Looking for an Elegant Historical Chinese Romance Without Outlandish, Over-the-Top, or Brain-Dead Tropes 求古色古香的古言小说，不要各种天雷狗血脑残梗的
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801
The Royal Family’s Cherished Daughter-in-Law: The Emperor and Empress Are Shipping Themselves 皇家宠媳：帝后嗑CP啦
[Traditional historical romance + palace and household intrigue + no transmigration or rebirth + alternate history + one-on-one romance + sweet and doting + childhood sweethearts] [Gentle, resilient beauty VS cool, composed Crown Prince] Just three months after Mu Shuangyin's birth mother passed away, Chancellor Mu took a second wife. The new madam brought a son and a daughter into the household. They were said to be the Chancellor's children, and even more remarkably, the twins had been born ab
18kReads9.2Score1.9k14d adds
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802
After Seizing the Throne, I Took Her Into My Arms 夺下帝位后，囚她入怀
Obsessive male lead who takes what he wants × forced love × strong-willed female lead × both leads are virgins × palace intrigue Three years ago, Shen Shiyuan was sent to the harem by Xiao Shimian to become another man’s empress. Three years later, clad in armor, he seized the throne and kept her by his side, demanding her presence day after day. If Xiao Shimian’s life was a dark night shrouded in fog, then Shen Shiyuan was his only light. He couldn’t bear her trying to escape or ignoring him. O
1.3kReads6.7Score10314d adds
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803
With Jin Chang’an (Based on the Screen Adaptation Starring Song Yi and Cheng Lei) 与晋长安（宋轶、丞磊主演影视原著）
The hit drama starring Song Yi and Cheng Lei is now airing! A beloved historical romance by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang! Female general vs. puppy-like boy. The child she casually picked up turns out to have two sides? A cold little gentleman by day, a loyal black knight by night. Is he a puppy turning into a wolf, and which side is the real him? A tale of love and hate between a female general and the heir of an enemy state! Li Shuang, the adopted daughter of a great general, guards the borders of the Grea
5.8kReads9.6Score92914d adds
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- 804 The Farmer's Fortunate Wife Can Read Fortunes 农门福妻会算卦 The longest road Jiang Jingting ever traveled was the one paved with Hua Yueyi's schemes. Hua Yueyi can be either male or female, and makes a living telling fortunes. She only wanted to find a partner to help her swindle people, but the handsome young gentleman, with a face as radiant as jade, instead decided she was a rare talent. He kept her by his side and trained her carefully, never expecting that they'd end up spending their days exposing each other's secret identities. By the end, Hua Yue 55Reads—Score—14d adds
- 805 Beauty and Strategy in a Land of Rivers and Mountains 山河美人谋 [Proud young lady who always gets even vs. frail, scheming Ninth Prince] Her fiancé was a total jerk, and he was planning to kill her to keep her quiet. Ye Jiao decided to strike first and find a scapegoat while she was at it. She thought the scapegoat would be a transparent, sickly “living corpse,” but rumors were misleading. He was clearly a two-faced, deeply cunning Ninth Prince. After Ye Jiao used the Ninth Prince’s name to punish her scumbag fiancé, Li Ce, the real Ninth Prince: “Miss, I be 18.3kReads9.5Score2.6k14d adds
- 806 The Martial World’s Death Warrant 江湖缉杀令 “It's only early spring. Even if I have to die, I'll die when the mountain flowers are in full bloom. And I'll take the grave you picked out for yourself on the back mountain...” [Wuxia feuds, tangled love and hate. Jokes and banter amid bloody storms, absurdity and seriousness] She is a carefree rookie assassin from Lonely Moon Cave. He is the wickedest man in the martial world, a traitor to his master who slaughtered his entire family. He is the first person she is ordered to kill. As they cla 69Reads—Score—14d adds
- 807 Is the Ruler Unjust? Then Kill the King! 君无道也？弑君！ Pei Xun, the precocious eldest son of the Hedong Pei clan, raised a child with his own hands. Later, that clingy child grew up and came of age, but grew distant from him, keeping her own thoughts and secrets. Pei Xun was hailed as a born gentleman, a peerless scholar, yet when it came to matters of the heart, he was hopelessly slow to catch on. All he could do was ask three questions every day: “Has Xiao Li eaten?” “Did Xiao Li sleep well last night?” “Xiao Li, will you come back...” But tha 61Reads—Score—14d adds
