Real Political Intrigue Fiction: Nothing Shallow or Brain-Burning, That’s My Taste 真正的权谋小说（不尽兴，不烧脑，我吃食）

1. 551 开 From the Start, I Revealed the Achievements of Ancient Emperors and Stunned the Emperors 开局曝光古人皇功业，惊呆皇帝们 Trainee001练习生001Historical4.3M WordsOngoing [Historical retrospectives] + [a commoner's view of history] + [spoilers in the comments] + [emperors goofing around] + [A complete run-through of Chinese history from the Yan and Huang emperors, starting with the Shang] Chen Yong was hired to make a series of historical retrospectives. He planned to start with the Shang dynasty. To set his videos apart from the many others, he decided to follow standard historical methodology. Source priority: archaeological artifacts > official histories > 76kReads9.0Score5.3kShelves

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   Those things are nothing compared to the power struggles of the ancients. At this point in the book, I've only covered the part about Quwo replacing Ji. After reading it carefully, you'll discover an ancient figure whose understanding will be completely overturned.

2. 552 女 The Female Bureau Chief: Storms in the Crackdown on Organized Crime 女局长：扫黑风云 Cyanide Murmurs氰呓语Urban609k WordsCompleted A gritty novel based on real events: criminal investigations, officialdom, deals, and power plays. Justice comes at the cost of blood, and the true enemy is always hidden in the deepest fog. 196Reads7.0Score138Shelves
3. 553 李 Li Si: The Rise and Fall of an Extreme Egoist 李斯：一个极端利己主义者的成败 Su Chengyu苏城育Historical185k WordsCompleted Li Si lived by the philosophy of the rat. On the one hand, he eagerly pursued fame and fortune, helping Qin Shi Huang accomplish the great feat of unifying the realm. On the other, he poisoned Han Fei for personal gain and took part in the coup at Shaqiu, ultimately bringing about his own ruin and disgrace. The Philosophy of the Rat When Li Si was young, he worked as a low-ranking clerk in the state of Chu. One day, he saw that rats in the latrine could only eat filth and lived in constant fear, 195Reads9.5Score103Shelves
4. 554 考 The Civil Service Exam? He's Right There, and He's Fallen for Her First 考公？右上方，他先动了心 Xiaoxiao Gou'er Lingdang晓晓狗儿铃当Modern Romance117k WordsCompleted A chaste, wounded male lead + a heroine who fights by his side + the most restrained prose for the most overwhelming emotions. He could have any woman he wanted. Yet he fell for a subcontractor’s engineer who already had a boyfriend. That beauty mark: the moment he saw it, he knew he could never forget it. Dai Lian has seen the deepest nights Jiangcheng has to offer. Shen Yonghui is the true power behind the scenes, radiating a cold, abstinent aura. Everyone says the powerful man is ruthless and 84Reads—Score191Shelves
5. 555 女 Madam Director, a Major Anti-Crime Case! 女局长，扫黑连环大案！ Zhang Dali, Bursting with Bullish Energy牛气冲天的张大力Urban683k WordsCompleted Female Lead | Anti-Organized Crime | Anti-Drug Operations | Political Arena | Satisfying Revenge There’s no need to fear being pushed around, as long as you can turn things around! Anfu City, the most remote county in Yuzhou, faces the neighboring country’s Wu City across the Qing River. On her first day in office, Meng Yun doesn’t go to her office. She heads straight to the scene of a gunfight. Before the blood has even dried, she begins hunting down the perpetrators. 127Reads7.4Score137Shelves
6. 556 河 The Heyin Coup: Empress Dowager Ling's Sixteen-Year Thirst for Power 河阴之变一灵太后的十六年权欲 Yue Fan Who Loves Barroth喜欢土砂龙的月帆Historical112k WordsCompleted Hu of the Northern Wei, the Empress Dowager Ling, was born into the Hu clan of Anding. Because her aunt was a Buddhist nun, she was able to enter the palace as a child. At the time, the Northern Wei's harsh old rule dictated that a mother must die when her son became crown prince. She insisted on giving birth to Yuan Xu anyway, and won that gamble with death. On the night Emperor Xuanwu died suddenly, she evaded an assassination attempt by the Gao clan with the protection of Yu Zhong and Cui Gua 19Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Top-tier political maneuvering. The war descriptions are believable.

