Slave trade is actually considered a new industry within the Silver Blood Association in Xuanzhu County. Apart from a few merchant fleets taking the risk, other merchant associations have not gotten involved in this business.
It's not that the merchants have a conscience, but rather they think this business, while profitable, carries greater risks. They can make plenty from their current ventures, and they will seize chances to make money only if there's no risk to themselves; if there's danger, they'll naturally avoid it.
The slave trade isn't about transporting slaves from the Dongyang district to other places to be sold cheaply. Truth be told, Dongyang is actually quite short on people. Not mentioning the great slave-owning Jing Family, other factory-owning merchant associations also prefer using slaves instead of workers. Local slave markets digest what they can themselves and have no intention of selling them elsewhere.
