Everyone actually knows pretty well what Chang Mao is thinking, or rather, what Zhu Yunwen is thinking.
These two were actually at the forefront, and there were quite a few people who shared similar thoughts. These were only those with special status; those who had these ideas were either members of the imperial family or nobles, the most powerful group in the Ming Dynasty.
As for merchants or powerful families, they weren't without similar thoughts. However, it was clear that these matters were currently beyond their control; at most, they could only get a small share of the spoils.
The Ming Dynasty now forbids the existence of 'slaves'. As for those in the residences of members of the imperial family or nobles, they are merely 'maids' and have no dependent relationship with their masters. At least in theory, the masters of the Ming Dynasty have no right to decide the life or death of their servants, nor can these servants be considered the property of their masters.
But as for Silla maids, perhaps the Ming Dynasty could make an exception, since they weren't subjects of the Ming Dynasty.
Even with the precedent of Ren Hengtai, everyone knew that buying barbarians as servants in the private market was only one of the reasons Ren Hengtai lost his official position, and it wasn't even a serious crime; at most, it was a matter of 'moral failings'.
Chang Mao and Zhu Yunwen were fearless mainly because they knew the person sitting on the dragon throne all too well.
On the manors in Liaodong, there were far too many slaves who had come from the East. In fact, these things were not even spontaneous actions of the noble group; they were instructions that the leaders had received from the emperor, intentionally or unintentionally.
Why should those indigenous people of Southeast Asia be made to do heavy and arduous farm work as slaves, but not beautiful Silla maids be allowed to serve their masters?
As long as the people of the Ming Dynasty are not harmed, the emperor sitting on the dragon throne can turn a blind eye and seems not to care at all.
In reality, there were far too many people who shared similar thoughts with Zhu Yunying. The people who now ruled this land were Han Chinese, not the Mongols who viewed Han Chinese as inferior. The concepts of hierarchy and social classes held little sway in the Ming Dynasty.
Or one could say that the Han people have always looked down on barbarians and other ethnic groups, and these people were quite proud of themselves. Buying some Silla maids or Southeast Asian natives was nothing unusual, and many officials would turn a blind eye to such things.
Having dealt with the two troublesome individuals, Zhu Yunying said with a headache, "Keep an eye on them for the next few days. If they come again, find a way to get rid of them. We're afraid of them."
Wang Chengen said with a bitter face, "Your Majesty, how could this servant dare to block His Highness Prince Wu and the Duke of the Founding Kingdom? If I asked them, they would definitely say they had important business to attend to. Even if this servant were bold, I wouldn't dare to investigate further."
That's pretty much the truth. If those two wanted to enter the palace, they had far too many reasons. They could easily find any 'serious business' as an excuse, and none of their subordinates would dare to keep questioning them.
As for Zhu Yunying, those two were like dead pigs that weren't afraid of boiling water. Even if there was nothing important to do, they would just find something important to do to fool him.
In any case, these two really weren't worried about being punished by Joo Yoon-young. You could say they were fearless, confident, and self-assured.
Seeing that Zhu Yunying remained silent, Wang Chengen felt even more depressed. If it were any other member of the imperial family or a noble family, they wouldn't dare to bother the emperor; sometimes they would be too afraid to even avoid him, lest the emperor notice them.
However, whenever these two encountered trouble, they would keep trying to get close to the emperor. Even if the emperor was displeased, they would still do as they pleased. They genuinely had no fear of Emperor Ying Shi.
Having exhausted all other options, Joo Yoon-young decided to focus on doing what he was supposed to do. Those two persistent pests were indeed reaping what he sowed.
In reality, Zhu Yunying understood that the mighty Ming Dynasty's conquests and expansions abroad were also draining its national strength. After all, such large-scale wars consumed enormous resources, including silver, grain, weapons, and even manpower.
However, on the other hand, such a great war could not only allow some people to be immediately ennobled, but also bring considerable benefits to them.
As Zhu Yunying carefully read the memorial, he began to take it more seriously. The autumn harvest was fast approaching, which naturally meant it was time to pay taxes—no small matter for Zhu Yunying, and certainly not for the entire Ming Dynasty.
Especially at this particular juncture, certain things naturally attract even more attention.
The war in Goryeo is still ongoing. According to some of Zhu Yunying's plans, this is not a war that can be resolved quickly. This means that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, the war is likely to continue for the next year or the year after.
This is a burden for the Ming Dynasty to some extent, not to mention that it is currently waging war. The Ming Dynasty has been preparing for this war for some time, which has required a considerable amount of silver and grain.
For at least all these years, there has been little war within the territory of the Ming Dynasty. Some separatist forces or remnants of the Mongol Yuan Dynasty have been suppressed and driven away. However, it would be a lie to say that there has been no war at all; at most, the scale of the wars has been small.
Furthermore, after more than thirty years of recuperation, the Ming Dynasty is now showing signs of a golden age, and the country appears peaceful and prosperous.
Do not assume that this is absolute peace and tranquility. Even with thirty years of accumulation, the Ming Dynasty, with its weak foundation, was truly unable to wage war on multiple fronts or engage in a protracted war of annihilation.
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