7. 557 月 After I Danced with a Sword Under the Moon, the Prince Mistook Me for His White Moonlight 月下舞剑后，王爷认错白月光 Lan Zhijin澜知锦Ancient Romance196k WordsOngoing In the Great Yan Dynasty, Wang Wanru, the principal wife of Grand Secretary Gu Chongwen, and Liu Yunniang, his concubine, give birth on the same day. The legitimate daughter, Gu Qingyi, and the illegitimate daughter, Liu Weiyue, are born one after the other. A fortune-teller declares that the girls look alike, but one has been born to pave the way for the other, and one is fated to grow up amid hardship... 787Reads—Score—Shelves
8. 558 官 A Career Blessed by Fortune: A County Magistrate's Rise to Power 官运滔天：知县逆袭，权倾朝野 A Friend of Li Shu李树的朋友Historical139k WordsOngoing [Not a power fantasy! A complex tale of court intrigue and political struggle, grounded in historical research!] Li Shu, a modern-day civil service exam candidate who failed to pass, unexpectedly transmigrates to the first year of the Qianlong reign and becomes a newly appointed jinshi. Starting out as a poor county magistrate in Hengyang, he investigates the shortfall in the ever-normal granaries, exposes the dark secrets of the grain transport trade, and takes on salt smugglers in league with 28Reads—Score—Shelves

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   After time-traveling, he enters the officialdom as a county magistrate and becomes embroiled in complex factional struggles.

9. 559 皓 A Thousand Miles of Bright Moon: Rising Amidst the Chaos 皓月千里之乱世崛起 Lovely Rhymes on Brocade Paper绮笺佳韵Ancient Romance497k WordsCompleted A noblewoman rises amid the chaos of war [Empress x Great General] [Power struggles] [Two equally strong leads] [Growth] [The court officials curse me as outrageous. I smile and put an arm around his waist: “We keep each other as lovers. Any objections, gentlemen?”] [Every day, I push myself without rest so I can stand proudly by your side and become someone worthy of you. But no one told me that a Great General can't marry a princess!] [How can a woman like you ascend to the halls of government 35Reads—Score—Shelves

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   [A wolf-like princess × a loyal war god | Everyone's in a crematorium | Tearing apart the white moonlight] When the snow from beyond the Great Wall fell on the dragon robe, she discovered a shocking secret among the relics of her deceased loved ones—that night's encounter in the bear cave was the first step in a twenty-year imperial game. "Your Majesty, it's time for reckoning." Shi Ponu's sword tip lifted her chin, revealing the undergarment she had sewn herself years ago beneath his armor. The 300,000-strong army below the city walls remained silent, watching him suddenly discard his weapon and walk towards her amidst thousands of arrows: "But my debts will be repaid with a lifetime."

10. 560 独 The Sickly Crown Prince Turns the Court Upside Down by Doting on an Enemy-State Hostage 独宠敌国质子，病弱太子颠覆朝堂 Cang Sheng Chang'an沧笙长安Two Male Leads389k WordsCompleted The frail Crown Prince Ying Heng x loyal hostage He Lian Yu Content warning: A Su has equal prominence to Ying Heng and a lot of scenes. [One-on-one romance + two male leads + court intrigue] From the day he was born, Ying Heng was appointed Crown Prince of the Great Li dynasty and took up residence in the Eastern Palace. But toxins in his mother's womb caused him to be born prematurely and left him frail, while the Empress died as a result. For years in the deep palace, without his mother's pro 169Reads—Score—Shelves

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    Political intrigue, two male leads, smooth plot, the protagonist is the crown prince, a game of power struggle, sickly and crazy (the author said that the crown prince will become even crazier later, not Bai Yue).

11. 561 不 The Undying Starveling 不死饿殍 Yu Jinhe余瑾和Eastern Fantasy996k WordsOngoing Tomato Original: They all call me Shen Qianqiu, or the Undying Wretch. I survived the meat hooks used to butcher people for food, weathered the storms of the Tang and Song dynasties, and witnessed the flames of war under the Yuan and Ming... I have walked this mortal world for a thousand years. “They ate me for a thousand years. At last, they ate me into a god.” 3.3kReads—Score260Shelves

    Reader note

    Arno's mute character is incredibly captivating. Her silence—nodding, shaking her head, writing in blood—is far more impactful than lengthy dialogues. Her palms are covered in needle marks, and her every move is a blood-stained talisman; her calm demeanor is frightening. The moment Shen Qianqiu carried her out of the well, I was completely rooting for this pair.

