"Wait"

Li Aifen rushed forward to stop the Duke from leaving.

"Wait, you can't just leave like this"

Li Aifen looked at him, wanting him to look at her.

"And why not?"

"Father" Li Aifen turned to her father with pleading eyes. "Please, the Duke is here to share a meal with the us. Please don't let him leave"

But her father clearly was not in the mood to deal with the arrogant Duke.

"Yes father" Another sister spoke out, also not wanting the handsome Duke to leave. "We're supposed to have a meal with the Duke. Why are we getting angry over a maid's request to touch her daughter?"

Ruyi's mother eyes went wide with disbelief. She couldn't believe that she was still regarded as a maid. No one had dared to call her one since she became the Marquess' concubine.

"A maid?" The Duke was suddenly curious.

"Did the Duke not know? Did Ruyi not tell you?" The Marquess' daughter spoke coyly. "Of course she wouldn't tell you, she is after all a maid's daughter"

"Y_ you" Ruyi's mother was stunned to be openly insulted. "How could you insult_ darling?"

She turned to the Marquess, expecting him to stand up for her. Instead, the Marquess had his cold expression while looking at the Duke. In fact, he was smirking. He wanted to see the Duke's reaction to the truth behind Ruyi's birth mother status.

"Ruyi"

While everyone was expecting the Duke to be angry at Ruyi for deceiving him, they nearly trip over themselves when the man smiled at her instead.

"Don't worry Ruyi, once we're in Wu Xi, I'll have grandfather bestow you a title." The Duke hooked his finger under her chin and lifted her face. "Once you're Wu Xi Princess, no one will dare call you a maid's daughter"

Li Aifen and her sisters were all jealous by the outright affection the man was pouring on Ruyi. The Princess position should have been theirs. The one worthy to be loved and pampered by the Duke should belong to the true daughter of the Marquess – not a lowly daughter of a maid. It had hurt their pride that someone beneath their station has a man like the great Duke Haijin. The more they watched Ruyi being touch affectionately by the handsome man, the angrier they become.

"How could you dote on someone like her?"

The Marquess' second daughter had been so blinded by jealousy that she spoke before thinking. The whole room went silent. All the women agreed with the outburst and waited for the Duke's response.

Smiling, the Duke sat back down in the chair holding Ruyi in his lap. With one arm wrapped around Ruyi's waist, the Duke leaned back comfortably. The motion appeared so fluid as if the Duke held Ruyi that way all the time. The Marquess' son watched in awe while the daughters were green with envy.

"Ruyi" The Duke chuckled. "They're wondering why I dote on you. What should I say, Ruyi?"

Ruyi remained silent.

"She doesn't deserve to be a Princess. She doesn't fit to be by your side"

"Oh? Who then should be by this Duke side?"

The women heavily gazed at him, telling him with their eyes that they were the one to be by his side.

Wu Jian wasn't a fool not to understand the meaning of their words or the look in their eyes. He has seen those looks all his life. Foolish little girls didn't know that giving a man that type of look will only be their disadvantage. Before Ruyi was in his life, Wu Jian would have taken full advantage of it and made them his toys.

"Since you spoke up" The Duke lazily picked out one of the Marquess' daughters. "You must be suitable to be by my side"

Instantly, the young woman blushed. Her heart fluttered with excitement while she tried to calm her happiness.

"If that's what pleases you_"

"No!" Li Aifen shouted.

Chuckling, Wu Jian glanced at the Marquess to see the old fox was calm.

"Duke Haijin, as the eldest daughter of the Marquess and his official wife" Li Aifen spoke boldly. "I am most suitable for you"

"I see"

The Duke nodded and lifted his chin from his elbow while he regards Marquess Li oldest daughter. Li Aifen truly was a beauty – a very bold one at that.

"Jian..."

Li Aifen had been happy with the Duke's attention on her until one soft call made him turn away. Smiling softly, the Duke whispered into his Wang Fei's ear. Afterward, he pulled her closer and had her lean against his shoulder.

"Duke Haijin" Li Aifen was upset at being ignored.

"You want to be my Wang Fei?"

Her eyes reflected her desire.

"If Marquess Li agrees to three conditions"