This world is confusing

We're in the middle kingdom but the words and phrases they use are confusing. I don't know where we are besides "outside the capital" nor what the years are supposed to mean. I can understand we're south of the Yangtze river though. I'm getting the right river here I hope.

From the clothing and the fact that men still have all their hair, it's obvious this is not the Ming dynasty. But other than that I have no idea! What era am I in? What technology and discoveries have already been made?

Lu Shan had normal looking feet from what I saw yesterday, so some time before feet binding days?

Google please help me later!

More importantly though we're in a very special place called Four Seasons Lake. A place where one can see the flowers of every season on a lovely evening stroll, blah blah it's supposed to be poetic or something.

Straight up it's a brothel town. It's just a walled up city of bars, brothels, and theater houses running by its own set of laws. It is the Las Vegas of wherever the fuck this is.

What a party here.

If this was Las Vegas then our fine establishment here, Clouded Spring is one of the big hotels on the Strip. Except this hotel is one of the older not as luxurious ones, like on the back end of the strip. It's not the worst place to stay but it's definitely in the bottom 5.

That's what my mind is translating from everyone's poetically lengthy explanations. I'm just smiling and nodding while desperately trying to make sense of what they say.

Anyways it's still one of the major establishments in 4 Seasons Lake, or the 12 Jewels as they call it. If a girl had to live and work in this town they're better off at one of these 12 places. The big houses.

There's not a single cheap girl here. No calling street walkers or the more middle ground window menu shopping.

If my mind is translating it right the women working the in these big houses are more like hostesses, escorts and entertainers. There's the ground floor with hostesses serving drinks, chatting up patrons and being nice company. Should a customer wish to spend the night, or just a quick session then he would butter her up with drinks, gifts and his own charm. Eventually he offer a price and if she accepts then there we go. Off to a private room of the girl's quarters. What goes on behind the doors is anyone's guess.

Just let me make a damn guess.

Earnings go to the house but if a patron grants some nice gifts or spending money, well that's each girl's own business.

Courtesans in demand however have more of a choice over selecting their customers should they choose to accept any at all. The higher the rank and or skill the higher the price and the harder it is to even see her. Sounds like an idol.

MingXue is apparently famous for turning down men. Even if she allows them to be in a private room with her, these rich guys are lucky to just hold her hand.

I am not surprised.

The courtesans operate on a higher rank and have their own complex system. I cannot make sense of it, which rank is which and how do you tell?

At least Lu Sham was one of the higher ranked girls. At least until she became noticeably pregnant. Then she was just on music playing or poetry duty on the performance stage or for other's private sessions.

That's good for Lu Shan.

I feel bad for the girls I saw the previous night outside but sex work is a hard profession. The less Lu Shan has to partake in it, and with less patrons, the safer she will be.

The fear and reality of STDs is rampant of course. The prime age of popularity for most working women here is their late teens and early twenties. It's common for prostitutes to fall sick and succumb to various illnesses and circumstances,

It's such a prevalent issue there's a local deity that the women pray to for protection and health.

It's painful listening but Hui Ling tries to comfort me how they were safe here. Workers of the big houses don't fall sick anywhere near as often.

Silly girls, you have much better chances but you're not immune to diseases and death.

Rich sons die all the time from these diseases, how could you be safe?

Lu Shan, Yan yan and the newest baby are the ones I have to protect.

They're the ones I have to make sure to survive or else I die.

But in this moment I can't help but want to lend a helping hand to these two little Hui girls too. Well as long as they're with Lu Shan, it won't hurt to include them in. Lu Shan's people are my people. For now.

Except the scary MingXue, she looks like she would kill me in my sleep. Let's just focus on not provoking her, we're both on Lu Shan's side right?

Right?

With that info run down out of the way I have a much better grasp on how to proceed from here. There's a lot of history talk to but I'm not really interested. I hate to say it but if I'm not interested it kind of just goes down the drain in my brain. Sorry!

At least I confirmed the currency around here, I think I'll be able to use that little sack of coins in the box.

Though this town does operate on the bartering system too, for the residence of course. For the most part it's rather self-sufficient and runs on its own as a city with most outside essential goods coming from farming villages and traveling vendors and suppliers. The central government lets a lot of things slide behind these walls and allows them to essentially go under the radar here.

Sounds just like Las Vegas.

It's not lawless with a paid guard and a lot of hired muscles but it's easy to imagine the sort of trouble that goes on.

Thank you for the explanations everyone, I feel a lot less lost and likely to break down in the middle of the street now.

But why is everyone looking at me with expectant eyes? Oh the plate is clean! Not a crumb of granola in sight. They want more snacks. Isn't lunch time coming soon enough though? Or was that lunch, it's kind of late in the morning already.

They really don't get fed enough here.

It didn't take much to convince the maids to allow me to accompany them down to the kitchens. It's perfectly normal to want to make me greetings to a place I'm staying at right? It's just that while I'm there I can discuss a nutritionally balanced plan for Lu Shan.

Something tells me this won't go too well.

I ask the girls what their opinion would be on asking, it was polar opposites.

