The Verdigris House

Overseer: The Madam

Province: Central Province

City: Royal Capital

The Verdigris House is a high-class brothel in the red-light district of Li’s capital. Managed by the Madam, it is the home of the famous Three Princesses and the birthplace of Maomao.

Personnel

The Verdigris House has managing staff, menservants, courtesans, and "kamuro”(child apprentices and attendants of courtesans).

The Madam

Ukyou (Head manservant)

The Three Princesses: Pairin, Meimei, and Joka)

Zulin’s older sister (Courtesan)

Zulin (Apprentice courtesan)

Fengxian (Courtesan, formerly)

Maomao (Pharmacist)

Kokuyou (Pharmacist)

Sazen (Apprentice pharmacist)

Luomen (Pharmacist, formerly)

Management

Although owned by the Owner (Okan-san), the Verdigris House is largely controlled by the Madam, a former high-ranked courtesan who manages the brothel with the maximum possible stinginess and casual ruthlessness. The brothel is also managed by the capable head manservant, Ukyo.

Because of the Madam's strict management, waste is strictly prohibited. Meals for the personnel usually consist of a single bowl of soup and sometimes a side dish. There are strict rules about how much hospitality is to be extended to visitors even on business. For example, Gaoshun is a highly regarded guest to be served with the finest glass china, while Lakan is to not be offered anything more than stale water in a chipped teacup. The same treatment extends to the courtesans, whose status corresponds to the size and floor of their room, with the largest third-floor rooms belonging to the highest-ranking courtesans. In contrast, she has a "discipline room" reserved for punishing courtesans. All punishments, such as an open-handed slap, specifically avoid harming the appearance of the courtesans. For example, Zulin’s older sister was taken to the discipline room after she helped a thief break into Joka’s room.

Courtesans

Like other brothels in the red-light district, the Verdigris House is rank-based where courtesans start at the lowest rank. The better their ability to entertain customers, the more their rank rises. The Verdigris House holds middle and high-class courtesans who entertain customers through a variety of fine arts or games such as dancing, singing, music playing, poetry, and Go and Shogi. They will also serve tea to customers. Most courtesans specialize in one or two specific areas, for example:

Fengxian: Board games (Go and Shogi) and singing

Pairin: Dancing

Meimei: Board games (Go and Shogi) and poetry

Joka: Poetry and music playing (Erhu)

The price of a visit from a courtesan varies based on the type of service and length of time. Merely having a cup of tea with a courtesan is far cheaper and staying an extended amount of time is more expensive. However, the rank of the courtesan is the highest factor: a low-ranked courtesan can be visited at a reasonable frequency and price. while the highest-ranked courtesan take very few visits each month and are nearly exclusively visited by wealthy officials, merchants or artisans. However, favors can be pulled in order to bypass payment; for example, Maomao was able to secure Lihaku a visit with Pairin in exchange for helping her visit the Verdigris House.

Courtesans may join the brothel as young adults. Because training and amenities take up time and money, courtesans owe the brothel a certain amount of money that is to be paid off through their service towards the brothel. Apprentices receive an initial training, then may receive further training based on their looks and the potential of their talents. Courtesans typically retire around the age of 30 before they lose their youth and beauty; however, there are notable exceptions: Pair