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808
My Dear 檀郎
Yun Nixi is implicated when her relatives’ estate is confiscated and becomes a slave. Sold to the Huan household, she serves as a personal maid to Huan Xi, a young nobleman from a distinguished family. Using the family’s inherited knack for pretending to be a spirit medium, Nixi makes money by sticking close to the young master, all while secretly admiring her cousin Shen Chong. She plans to buy her freedom, reclaim her grandfather’s farmland, and return to a life of independence. As the politic
2.3kReads8.9Score33814d adds
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809
The Dead Cross the River at Chang’an 长安尸渡
A detective story whose heroine can perform autopsies and solve cases. Once her period of mourning was over, Wen Qingning packed her bags and returned to Chang’an, only to find that her fiancé, Shen Muhuai, had not only taken a concubine but also married a new wife. His household was practically a garden in full bloom. Shen Muhuai gazed at Wen Qingning tenderly. “A Ning, I took a concubine for your sake and married a new wife for your sake! A Ning, I did it all for you!” Wen Qingning looked at S
19.2kReads9.1Score2.9k14d adds
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- 810 The Record of Hairpins (Complete in 4 Volumes) 簪中录（全4册） The little red fish Agashnie, which feeds on human blood; the mysterious talisman that had followed Li Shubai for years; Empress Wang, the peerless beauty of the Daming Palace; three clusters of doodles written by the late emperor himself before his death; a marriage contract made with Wang Yun in their youth... Every mystery returns to its point of origin. Every choice remains beyond anyone’s control, as impossible to resist or escape as fate itself. Yang Chonggu has returned to the palace and 17.3kReads9.7Score2.8k14d adds
- 811 The Tale of Si He 思合传 She was born to an ordinary family amid the bustle of Jiangnan, spending her carefree childhood in the rhythms of everyday life. The older brother and sister who watched over her as she grew up were, in fact, lost royal descendants living incognito among the common folk. Once their origins were revealed, the family's fate was changed forever. She, too, was swept into the deep waters of the imperial palace. In the golden hall, candlelight flickered as she smiled sweetly. Every glance she cast lef 1.7kReads8.1Score13714d adds
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A Handbook for Conquering the Realm 江山攻略手册
[From an impoverished concubine-born daughter looked down on by all to a powerful official at the pinnacle of court: how long is the road between?] [Mystery-solving + adventure + court politics, rising from behind + forbidden tension + love and hate] During the Donghua Gate upheaval, she unexpectedly saves the empress. She joins the army in its campaign against Huaijin and earns merit for supporting the new ruler, only to end up in court as a civil official by a twist of fate. By then, the empre
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- 813 A Myriad Layers of Longing 别有相思一万重 [Palace Intrigue + Not Both Chaste + Sweet Romance + Not Mindless Wish Fulfillment] In the tenth year of Tianyuan, the emperor came of age and opened the palace to an extensive selection of consorts. Zhao Liyun, the legitimate second daughter of the Vice Minister of War, entered the palace at his command. A celestial beauty from beyond the mortal world, cool and aloof as an immortal, she was nevertheless captivated by the handsome, carefree face of a man beside the lotus pond. A red bean rests w 17Reads—Score—14d adds
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814
Pleasures in the Palace Hall 殿上欢
The Chancellor's household was branded traitorous and slaughtered overnight, leaving her the daughter of a condemned criminal. Feng Yueli was tortured by Beigong Han's demand for her blood until she was nearly drained of life. But for her younger brother's sake, she had no choice but to cling to her last breath and keep going. At first, she said, “The Chancellor's household is innocent. My father was loyal through and through.” Later, she said, “This guilty woman is unworthy of becoming empress.
