A moment later, a woman with a smile on her face came running over.
“My dear daughter, if you have anything to discuss with your mother,” she said, pressing Meiyu, who was carrying her luggage, into a chair. “Sit down, let’s talk slowly. We can’t tire you out.”
This is a gold mine!
Based on the market prices of previous years, it would cost at least 30,000 to 50,000 taels.
This income is more than Yimanlou's income over three years. Even if Feihualou takes 20%, it's still quite a lot.
Tsk tsk, courtesans are definitely more profitable. Keeping one is more lucrative than keeping a hundred ordinary women.
Thinking of the money that was about to be deposited into her account, Mom smiled like a chrysanthemum, her eyes practically disappearing from her teeth.
“Mom,” Meiyu nodded, then asked softly, “Do you still want Meiyu?”
"Of course Mom wants it," the madam's eyes darkened briefly before quickly regaining their composure. "You're my precious little darling, but as girls grow up, they'll eventually have their own paths to follow. We mothers shouldn't hold them back, can we?"
The madam did not want to offend Meiyu.
Now that Meiyu has become the most beautiful courtesan, she might just end up in the inner quarters of a household that no one can afford to offend.
Although they made some connections while working in the sex trade, few people looked up to them because of their lowly status.
Many people are not people that the small Yimanlou can afford to offend.
“How can it be a delay?” Meiyu sighed softly. “Without my mother’s painstaking cultivation, Meiyu would not be where she is today.”
People like to hear nice things, and even if they know it's a lie, the madam still feels pleased, and the smile in her eyes becomes more sincere.
"It's good that my dear daughter has this intention. I don't want anything else, I just want you to be free from disasters and difficulties and to be safe and sound."
Chives can only be harvested when they are ripe, and cabbages can only be rooted up by pigs when they are fully grown.
That way, you'll have lots of money...
Once you enter the world of prostitution, you're stuck there for life. Without children, only a lot of money can bring you enough security.
Although you can't take anything with you when you're born or when you die, it's enough for you to live comfortably for the rest of your life.
As for what happens after death, I've done too many bad things, so I might as well enjoy myself while I'm alive and go to hell after I die.
Anyway, it's worth it!
"Mom, if Meiyu wants to stay, could you please take her in?"
Upon hearing this, the madam was greatly alarmed.
His small eyes scanned the surroundings sharply, and after finding no one, he lowered his voice and asked, "Is that really true?"
Of course she wanted to keep such a cash cow.
Fifty thousand taels of silver is a lot of money, but such a stunningly beautiful person no longer belongs to Deyilou. The building doesn't even have anyone to hold its own.
However, she dared not think that way.
According to the rules of the past century, a courtesan could retire from her lowly status and become a respectable woman, and even the government could not stop her.
It's always better to serve one person than a thousand. Everyone is eager to escape the brothel. If you coerce or entice someone to commit suicide, the whole brothel will be doomed if the authorities find out.
I haven't seen a single person who actively wanted to stay.
“Meiyu wouldn’t joke about this, but,” Meiyu changed the subject, “the premise is that Meiyu doesn’t do such dirty things.”
Upon hearing this, the madam became displeased.
"Serving a man is dirty? Have you ever seen a woman who doesn't serve a man? Does that mean all women in the world are dirty?"
As she spoke, her smile faded. "I really thought you were looking out for your mother. Turns out you just wanted to find a place where you didn't have to deal with men. Yimanlou is too small to accommodate a big shot like you."
"Mom, how could you say that? My young lady..."
"Qiuqing, shut up!" Meiyu scolded her maid before smiling and saying, "Mother, don't get angry. Let Meiyu explain in detail."
"You keep so many girls just to make more money. If Meiyu is sold and redeemed, you will only get this much money. Before, I knew how Meiyu was in the brothel. She wasn't exactly well-liked."
If I hadn't been so capable, I wouldn't have been able to win the title of courtesan, let alone save my life.
Sometimes, beauty is a powerful asset; other times, it can be a death sentence.
"Are you threatening me?" The madam's smile froze completely, and she spoke coldly, "Meiyu, I've always treated you well and given you everything you deserve. You can't blame me for the playful banter between you and your sisters."
This little vixen only suffered some hardship when she first entered Yimanlou. After she humbled herself, I put a lot of effort into nurturing her.
It's unreasonable to bring up old grievances now.
If she weren't so arrogant, she wouldn't have suffered so much just because of that face.
He's been in the brothel for seven or eight years, what's with all the arrogance? Apart from not having his body defiled, how is he any different from the other girls in the brothel?
“It’s not a threat. Meiyu never intends to threaten anyone,” Meiyu said after sizing up the madam. “As the saying goes, business is business, but morality is. No matter how much you do, it’s all for money. As long as there’s money in the account, why should you care about anything else?”
“That makes sense,” the madam sneered, “but those men aren’t fools. They won’t waste their money on people they can’t benefit from.”
If it's not your own property, who would be willing to spend so much money?
“Making money is Meiyu’s business. If Meiyu dares to promise it, she must be confident,” she raised her eyebrows and slowly said, “If Meiyu guarantees that Yimanlou will earn no less than 30,000 taels of silver every year, would you dare to promise Meiyu that, Mother?”
"Can you really do it?" The madam was full of doubt. "Meiyu, let me tell you from my own experience, if you want to earn money without selling your body, that's just wishful thinking."
Entering a brothel and still wanting to be high-minded? Do you think everyone in the world is a fool?
“If Mother doesn’t believe me, let’s sign a contract. Starting today, Meiyu will have to earn 30,000 taels for Yimanlou every year for a period of five years.”
"Only five years?" the madam said, somewhat displeased. "That's far too short."
“Mom, you, as an elder who has experienced many hardships, should know better than Meiyu what the consequences of greed will be.”
When she said this, Meiyu's tone already carried a hint of warning.
The person in front of her wasn't her only option, but this was the shortest route, and she didn't want to cause herself any trouble.
If this path is blocked, she can go to Jing Hong at Fei Hua Lou.
At the very least, you can at least feign compliance first.
Her gentle yet cold tone completely pulled the madam out of her dissatisfaction.
This woman has become the most beautiful courtesan, achieving great success. With just a flick of her finger, high-ranking officials and nobles flock to her.
Indeed, she was not someone a mere brothel madam could afford to offend.
"Mother misspoke," the madam lightly slapped her mouth and said ingratiatingly, "My dear daughter, what will you say five years from now?"
Meiyu is now sixteen years old, and in five years she will be just over twenty. When she is in her prime, this delicate flower can probably bloom for a few more years.
The madam certainly didn't want to let such a lucrative opportunity slip by.
“This has nothing to do with Mother,” Meiyu said slowly, swinging her beautiful long legs. “Before the flower-picking game ends, Meiyu hopes that Mother will cancel my indenture and change me to a free person, otherwise…”
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com