In Season 2 of The White Lotus, one of the main subplots involves a local hustler Lucia in Sicily, who by the finale, manages to finagle 50,000 euros from a naive young tourist to “save her” from her supposed pimp (a friend of Lucia pretending to threaten her) - a return on investment far greater that any hourly rates at play!
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Lucia and her mark, Albie
This section of the 嫖賭機關 discusses eight types of hustles that Ming courtesans may have run - written as a warning to potential patrons of the brothel. Each of these begins first with the hustle told from the perspective of the courtesan, and then ends with some meta-commentary from the author.
(一)起掇脫法 The Missing Gift
識破你是個水茄，遂生出活套之法。説：“有一遠客宿了四五夜，會早辭我，束裝回家。謝儀我籠袖中，遇着客來戲耍，不知失落何處。怎當媽媽打罵？望你代還，另日補謝。”
這筆帳，上在何人名下？咨嗟！假説禇回子不在，拿住烧䆙的回話。
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(一)起掇脫法
“Having identified you as an easy mark, I devise a clever scheme.
I tell you that a traveler from afar stayed four or five nights, and packed up and left early this morning. He gave me a gift that I tucked into my sleeve, but when other guests came and went, I somehow lost it and don’t know where it is. The madam will surely scold and beat me when she finds out, how can I bear it? I hope you can cover it for me, and I’ll repay you another day. ”
Whose account should this debt be charged to? Ah! If no one is here to speak reason, then seize upon the brothel-frequenter’s response.
The “gift” here given by the traveler is likely money, but could be other valuables, somewhat akin to a tip. The implication is that the madam must know about the gift or expects these “tips” to be shared with the top of the house.
As for the response, it’s also ambiguous whether the brothel-frequenter does cover the cost of the gift or refuses - the narrator suggests or says that the courtesan will seize upon his response (if positive) for future hustles.
(二)失落脱法 The Lost Hairpin
参透你是個私呱。猛可的就生支㲼。昨晚送你，昏黑歸家。吊落金簪一根。不敢回見媽媽，專等你来。再無別話。或換見成或照樣打千萬作速些。怕他一時查。聽他這話是真是假。真也貼他，假也賠他。
除非不上他門終罷。咨嗟！楚國不會忘依邻木到賣了招駕。
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(二)失落脱法
“Seeing that you’re a quiet fellow, a sudden scheme sprang to my mind.
Last night when I saw you off, I returned home in the dark and lost a single gold hairpin; I dare not face the madam again without it, so I’ve been waiting for you, and there’s nothing else to discuss. You must replace it with a similar one, or have one made exactly like it, whatever you do, do it quickly! I’m afraid she’ll check any moment now. You’ll have to abide by what she says about the pin, if she says it’s real, give it to her, if she says it’s a forgery, reimburse her for the cost.”
You can hardly refuse if you ever want to return to this brothel. Ah! A favor done will be remembered, even if it costs you dearly.
As with the first one, this also begins with the courtesan identifying a target based on some aspect that makes them more susceptible - in this one, a quiet or introverted patron less likely to loudly object.
Whether the pin in question actually was lost or not is irrelevant, as the narrator notes, this is really a question of whether the patron wants to see this courtesan again.
(三)騙拐脫法 The Disappearing Silk
認殺是個利巴。半江中就找鷹架。前日有一朋友，送我兩匹雲紗。昨叫針工裁剪，做不完，帶回家。今早去討，尋他不着。煩你替我查。根間怎會話？受氣何時了？空交淚如麻。
聽得說，心中油火兼加。那顧得不從容？那顧得當借？咨嗟！沒影兒，怎尋他？咨嗟！精皮庸，安忍打？
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(三)騙拐脫法
Having identified you as a gullible dupe, I set up a scheme right in the middle of events.
“A few days, a friend gave me two bolts of fine silk. Yesterday I had a tailor cut and sew it, but he didn’t finish it, so he took it home. This morning I went to retrieve it, but he’s nowhere to be found. Could you please help me track him down? What can I even say in the meantime? When will these trials end? My tears won’t stop.”