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- 815 The Love of an Ordinary Imperial Consort 一个普通嫔妃的爱情 Consort Shen, Zhou Nian'er, was famous in the palace for being practically invisible. But the invisible woman had two faces. In public, Nian'er was dull and timid, always on edge. Behind closed doors, however, she was wanton and uninhibited. Whenever the emperor came to see her, she was sure to tempt him into staying the night. The emperor upheld the virtues of a gentleman, and only when they were alone did he teach her about propriety. How could Nian'er not know that? But this was the only way 1.6kReads8.4Score10214d adds
- 816 Dream of the Red Chamber: Daiyu Reborn 红楼之黛玉重生 Jiangzhu is reborn to take revenge, save people, and shine on her own. [Don't ask me to give her a love interest. Everyone has different tastes, and I'm scared of being attacked.] [The story does not completely follow the original's timeline, characterization, or style.] [I don't accept the theories of various Redology scholars as hidden meanings in the original.] [If you want to argue, you're always right.] 8.2kReads9.2Score84114d adds
- 817 Song of Xizhou: Remembrance 西洲曲：忆 I had a very long dream. In the dream, I had a father who loved me more than anything and a mother who was incredibly gentle. But I didn't know who I was. When I woke up, I still didn't know. 52Reads—Score—14d adds
- 818 Harem: The Pear Blossoms Fall, and Spring Returns 后宫：落尽梨花春又了 She only wants to live in peace. She has never cared much for the palace intrigues and rivalries for the emperor's favor, but the trees may wish for stillness while the wind keeps blowing. After the other consorts make things difficult for her again and again, she finally understands that once you enter the palace, your life is no longer your own. Fueled by hatred, she discovers that she can be just as ruthless as they are. For years, the emperor's affection has made her the most favored woman i —Reads8.4Score—14d adds
- 819 Spring Blossoms Never Return 春华不归 I must have told you I loved you hundreds of years ago. But you forgot, and I never remembered., “Lovers Who Missed Each Other” Years of companionship made him take her for granted. He was so sure she would always be there waiting for him that he went about his own business, treating her with indifference, because she was always there. Her heart finally went cold, and she left. Even the most precious thing seems ordinary once you have it. Only after losing it do you realize what it meant. He 380Reads7.9Score—14d adds
- 820 Ginger 姜了 My name is Jiang Liao. My mother said it meant “born only to die.” She wasn’t wrong. Though I am a princess of Jiang, I was born in the Cold Palace and destined to suffer cruelty and contempt. Even the heir of Northern Qi, held here as a hostage, mocked me: “Jiang Liao, you’re both princesses, so why are you lying on the ground while Princess Yihe rides on your back? Don’t you hate her?” I knew what he was trying to do by provoking me. He wanted to use me to escape Jiang, and perhaps even bring 285Reads7.6Score10114d adds
- 821 Sequel to Dream of the Red Chamber: The Other Tale of Lady Xiaoxiang 续红楼梦：潇湘妃子别传 This novel continues the story of Cao Xueqin's Dream of the Red Chamber through its first eighty chapters, setting aside the final forty chapters written by Gao E and giving the novel's women a different future. The Lin family of Suzhou, once a prominent clan, has dwindled. After Lin Ruhai, head of the main branch, dies, his orphaned daughter Lin Daiyu is sent to live with and be raised by her maternal relatives, the Jia family. After “Yingchun's mistaken marriage to the wolf Zhongshan” and “Xue 74Reads—Score—14d adds
- 822 I Am No Spy in the Eastern Palace 我非东宫细作 The Crown Prince knows full well that the Crown Princess he married is a spy planted by the Imperial Noble Consort at his side. Whether marrying her benefits or harms the Eastern Palace depends on just how ruthless he is. And people raised in the palace are never short on ruthlessness. Since he can't fight back, he may as well turn the tables and make the most of her usefulness. He deliberately charms her until she falls for him and gets her pregnant to secure his position as Crown Prince, but h —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 823 After Her Sickly Husband Died, the Crown Prince Took Her into the Eastern Palace 病弱夫君去世后，太子夺我入东宫 [The short drama of the same name, Marry into the Eastern Palace, is now available] Three years ago, at the Eastern Palace’s consort selection banquet, the Crown Prince scolded her: “The Shen girl is coquettish and ingratiating, and her conduct is outrageous.” His words made Shen Lizhu the laughingstock of the capital’s noblewomen, forcing her to retreat to her maternal grandparents’ home in Jiangnan. Three years later, the Crown Prince is ordered to leave the capital and tour Jiangnan. Shen Liz 25.1kReads8.4Score2.2k14d adds
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The Youngest Daughter, Changle 幺女长乐
Miss Zhu Si’s rough fighting skills have always made her the laughingstock of the capital’s noble families. In everyone else’s eyes, that’s the sort of work meant for household guards. Zhu Changle, who considers herself invincible, isn’t ashamed of it. She’s proud. Not everyone can protect their own home, but she can! And then some! She’d even turn the whole capital upside down to protect it! Don’t believe her? Try her!
