A son who doesn't resemble his father? Love you, old man, see you at Xuanwu Gate!

Chapter 299 New Dynasty
ended.

It's completely over.

The moment Zhang Tang heard the name of the Censorate, he knew that everything had come to an end.

The Censorate, as an independent supervisory office separate from the Grand Secretariat, must be headed by an upright and incorruptible official. Only in this way can we ensure that the supervisory process is free from personal biases and prevent the government from getting bogged down in meaningless internal strife.

Zhang Tang was honest and upright, but he thought himself so. However, the ministers, nobles, and members of the imperial family who participated in the administration of the two dynasties probably did not think so.

The people in the Xuan Shi Hall probably thought even less so. Everyone present knew that when the Embroidered-Robe Envoy was in power, he had gathered evidence and formed an alliance to stage a drama of "ruthless heroes".

Selfish thoughts and desires are Zhang Tang's defining characteristics; he doesn't even bother to hide them in his pursuit of the position of Chancellor of the Han Dynasty.

The emperor would not give him the position of chief censor of the Censorate, and the status of an ordinary censor was not worthy of Zhang Tang's many "glories".

The titles of Minister of the Qilin Pavilion, Junior Tutor, and Marquis were, in a twist of fate, the very things that had been bestowed upon Zhang Tang in his official career.

This is undeniably ironic.

Zhang Tang's eyes dimmed.

The imperial system underwent fundamental changes, and the Han Empire ushered in a new future, but all of this had nothing to do with him anymore.

Huo Qubing was pretending to think.

Wei Qing understood what the Crown Prince's nephew meant, but he didn't have too many thoughts. It was true that Zhang Tang was a sharp knife, and he was very easy and useful to use. However, Zhang Tang always made himself very "dirty," which made people avoid him.

Zhang Tang enjoyed the feeling of awe from officials and common people, completely unaware that the Han Dynasty court, which had been estranged from the people for a long time, no longer needed a reign of terror and needed to be closer to the common people. People who exuded the smell of blood were clearly no longer suitable to hold a position in the court.

His survival is a testament to the ruler's mercy.

Chen Mo felt no sorrow for his senior brother Zhang Tang's fate, who was powerful but not famous. Instead, he hoped that decades later, when he himself stepped down from his position as Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he could also land peacefully like Zhang Tang.

Perhaps, I must die before my sovereign.

In the Yuanzu family school, there is a long account of "a new emperor, a new court". When a new emperor ascends the throne, he always has to establish his authority with the old ministers of the previous dynasty, and the best target is those officials who do dirty work.

This is practically being read from his name, from the register of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

The emperor is a benevolent and righteous ruler, and he can trust him. But after the emperor, even if the new emperor of the Han Dynasty is the emperor's son, he will not trust him.

If one dies before the emperor, one's fate can be sealed; but if one dies after the emperor, one will most likely be reduced to ashes. Chen Mo foresaw his own "death."

Gongsun Hong didn't think about those miscellaneous things, but instead conducted a comprehensive review of the new court system.

The Grand Secretary oversees the overall situation, coordinates the affairs of all departments within the cabinet, presides over major decision-making meetings, and formulates the core policy direction of the empire.

As a bridge between the emperor and the Privy Council, it was responsible for reporting important matters to the emperor and conveying the emperor's edicts.

In terms of personnel appointments, they could nominate candidates for the Second Grand Secretary, Grand Secretaries, Grand Councilors, and Ministers of the Six Ministries, and appoint them after the Emperor's approval.

They can assess cabinet members and make recommendations for their removal or promotion.

They possess partial decision-making power, and when there are decisive disagreements in the cabinet's draft proposals, they can directly submit the matter to the emperor for a decision.

The Grand Secretary also possesses emergency response authority, allowing him to temporarily handle major emergencies under the Emperor's authorization, and must subsequently provide a detailed explanation to the Emperor. The Second Grand Secretary oversees one of the following key affairs: administration, finance, judiciary, or people's livelihood, and assists the Grand Secretary in handling daily affairs.

When government orders are issued, they take the lead in organizing inter-departmental collaboration within their respective areas of responsibility to ensure the orders are implemented effectively.

When the Grand Secretary is absent, he may exercise some of the Grand Secretary's powers, but major decisions still require the Emperor's approval.

The cabinet ministers participate in state affairs, draft imperial edicts, and assist the chief minister and deputy ministers in managing national affairs.

The six ministers, as the chief administrative officers of their respective departments, were responsible for the implementation of specific government orders and were required to report on the progress of government affairs to the cabinet regularly and accept the cabinet's guidance and supervision.

They may submit policy proposals to the Cabinet regarding matters within their department and participate in Cabinet decision-making discussions.

To coordinate communication between the prefects of various counties and the six central ministries, ensuring the smooth implementation of government orders.

For matters concerning the Empire or inter-ministerial projects, a temporary special task force may be established, which shall be implemented after approval by the Grand Secretary.

The Military Affairs Division is responsible for handling classified matters such as military strategy, border defense deployment, and wartime command.

Formulate military contingency plans, review troop mobilization orders, and draft military-related edicts.

In the event of a sudden military emergency, direct orders are issued to ensure the rapid transmission of military commands.

Coordinate border intelligence and enemy situation analysis.

All documents are encrypted, and no one other than Grand Councilors and persons authorized by the Emperor may access classified information.

The Censorate was an independent supervisory body, directly responsible to the emperor, overseeing all decision-making and implementation processes of the Grand Secretariat and the Six Ministries.

They have the power to investigate corruption, abuse of power, and other misconduct, and to impeach cabinet members and lower-ranking officials.

The cabinet was tasked with reviewing the legality of its draft proposals to ensure that government orders complied with the law and the emperor's decrees.

To oversee the confidentiality measures of the Military Affairs Department and prevent leaks.

They regularly collected opinions from local officials and the people on the implementation of government orders, and compiled these opinions into a report to the emperor for reference.

The Ministry of Revenue was responsible for compiling accounts of its financial revenues and expenditures and major matters, and for verifying the details of how the imperial court allocated funds.

The boundaries of authority and collaborative processes of each ministry were very clear. The Privy Council, the Grand Council, the Six Ministries, and the Censorate formed a three-in-one power system of decision-making, execution, and supervision. This mechanism, which was independent yet closely linked, ensured the centralization of imperial power while preventing corruption and autocracy through checks and balances. The power of the prime minister seemed to be well separated.

The entire decision-making process involved the Grand Secretary proposing a draft decree, which was then drafted by the Cabinet meeting, reviewed by an expanded meeting of the Six Ministries, and finally decided by the Emperor. The decree was then handed over to the Grand Council or the Six Ministries for implementation.

Gongsun Hong felt that something was missing. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he stood up. "Your Majesty," he said, "I request permission for local prefects and magistrates to submit confidential reports directly to the Emperor in the event of major or urgent matters."

Even the most perfect system is still implemented by people. The more departments and officials involved, the greater the possibility of errors. Although it is virtually impossible for the entire court to collectively deceive the emperor, this possibility cannot be ignored.

The emperor must be able to access the "direct reports" of local government offices. This would not only further centralize power but also allow the emperor to know firsthand and accurate information about local affairs, enabling him to make the most accurate judgments and instructions.

"Furthermore, I request Your Majesty to establish the Hanlin Academy of Strategists, issue an edict seeking talented individuals, and summon wise men from all over the land to the court to serve as scholars, offering advice and suggestions on the court's policies, national affairs, and other matters. Those who excel in these matters will be permitted to serve as officials in the court!"

(End of this chapter)