12. 562 天 Sky Screen: I, the Princess of Ten Thousand Years, Rebuild the Han Dynasty Three Times! 天幕：我，万年公主，三造大汉！ Year After Year Tong年年童Ancient Romance422k WordsCompleted [Historical Court Intrigue + Nation-Building and Farming + Three Kingdoms Ensemble Cast + Empress + Strong Female Lead + Livestreaming + Satisfying Female-Power Story] Liu Yue, a modern engineering PhD, was born into the body of Princess Wannian in the final years of the Han dynasty. The history books spare her only a few words: Dong Zhuo abused her, and she died after her “passage was torn apart.” In t 97Reads6.8Score—Shelves

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    🔥🔥🔥 [If you've recently become obsessed with historical intrigue, then this is definitely a must-read novel!] [I also highly recommend it!] The plot is intricate and original, not forced or illogical, and there are no bad parts throughout. It's very immersive, and the writing is superb. Read with confidence and highly recommended!

13. 563 无 The Bladeless Edge 无锋利刃 Tiger-Head Monster Before the Lingxiao Palace凌霄殿前的虎头怪Urban160k WordsOngoing In the hidden currents of the world, everyone is both a player moving the pieces and a piece on the board. Reality wears down the sharp edges of our ideals, and principles give way to self-interest, one step at a time. Behind every choice that looks so bright and promising lies a compromise that cannot be spoken aloud. When the scales tip between survival and conscience, we eventually understand: adulthood is nothing more than dancing in chains. There is often no absolute good or evil in this wo 8Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A mind-bending political intrigue novel. The protagonist, relying on his high intelligence and brilliant calculations, manipulates people's hearts by using the rule of self-interest, reaching the pinnacle of human power and using that power to control the world order.

14. 564 重 Reborn, I Become My Arch-Enemy's Living Widow Sister-in-Law 重生后，我成了死敌的活寡嫂子 Two Times Four Means Prosperity二四得发Ancient Romance517k WordsCompleted [Both leads are reborn + sister-in-law and brother-in-law + an aloof beauty brought down from her pedestal + emotional push and pull + winning her heart and her body + devoted couple] The Eastern Palace has no crown prince, and the princes are locked in a fierce struggle for the throne. Ning Miao and Yan Mobai are the top strategists of their generation, each serving a different master. They cross paths over a map of iron mines and kill each other. Only after her death does Ning Miao learn tha 39.6kReads9.4Score5.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The word "stunning" is not enough to describe it.

15. 565 穿 After Becoming the Duke's Dowager, I Kicked Out Every Ungrateful Child and Grandchild 穿成国公老夫人后我把不孝儿孙全踢了 Li Sanye李三爷Ancient Romance1.6M WordsCompleted Qin Yun transmigrates into a book, and from the start, her whole family is being stripped of their possessions and exiled? Looking at this roomful of unfilial descendants, Qin Yun thinks the whole family has brought this on themselves. The eldest son's family is corrupt and lawless, and their servants commit acts of violence, bringing disaster upon the household. The second son's family is weak and hidebound, yet they pride themselves on being upright scholars. They presume to criticize the crow 1.7kReads9.1Score361Shelves

    Reader note

    These two books are both incredibly good, and the romance storylines are very coherent!!!

16. 566 开 Starting Out as a Blond Punk, I Set Multinational Corporations Fighting to Recruit Me 开局小黄毛，引跨国集团抢破头 Yuan Xia Wenzhang元夏闻章Urban245k WordsOngoing If someone told you that you earned five thousand yuan a month but were worth 1.5 trillion dollars, would you believe them? Li Zha didn’t. He was just a temp at a fire station, one bad day away from getting fired. His biggest wish was to pass the assessment and keep his job. Then came the fire. Everyone else was stopped at the perimeter. He alone rushed inside, rescued the people trapped there, and came out without a scratch. From that day on, he grew stronger and faster, and a voice from a 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The new book is very good; it's not padded out, and it's simple, concise, and easy to read.

