The Han culture is spreading strongly in Southeast Asia

Chapter 819 Governing a large country is like making pancakes

"It's bitter, it's bitter!"

The one who let out that scream was Tang Jinzhao, the magistrate of Renqiu County, Hejian Prefecture, Hebei Province.

This Magistrate Tang was from Xiaoshan, Zhejiang. He was the fifth-ranked candidate in the second class of the imperial examination in the 24th year of the Guangzhong era, which is 1799 AD.

Although Magistrate Tang was born into a wealthy merchant family, he was upright and principled. In other words, it was precisely because his family was not short of money that Magistrate Tang was able to remain uncorrupted by money and was able to act impartially on many occasions, maintaining his original intention of sharing the burdens of the emperor and the people and ensuring their well-being.

Therefore, even in the system of the Great Yu Dynasty, which rarely appointed newly appointed Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) directly to local government positions, Tang Jinzhao became the magistrate of Renqiu County in Hejian Prefecture in the second year after passing the imperial examinations, a mere eight months later.

Hearing Tang Jinzhao complaining, his classmate, Xiong Deshen, a native of Xinjian County, Nanchang, Jiangxi Province, who was also a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) in the same year, quickly came over.

Although Xiong Deshen was also a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations), his ranking was very low, just ahead of Sun Shan (another successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He almost failed the exam. Therefore, after observing the administration of the Ministry of Revenue for a year, he requested to come to Tang Jinzhao's office to implement the administration, hoping to take up a local post as soon as possible.

In the Great Yu Dynasty at that time, the imperial examination system had undergone significant changes compared to the past.

Nowadays, a Xiucai (a successful candidate in the county-level imperial examinations) can serve as a low-ranking official, and even in developed areas, Xiucai are sometimes appointed as yamen runners. A Juren (a successful candidate in the provincial-level imperial examinations) can directly become an official, and after three years, they can take the Jinshi (a successful candidate in the metropolitan-level imperial examinations).

However, there were also those who followed the old ways and took the imperial examinations, that is, those who passed the examinations all the way up from Xiucai (a lower-level scholar) to Juren (a higher-level scholar) to Jinshi (a higher-level scholar).

This was a compromise adopted to accommodate the relatively economically underdeveloped provinces, which meant that two sets of imperial examination systems had to be maintained.

However, due to the expansion of the empire's territory, the development of productivity, and the increase in population, the demand for officials in the Great Yu Dynasty also increased significantly.

Therefore, the mainstream path was for a scholar to become an official below the county magistrate, then pass the provincial examination three years later to become an official below the prefect, and then enter the ranks of high-ranking officials in the imperial court three years later.

The traditional imperial examination system produced only one or two hundred successful candidates every three years, a number that could only be considered a minor embellishment in the officialdom.

However, these Jinshi (successful candidates in the highest imperial examinations) generally held very high positions, because in Dayu, those who participated in the imperial examinations were automatically considered ruthless by everyone, and only ruthless people could succeed in the examinations.

At the same time, due to the tremendous changes in the social environment, productivity, and economy, the imperial court also paid more attention to the recognition and training of officials' administrative abilities.

Especially now, with the rapid development of productivity, in many places, it is no longer possible to effectively govern the local areas without imperial power extending to the county level.

The old model where officials only needed to appease local elders and respected elders to maintain local peace and increase tax revenue is no longer viable.

Therefore, those who become officials through the old imperial examination system must spend at least one year observing the administration of central ministries and commissions, and then at least one year observing the administration of local governments, before they can assume substantive positions. Moreover, they are generally not allowed to directly assume leadership roles.

"How could Lord Hou Lin act so hastily!" Xiong Deshen, who was observing the government, took a look at the decree issued by the court and immediately became furious.

He slammed the decree on the county government table, and the spittle that flew out reflected rainbow-like spots of light under the sunlight.

“My Renqiu County suffered from snow disasters last winter and this spring, and then a severe drought during Qingming and Guyu. Many people’s autumn harvest was only half of last year’s. The court not only did not provide relief, but also continued to collect land tax. Even the corvée laborers who were to dredge the Grand Canal refused to stop.”

"This...this is driving someone to their death!"

It's no wonder Xiong Dezhen was so shocked and angry. In feudal dynasties, taxes were not particularly terrible; what was truly terrible was corvée labor.

