I'm not so sure. for higher ranking courtesans, if you better than your peers in the 5 arts, you were raised to sell your talents. they become flowers that can tide a hefy sum with their virginity when time comes. she's beautiful and strong in the red light, and compared to the less diligent, then that would be when they would have to sell their bodies to make ends meets. higher rank courtesans were on par with noble women, but act more as an exotic variety