"That would be great! We've been getting worse food since sister Shan stopped working the floor. Please put in a good word for us Ms. Lu EnLie!"

"Um I don't think we should. If the head kitchen aunt gets mad then we'll get punished with even less."

"She hasn't been starving you has she?"

Food can't be an issue. Lu Shan's health can't afford it.

"Yes she has! So stingy!"

"But Hiu Qing you always wake up too late. If you don't get there early all the good stuff is gone."

"Those other girls are beasts! But the auntie is a baddie for not saving portions for us.She knows we're sister Lu Shan's only serving girls right now"

"Why is that?"

"Because there are not enough benefits or something like that. The older ones want to debut early to make money and the ones that can't yet so to someone else. One of the courtesans has 8 serving girls! Sister Shan is super nice though; I'll take her any day over other mean courtesans who just give out jewelry and tickets."

"Yes, Sister Lu Shan only has us but she never mistreats us. We share food and she teaches us a lot of things we wouldn't learn elsewhere. Even though she's a courtesan she doesn't look down on us and even teaches us how to write and sew."

Of course, this world runs on money. Lu Shan's been desperately saving before YanYan becomes of age and can't spare too much. Somehow these two would rather stick with her than a more generous master.

I think Lu Shan's more giving in more important ways than wealth anyways.

When we arrive to the kitchens it's a mess. A hustling bustling mess. Don't get me wrong it's an organized mess, with people running back and forth washing, peeling, prepping and cooking various dishes.

A heavy set old woman cracks and slices a whole pigs thigh with a force that makes the table shake. Occasionally she barks out orders at the cooks and aids around, as if she has eyes on the back of her head.

"We've brought back the food boxes. Thank you for the meal!"

"Um Ms Doctor En Lie is here to give her greeting."

At that the old woman finally looks up and I truly notice her age It's true that people age differently with hard work but from the harsh lines on her face and an eye starting to clouds with cataracts, I can tell this woman has did not age unnecessarily. She's truly a stubborn old lady. What a survivor.

"So this is the woman. Hmmpf doesn't look like a doctor at all."

"I suppose not, I don't even know what doctors are supposed to look like here?"

"Hmmpf"

Play it cool Emily this is not the first or last old grumpy lady you will ever have to deal with.

"Greetings, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'll be acting as a medical professional and doctor to the people of the house while I'm here. I hope we get along."

"And?"

"And…thank you for the delicious food! I really enjoyed it."

The old woman, aunt Heng as they call it stares at me with an unimpressed glare. Ah I get it I get it, just spit it out already What is it that I want to say. What an experienced old lady.

Well she's the head cook to a big brothel house for who knows how long. What can get pass her?

"It is not just empty praises. The food truly was fresh and nutritious. Please continue to send quality items, our Lu Sham is recovering from just giving birth and she needs a balance of nutrients. Surely a veteran of the kitchens such as yourself know some recipes for such

"I won't starve her if that's what you trying on askin."

"I wouldn't go…that far?"

"I can see you eyeing this meat here."

Not really, I was more in awe how you managed to smash all those pork bones so vigorously. This old woman is strong; to be smacked by her must really hurt.

"You're new here so I'll be nice and say it once. Fancy smancy quack doctor or whatever you are, Lu Shan be a workin girl here and will be treated as such. I won't starve a woman with child but this ere good stuff is for the guests who pay for it!"

Oh well that makes sense! Her accent is rough but I can understand clearly like this. Meat must be more expensive and for course the good things are served to guest for a better profit.

"Oh I see! But isn't there some way to include better rounded nutrients in Lu Shan's case?"

"She'll get it like everyone else here! When she be back to working the floor she can taste the good stuff again."

"She's just give birth though."

"Are yee deaf? Didn't you hear what I just er said?!"

I'm getting real tired of playing nice here you hag.

"She's been pregnant and just gave birth, she can't work! Without adequate food and nutrition she won't be working for even longer."

"Well then she will have to do it just like everyone else here then."

Just when I'm about to argue back she holds out her hand slightly and makes that universal hand gesture.

Money

Fuck shit they do bribes here. If there's one thing that's constant through time and space it's that we all revolve around money.

"Funny ….I thought you just said the good things were for the guests?"

"They are, there's never enough of the good stuff to go around here. I already have you a god egg today, what more do ya want? Even I don't get to be eatin it all days!"

Knowing Lu Shan's saving habits she hasn't been giving the kitchens or anyone in fact any bonuses or bribes. I don't know if she realizes it but it's affecting her quality of life here. But it's not like I can just pay her bribes for her, I'm not filthy rich. I don't even have money in this world- wait.

"Speaking plainly Aunt Heng, because speaking around isn't my strong suit either. That's all I need to feed our Lu Shan better, right?"

"Depends. Can't make something out of nothing."

"And if I don't have money?"

"Gmmpf, what you standing around wasting my time fer den?! Scram!"

"But I can pay in other ways? Something for the something?"

"Didn't I tell ya to scram, I'm busy here. Show me what you got and then you can talk!"

The time on my phone can't be far past 8pm. The grocery stores are all still open right now. I can't help the smug smile growing on my face.

"Could I borrow a basket then?"

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