During the Qing Dynasty, the Qing court ostensibly reduced the burden of corvée labor on the people through the "equalization of land tax and poll tax" and the employment system, but in reality, it did not reduce the burden at all.

This is because there are so many places in the country that require manpower, and the imperial court's tax revenue is limited. It also has to be used to support the Manchu nobles, so how could it possibly exempt them from corvée labor?

Thus, even in the Qing Dynasty, there were folk songs like, "When the Yellow River breaches its banks, the people bleed; when river works are undertaken, countless bones lie scattered."

The same was true in the Dayu Dynasty. Every year, so many water conservancy projects needed to be built, and the Yellow River had been in a dangerous state for years. Without conscripting people, it was impossible to manage the project solely through the government's taxes.

The second son of the emperor, Mo Zhouxu, traveled the world building railways, but he only had 10,000 to 20,000 professional construction workers under his command. Any more than that would be too costly. Therefore, most of the laborers for building the railways were conscripted from the local population.

The only slightly better thing is that although the laborers in the Great Yu Dynasty did not receive any money, their meals were provided to a high standard. They had meat every two days, and on weekdays, they were fed a mix of coarse and refined grains, ensuring they were at least full.

However, no matter what, large-scale corvée labor such as dredging the Grand Canal and building railways was still a very frightening thing for ordinary people, mainly due to safety issues on the construction site.

Not to mention now, even in later generations, it was still quite dangerous; it was common to lose one's life if one was not careful.

“Brother Shuzhi, my mother is seriously ill and I wish to resign from my post and return to my hometown to care for her. You have been serving as the registrar of Renqiu County for a year now, and I would like to recommend you to act as the magistrate of Renqiu County. Would you be willing?”

Tang Jinzhao asked slowly. The reason he used this tone to ask Xiong Deshen if he was willing to do such a great thing as recommending him for a promotion was because he knew what the court was going to do.

That means kicking people out.

It is said that the massive wave of bankruptcies caused by the population explosion in the Great Yu Dynasty occurred about ten years ago.

After that, a large number of people went to the Northeast and Anxi. Now there are more than four million Han Chinese in the four provinces of Anxi, and one million in the Hezhong Province alone. Most of them were driven out after that wave of bankruptcies.

Now, the second wave of bankruptcies due to the population explosion in China is also arriving, and the shortage of colonists this time is greater than ever before.

Beihezhou will be short of four to five million people for at least the next ten years. This is considering that the transportation capacity can only transport so many; otherwise, the demand would be even more alarming.

The relocation of the two major islands to Zhanzhou would require at least eighty to one million people, which is the most difficult part because no one is willing to go there. Those who do go are there to pan for gold, and once they make money, they run away. Very few farmers actually settle down there, so we have to force them to move there.

The Northeast is still short at least five million, and it needs to be done quickly, because the population of the Jurchen tribes in the Northeast, whether in the south or north of the Xing'an Mountains, is growing rapidly.

Although they were very docile and had gained a lot from the wars of the Great Yu's expansion, it was precisely because of this that they needed a large number of Han people to completely shape their culture into the Huaxia culture with Han culture as the main body.

Anxi still needs about one million more people. The Anxi of the Great Yu Dynasty included Xinjiang and Central Asia in later times. Now, the total population is only over four million. No matter how you look at it, it's not enough.

Moreover, the power of the Anxi Envoy's office is now gradually expanding into Persia.

The imperial court has identified the true Persian dynasty, the last prince of the Sasanian Persians, Peroz, and the Li family of Shu, descendants of Nineshi. It seems they are about to make a big move, and the Han people cannot be left behind.

Tang Jinzhao came from a wealthy merchant family in Jiangsu and Zhejiang. His cousin, Tang Jinzhen, was a partner of the Privy Council's Ordnance Bureau, and the flintlock muskets and three-pound cannons he produced were directly supplied to the army. Therefore, he was able to stand at a high level and see the overall planning of the Great Yu Dynasty.

He told Xiong Deshen about the situation and then analyzed, "I think the court is deliberately taking advantage of the severe drought in Henan and Hebei this year, the risk of the Yellow River breaching its banks in Kaifeng, and the large increase in population over the past ten years, to drive at least five million people out of the land."

