The Secret Night at Unyeon Palace (Completed Main Story) - Chapter 1
He is a man of breathtaking beauty.
Standing beneath a plum tree, the man gazed at the petals fluttering down like snow, a full, serene smile gracing his lips.
His appearance was so stunning that I stood spellbound, unable to look away.
The man caught a drifting petal in one hand, clenched his fist, and turned his head.
Grand Prince Jinheon—our eyes met.
Yoon Eun Seol, who had been secretly peeking at the prince from behind the side gate of the detached house, spun around and fled without even a moment to calm her racing heart.
She ran all the way to the main veranda and collapsed onto the floor, panting heavily.
She couldn’t tell whether her heart pounded wildly because of the man or simply from running so abruptly.
“Did you see a ghost or something?”
Startled by the voice behind her, she turned her head.
Before she could steady her breathing, she was startled again—eyes wide—fixing her gaze on Kim Hee Gyeom, who now sat behind her.
“What did you see to come rushing here so frantically? And why is your face so flushed?”
Yoon Eun Seol finally caught her breath and, only then realizing her master had been waiting for her on the veranda, greeted him with a smile.
She had completely forgotten today was her drawing lesson.
“Master, when did you arrive?”
“Not long ago. You’ve never been late before—what made you late today?”
“I’m sorry. I completely forgot I had a lesson.”
“This makes me oddly disappointed. Also, two days from now, a bride-to-be shouldn’t be running around like an unbridled colt.”
A faint smile flickered on Hee Gyeom’s lips as he brushed a few stray strands of hair from her forehead.
At the sight of her master’s gentle smile, her tension melted away as if it had never existed.
Kim Hee Gyeom had always been that kind of presence for her.
Abandoned by her father from birth, she had lived a hellish life under the cruelty and contempt of her stepmother.
Then, she came to know Second Junior Lord Kim Hee Gyeom, a friend of her father. Sensing her plight, he enabled her to distance herself from her stepmother under the pretense of teaching her literature and painting.
Despite her stepmother Soon Young’s objections, it was only through Hee Gyeom’s persistent persuasion that she was ever allowed to learn to read and paint.
During drawing lessons, she never had to worry about anyone else’s scrutiny.
It was the one day a week she could truly breathe.
Hee Gyeom, who had halted her time of suffering, was not only a teacher she deeply respected but also a dependable family figure.
He had been the one to gift light into her world while she lived imprisoned in that detached house like a jail cell.
For ten years, her master had protected her without letting her suffer harm.
“Today will mark our final lesson.”
“There’s still so much I want to learn from you—it’s a shame.”
“I never imagined you’d suddenly marry Grand Prince Jinheon like this. So, how do you feel about it?”
At Hee Gyeom’s question, Eun Seol simply lowered her head and offered a bitter, silent smile.
The abrupt engagement to Grand Prince Jinheon had taken her just as much by surprise.
She’d clearly heard her name added to the selection list merely for appearances—yet for some unknown reason, she ended up as the final candidate.
Thus, she was now irrevocably bound to marry the prince.
Her deep sigh settled heavily onto the veranda floor—a strange engagement, stirring both joy and unease.
“It still doesn’t feel real that you’ll become Royal Noble Consort Bu. Has the prince been visiting here often lately?”
“Yes, occasionally—he stops by to share a drink with Eun Joo, no, with Father, then leaves.”
“What use is it to say this now, but I truly wished you’d marry an ordinary man instead.”
“If you were so worried, why didn’t you propose to me first, Master?”
“What? To you?”
Eun Seol rolled her eyes at Hee Gyeom’s overly serious, almost shocked expression after her lighthearted jest.
“It was a joke—you didn’t have to take it so seriously.”
“Ha. And if I *had* proposed—would you have accepted?”
“Well…”
When Eun Seol hesitated to answer, Hee Gyeom gave her an incredulous look and let out a dry chuckle.
Hearing him laugh, she couldn’t help but join in.
Kim Hee Gyeom had been just as furious as she was when her father submitted *her* name—not Eun Joo’s—onto the selection list.
And understandably so: anyone who’d heard the prince’s reputation would never willingly send their daughter to him.
Grand Prince Jinheon.
The rumors she’d heard about him were far from favorable.
Debauched and lecherous, he supposedly spent every day practically living in brothels.
Yet recently, the prince had begun frequently visiting her house to meet her father.
Father and the prince always sat together on the main veranda of the inner quarters drinking, and she would secretly watch from beyond the wall of the detached house.
Though Eun Seol had heard those rumors around that time too, she still found herself helplessly drawn to look at him—somehow, he didn’t seem like the terrible person the rumors claimed.
The reason she’d fallen for him wasn’t particularly dramatic.
She couldn’t forget the look in his eyes the first day he came to the house—the day he saw her.
She’d been sitting on the veranda of the detached house, drawing, when she raised her head at the unfamiliar gaze. Along with wind-blown plum blossoms, a stranger approached her.
His eyes never left her—not for a moment.
They were light, yet deeply focused.
Had she seen him somewhere before?
Though she was certain they’d never met, her heart began pounding painfully, fiercely.
