The 2012 Regulations on the Handling of Official Documents of Party and Government Organs say that documents generally may not skip a level of the hierarchy (越级). When it cannot be avoided, the office that is skipped must receive a copy.
In 1629, the Ming commander Yuan Chonghuan used his imperial sword of authority to execute another general, Mao Wenlong. The Chongzhen Emperor was deeply displeased. Acting first and reporting later is called 先斩后奏, literally “behead first, report later.”