Xiong Deshen also realized what was going on, and he nodded, "Very likely, very likely!"

Moreover, the shortage isn't limited to these areas; Ceylon and Han Chuan Region (lower Myanmar) also face shortages. It's said that over 100,000 people need to be recruited to go to the Caucasus region in the far west to accompany the tenth prince to his fiefdom.

After saying that, Xiong Deshen looked at Tang Jinzhao and said, "Brother Dunfu, Renqiu County has been the hardest hit by the disaster this year. The output of our farmland in Hebei is not as good as that in the south. We can't sell our grain for money, and we have a large population. This time, many people will definitely be driven out."

However, this journey involves traveling tens of thousands of miles. While it may not be a matter of nine out of ten people dying, it is certain that one out of nine will die, and often, twenty percent of the journey will end before reaching the destination.

This would send the people of Renqiu to their deaths! I... I simply cannot bring myself to do it. Please forgive me for being unable to comply.

In fact, besides the high mortality rate among the people along the way, there was another important reason why Xiong Deshen was unwilling to do it: driving people out also required skill.

At that time, information was still relatively scarce. The further north and west one went, the more isolated the people became, and the less they dared to leave their hometowns. The saying "a person is worthless when they leave their hometown" was not a joke; it meant entrusting one's life to the unknown.

Coupled with a natural distrust of the government, many people preferred to stay at home and drink rotten vegetable porridge with broken corn and wild vegetables, barely any salt, rather than go out.

Therefore, in order to meet the targets set by the authorities, the only option is to force, or even persecute, the people under their jurisdiction until they are driven to desperation before they will leave.

Furthermore, it is necessary to plan comprehensively and maintain a proper balance, lest the lower-level officials take this opportunity to completely corrupt their morals and become difficult to control later.

We also can't drive too many people out, lest we be unable to collect the land tax and land tax revenue for that year.

Therefore, at this time, when the Great Yu Dynasty was on the rise and the atmosphere in the officialdom was still acceptable, especially for people like Tang Jinzhao who came from wealthy families, they were very reluctant to get involved in such matters. They always felt that they were persecuting good people and that it would damage their reputation if word got out.

So Tang Jinzhao thought for a moment and said to Xiong Deshen, who clearly didn't want to do this either, "Brother Shuzhi, I can not do this, and I can even give up this official position."

But you can't. Twenty years of hard study, are you just going to give up?

Xiong Deshen was stunned for a long time, speechless.

Although his family wasn't poor, they certainly weren't at the point where he could give up his status as a Jinshi (successful candidate in the highest imperial examination) and an official like Tang Jinzhao did.

He also knew that Tang Jinzhao's mother was indeed sick.

"Brother Dunfu, must life be so unsatisfactory?" Xiong Deshen asked with a bitter expression.

"The relationship between ruler and subject is one of father and son. If the ruler commands the subject to die, the subject must die. If Your Majesty commands the people to go abroad to expand the territory and conquer a beautiful land for future generations, then we officials must follow His Majesty's will. The people below can only go out and make their way."

With the idea of ​​sacrificing one's own life for the sake of one's friends, Tang Jinzhao even tried to persuade him, saying, "We, as subjects, are just like daughters-in-law caught between their parents-in-law and husbands, trying our best to minimize the turmoil. There's no such thing as being satisfied or dissatisfied."

I know that Brother Shuzhi cares about the people and is unwilling to harm them, but if you do not rise to the challenge, the court will send someone else.

If a cruel official were to come, the 400,000 people of Renqiu would truly be facing a catastrophe.

Xiong Deshen was speechless. He sighed, cupped his hands in a gesture of respect to Tang Jinzhao, and then walked out of the county government office, which was considered an agreement.

Five days later, before the imperial court's approval had even been issued, Magistrate Tang Jinzhao left in tears.

What seemed like a bad omen came true. He had originally used it as an excuse, but unexpectedly, his words became a self-fulfilling prophecy. His mother actually passed away on the very day he said he was going home to fulfill his filial duty.

China is founded on loyalty and filial piety. The death of one's mother is a matter of utmost importance. Therefore, Tang Jinzhao could submit a memorial to the court directly and leave office without waiting for approval.

Standing at the entrance of the county government office, Xiong Deshen watched Magistrate Tang, who was considered his close friend, leave, and suddenly felt less sad.