18.8kReads9.5Score3.2k14d adds
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825
Little Awan 小女阿晚
[Smart Leads + Devoted Husband + Devoted to Each Other + Happy Ending] She was a spirited young woman, carefree and bold on Tianji Mountain. He was a noble young lord in the capital, carefully plotting every move and arranging the game board as he pleased. By chance, she saved him. Who would have thought he would shamelessly cling to her afterward! She fled in a panic, deciding that running away was the best of the Thirty-Six Stratagems. But somehow, he still found her. His voice was calm. “Are
132Reads—Score10414d adds
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- 826 Entwined in the Palace 缱绻宫阙 A sweet romance with plenty of angst. Nian Ruo came from a humble family. After her parents died young, she lived with her uncle, a general, where she met her ninth older brother, whose temperament suited hers perfectly. But later, the emperor forced her into the palace, where she became empress. She did everything she could to avoid his favor, but the emperor loved her and wanted her to bear him an heir. When she first entered the palace, she was a virtuous empress, smiling as she watched him s 493Reads8.4Score—14d adds
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827
Reborn as a Military Slave, I Lie on the General's Couch Every Day 重生为军奴，我日日侧卧将军榻
[Reborn + devoted to one another + historical romance + long-planned love] Yun Qingchu was born into privilege as the legitimate daughter of a Censor-in-Chief, noble and refined. One act of remonstrance unto death by her father brought ruin upon the whole family, and she was sent to serve as a camp prostitute in the Northern Expeditionary Army. In her previous life, she disfigured herself and secretly fled back to the capital, hoping her fiancé, the top scorer in the imperial examinations, would
665Reads8.7Score10114d adds
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828
My Childhood Sweetheart Is Hard to Win Over 青梅难哄
The Third Prince and Pei, the young lady of the Zhen’an Marquis’s household, had been childhood friends since they were little, always open and honest with each other. That is, until one day... The Third Prince, who used to take injuries and hardships in stride, insisted on being carried into the Zhen’an Marquis’s household, where he called out to Second Miss Pei, looking half-dead: “Wanw an, I feel awful...” Bodyguard: Who are you? Where’s our cold, distant, icy Third Prince? The Empress wanted
15.2kReads9.4Score1.4k14d adds
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- 829 You Married Up, So I Married a General. What Do You Regret? 攀高枝另娶，我嫁将军你悔什么 [Lighthearted]+ [Rival suitors]+ [A sunny, strong heroine who raises pigs and makes the impossible happen] After being a widow for eight years, Lu Qiniang buys a man to give her a child. Just as they enter the bridal chamber, her husband, who was supposedly killed in battle, suddenly returns home in triumph. Lu Qiniang: ... Looking at the two men ready to draw swords, she has a sudden idea: “The three of us should just make a good life together. That's better than anything else!” Xiao Yan & Zhan 34.2kReads9.3Score4.4k14d adds
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830
Fearing Spring's Return: Half Longing for Parting, Half Longing for You 怯春归：半缘离思，半缘君
[Wild, Carefree Fake Playboy VS Clear-Headed Heiress] After dying, modern-day surgeon Su Qiao transmigrated and was accidentally caught up in an assassination plot targeting the Crown Prince. Thus began her arduous escape and fight for survival as a bride forced into an arranged marriage. Ji Minghan retrieved the fake bride from prison after her escape attempt failed and she nearly fell into the hands of human traffickers. She was supposed to be a pawn kept by his side, but somehow she became hi
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831
Twin Worlds of Ashen Passion: Reborn, I Make My Brother-in-Law a Piece on My Chessboard 双世烬欢：重生后姐夫成我掌中棋
[Sisters reborn + revenge and court intrigue + palace and household schemes] Reborn sisters turn their act into reality, burying their treacherous father and his schemes together, then help the Grand Princess ascend the throne in imperial robes, stepping over the underground palace to become emperor. -- What you see may not be true, and memories can lie. -- Xi Gu, an orphan raised in a Jinling pleasure house, was not found by her biological father, a man who wielded power over the court, until
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832
The Mad Tyrant Wants to Steal Her: You’re the One Who Tempted Me First! 疯批权臣夺她，是你先勾我的！
[Possessive pursuit + Untouchable beauty brought down from her pedestal + Scheming heroine + Both leads are pure] The eldest son of the Xie family was as refined as a gentle breeze beneath a clear sky, as elegant as an orchid or jade tree, and, more unusually, possessed the heart of a bodhisattva. A year ago, he had taken charge of sheltering a destitute cousin who had come to seek refuge. The rescued Wanruo was deeply grateful, and looked up to and adored her cousin. Their story of a loving bro