Under the stranger’s persistent gaze as he drew near, she dropped the brush from her hand.
Black ink bloomed across the pristine white paper.
Before she could even ask who he was, the man picked up the brush and began filling in the ink-stained spot with a drawing.
With graceful, fluid strokes, a beautiful image soon emerged.
—“Your name… is Yoon Eun Seol?”
He already knew her name.
For a moment, she thought his face looked familiar—then quickly shook her head.
Having lived exclusively in the detached house all her life, there was no way she could have known him.
Before she could even ask who he was, her father called out to the man.
Only later did she learn the stranger who vanished wordlessly was Grand Prince Jinheon.
And only later did she realize the prince visited their home for Eun Joo’s sake.
Even while drinking with her father, the prince’s eyes would scan the surroundings as if searching for someone—and inevitably, Eun Joo would soon appear. It seemed he only used liquor as an excuse to visit their house in order to see her, not her father.
She needed to let go of her feelings.
So she deliberately avoided him, hiding herself, terrified he might discover what she felt.
Perhaps displeased by her evasiveness, his gaze toward her had grown cold since that day.
But her heart refused to obey reason. From the very first moment she saw him, he had somehow become her tiny world.
Love for him grew within her helplessly, beyond her control.
Thus, when she finally received word that she would marry him, what saddened her more than the rumors surrounding him was the certainty that his heart seemed to belong to Eun Joo.
“About the rumors concerning the prince…”
Hee Gyeom’s quiet voice pulled her from her reverie.
After a brief pause, he offered a faint smile and said:
“You’ve likely heard them too, but rumors are just rumors—no need to dwell on them. Even if they’re true, things may change after your marriage.”
“I’m fine, really. Please don’t worry.”
“If only I’d found the courage to speak up long ago, would things have turned out differently?”
“Huh? What do you mean?”
A bitter smile spread across Hee Gyeom’s lips as he spoke, almost to himself.
“Never mind. Once you move to Woon Yeon Palace, forget all your painful memories and be happy.”
“I will. And… thank you, Master, truly, for everything.”
“Don’t be ridiculous—what have I done?”
“Without you, I might have withered and died in the darkness. You were the only light in my life.”
It was the truth.
Kim Hee Gyeom, seated before her, had given her the strength to live and become the remedy that healed her deepest wounds.
The only times she could ever truly smile were the moments spent with her master.
“You should marry too, Master—find someone good and settle down.”
“What, feeling guilty about getting married and leaving your master behind?”
“No, it’s just—I wonder why someone like you hasn’t married yet.”
“At my age? Forget it.”
“You’re only twenty-eight, Master! If you set your mind to it, brides-to-be would line up for you.”
“If you’re *that* concerned about this old master of yours, just send an occasional letter with your drawings to let me know you’re well.”
Seeing her nod, the corners of Hee Gyeom’s mouth lifted gently.
“How did my timid, tearful little girl grow up so fast…? I thought you’d always be my ten-year-old child, yet here you are, ready to marry.”
Embarrassment flushed her cheeks.
With a fond smile, Hee Gyeom reached out and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear.
“Live happily.”
She lifted her head to answer his low, resonant voice—
Just then, he withdrew the hand he’d used to tuck her hair and rose from his seat.
Following his gaze, she turned—and froze.
Grand Prince Jinheon had just entered the front courtyard of the detached house, his face dark with anger as he strode toward her.
This was the first time.
Since their initial meeting, the prince had never once set foot in the detached house—yet now, he was walking straight to where she stood.
Abandoned here practically from birth, she had never been allowed to leave this place without Soon Young’s permission. To her, this detached house was both her entire world and her prison.
Even family members avoided visiting her for fear of Soon Young’s disapproval—so naturally, the prince had never come either.
Yet now—why was it that as he approached, arms folded behind his back, his jade-colored robe fluttering, his expression clearly furious—her heart pounded helplessly out of control?
Hee Gyeom descended from the veranda and bowed to the prince.
Only then did Eun Seol snap back to her senses and bowed deeply as the prince reached her.
The prince’s gaze swept over the paper on the veranda, then settled on Hee Gyeom’s face.
“Did I interrupt something between the two of you? I heard Second Junior Lord was teaching this girl to paint, but from what I just saw, it seems less like instruction and more like filling the paper with personal desire.”
“What do you mean by that?”
Hee Gyeom’s sharp retort cut through the prince’s blatant sarcasm.
“What I just witnessed hardly resembled the warm rapport between master and pupil. Anyone might mistake Second Junior Lord for this girl’s fiancé.”
“No one thinks that—not unless someone lived as you have, and thus thinks that way himself.”
“What did you say?”
“In ten years of teaching her, I’ve never once heard such a comment. So please don’t fabricate groundless accusations over trifles like this.”
“Groundless? You just called it groundless? You seem intent on claiming your gaze was merely that of a master toward a pupil—but can you really swear to that?”
“Your Highness!”
Hee Gyeom’s expression twisted in disbelief as he raised his voice.
Feeling things were about to escalate, Eun Seol tugged gently on Hee Gyeom’s sleeve, silently urging him to stop.
Seeing her trembling, head still bowed, Hee Gyeom let out a quiet sigh.
