Kusuriya no Hitorigoto Chapter 26

The prostitution quarter she repeatedly mentioned she wanted to return to wasn't that far away.

The prostitution quarter was opposite to the Imperial Court. If you cross over the high wall and deep moat, it was within walking distance.

(Even though it's a luxury to go by horse carriage)

Rihaku, the big man sitting beside her, was humming along as he held onto the horse's reins.

So he could meet the prostitutes he yearned for, was it that sort of thing?

Those you call prostitutes should not be all counted as the same.

Only those called favourites get a lot of customers. Their value increases because of that.

Just drinking a cup of tea with them will cost silvers. The price is even more unreasonable for sleeping and the like.

There are even those among the town girls who admire that and knock on the gates of the red-light district. Even though those that become that are few in between.

The Rokushoukan is well-established even within the royal capital's prostitution quarter. It holds a selection of middle to the highest-class prostitutes.
The ones who Maomao call Older Sisters were among the highest-class.

She could see nostalgic scenery from the noisily rocking horse carriage.
The fragrant aroma from the shop of the kushiyaki she wanted to eat spread across the street. [T/N: grilled meat and vegetable skewers] Willow trees swayed along the waterway. The voices of firewood vendors rose.

When they passed through the magnificent gate, a world covered in rich colours spreaded out.
It was still daytime. There were few people walking about, but prostitutes with free time waved their hands over the handrails on the second floor.

The horse carriage stopped in front of the roukaku with a conspicuous large gate. [T/N: a multi-storied building, like a pagoda]

Maomao rushed over to the old woman standing by the entrance the moment she lightly descended from the horse carriage.

"It's been a while, grandma."

She said that to the skinny woman who was biting on a pipe. A long time ago, she had been a prostitute said to have pearl tears. Nowadays, she became like a dead tree, those tears dried up completely. She also refused her redeeming, and continued to work even after her term of service ended. Now, she became a madam who everyone was afraid of. Time was cruel.

"What is this, it's has been a while. You foolish girl."

A shock ran through the pit of her stomach.

How many times in the past did she vomit back out excessive poison like this?

Rihaku, who was a good person at heart, stroked Maomao's back while not understanding what was going on.
His face said, "The hell is this hag?"

She covered the polluted ground with dirt using her toes.
Rihaku, who was next to her, looked at Maomao in concern.

"Hmm, is this the honoured guest?"

She appraised Rihaku with her eyes.
The horse carriage was entrusted to the shop's manservant.

"Good physique. Looks are also handsome. Doesn't he look like the promotion stock that people are saying?"

"Grandma, what are you trying by saying that in front of the person?"

The madam feigned ignorance and called for the kamuro who was sweeping before the gate. [T/N: young girls who acted as assistance to prostitutes.]

"Call for Pairin. Today, we grind tea." [T/N: turning tea into powder, like how you would prepare matcha powder."

"Pairin…."

Rihaku swallowed audibly.

That was the prostitute whose name was known as a talented dancer.

For the sake of Rihaku's honour, it should be said that this isn't a simple lust for a simple prostitute, but rather thoughts of longing.
It was an honour for him, even if it's just sitting together for tea, to meet the idol from above the clouds with his own eyes.

(Pairin huh, it might possibly be possible.)

"Rihaku-sama."

Maomao nudged the large man who was engrossed in his thoughts.

"Do you have confidence on your biceps?"

"I train my body but I'm not too sure?"

"Is that so. Please do it well."

The large man, his head tilted, left following the little girl.

Maomao was grateful that he bought her along up to this point. Of course, she meant to give back something suitable in return.
That dream of one night would become memory of a lifetime.

"Maomao."

The owner of the hoarse voice made a terrifying smile.

"You disappeared without no contact for ten months."

"It can't be helped. I was working in the Inner Palace."

The general explanation was written up on the wooden slip.

"Although I'll reject at a glance, I'll look after them just this time."

"I know already."

She took out a bag from her bosom.

It was half the wages she earned from the Inner Palace up until now.

"This much, wouldn't be enough."

"Of course not, I didn't think you would call out Pairin-neechan." [T/N: using neechan (older sister) because it was labelled like that a couple of chapters back. She is actually referred to as 小姐, a Chinese title for Miss.]

She had bought enough money expecting a night of blissful dream with high-class prostitute.
Even Rihaku would be satisfied with just a glance of the Three Princesses.

"Would that just barely be insufficient for a seat for tea?"

"Fool. With that physical strength, there's no way Pairin would do nothing."

(I knew it.)

Though it can be said that the highest-class prostitutes don't sell their body, it doesn't mean that they won't fall in love.

"That would be what they call an act of god…."

"Don't be silly. I'll put it properly in on your tab."

"I said I can't pay for it."

(Even if I add in the rest it won't be enough. No matter how I think.)

Maomao was deep in thought.
No matter she looked at it, it's a commitment.

"What are you saying, at worse you can just use your body for pay for it. You'll just be transferred from the emperor to a brothel; it won't be any different. There are dilettantes who are fond of even damaged goods like you."

For these couple of years, the hag has been excessively recommending Maomao to become a prostitute. She, who had devoted her entire life to the prostitution quarter, had never though that prostitution was a misfortunate career.

"I still have one year left to my term of service though."

"In that case, steadily send forth the honoured guests. Not old geezers, but those we can moderately exploit for a long time like the one just then."

(Umm. As I though, he's being exploited.)

The greedy hag only thinks about money.
The idea of selling her body was already passed, so she must moderately send in sacrifices hereafter.

(Could even a eunuch be a customer?)

Though Jishin's face rose to her head, that was no good.
The prostitutes would become serious and might break the store, so that idea was rejected.

Nonetheless, it feels bad if it were Gaoshun or the shrub doctor. It would be hard to get the madam to exploit them.

It was truly inconvenient to not have a rendezvous point.

"Maomao, the geezer should be home right now, so hurry up and go."

"Aahh, I will."

Even if she thought deeply, she had no solution at present.

Maomao escaped though the side road of the Rokushoukan.

The prostitution quarter suddenly became desolate the moment she came out from one street.
Rows of shacks, beggars collecting coins with chipped bowls, there were also streetwalkers with syphilis scars.

One of the dilapidated shacks was Maomao's home.

In the narrow house which only had two rooms of dirt floor, there was a person using the mortar, hunched over.
Carved with deep wrinkles, soft features, a man who like an old woman.

"I'm back. Dad."

"Hey, you're late."

He greeted her other normally and stumbled off to prepare tea as if nothing happened.

She told him bit by bit of everything that happened until now, and her dad only replied with sounds of listening.

After she had porridge, which had an enormously increased portion of medicinal herbs and tubers, as dinner, she decided to sleep. She will take a bath from the hot water she received from the Rokushoukan tomorrow.

She curled up in a simple bed that was just a straw mat laid out on the dirt floor.
Her dad piled clothes on her from above, and grinded the mortar tirelessly like a stove fire.

"The Inner Palace huh. It must be fate."

The words her father muttered disappeared amid her sleepiness.

Chapter end

Report