Hearing this story, anyone would be rightfully furious (with this unscrupulous merchant). How could one possibly stay composed? But how could one possibly find (the silk)?
Alas! There’s no trace of him, how can this person be found? Alas! I am a worthless scoundrel, how could I bear to see her beaten?
While the story here is straightforward, the commentary is ambiguous as to who is thinking what, and who it’s directed at, especially the last sentence exclaiming about a worthless scoundrel/rogue, and asking how one could bear to strike (or witness someone being hit. I’ve added an interpretation that logically aligns with the story above, but may not be the author’s intention.
(四)解債脫法 Borrowing to Repay a Debt
瞷得你是個雏家，石板上就去裁花。說我家中空乏，將我抵當李媽。負他銀子幾兩，約至如今還他。坐此逼討，百般打罵。若無銀，交我隨他。我與你，怎生丟下。明日那借湊合，倘以望兄招駕。
晋得青山常在，何愁草木無花。你要奪趣，好不鷹他。咨嗟！李媽還過幾遍，借劵還在他家。
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(四)解債脫法
“I can tell you’re a hopeless romantic - someone who’d try to carve flowers on a stone slab.
So I tell you: "My family is destitute. I was sold to Madam Li to repay a debt. I owe her several taels of silver, and by now the time has come to repay her. She presses me for payment constantly, tormenting with beatings and abuse. If I have no silver, she’ll sell me to someone else. What am I to do? Please don’t abandon me! Tomorrow, try to borrow and scrape together the sum. I look to you, my benefactor, to come to my rescue.”
But as long as the green hills remain, one need not worry that flowers will disappear. If you want to seize the moment and please her, well, go ahead, but why go to such lengths? Alas! Madam Li has already been repaid several times over - yet the promissory note remains in her desk.
This one is almost play-by-play the same one in the White Lotus, where Lucia begs for the 50,000 euros to pay off her old boyfriend/pimp. Of course, she ghosts the tourist after she gets the money, but that would be more difficult for a Ming courtesan to pull off. Likely she explains this afterwards by her continued presence: “see? she didn’t sell me off to someone else, I’m still here but independent!” or some other variation.
The language in this one is also a bit more flowery than the previous ones, with the narrator almost wistful: “well, you can do it if you really want to, but why spend so much money here?” - and the last sentence could be a closing scene of a movie, Madam Li putting the (unpaid) promissory note back into her drawer.
(五)生辰脫法 The Monthly Birthday
知你惛迷。假說媽媽生日，眾姊妹各其賀禮。我將何以為題交遊未必相休。伏乞維持，替我買䏈首帕。替我打對盖指，兄禮折乾。厚薄隨你一則足下風光。二則賤妾㣲意思知。
這話儿个个都知。思知。論生辰月月有的。
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(五)生辰脫法
“Knowing that you are easily fooled, I will falsely say that it is the madam’s birthday. All the sisters are preparing congratulatory gifts for her. What excuse shall I use if I have nothing to give? My companions will surely not let the matter rest. I humbly beg you to help me, buy me a pair of embroidered handkerchiefs, and have a pair of ring-shaped ornaments made for me. As for your gift, you may give cash instead, whether generous or modest: it’s up to you. On one hand, it will show you off; on the other, it will be a small token of my affection.”
Everyone has heard these words. Think it over. These birthdays come every single month.
This should be a familiar one because micro versions of this are still present in modern life. Who hasn’t told their restaurant that it’s actually their birthday for a free dessert and perhaps an awkward rendition of Happy Birthday by the staff?
The key thing to note here is that this is known to both courtesan and patron - the madam’s birthday is the excuse, but it really is just about the willingness of the patron to give, and to pretend to not remember the birthday already happened next month when asked again.
(六)上頭脫法 An Ever-Blooming Flower
見你撒漫。故意就要上頭。你既與他交好，怎做得個白客。打簪字，抽鬏髻，備首餙，做衣服。粧扮得十分迤逗。稍刷得百樣風流純是內家粧束。
只怕的不長久。思知。到一處上一次頭。思知。離一䖏, 梳一次鬏。
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(六)上頭脫法
Seeing that you spend money wantonly, I entice you into arranging a deflowering ceremony. Since you have good feelings towards me, how can you be just a “free guest”?