“Tang Dunfu even lost his mother because of this matter, so this must be the will of Heaven.” After saying this, Xiong Deshen summoned the county yamen runners to begin a discussion.

The yamen runners below were overjoyed; they had long wanted to go to the countryside to drive people to cultivate the land, as this would benefit them.

The imperial court allocated 30,000 places to Renqiu County. Once the quota was filled, each person would receive a performance bonus of 20 silver dollars by the end of the year.

Furthermore, head constables (criminal and police captains), squad leaders (urban management, traffic, and road administration captains), and their subordinates can participate in performance evaluations, thereby increasing their monthly salary by one level. Even without these, the mere power to decide who stays and who goes down to the grassroots is immense.

With a single word, they can decide a person's fate, whether to stay or leave, to live or die. Those who don't want to go to the remote borderlands have no choice but to fawn over them.

Xiong Deshen didn't need to look to know what expressions these guys would have on their faces, because although he wasn't very good at answering questions in the imperial examinations, he was much better at getting by at the grassroots level than a rich young master like Tang Jinzhao.

Moreover, Xiong Deshen's ancestors made their fortune by working as yamen runners. It wasn't until his great-grandfather's generation that he entered the county government as a clerk, thus escaping his lowly status, and only then could he openly participate in the imperial examinations. He knew all too well what kind of people yamen runners were.

The yamen runners' laughter didn't last long before they saw that even though the official documents for acting magistrate of Renqiu County hadn't been issued yet, Xiong Deshen, who would indeed act as magistrate of Renqiu, had a constant sneer on his face. They immediately lowered their heads in fear and dared not laugh anymore.

They had experienced firsthand the methods of this Master Xiong, who willingly took on the role of a minor registrar in Renqiu despite being a Jinshi (a successful candidate in the highest imperial examinations). He was a true master who could not be easily fooled.

"Officer Zhang, Officer Song, and Sergeant Zou, each of you will lead a group of men to go to the countryside to clear up the household registrations of bankrupt people, identify those to beg for their lives, and return to report in ten days."

As he spoke, Xiong Deshen made a gesture of rolling up his trousers, "Let me tell you, whoever does the best job and causes the least trouble during this trip to the countryside will be able to lead people to the countryside alone next time."

As for the remaining two groups, I'll personally lead you to the countryside. Wherever I go, you'll go!

Finally, a ten-day period will be set for evaluation. Those who do well will receive benefits, while those who do poorly will be in for a beating!

"Damn it!" Officer Zhang, Officer Song, and Sergeant Zou cursed inwardly at the same time, but they had no choice but to kneel down on one knee and accept the warrant and letter for going to the countryside.

The three people who had just been exchanging experiences of working in the countryside were now starting to become somewhat wary.

. . . .

These three men were unaware that the acting magistrate, Xiong Deshen, had actually saved their lives, because Mo Zibu and the imperial court were already aware of their underhanded tactics.

This includes, but is not limited to, using older people to impersonate younger ones after receiving money; illegally registering large amounts of land to local powerful families, resulting in large landowners owning tens of thousands of acres; and even registering for departure and then reporting death en route to help them escape from colonization, etc.

How could these petty tricks possibly fool the more than three thousand members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard?

. . . .

In Luoyang, Mo Zibu was not in a hurry to return to Nanjing Yingtianfu, because the Jiangnan region was now basically on the right track and there were not many things to worry about. On the contrary, the North was a big problem.

"My dear grandson, look at this! There are just so many people in the world who would rather die than keep their money!"

Mo Zibu enjoyed the shoulder massage from his grandson, who was also the legitimate Crown Prince Mo Guangkun, while unfolding the report that had been presented to him.

"These people are so stupid!" Nine-year-old Mo Guangkun, who was a little chubby, had an incredulous expression on his round, baby-faced features.

"They know perfectly well that the imperial court is desperately short of criminals, yet they still dare to take the risk. Grandpa, let's exile them to the most dangerous place!"

"Hahahaha!" Mo Zibu burst into laughter.

Mo Guangkun was right. The reason Mo Zibu tolerated so many situations was actually to lure these guys into making mistakes so that he could openly throw them out of China.

