑era institutional thinking added, changing 'subjective judgment of people' into 'objective assessment of affairs'.

The original capital inspection assessed officials as 'how is this person?', their conduct, talent, vigor, etc., all being subjective judgments.

After the reform, the capital inspection assesses officials on 'what concrete deeds they have done', how many Examination and Achievement tasks they completed, which backlog cases they resolved, what results they achieved, and whether their granaries are well stocked—practical matters.

Moreover, whether an official is good or bad is no longer decided solely by a superior; everything is based on actual deeds, everything is measured by actual results.

The evaluation system demands concrete facts, the Examination and Achievement Law requires registration of concrete affairs, and assessment results must be verifiable and accountable.

Thus, it neither deviates from the present era's context nor avoids factional infighting, but enhances the court's governance efficiency.

Hearing Jing Sheng Di's praise, Jia Jing said:

"Your servant also derived this method from daily pondering over Your Majesty's edicts and teachings."

"Speaking of which, this is entirely a strategy distilled from Your Majesty's thoughts; if there is any unique merit, it is also Your Majesty's achievement!"

Jing Sheng Di, hearing this, rare­ly smiled and said:

"Oh? Then tell me, what insights have you gained from daily pondering over my memorial edicts?"

This is somewhat reminiscent of the old tale of the Martial Emperor and the Champion Marquis; could it be that my dream‑worthy virtuous minister is actually a disciple I personally trained?

Zhang Tingyu standing nearby saw his eyes flash, his complexion complex; he had originally been rubbing his palms, wondering who would take the blame for this capital inspection cauldron!

With Jia Jing's reform, he was quite certain that this capital inspection method—making officials of all levels chase after a strict paperwork treadmill, linking their career fate tightly to the high‑intensity 'service and deficit'—though a good law, is absolutely a thankless, dirty task that offends people!

This method would likely make officials feel insecure, opponents would incessantly arise, and it might even be smeared as 'harsh penalties and severe laws'.

In other words, whoever implements this order will surely not escape impeachment and verbal abuse.

Thus, I at least have some company!

As a result, how come the Son of Heaven doesn't consult the cabinet ministers' opinions properly, but instead starts a close ruler‑minister interaction with Jia Zi Jie?

Still pondering daily? Still summarizing and refining?

How could Jia Zi Jie utter such words? Simply shameful!

Clearly he is a marvelously brave and strategic warrior, yet why does he so enjoy flattery?

Before he cared about the dragon's health, now he starts flattering ideas! This whole set……

Zhang Tingyu is now quite certain that Jia Zi Jie may not be a treacherous, power‑seeking, or rebellious minister, but he is definitely a flattering, fawning, sycophantic minister!

And Jia Jing stared for a moment, then immediately said:

"I believe Your Majesty's core governing thought is 'pragmatism' and 'strict order'; Your Majesty seems to regard all empty fame, idle talk, and inefficiency as the state's greatest enemies."

"Everything takes 'solid governance' and 'results' as the ultimate goal, which also aligns with the reform I just proposed."

"Imperial heart‑techniques certainly cannot be mentioned; that is merely probing the sage's intent!"

"But governance principles must be deeply understood, in order to better serve Your Majesty and the court!"

Jing Sheng Di's interest was aroused; it seems Zi Jie is not speaking nonsense, but truly has carefully examined my edicts.

Such a loyal and respectful servant to the sovereign is truly rare in antiquity; my previous daily late‑night efforts reviewing his memorials have not been in vain!

Jing Sheng Di's expression softened further, and he spoke gently:

"Zi Jie, speak in detail!"

Jia Jing glanced at Zhang Tingyu, whose face had frozen beside him, and spoke in a low voice:

"From the memorial edicts and past teachings, I have summarized and refined about five points of principles for personal conduct and governing the state."

"First, one must not esteem empty fame but esteem pragmatism. Your Majesty often admonishes officials: 'The way of governance lies in pragmatism, not in empty fame,' and personally engraved the seal 'Advocate Solid Governance' to make this clear."

"In Your Majesty's edicts there is also the phrase 'Promote benefits, eliminate harms, with sincere heart, carry out solid governance' as the way of a minister. At the same time, Your Majesty once said he deeply despises the officialdom's trend of 'hooking reputation for name, enriching family for substance', showing this point."

"Second, one must govern with stern vigor, acting decisively. Your Majesty once said that policy implementation must be stern and vigorous, opposing officials who cling to old ways. He also plainly stated: 'If officialdom is not clear, how can the people be at peace?' demanding all officials be stern and clear."

"Third, one must uphold 'people as the foundation', employing capable officials. Your Majesty has often said: 'To govern the world, only employing people as the foundation matters; the rest are trivial branches.'"

"Furthermore, he said he would rather employ officials of average integrity but ability, than employ the incapable 'clean officials'. As long as performance is outstanding, even mistakes will be met with instruction; conversely, even if not corrupt, merely knowing 'to cling to old ways and neglect duties' will incur severe punishment. It is from this point that I conceived the strategy of assessing people by their deeds."

"Fourth, one must uphold the primacy of state and family, strictly guarding against 'factions'. Your Majesty once edicted that factions 'destroy the unity of court politics', harming the sovereign's and state's authority, and he clearly opposed them. This is also why I today propose to establish a great prison."

"Fifth, one must uphold the promotion of 'great unification', maintaining national unity. Your Majesty once granted me the edict 'Unify inner and outer as one family', a novel theory distinct from the traditional 'Chinese‑barbarian distinction'. The lofty vision makes me deeply admire and keep it in mind."

Jia Jing weighed his words, his face as dark as deep water, after speaking these words he suddenly felt a strange sensation.

In the past, he always asked others for their reading impressions and commented on them; now he never expected that the boomerang would stab into himself, and it's his turn to hold forth at length about his post‑viewing thoughts……

The flavor of it, for a moment, is truly indescribable!