Engrave new hairpins. Style her hair into a bun. Prepare her headdress. Sew new clothes. Adorn her until she is full of charm and allure. When she is finished she will look a hundred times more captivating, in the style of a proper lady from a good family.
The only fear is that the feeling will not last long. Think it over, each time you go to a new place, she will style her hair again once more. Think it over, each time you leave this place, she will bloom once again.
This section references a common brothel ceremony, 梳笼, or deflowering, for new and young courtesans. The cost to the patron is high, and includes paying for all of the new jewelry, adornments, and clothes, as described above. It is likely that many brothels of the time would host such a ceremony for a young courtesan multiple times over with different patrons - in fact, this exact circumstance is a plot point in The Plum in the Golden Vase 金瓶梅. In Chapter 11, the main character Ximen Qing is enamored with a courtesan Li Guijie, and sends lavish gifts for the deflowering ceremony. In Chapter 20, while visiting the same brothel, he happens to observe the madam hosting the same ceremony with Li Guijie for an out-of-towner and crashes out, starting to overturn tables and smash vases.
(七)贖身脫法 Paying a Ransom
因你着意，做個順水遊魚。說我在他家。賽過搖錢樹。忒交好討便宜。我欲別做道理。起初過继，能有幾許。兄可替我措處。將我贖出身取掙了還你。你道何如？
思知。渡人橋，過即折因。思知。意蓬風，那裡尋你。
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(七)贖身脫法
“Because I can see how devoted you are to me, I shall go along with the current like a fish. I say that in this brothel, I am a money-tree, but the madam has only eyes for short-term and cheap gains. I want to find another way. When I was taken in, they only paid a small amount for me, but now it will cost much more to redeem me. My benefactor, can you arrange to raise the money for me? Ransom me, and buy me out of this life! Once I am free, I will earn it back and repay you. What say you?”
Think it over: a temporary bridge - once crossed, it gets torn down.
Think it over: a woman who drifts with the wind - once gone, will you ever find her again?
This one is a big one and I was surprised that it wasn’t last on the list. Unlike many of the others, which may tacitly have support from the madam, this one may not have the madam’s support (case by case basis I suppose). Con someone into paying for your freedom, and then ghost. While it’s not to say that some courtesans didn’t end up staying with whoever paid their redemption fee, the commentary definitely makes clear that some of them quickly disappeared with their new freedom.
(八)人手脫法 Extrication via the help of others
視你容易。做個節外生枝，說我獨樹無林。難以撐持，欲尋接脚。替我奔驰，我得偷空。專身陪你，典當只好一半。其餘望兄周之照月定加利息。生死决不負你。
思知。借與他，就是他的。思知。復其齒，難為起齒。
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(八)人手脫法
“Seeing that you are easy to manipulate, I create some unexpected complications. I say: ‘I am like a single tree without a forest—hard to support myself. I want to find a someone who can help take my place and run around on my behalf. Then I can steal some free time to be with you, both body and soul.’
‘If I pawn things, I can only get half the money I need. For the rest, I look to you, benefactor, to help me out. At the end of the month I will add interest. In life or death, I will never let you down.’”
Think it over: Lend it to her, and it becomes hers.
Think it over: Once a tooth is lost, it’s hard to grow another.
This one likely should be read as a similar one to the previous entry - seeking a large sum of money for a major purpose. Here I speculate that it may be about finding a replacement as the courtesan may be aging. While other sections talked about repayment, this one explicitly frames the transaction as a loan, to be repaid “with interest”. However, as the narrator notes, once the money is given over, it’s no longer yours and you likely won’t see it back.
My thought is that these “hustles” end up accounting for a significant chunk of all spending done through the brothel during this period. Specific ones like the “deflowering ceremony” were lavish and must have cost significant sums, especially as described in Plum in the Golden Vase. As it likely was seen as a party foul to bring out a bill or an invoice in the middle of festivities, payment was done afterwards, and sometimes became difficult and had to involve debt collectors; thus, “gifts” were even more sought after due to their immediacy and cohesion with the happy atmosphere the brothel sought to create.