Moreover, the imperial court quite liked using these guys. You know what, in this century where everyone in the world likes to be a criminal, these exiled criminals were indeed more adaptable and useful in the colonies than honest farmers.

"Fan Wencai, have you heard the Crown Prince's decree? Send out the Embroidered Uniform Guard."

Those convicted of minor offenses will be exiled to Dazhanzhou, while those convicted of serious offenses will be gathered together and sent to Beiting first, to be transferred there later when the Caucasus region needs to be developed.

After giving his instructions, Mo Zibu waved for the Crown Prince Mo Guangkun to go out and play. Then he summoned Song Xiang, the Minister of Revenue, and Tao Shu, the Vice Minister of Agriculture under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Revenue.

"Your Majesty, this year the Ministry of Agriculture has collaborated with seven Imperial Academies to improve the seeds of various grains, fruits and vegetables more than sixty times. In particular, the yield of sweet potatoes and corn has increased by more than 150 catties per mu compared to five years ago."

Song Xiang, holding a small notebook, reported that the population of Dayu had surged so dramatically in recent years, which was inseparable from Mo Zibu's vigorous promotion of agricultural reforms and the fact that the imperial court allocated more than one million silver dollars every year to support various agricultural research projects.

It's important to understand that during the Qing Dynasty, after the population surged to around 350 million, the country couldn't sustain itself even with a diet of chaff and thin gruel.

This then triggered the White Lotus Rebellion in Sichuan and Hubei, which resulted in over ten million deaths and severely damaged the birth rate, causing it to plummet by half before the rebellion was barely contained.

However, by this time, out of the 630 million people in the Great Yu Dynasty, apart from the more than 100 million in Southeast Asia, the more than 70 million in the Northeast (which had historically had few people) and the conquered Japan and North Korea, there were still more than 450 million people in the Chinese mainland.

Such a huge population only triggered a wave of bankruptcies and did not lead to nationwide chaos, entirely because the unprecedented development of agriculture ensured that there was enough food to eat.

"Well done. Both the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Agriculture have made great contributions." Mo Zibu praised the two men with a smile, but then he said to them with a wry smile:
"But it is precisely because there is enough food that it is now extremely difficult to get people out to cultivate land."

"I have a few words from the bottom of my heart, and I humbly request Your Majesty to listen." After listening, Tao Shu knelt on one knee to indicate that he had something important to say.

"Speak up, Tao Zilin, you're known as a child prodigy, let me hear what your brilliant ideas are?"

Tao Shu, not to mention his great name in history, even in this era, he entered officialdom as a child prodigy. At the age of twenty-two, he became the Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, a fourth-rank official, a sure-fire future famous minister.

"In my opinion, the reason why Your Majesty is going to such great lengths to get the people to migrate and settle is actually, as Your Majesty said, because they can still survive in their hometowns. If we want the people to migrate in large numbers, we cannot let this situation continue," Tao Shu said very directly.

Mo Zibu waved his hand, "Get straight to the point, say something I don't know, or offer your opinion."

Tao Shu gritted his teeth and said, "Your Majesty, I request that you abolish the subsidies for the northward transport of rice from Southeast Asia and postpone the appointment of the Englishman John Gore to explore the Guano Islands."

At that time, Dayu provided subsidies for Nanyang rice shipped north, and these subsidies were in the form of tariff reductions.

Therefore, almost all ships heading to the mainland had to load some rice from Southeast Asia to offset part of the tariffs.

As a result, in recent years, the amount of rice from Southeast Asia reaching China has not only increased year by year, but the price has also been quite low, highlighting the large quantity and abundance.

John Gore, an Englishman, was a subordinate of Captain Cook, the famous circumnavigator.

After Captain Cook was killed by the natives in Hawaii, John Gore remained frustrated until he was recruited by the Great Yu to cultivate the spirit of global exploration among the students of the naval academy.

Two years ago, this person proposed a plan: he discovered some islands north of Dazhanzhou, which were covered with large amounts of bird droppings, which could be used as fertilizer.

Upon hearing this, Mo Zibu also remembered it. Nauru, the country of guano, could indeed be of use now, so he prepared to have John Gore initiate the guano transportation plan.

"Tao Zilin, do you know what you're doing? You're letting the emperor persecute his people!" Regardless of what he was thinking, Mo Zibu had to appear extremely angry on the surface.

