My Aloof Lord Ex-Husband Begs for Remarriage
Chapter 446: Raising to Equal-status Wife

Chapter 446: Chapter 446: Raising to Equal-status Wife

"Mother hasn’t held a child in a long time, I’m afraid she might be out of practice."

Lin Fuying suddenly spoke up from the side, "Just don’t drop my little brother!"

"Yingying is right, you haven’t taken care of a child for a long time, it’s better not to hold him yet."

When the Prime Minister heard her words, he nodded in strong agreement.

"I called you over because there is something I need to discuss with you."

He said he wanted to discuss, but the tone of his voice didn’t sound like he was in the mood for discussion.

"Please speak, my lord."

The Prime Minister’s wife had not yet realized anything amiss, but Lin Xuanxuan beside her had already faintly sensed something wrong.

She always felt that the words her father was about to say would definitely not be pleasant.

"This is what I think: Yunniang has now safely given birth to a child, and this child is the only successor to the Prime Minister Residence; his status must not be too low. Yunniang comes from a maid’s background, and having such a birth mother would certainly not benefit his career."

The Prime Minister said a lot before finally getting to the point.

"I’m thinking of promoting Yunniang to be my wife; what are your thoughts on this?"

"What?"

Even the usually composed Prime Minister’s wife was somewhat taken aback at this moment.

She truly hadn’t expected that the Prime Minister had called her over to discuss such a matter.

It’s important to know that, among noble families, the status of a wife is extraordinarily significant.

It was not as the Prime Minister had put it—simply having the Prime Minister’s wife nod in agreement and all would be well.

"But my lord, if you do this, should word get out, wouldn’t others speculate that your consort has behaved improperly?"

Moreover, the one being unexpectedly promoted was a former maid.

If those noble matrons knew that a maid could sit on an equal level with them, wouldn’t that be a disgrace to the Prime Minister Residence?

"So you’re saying," the Prime Minister frowned directly, "I’ve already said, she’ll just be promoted to wife status; you will still retain control of the household affairs. Isn’t that enough for you?"

"Exactly, Father is doing this for my little brother’s sake," said Lin Fuying with a look of triumph, which she quickly masked with her usual facade.

"I was laughed at by my peers for my birth since I was young, but I could bear that. If my little brother, when he enters the court as an official, can’t advance because of this kind of background, what then?"

At her words, the Prime Minister’s wife, previously hesitant, instantly became an utterly unforgivable character.

Needless to say, after so many years of subtle influences, the Prime Minister naturally found his wife less agreeable than Auntie Li, who was gentle and considerate, and at times even annoying.

The Prime Minister nodded along, "That’s exactly what I’m thinking. When the child grows up, the higher his position, the more you two can rely on, right?"

By ’you two,’ he naturally meant Lin Xuanxuan and Lin Fuying.

But Lin Xuanxuan would not be easily fooled by his words, "How far in the future are you talking about, Father? By the time he grows up, I might already be married and have children of my own. What need would I have for his support?"

Her words sounded rather unpleasant, but they were also the reality.

Lin Xuanxuan was already of age for more than three years, and Lin Fuying, only a few months younger, had become the concubine of the War King Residence.

To wait for this so-called little brother to grow up and achieve a name for himself, at least a decade must pass.

What the situation would be after a decade, who could know?

Lin Xuanxuan’s words also reminded the Prime Minister’s wife.

The wife of the Prime Minister forced a smile, "Yes, my lord, if you are concerned about this, why not register the child under my name? That way, we could claim he is legitimate, and wouldn’t that solve the problem?"

In fact, many main mistresses of major households would pick a child born to a concubine and raise them as their own if they had no children themselves.

The wife of the Prime Minister had considered doing so before, but since none of the other concubines in the Prime Minister Residence had been pregnant, she naturally had to abandon the idea.

"Wouldn’t that mean the auntie and her little brother would have to be separated?"

Lin Fuying, who was unwilling to give up so easily, continued to fan the flames under the guise of concern.

"Auntie risked her life to give birth to her brother, is the madam really going to be so heartless?"

Her words carried a clear double meaning.

It was as if what the Prime Minister’s wife suggested would cruelly tear apart Auntie Li and her child.

But if the child were raised in the Prime Minister Residence, wouldn’t Auntie Li still see him every day?

What’s the difference?

Lin Xuanxuan immediately grew even more furious, "What, after giving birth, should Auntie Li only lie in bed?"

"If she could come and pay her respects to her mother daily at the appointed time, wouldn’t she still see the child?"

Ever since Auntie Li got pregnant, Lin, the Prime Minister, had taken it upon himself to excuse her from her daily courtesy visits.

She had never seen any concubine in any household be so presumptuous.

"Shut up!"

The repeated defiance from Lin Xuanxuan was making it increasingly difficult for the Prime Minister to save face.

It was just about raising the status of a co-wife, as Yunniang said, it was all for the sake of the child, wasn’t it?

"Father tells me not to speak, but I insist on speaking!"

Lin Xuanxuan had made up her mind today: she would not let Lin Fuying and her daughter succeed.

Ignoring the interference from the Prime Minister’s wife, she blurted out, "Father, have you considered that Auntie Li comes from such a humble background that she doesn’t even qualify to be a concubine of rank, let alone be raised to the status of a co-wife?"

The fact Lin Xuanxuan spoke was indeed true, but in Lin Fuying’s view, it was nothing but outright contempt.

The resentful look in her eyes instantly grew more intense.

However, what could Lin Xuanxuan’s contempt do to them? Now that the Prime Minister had been thoroughly won over to her and her daughter’s side, it wouldn’t be long before the Prime Minister Residence had a second esteemed young mistress, in addition to Lin Xuanxuan.

Thinking about future outings, where the ladies of noble families who had looked down on her had to treat her with even more respect, Lin Fuying purposely imagined that her days ahead would be as comfortable as could be.

"Also, father, don’t forget, when grandmother was alive, among all the concubines in the residence, the one she disliked the most was this one. If father really raises her to the status of co-wife, would you not fear that grandmother might not be able to rest in peace even in the afterlife?"

The series of remarks by Lin Xuanxuan did indeed make the Prime Minister waver.

The matter of elevating someone to co-wife had only been brought up by Auntie Li after she had given birth.

Auntie Li and Lin Fuying had intentionally directed the issue towards the child, leading the Prime Minister to agree without giving it much thought.

In his mind, as long as it benefited his son, why shouldn’t he do it?

Even if it meant being unfair to his wedded wife.

"A humble origin isn’t the problem, I recall there is a distant relative in your maternal family, sharing the same surname as Yunniang. At that time, let them adopt Yunniang as their goddaughter, and wouldn’t that solve the issue of her status?"

The Prime Minister said this very casually, completely ignoring how humiliating this arrangement would be for the Prime Minister’s wife.