17. 567 恶 Reborn After My Own Son, the Cruel Empress Dowager, Stabbed Me to Death 恶毒太后被亲儿子捅死之后重生了 Ink墨色Ancient Romance1.9M WordsCompleted The vicious Empress Dowager Jiang Mingzhu was reborn. In her previous life, to put her son on the throne, she poisoned and tried to assassinate the emperor, colluded with court officials, drugged a pregnant consort to make her miscarry, and plotted against the young crown prince. Every time she schemed, she put her own life on the line to grind her stepson's face into the dirt. But when the plot to put the son she'd worked so hard to support on the throne was exposed, he stabbed her in the back 19.7kReads8.8Score2.1kShelves
18. 568 大EN The Tang Dynasty's Pearl-Dispelling Record (Original Novel of the TV Adaptation Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong) 大唐辟珠记（田曦薇、宋威龙主演同名影视原著） Meal Card饭卡Martial Arts810k WordsCompleted [All-New Bonus Edition] [A Screen Adaptation with the Same Title Has Been Officially Announced, Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong] [Beloved Princess Reborn: Looks Like a Delicate Crybaby, Actually a Well-Rounded Warrior] ✖ [Defiant, Doomed, Devoted, Pure-Hearted Top Jianghu Big Shot] [Their Romance Is So Sweet It Makes You Cry] Princess Wanshou, blessed with the Tang emperor's favor and love, died of an illness at just seventeen. A thief secretly opened the eerie underground palace, only to d 210kReads9.7Score28.1kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is great! 😘

19. 569 锦 The Brocade Guards: The Scheming Villain Who Crushes the Chosen Ones 锦衣卫：权谋反派，专虐气运之子 Loves Orange Cats专爱橘猫Historical222k WordsOngoing (The rating just came out, so it’ll go up later.) [Villain + political intrigue + cold and ruthless + no female lead + mind games + court politics + plots and schemes + no holds barred] He’s just transmigrated into the body of a ruthless Jin Yi Wei official when an upright seventh-rank magistrate points at him in court and calls him a lackey and a lapdog? Shen Du is a little confused. Not only are the people all hailing Magistrate Lu as a paragon of justice, but even the scholar who shares a bon 9Reads5.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Intrigue, treachery, and ruthlessness – this is not for the faint of heart.

20. 570 围 Hunting a Movie Star: I Took Down the Underworld 围猎女星：我干翻地下江湖 Upstream Traveler逆游人Urban325k WordsOngoing [A passionate underworld saga set in the jianghu, with female celebrities, a harem, cunning scheming, power struggles, capital, and intricate, brain-burning plotting] [This is not a brainless story. If you like low-quality, mindless fiction, stop after the first three chapters. The underworld is more than gangsters, and the jianghu is more than fighting. The first thirty chapters reveal just a fraction of the picture. I’ll use my own experiences to show you what the underworld really is, and wha 190Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Reject mindless entertainment! This urban fantasy novel thoroughly explores the balance of power. Set in the turbulent Lingnan region of the 1990s, the story follows a grassroots protagonist who stirs up various political games and becomes entangled in love-hate relationships with female celebrities of diverse personalities, creating a highly dramatic and suspenseful narrative.

21. 571 煌 Glorious Tang 煌唐 Silly Little Lamb傻傻小羊Historical182k WordsOngoing Five thousand years of Chinese history have weathered countless storms, giving rise to a long and storied past, full of both splendor and absurdity. Never mind the distant Xia, Shang, and Zhou dynasties or the turmoil of the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. Just look at the more than two thousand years of dynastic rule since Qin Shi Huang unified the land: how many glorious golden ages saw generals pursue their enemies as far as Mount Langjuxu and envoys from every nation come to pa 10Reads—Score—Shelves

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    The time traveler takes over the turbulent Tang Dynasty, beset by internal and external troubles. He sets aside his imperial status, travels incognito, encounters a mysterious nobleman, obtains a brilliant plan, and turns the tide in the most dangerous moment of the court, shocking all the officials.

22. 572 帝 The Emperor's Favorite: Reborn, I Fight My Way Through the Palace to Become Empress 帝心宠，重生娘娘一路宫斗夺后位 Must-Read必看Ancient Romance891k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue only + Not mutually chaste + Clear-headed heroine who pretends to be weak + Devoted hero] In her previous life, after her flesh had been carved away and her eyes gouged out, one man came for her through a river of blood and overthrew the dynasty to avenge her. Reborn, she did everything she could to get by his side. By then, he had become the supreme emperor, while she was just a low-ranking consort. She pretended to be a little white rabbit to avoid the palace’s bloody intrigue 212Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Heart] The first true political intrigue novel: the female lead is cunning in every cell of her body [licking screen]. Everyone thinks she's easy to manipulate, but she's actually the one pulling the strings all along [Heart]. The second one: There are no truly innocent girls in this world, it's all about acting. The contrast and the raw emotion of the female lead really resonated with me.

