Dream of the Red Chamber: Start by gaining Zhao Yun's martial prowess, and be ennobled in a sin

Zhang Tingyu, with a solemn expression, thanked the emperor again and returned to his train.

Emperor Jingsheng pondered for a moment, his gaze sweeping over the assembled officials below, whose expressions varied, before he spoke slowly:

"Gong Qing has been subjected to much criticism in Jiangnan. He has been busy with royal affairs. The cabinet will draft another decree."

"Gong Dingzi, Grand Secretary of the Hall of Preserving Harmony and Governor-General of Southern Zhili, was a man of integrity and diligence who rectified the situation in Jiangnan and possessed exceptional talent and strategic acumen."

"He shall be granted the titles of Grand Tutor of the Heir Apparent and Left Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate, and concurrently supervise the military affairs of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Huguang. One of his sons shall be granted the privilege of studying at the Imperial Academy. He shall be allowed to act at his own discretion without having to report to the emperor."

This imperial edict, which bestows favors upon Gong Dingzi, is undoubtedly a blatant expression of support for his efforts to reorganize Jiangnan!

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

The addition of the title of Right Vice Censor-in-Chief of the Censorate was intended to enable him to better supervise civil and military officials within his jurisdiction.

As for expanding the title of "Governor-General of Southern Zhili" to "Governor-General of the Military Affairs of Southern Zhili, Zhejiang, Jiangxi, and Huguang," it expanded the scope of his authority from one province to four provinces.

This is also to better deploy troops and manage personnel; this appointment is clearly intended to counterbalance the Jiangnan Grand Camp.

The policy of granting official positions to one's eldest son or grandson was to allow them to study at the Imperial Academy without having to take the imperial examinations.

This act will extend its benefits to future generations, which has always been one of the most valued practical benefits by civil officials.

As for acting expediently without needing to report back, this demonstrates Emperor Jingsheng's trust and respect.

Gong Dingzi already had the authority to act expediently, and now he no longer needs to report to the emperor on everything and can make decisions on his own!

Upon hearing this, Chen Tingjing was slightly shaken, secretly marveling at how much trust the emperor had placed in Gong Dingzi and how much power he wielded.

If he were to successfully reform Jiangnan and implement new policies, I fear that upon his return, I, as the Grand Secretary, would have to step down and hand over the reins to a more capable person.

However, despite the turmoil in Chen Tingjing's heart, he still stepped forward and said again with a blank expression:

"Your humble servant obeys the decree!"

Jia Jing, standing to the side, remained calm, his thoughts unreadable.

Gong Dingzi's title is so long that it's almost as long as that of Grand Secretary Di!

"My surname is Di, my given name is Renjie, I am from Bingzhou, and my official position is Tongfengge Yingtai Pingzhangshi..."

The emperor's delegation of power suggests he may not actually intend to wage war against Jiangnan, preferring to keep the situation within the bounds of "fighting without breaking apart."

Moreover, civil officials are different from military officials. No matter how much power is delegated, it is only a matter of issuing an imperial edict to take it back!

However, will the gentry of Jiangnan submit to Gong Dingzi's tyranny? Or will they resist even more fiercely?

In Jia Jing's opinion, the latter is probably more likely.

After all, whether it was implementing new policies or purging corruption, these were matters that directly affected the core interests and future prospects of the gentry in Jiangnan.

To put it more seriously, it even concerns one's personal life and the survival of one's family. To accomplish such a thing without resorting to violence would be as difficult as climbing to heaven!

Moreover, the situation in Jiangnan today is similar to that of the late Ming Dynasty, with many corrupt officials and deeply entrenched powerful families.

Such a dire situation cannot be changed without a war!

At this moment, seeing Emperor Jingsheng remain silent, Zhang Tingyu suddenly stepped forward with his hands clasped and said:

"Your Majesty! I wonder if the matter of the capital inspection mentioned by the Duke of Jing will be implemented?"

He took the blame for the Xingda Prison incident himself, but someone else should take the blame for the Jingcha incident!

