"I admit, our Demon Slayer Team still has many shortcomings, but we also have our supporters. Those who we have saved from Evil Spirits will acknowledge our existence and assist us... In fact, this ti, we got the news from one of these assistants. If you have a better solution... we are willing to listen."
"Alright, it seems you guys aren’t just a makeshift team after all."
Hearing this, Duanmu Huai felt sowhat more comfortable.
"Of course, I have a better way, but..."
"But?"
"You will reimburse, right."
"... Reimburse?"
Yoshiwara red-light district.
A Night City entwined with the vanity, desire, love, and hate of n and won.
Here, n and won seek amusent, and countless shops extract money from this happiness.
However, where there are victors, there are losers.
"Sir, are you serious?"
The man sitting in front of Duanmu Huai is the owner of one of the courtesan houses in Yoshiwara, "Takase House". This was a well-known Courtesan House in Yoshiwara once, but with the disappearance of its fad Oiran — Caidie Taifu, Takase House’s business plumted, and now it’s even on... the verge of closing down, to put it in modern terms.
And Duanmu Huai’s purpose here is... investnt, stakes, becoming a shareholder of Takase House.
Of course, this era doesn’t have such terminology, but the aning is clear.
"That’s right."
Duanmu Huai waved his hand, staring at the man kneeling before him. He found this shop through a so-called "assistant" from the Demon Slayer Team. After all, the Demon Slayer Team hunts Evil Spirits and has saved many people, including quite a few middle-class rchants, who in turn assist the Demon Slayer Team within their capacity.
This ti, Duanmu Huai found the owner of Takase House by inquiring through these assistants of the Demon Slayer Team.
"My father was once cared for by Takase House, and I can’t bear to see this renowned establishnt withdraw from Yoshiwara, so I’m willing to put forth money to revive Takase House. However, I also have my business to attend to, and you’re far more familiar with Yoshiwara than I am, so I hope you can continue to sustain Takase House."
"Oh, oh, oh..."
Upon hearing Duanmu Huai’s words, the man was moved to tears, pressing his forehead against the tatami.
"Thank you, sir, thank you, I will surely repay your kindness..."
"Hmm..."
Duanmu Huai nodded. At this mont, he naturally disguised himself, wearing attire fitting of this era, along with a wig, posing as a wealthy rchant’s son returning from overseas studies.
As for the money to be used... surely the Demon Slayer Team will reimburse him.
Otherwise, would Duanmu Huai have to pay out of his own pocket?
Places like the lower layers of Hive City and brothels are actually semi-closed venues like shopping streets, with a relatively fixed flow of clientele, familiar with each other. Conversely, breaking into these circles isn’t easy, especially when the Demon Slayer Team didn’t previously have a continuous insider network, aning Duanmu Huai has to establish it.
Thus, the best approach is to have locals who are familiar with the area provide and explore information, while he simply screens it. To achieve this, the crucial part is to turn the other party into a shared-interest community.
Managing a courtesan house incurs significant expenses. Besides the courtesans as ’commodities’, there’s also the ’Supervisor’ caring for and serving the Courtesans, ’Supervisor’ overseeing the Courtesans and Supervisors, ’brothel’ luring guests at the entrance, ’Young Man’ cleaning rooms or dealing with drunk guests while acting as bodyguards, chefs preparing als, bathhouse guards responsible for heating water for Courtesans, and even a sleepless watch set for notifying Courtesans about tis and providing lamp oil for rooms.
Arguably, the cost of managing a Courtesan House is decidedly high, even more so than running a simple inn. The main attraction of a Courtesan House is its Courtesans, and without an attractive lead Courtesan, the rest of the Courtesan House becos a pure loss.
Just like hotels unable to operate during a pandemic, only spending and not earning, with no visitors, closure is inevitable in due ti.
Takase House’s current problem lies here; losing its lead Oiran, without enough newcors to hold ground, it’s falling behind other shops, close to shutting down.
And that’s when Duanmu Huai descended like a savior, bringing them a glimr of hope.
Of course, Duanmu Huai isn’t planning to sponsor them indefinitely, but will help Takase House survive this period. Once they cultivate new lead Courtesans, they can regain their footing, once cash flow returns, the problem resolves.
Yet, the owner remains deeply grateful to Duanmu Huai, for offering help where it’s needed most.
While cultivating new lead Courtesans would solve the issue, it’s no easy feat, and if they can’t sustain till then, there won’t be any follow-up.
Yet the money spent isn’t in vain.
"Actually, I have a small request."
"Oh?"
"I hope you can conceal my identity, and here I would work as a Young Man."
"This is... why?"
Admittedly, Duanmu Huai’s request left the owner rather puzzled.
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