23. 573 开 A Convict from the Start? He Coughs, and the Entire Court Trembles 开局罪奴？他一咳嗽，朝堂抖三抖 Lord Cai the Sixth, Who Loves Longjiang Pig Trotters爱吃隆江猪脚的蔡六爷Historical320k WordsOngoing [Transmigration into a Modern Criminal Investigation Story + Political Scheming and Detective Work + Comeback and Face-Slapping + Overwhelming Intelligence + Play the Pig to Eat the Tiger + Strong Allies Joining Forces + Author with Years of Experience Completing Long Novels] I transmigrated into the body of a prince's grandson. The good news: I’m the eldest legitimate grandson, born to a noble station! The bad news: My father was wrongfully executed, I’m trapped in a camp for criminal slaves, a —Reads8.6Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The whole capital was studying "cough science," but no one knew that the one who actually held the remote control was a sinner who should have died.

24. 574 炒 A Family's Journey Through the Stock Market 炒股养家记 Fifty-Six Flowers, One Family五十六朵花是一家Urban1.2M WordsOngoing The Underlying Logic of the Stock Market Human Immortality and Resurrection Understanding the Nature of the Universe Searching for the Meaning of Life [Help humanity stop turning on itself, find its soul, and achieve immortality and resurrection, so that life can flourish throughout the universe and we can live happily with our families forever.] [Life is one great dream. In the face of death, dreams and reality are no different. Write about, witness, and imagine every beautiful thing in this w —Reads—Score—Shelves

