Chapter 744: What Is Status?
“Give her a t.i.tle. At least let people know that you want to honor the mother of your child. At the very least, have the n.o.bles show her respect.”
Gu Bailu knew that it was difficult in a short period of time to get rid of the ingrained concept of slavery in Heavenly Wind Empire. Unless it was because Lu Fenying loved Qian’er so much that he couldn’t give her up, Qian’er should get the respect she deserved.
In this matter, Gu Bailu could only help Qian’er obtain a status that no one could take advantage of.
So that she could live a life with her head lifted up.
So that the baby could live with a little more respect.
Lu Fenying had never considered this matter. He only knew that it was his flesh and blood, his child, and n.o.body would dare be rude to him.
But he then recalled what Mo Qian’er said to him last night.
She said that she had no status and was just a slave; she was as lowly as a prost.i.tute.
Since she served him, he could perhaps give her an ident.i.ty so that she didn’t feel like she was a prost.i.tute.
“What respect?”
He couldn’t give Mo Qian’er much. She was a slave, and the slave mark couldn’t be undone for the rest of her life. If he insisted on honoring her, the n.o.ble families would become very annoying.
“Marry her, of course. Don’t tell me you can’t give the woman who will bear you a royal heir the status of a proper wife?” Gu Bailu said, as if it was a matter of course.
Lu Fenying, however, frowned as if he had just heard something ridiculous. “Princess Zi, are you joking?”
Mo Qian’er was just a slave. How could she become a royal consort? The royal consort would be the mother of the country in the future, and her ident.i.ty dictated that she couldn’t take this position.
“I’m serious.” Gu Bailu looked at him calmly.
Of course she knew it was impossible, but the first demand in a negotiation had to be a high enough condition to intimidate the other side, to prevent them from thinking it would be an easy discussion and that you would accept whatever random terms they put forward.
“That’s impossible. At most, she’ll be a concubine.” Lu Fenying refused.
According to the rules of Heavenly Wind Empire, the crown prince could have one royal consort, four wives, and countless concubines.
The t.i.tle of a concubine would be nothing more than acknowledging that Qian’er was his woman and not just a slave.
It gave her the right to carry his baby.
It actually didn’t give her any honor at all.
Gu Bailu smiled. “It seems Your Highness isn’t sincere. A concubine doesn’t even have the qualifications to raise her own child. You’re going to let Qian’er be wronged like this?”
Lu Fenying didn’t think it was a big deal. “Her ident.i.ty is just a t.i.tle. What’s the point of haggling so much? Who can do anything to her with me around?”
Gu Bailu smiled mockingly. “Ask yourself honestly, hasn’t Qian’er been bullied enough? What scar on her body wasn’t caused by her ident.i.ty? If the crown prince is so stingy with giving your woman an ident.i.ty, then there’s nothing to discuss. I will never let Qian’er go back with you to be beaten and cursed, or to not even be able to keep her child after it’s born.”
Gu Bailu stood up. “Please go back, Your Highness.”
“Wait, I will take Qian’er back with me.” Lu Fenying was very certain and firm on this point.
Gu Bailu sneered. “So, you would rather fight Prince Zi than give Qian’er an ident.i.ty?”
“Of course not.” Lu Fenying simply felt that a t.i.tle wasn’t a big deal.
Even as a maid, Mo Qian’er had the best food and clothes, and she was even the only one to sleep in his bed.
This was all honor and favor. Many people couldn’t even ask for this, so why should she care about status?