"Father!"

Meanwhile on the other end of the garden, closest to the royal family, Marquess Li sat with his wife, his eldest son and 3 daughters. He had told his daughters to prepare for the moon banquet and was confident that his eldest daughter, as usual, will outshine every maiden. He wanted to make sure the arrogant Duke would be stunned at the sight of his beautiful daughter - one he should have married. He had believed that once the Duke saw his most beautiful daughter, he will demand to have her.

It was the trap the Marquess had set up. He had purposely given the Duke the worst daughter in order to heighten the value of his best daughter. When the Marquess had to give up his yearly earning as a dowry, he had bigger plans. For his eldest daughter, the Marquess will demand gold and lands from the powerful Duke. It had been his goal - his scheme to teach the young man a lesson in arrogance while reaping the hefty profits. The Marquess thought his plan was sound.

"Father!"

No one had expected the delicate beauty beside Duke Haijin when he entered the garden. Even the Marquess had been struck hard by his supposed youngest daughter. The girl was indeed pale and white like he faintly remembered - but something was different. She wasn't dull or plain. The real problem is there's no way to compare her to his eldest. Their beauty was completely different. Yes, his eldest was beautiful - but the young woman there in jade green was breathtaking - the type of loveliness where you forget to breath if you look too long. How in the world did he not notice his youngest daughter if she looks like that? The Marquess bitterly realized that he had gifted a hidden treasure to the demon.

"Father!"

By now, every officials and nobles pitied Marquess Li while envying Duke Haijin. Everyone knew the Marquess had baited the young Duke into marriage. Everyone had believed something was wrong with the Marquess' fourth daughter when he practically sold her to the Duke. But seeing the Duke hovering over the gentle young woman beside him, everyone was at a lost. What was the Marquess' bait? It didn't make any sense. Why would the Marquess provide such a dowry for a daughter that lovely? Instead, everyone was willing to bet that the Duke would have paid any price to get his hands on her. Any man would. If any officials have a daughter that looked like Marquess' fourth daughter, they would demand a substantial price from the groom. And if the groom was the great Duke Haijin, the price would have been extremely heavy.

"Father!"

The Marquess' eldest daughter called for the fourth time.

"What is it?" The Marquess tried to control the anger in his tone while tearing his gaze away from the young couple.

"Why did you not tell me Duke Haijin was like that? Why did you give someone like him to her?"

Li Aifen was clearly upset. Every year, everyone's attention was on her. Now it was like she doesn't exist. Staring at the devilishly handsome man in deep red and black robe, Li Aifen felt wronged. She was supposed to be the one the Duke should be fawning and dotting over. She was supposed to be the one the Duke should touch gently like a precious treasure. That frail and pale looking woman was only a daughter of a maid. Why is someone like her beside the Duke?

While Li Aifen complained to her father, her half-sisters were all staring at the Duke. Most of the young women were. It had been their first time seeing the infamous demon Duke. They had assumed the Duke would have a horrid appearance with all the rumors about him. None of them expected the Duke to be tall, well built, masculine, and strong. No one expected the rumored demon to look like an angel, fallen straight from the heavens.

"Father, how could you marry a maid's daughter to a man like that?" Li Aifen was getting more and more upset while she stared at the powerful Duke. "You have wronged this daughter"

"Foolish" The Marquess scolded under his breath. "Do not be blinded by his looks. That man is a demon"

"Father" His second eldest daughter, her eyes cemented to the Duke. "That's not how a demon looks..."

Suddenly, Marquess Li regret bringing his daughters to the banquet. They were all clearly infatuated with the dangerous man.

"Father, I want him" His third eldest whispered with a yearning voice.

"He is mine" The eldest spoke with a firm glare toward her younger sisters. "Father said I was to get the Duke's attention, not you two"

"You hadn't wanted to before. You hadn't even want to come because you were afraid of him"

As the girls fought among themselves, the Marquess felt the sharp headache growing.

"Dear" The Marquess' wife had been studying the girl sitting beside the Duke. "That girl... how can she look_ I don't remember her being like that..."

The Marquess felt the same way.

"Is that really 4th sister?" Even the Marquess' son was shocked.

"She's not our sister" Li Aifen shot out, almost angrily. "She's a bastard child of a maid"

"Keep your voice down"

"Father, why are you_"

"Remember where you are" The Marquess warned. "Remember who you are and how a lady should behave. His majesty is nearby and dozens of officials are within ear range. Do you want your father to lose face?"

Li Aifen lips pinched tightly together, forcing the anger down.

"Dear..." The Marquess wife was concerned. "What are your plans now?"

Unfortunately, the Marquess could only take it as a lost.

"Father, you can be serious about letting that lowly woman have him?"

Li Aifen saw the defeat in her father's face but refused to accept the situation.

"They have already wedded with his majesty's blessing. The Duke clearly dotes and favors her. There is nothing left to be done. Daughter, do not look any further"

The Marquess pointed out the key issues to his favorite daughter, wanting to end her infatuation as fast as possible.

"Father, you paid handsomely for her to marry him. Why can't you do the same for me? Am I not your favorite? Am I not your best daughter?"

Because she was his favorite, he didn't want to risk her future. Why could she not understand that with her status and looks, the one who should pay is her future groom? The Marquess had high hopes that his eldest would bring the family great dowry and fortune. He still does.

"I paid for believing he will not favor her" The Marquess bit out bitterly. "I had hoped he would see you and want you_"

"And he will" Li Aifen said confidently. "Father, just tell him you have me - the best daughter for him"

"Listen to me child" The Marquess said calmly, his frustration hanging by the thread. "It's too late. He will not look at you"

"He will"

"Daughter, the man hadn't spared a glance to anyone here. Do you not see how his focus had been on his Wang Fei?"

"I'm supposed to be his Wang Fei. If you would have told me truly how he was, I wouldn't have disagreed to marry him in the beginning. Father, you lied to me. You made me believe that Duke Haijin was a barbaric man. Look at him! He is not only refined but he is the most charismatic gentleman here. I have never seen or met anyone close to his beauty and yet you made me believe differently. Father, you have wronged this daughter so you should set things right. That woman is just a maid's daughter. I'm your true blood daughter - the real Marquess' daughter. Only I suits Duke Haijin's status"

Marquess Li tiredly covered his face as his daughter continues to complain.