"Your Majesty, I deserve to die ten thousand times!" Tao Shu was so frightened that he kowtowed to the ground. "But Your Majesty is now using the national treasury to subsidize grain, just like a loving father spoiling his son too much."

While it allowed his sons to survive at home, it also prevented them from ever growing up and from ever living a good life.

Today, with numerous powerful nations rising up around the world, European monarchs are exploiting their people to the bone. While their oppressive policies are indeed more ferocious than tigers, they have also driven Westerners to venture out into the world, demonstrating a remarkable pioneering spirit.

Meanwhile, the Chinese people are hiding at home drinking rotten vegetable porridge. If this continues, what competitiveness will our people and our country have?

Furthermore, Your Majesty has not allowed them to starve; you have merely sent them out to make their way in the world. How can this be considered persecution? Your subject, Tao Shu, humbly begs Your Majesty to cease indulging your people!

Look, this is how someone knows how to talk. They've turned Mo Zibu's cancellation of the pro-people policy into an excuse for no longer spoiling his children.

Mo Zibu stroked his chin and thought for a moment. Tao Shu meant that forcibly pushing people out to establish settlements was not the best way to do so. Instead, it was easy for the people to develop a rebellious mentality, thinking that going out to establish settlements meant risking their lives against the barbarians.

Instead, it would be better to cancel the grain subsidies and make their lives so difficult that they would naturally be willing to leave.

"Your Majesty, I also agree."

Mo Zibu was surprised that Song Xiang also agreed, and gestured for him to speak. "It is a good thing that the imperial court subsidizes rice from Southeast Asia, but in recent years there has been too much rice coming from Southeast Asia. Firstly, it has damaged the collection of customs duties, and secondly, it has severely impacted the grain production in Jiangnan."

The price of grain was so low that in many parts of Jiangnan, farmers deliberately neglected or even destroyed grain production in order to persuade the government to allow them to switch to cash crops.

Even in the Jiangnan region, the buying and selling of cash crop quotas has become a business; therefore, I also agree to cancel the subsidies for Nanyang rice.

Mo Zibu felt a tingling sensation and a headache. In the Ming Dynasty, no one was willing to convert rice paddies to mulberry fields, but in his Dayu Dynasty, it seemed that the red line for arable land would be lost.

"I suggest that after abolishing the subsidies for Nanyang rice, we should continue to heavily reward childbirth to allow the population to surge again, exceeding the limits that China can sustain," Tao Shu continued.

"Our Great Yu Dynasty is in power, and we have wise ministers such as Prime Minister Lin and Grand Minister of Works to assist us. In addition, the expansion over the years has made our territory as vast as ever before."

In this way, there's no need to worry about a population explosion; as long as the dredging is done properly, even a hundred million people can be accommodated.

As Tao Shu spoke, a strange light flashed in his eyes. He looked at Mo Zibu's chest and said in a deep voice, "Now, the people of the world, China already accounts for half of them. We should make great strides and climb to 70%. In that way, this world will be our world."

Mo Zibu was taken aback, and it was this sentence that made him make up his mind.

Twenty years of training finally made the officials of the Great Yu Dynasty realize how to fight this war for world domination.

"Tao Shu, go down and write a memorial about this plan and submit it to me," Mo Zibu said to Tao Shu, then looked at Song Xiang, "The Ministry of Revenue can make a rough estimate based on Tao Shu's plan."

If we decide to do it, we need to put a lot of pressure on the people below, but we can't rush things and change things immediately, let alone do things recklessly.

For example, the main reason why the Nanyang rice subsidy was launched was actually to better bring Nanyang into the economic cycle of the Da Yu Dynasty.

If this is cancelled rashly, then major provinces like Thai Ping (Siam) and Namche (Java), which produce large quantities of grain and rely on selling grain to mainland China, will be thrown into turmoil.

At the same time, the Jiangnan region was already short of food after the large-scale industrial development. If subsidies were cut off abruptly, it is foreseeable that at least tens of millions of people would face a food crisis, which would be a serious matter. Therefore, we can only proceed step by step and give them a sufficient buffer period.

Governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; a slow and gentle approach is the right way.

We must not emulate that blond old friend who governed a large country like making a pancake, quickly flipping it over once one side is cooked and continuing to grill the other side.

(End of this chapter)