238.5kReads9.2Score31.1k14d adds
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- 833 A Springtime Temptation 惹春娇 [Cold-Hearted Young Duke vs. Clumsy Beauty from a Military Family] [Bickering Couple + Love at First Sight + Shotgun Wedding + Sweet Romance, 1v1] Cui Ke came from a distinguished family and was every inch a noble young gentleman. He never imagined he would marry a woman like Zhen Zhu. She was born in the countryside, uneducated, greedy, lecherous, foolish, and vulgar. Worse, they were natural enemies. The first time they met, she flung a shoe in his face, then pushed him into a river and left h 7.1kReads8.8Score52914d adds
- 834 Spring Returns to the Branches of a Sick Tree 病树枝头又逢春 [Print edition now available] Sang Nian accidentally climbs into the world of cultivation and becomes the vicious supporting female character who meets a tragic end in the book. System: Your mission is to marry the male supporting character, Xie Chenzhou, abuse him, humiliate him, and then get killed by him. Sang Nian: OK (brandishes little whip) (hits herself) (collapses with a thud) System: (silence) (stares at the sky) System: Mission changed. Win him over, or go mine coal. Sang Nian: (smiles 183.4kReads9.5Score25.3k14d adds
- 835 They Wanted Me to Be a Sacrificial Stepmother, but I Chose to Make My Own Way 让我当炮灰主母，我偏另谋高枝 [Historical Romance / Household Intrigue / Sweet Romance / The Male Lead Is Head Over Heels] In Ruyi's Beloved Concubine, the heir apparent Xie Yunzhix is a brave and formidable warrior, always dashing across the battlefield in fine clothes, with no one able to stand against him. Sadly, he is only a supporting character. The story opens with him in a vegetative state, leaving behind three adopted sons. Xu Qingyi discovers that she has become the foil to the beloved heroine of a sweet romance. On 143.6kReads9.4Score20.6k14d adds
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After His Wife Divorces Him, the Warlord Goes Gray Overnight 夫人离婚后，军阀大佬一夜白头
The short drama of the same name, “Qi Mi,” is available by searching on Tomato. Ning Zhen is forced to marry the warlord Sheng Changyu. Sheng Changyu has a beloved first love, as well as two concubines, and the Sheng household is rife with danger. Ning Zhen is a young heiress who has returned from studying abroad. She can’t adapt to the infighting in the household, and everyone is waiting to see her make a fool of herself. Less than three years later, just as everyone predicted, Ning Zhen wants
78.3kReads9.5Score9k14d adds
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837
Beyond The Scholars: A Couple's Devotion 儒林史外，举案齐腰
Whose ancestors’ graves are smoking green? Du Shaoqing married Sun Xiangxian! He’s cuckolded every other day, while the chickens fly and the dogs go wild. The young master has no interest in the imperial exams, but no one dotes on his wife like he does. The young lady elopes with a young guard, then breaks her promise in the dead of night, and no one finds out. The Sun sisters are seductive vixens, ruining one person after another. Ni Yanzhu’s search for her family is quite the adventure, but sh
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838
The Commandery Princess Is Reborn and Back for Revenge 郡主重生杀回来了
Zhang Jiayue, the Princess of Yufang, was talked into visiting the Sure-Win Gambling House by her half-brother and the Third Prince. She brought along her childhood friend Jiang Yunzhao. After winning at first, she began to lose and got hopelessly hooked, borrowing a million taels of silver. The gambling house came after her to collect, bringing down both the Prince’s and Marquis’s households. She was killed, too. Unable to let go, she was reborn on the road as the gambling house’s collectors cl
409Reads8.1Score10014d adds
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839
The Bride Was Cruelly Abandoned, Only to Discover She Was Pregnant 新娘惨被抛弃，怎料肚中已有娃
There was no warmth on her wedding night, only her in-laws' taunts and her husband's indifference. Afterward, her mother-in-law sent her to the countryside without consulting anyone. She was given dozens of acres of land and two elderly servants, and from then on, no one bothered with her. She knew her husband's family didn't want her back, and her heart had grown cold toward them too. But just when she'd finally settled in, she realized that after only one night, she was pregnant with the child
51kReads9.0Score3.8k14d adds
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840
Clouds Return, Dreams Shatter 归云断梦
Prince Huai was the most notorious devil in the realm, the number-one tyrant in the capital, Shenjing. The only pity was that the tyrant had a pair of useless legs. Jiangxiang was Prince Huai’s personal maid. Everyone who knew her said she was a simple, honest, loyal servant. Unfortunately, honesty was all she had going for her, and to Prince Huai she was utterly dispensable. For various reasons, Jiangxiang had no choice but to sneak away from Prince Huai just as his legs were recovering. But fo
227Reads9.1Score3714d adds
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