“In any case, today was already our final lesson. You won’t be troubled by such incidents from me again.”
He bowed respectfully to the prince, stepped back, and turned to her—
His eyes brimming with quiet sorrow.
“Eun Seol, I suppose this is where we part. Keep drawing diligently—and live well.”
“Yes, Master. Please take care.”
After bowing once more, Hee Gyeom turned and left the detached house.
Only after he’d fully disappeared did she realize Grand Prince Jinheon’s gaze had fixed solely on her.
Quickly, she lowered her head again, hiding her trembling eyes.
“Th-then, if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take my leave now.”
The instant she tried to turn away, her body was yanked backward.
A large hand seized her wrist, pulling her helplessly into his embrace.
She arched backward, trying to escape—but only sank deeper into his hold.
“Y-Your Highness!”
“According to my younger sister, you harbor feelings for Second Junior Lord Kim Hee Gyeom—is that true?”
“…”
“Your silence speaks volumes. Master and pupil? Ha. Ridiculous.”
“Your Highness, that’s… a misunderstanding.”
His eyes darkened; his lips curled bitterly.
The arm around her waist tightened, and his other hand rose before her eyes.
As his clenched fist neared her face, she instinctively squeezed her eyes shut and shrank back.
Even the slightest reach of another’s hand startled her—a habit born from enduring beatings by Soon Young.
Unaware of this, the prince furrowed his brow and opened his hand before her.
Resting on his palm was the plum blossom petal he’d caught earlier.
Gently, he blew on it—sending the petal drifting from his palm, brushing her cheek before falling.
“Never forget—you are *my* woman.”
When male lead is the homewrecker
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
I’ve read the novel below twice already. Girls, I’m highly recommending it to you!
The female lead? Not a good person.
The second male lead? Not a good person.
The male lead? Willingly plays the third party, breaking up the female and second male lead’s relationship despite all the warnings from his friends—so yeah, he’s definitely not a good person either.
Basically, nobody in this novel is simple-minded or without scheming.
The female lead starts off as the male lead’s secretary, but don’t worry—later on, she takes over the company while the male lead steps back to support her. He won’t steal her spotlight, overshadow her, or dull her shine.
I love novels where men are out here snatching wigs, tearing each other down, and going to war just to win the female lead’s affection. And this is exactly that kind of novel. Most of Hai Dai Ran’s works have this dynamic. You’ll see the male characters’ emotions being pushed to the absolute extreme.
There’s even a scene where the second male lead exposes the male lead online for being a homewrecker. The brotherhood immediately gangs up on him, dragging him through the mud. I find it compelling —it completely flips reality on its head, where usually, women are the ones fighting over a man and getting torn apart by the sisterhood.
For me, female leads in the novels I read should only struggle in their careers, not in love. But if the brainless romantics in the story are all men? I have zero complaints.
I’ve pretty much read all of Hai Dai Ran’s novels and even translated all of them—her works are just my thing. I’ll slowly upload everything here. One day, when my website is official, I hope I can invite her to join as one of the star authors.
Here’s the story synopsis:
One-line summary: She is his lifelong obsession, to the point where he was willing to be a third wheel, scorned by society, just to wedge his way into her relationship with her fiancé.
Cold-hearted and indifferent female lead + Scheming and subservient CEO male lead
Intro 1:
“I know she doesn’t love him.”
With blood trickling from his clenched fist, Rong Xiu gazed at the woman before him, his eyes clouded with anguish. Hidden in the wardrobe, he had witnessed Fan Xia – the woman he desperately loved – in an intimate embrace with her fiancé. Yet his heart still yearned for her, defying all reason.
Fan Xia, the elegant and composed assistant, carried something mysterious in her eyes whenever she looked at her fiancé, Wen Lan Sheng. Strange occurrences began to surface – secret meetings with the young Gu Jin Yi, an unexplained withdrawal of 5,000 yuan… Then suddenly, her fiancé’s sister, Wen Jing, violently attacked her.
In this matriarchal society, Rong Xiu had risen to become the chairman of a powerful healthcare conglomerate, breaking through gender prejudices. But for the first time, he willingly stepped into the shadows as the other man, disregarding his friends’ warnings to become her secret lover.
Because he had discovered the truth – Fan Xia wasn’t the pure angel everyone believed her to be. And perhaps, he was the only one capable of helping her execute her mysterious plan…
Intro 2:
Rong Xiu’s biggest regret in life was missing out on Fan Xia.
He secretly loved Fan Xia for 7 years.
Watched her go public with her boyfriend.
Watched her kiss her boyfriend at their wedding.
Until that man blissfully nestled in Fan Xia’s arms, obtaining everything he could only dream of.
The crazy jealousy stripped away his hidden secret love, layer by layer, burning like wildfire.
Fan Xia, how can I have you!
【Reading and Trigger Warning Guide】
1. Female dominant, male submissive, male pregnancy
2. Male lead schemes his way to the top, male competition
_____
Please help me, I want to bring you the best possible things.
If you find any chapter or novel with poor translation and editing quality, let me know by commenting directly under that novel or chapter. I will retranslate it as soon as possible.
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