A Pawn's Passage

The reason the Daoist Order could claim itself as “civilized” was not so much due to its inherent civility but largely because of the contrast with others. When compared against bandits and villains, even an ordinary person would appear noble and virtuous.

One could only recognize light when there was darkness. Similarly, only because evil exists could one recognize goodness.

The Daoist Order refrained from engaging in the slave trade primarily because they promoted egalitarian ideals to erase Confucian influence. As a result, the Great Xuan Court abolished the hereditary low-born caste system that had lasted for millennia, forcing a shift toward a contractual employment system. Although servants still existed in the Central Plains, they were no longer part of a despised caste and could take the imperial examination, marry freely, and were protected from arbitrary punishment. Essentially, they were hired workers.

There was once a female Daoist, known for her beauty and diplomatic finesse, who gained considerable fame. Yet for killing her own maid, she was ultimately executed by the Daoist Order.

If the Daoist Order were to engage in slave trading, it would betray the ideals of equality it had set forth. This double standard would result in immense backlash, leading to ideological chaos and division. Furthermore, it would open the floodgates, initially sourcing slaves externally, but with scarce supply and high profits, the trade would inevitably extend to its own people, creating endless harm.

Moreover, the Daoist Order annually transported large numbers of migrants to Borneo annually to strengthen control over the region, so it was still short on manpower.

Thus, the Daoist Order firmly opposed such practices.

Since slavery was forbidden, some resorted to keeping slaves under the guise of adopted sons or daughters.

However, the Daoist Order strictly prohibited even that. No one dared to accuse the Li family of using adoption as an excuse for slavery, especially since there had even been cases where adopted children became family heads. In fact, the Li family practiced egalitarianism more thoroughly than most.

It simply came down to different fates for different people. Take Qi Xuansu for example, he was also an adopted son, taken in midway by Madam Qi, yet he was treated almost like a biological child. This caused Zhang Yuelu constant headaches and Li Qingnu bouts of envy. For some, being an adopted child was just a pleasant label. In reality, they were glorified servants, made to serve and die for their adoptive families.

Li Tiangang promptly reported the matter to Sage Qingwei after Marcheno’s departure.

After hearing the report, Sage Qingwei pushed forward an official document and said, “The Westerners being unruly is no surprise. Take a look at this.”