Appearance
MC's Parents
MC's parents are generally opposed to slavery and prefer paid servants, unlike the Chun family which had hundreds of slaves.
Father
Mother
Values
Slavery
Okay, let's break down the contrasting views on slavery between the MC's parents (the Mings) and other more traditional noble families like the Chuns, grounding it in the established lore.
The Ming Family's Stance: Pragmatic Anti-Slavery
The Mings' preference for paid servants over slaves, as mentioned in Weilan's file, stems not from a radical moral objection to the Solfrey/Commoner system itself, but from a combination of pragmatic, strategic, and subtly philosophical reasons rooted in their specific interpretation of Solfrey responsibility and efficiency.
Pragmatism and Efficiency:
- Skill & Motivation: The Mings likely believe that paid commoner staff, motivated by wages, loyalty, and the potential for advancement (within commoner limits), are ultimately more skilled, reliable, and efficient for complex household and administrative tasks than coerced slaves. Training paid staff is an investment in long-term loyalty and capability, whereas slaves require constant oversight, security, and replacement due to low morale, escape attempts, or simple lack of motivation for excellence.
- Management Complexity: Managing a large slave population requires significant infrastructure – overseers, security forces, breeding programs, registration with the Yan, dealing with slave traders. The Mings might view this as unnecessarily complex and resource-intensive compared to managing employment contracts and payroll for free commoners. It's simply "cleaner" and less administrative overhead.
Stability and Security:
- Reduced Internal Threat: A large slave population represents an inherent security risk, requiring dedicated guards and constant vigilance against rebellion or escape. By minimizing their reliance on slaves, the Mings reduce potential internal threats within their domain. Loyal paid staff, who have more to lose, are seen as a more stable workforce.
- Independence from Slavers: Relying heavily on slavery necessitates dealing with powerful (and potentially corrupt) slaving corporations like Ascendis Corp. The Mings might prefer to maintain independence from these entities and the political entanglements they bring.
Solfrey Dignity and Fitness (Subtle Philosophy):
- This is likely the most nuanced part of their reasoning. While not challenging the right to own slaves, they might hold a minority view that over-reliance on slave labor breeds laziness, incompetence, and moral softness among Solfrey. They may believe that effectively managing and leading free commoners requires more skill, discipline, and true leadership ability, thus keeping the Solfrey class "sharper" and more fit to rule, aligning with the spirit of the Rights of Solfrey (Solfrey leadership as a duty requiring competence). It's less about commoner welfare and more about preventing Solfrey decadence. Their "rationalist" approach, contrasted with the Chuns' ritualism, supports this view – they focus on effective governance over traditional displays of power.
Personal Taste/Aesthetics:
- They may simply find the day-to-day realities of managing a large slave population – the necessary punishments, the breeding arrangements, the constant oversight – distasteful compared to the more straightforward employer-employee dynamic with paid staff.
Pro-slavery families like the Chuns, on the other hand, view slavery as a traditional right, a clear display of status, a means of absolute control, and a practical necessity endorsed by the dominant religious institution. Their focus is more on upholding established hierarchies and leveraging the traditional tools of power available to them.