Zhang Tingyu's expression was solemn as his gaze swept over Chen Tingjing, Li Guangdi, Fang Congzhe, and Xiong Cili, a strange look flashing in his eyes.

The "Capital Inspection" of the Han Dynasty was a regular assessment of officials in the capital, aimed at rewarding the good and punishing the bad, and cleaning up official corruption. In the end, it was a job that offended people!

Together with the "External Inspection" or "Grand Assessment" for local officials, it constituted an important part of the civil service examination in the Han Dynasty.

The Beijing Inspection is conducted approximately every six years. It not only concerns the future of officials, but its procedures are also extremely complex and rigorous.

First, the authority for assessment is divided according to the official's rank:

Among them, high-ranking officials of the fourth rank and above were personally assessed by the emperor, and officials were required to submit a "self-report" to report on their duties, with the emperor making the final decision on their retention or dismissal.

Officials of the fifth rank and below, who are of middle or lower rank, are assessed by the Ministry of Personnel in conjunction with the Censorate.

The process typically involves an initial review by the department head, followed by a review by the Ministry of Personnel and the Censorate ("court review"), and finally, the emperor's approval.

Secondly, there are two other key roles in the capital inspection: "Shiyi" and "Tangshangguan".

"Shiyi" refers to the right of officials such as the Censor and the Imperial Censor to make supplementary impeachments based on the assessment results, but nowadays it has basically become a tool for factional struggles.

The "comments" given by department heads to their subordinates directly determine the fate of mid- to low-ranking officials.

The assessment criteria for the Beijing examinations are divided into strict "eight methods" and "four categories".

The "Eight Laws" are standards for punishment, used to punish those who are incompetent, including those who are greedy, cruel, impetuous, inadequate, old, sick, weak, and careless.

Depending on the severity of the problem, the handling methods are divided into four levels: retirement, demotion, retirement into leisure, and public service.

The "Four Qualities" are the promotion criteria, used to promote outstanding individuals, and are assessed from four aspects: integrity, political affairs, talent, and age.

The original intention of the capital inspection was to purify officialdom, but its actual implementation had complex consequences.

Because it concerns the vital interests of officials' futures, the Beijing Inspection is now often used by various political parties to exclude and attack dissidents, making it a "powder keg" of decades-long factional struggles.

The various factions of civil officials would engage in fierce competition during the annual imperial examinations in the capital, vying for dominance in order to eliminate political enemies.

The "self-reporting memorials" of high-ranking officials of the fourth rank and above have basically evolved into "political shows," with the emperor routinely trying to persuade them to stay and the officials routinely resigning.

Therefore, nearly ten years after Emperor Jingsheng ascended the throne, due to internal and external troubles and the fact that the capital inspection could easily trigger factional strife, it had not been initiated for a long time!

Upon hearing this, Emperor Jingsheng pondered for a moment, then asked Jia Jing:

"Zijie advised against the capital examination system; did he know its drawbacks?"

Jia Jing glanced at Zhang Tingyu, then stepped forward and announced:

"Your Majesty! The capital inspection has both advantages and disadvantages. During the reign of Emperor Taizu, it was an effective means of clarifying official conduct. Why has it now become a tool for factional strife?"

"In my opinion, there are no good or bad policies; it is the circumstances and the people implementing them that have changed."

"The court only needs to make slight reforms to the capital inspection system, which will surely fill the gaps, eliminate corruption and evil, and revitalize the court."

Upon hearing the word "reform," Emperor Jingsheng's gaze flickered with interest, and he asked:

"Zijie, please explain in detail how we should innovate?"

Jia Jing said in a deep voice:

"In my opinion, the reform of the capital's performance evaluation system should revolve around three core principles: First, performance-oriented evaluation, with quantifiable and objective standards that focus on what officials have actually done, rather than what they have said."

"Secondly, power and responsibility must be commensurate; those who are granted power must also bear corresponding responsibilities. One cannot simply enjoy power without bearing the consequences."

"Third, we must prevent factional strife, plug loopholes in the Beijing inspection system, and ensure the fairness of the assessment."