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    "Understanding the Essence of the Universe, Finding the Meaning of Life" [Let humanity cease its internal strife, realize a community of shared future for mankind, and sail side-by-side towards a brighter future with technology as our vessel. Many hands make light work; if all of humanity unites and abandons internal conflicts and scheming, we can accelerate the achievement of our common goals: liberating ourselves from the constraints of domestic chores with cutting-edge technology, overcoming medical challenges, striving towards the ideal of communism, and enabling every individual and generation to embrace a prosperous and healthy life; finding our souls and achieving humanity's greatest evolution [immortality and resurrection], allowing us to live endlessly in the universe, forever living happily with our families.] [Life is a grand dream; in the face of death, there is no difference between dream and reality; writing about, seeing, and contemplating all the beauty of humanity makes life worthwhile.] [The goal of Tomato's free novel "Stock Trading to Support the Family" is to depict all the beauty of humanity, incorporating my own values ​​into this book. Criticism and guidance are welcome.] The greatest happiness for humanity lies in enjoying family life, genuine human affection, and the richness of human civilization, such as songs... The greatest pain for humanity is facing the separation of life and death, the departure of loved ones; the living suffer the most... If one only knows how to eat, drink, and be merry, but cannot enjoy family life, genuine human affection, and human civilization, then one is living like an animal, wasting the opportunity to be human: it would be better to be an animal, eating and sleeping all day, unaware of birth, aging, sickness, and death, and even more unaware of the excruciating pain of separation and death—how blissful... Money is merely an external thing; you can't take it with you when you die. It's enough to meet your daily needs. If you cannot achieve immortality and resurrection, no amount of wealth is anything but fleeting. If wealth cannot bring physical and mental health and longevity to the whole family, then those enormous numbers are just symbols jumping in a bank account, utterly meaningless. [In life, don't dwell on those who treat you badly; just stay away from them. This way, your life will be free of negative energy. Conversely, always try your best to repay those who are kind to you; this will fill your life with positive energy. You treat others well, and they will treat you well in return—it's a virtuous cycle. Living in such an atmosphere full of genuine affection is the best life.] [In human civilization, songs and science and technology are among the most beloved things. Life is often filled with disappointments, and in times of pain, we listen to songs like "I Am Your Gesang Flower," "Standing and Waiting for You for Three Thousand Years," "So You Are Here Too," "Childhood Hometown," "White Fox," "Breakup," "I Still Don't Love You Enough," "Let's Meet," and "If Love Still Exists" over and over again.] Science and technology are the driving force of life, so we must study hard, work hard, and live well: Through science and technology, we can overcome medical challenges, achieve communism, find the mysteries of the soul, and achieve human immortality and resurrection, so that we can live happily ever after with our families...] From [Stock Trading to Support the Family: Financial Freedom] to [The Future Has Arrived: Immortality and Resurrection] From "Mom's Words: Where is Happiness?" To "Looking Back: True Love is Invincible" to "Sunrise: Let Nature Take Its Course" to "The Love and Hate of a Wealthy Family: Intertwined Light and Shadow" to "Twists and Turns: A Thousand Miles of Fate" to "The Love of Lin Yang's Parents" to "The Meaning of Life: Immortality and Resurrection" to "Past Life and Present Life: A Daughter is Her Father's Lover from a Past Life" to "I remember when I first started junior high school, my father bought me advanced mathematics. During the college entrance exam, my grades were excellent, but my father wanted me to apply to a third-tier university near home, saying I could come home anytime... After starting school, I missed home every day and realized my father's heart... Everyone says a daughter is her father's lover from a past life, and it's true..." "This world is so wonderful. I want to know what the beginning of the universe was, whether the universe has an end, and most importantly, where do souls go... My biggest dream is to find souls, achieve human immortality and resurrection, and live happily with my family forever, endlessly in the universe... What about you..." Several mass extinctions have already occurred on Earth. How can humanity avoid the fate of the dinosaurs...? I hope humanity will stop its internal strife, unite in developing high technology, find its soul, and complete humanity's greatest evolution: achieving immortality and a great resurrection. In this way, we can thrive endlessly in the universe, living happily with our families forever...] [The greatest truths are simple. What I love most is simplicity, simplifying everything, and understanding the essence. I plan to write only this one book, to gather all my life experiences and everything I want to write about, and keep writing, aiming to create a masterpiece that will be passed down through the universe...] [This book is an enlightenment about the universe and also an encyclopedia of life, transforming all my observations, feelings, insights, and gains from my life journey into words. My teacher said that with a good book, you will have different experiences and different gains every time you read it, and some books can only be truly understood after you have experienced them. If you like this book, be sure to add it to your bookshelf. It is like a vibrant life form, constantly growing, enriching and refining itself, iterating and upgrading step by step in the long river of time.] Each reading, whether stemming from the book's evolution or the accumulation of personal experience, sparks new insights and resonates with the soul. If you enjoy my work, please patiently accompany its gradual transformation and complete presentation! Your support is my greatest motivation! Creation is a long journey of self-cultivation, requiring a calm mind to allow memories and thoughts to settle, to systematically organize the complexities of the mind, and to express the delicate feelings from the heart word by word. Thank you again for your companionship and support. Let us accompany this work as it grows and improves, embarking together on this reading journey across time and space!

25. 575 穿 A Transmigrated Orphan, Solving Cases Through Criminal Investigation and Rising to Power 穿越遗孤，我靠刑侦破局权倾天下 Little Tiger Can Be Adorable小老虎会卖萌Mystery151k WordsCompleted This is a novel of political intrigue, strategic battles of wits, suspense, and deduction. Jiang Xuesheng, a modern narcotics squad captain, dies on a mission. When he opens his eyes again, he has become the orphaned heir of a general stationed on the northern frontier of the Ironblood Kingdom. His parents were killed in an enemy raid. Poison was mixed into the army's provisions, driving the soldiers mad as puppets. Every clue points to a sordid deal, buried twenty years ago beneath a layer of i —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Looking for a time-travel crime-solving novel to read? Look no further! A modern detective transmigrates into the body of a destitute orphan, using his investigative skills to solve bizarre cases and navigate power struggles in ancient times, ultimately rising to power and dominating the world! "Transmigrated Orphan, I Solve Cases and Gain Power Through Criminal Investigation" features an adorable little tiger character that's incredibly addictive!

26. 576 却 Yet You Betrayed the Spring's Grace 却负春恩 See Fortune at First Sight, Meow一见生财瞄Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Print edition now available. Search for Ascending to the Clouds on any platform to buy] [Original titles: Ascending to the Clouds / Loathing the Vermilion Walls] [High-IQ Palace Intrigue + Pure-Hatred Heroine + No Disposable Characters] [No transmigration, no rebirth, no golden finger] [The blurb doesn’t do it justice. Please go read the story] How do you become an emperor’s favorite concubine? A prestigious family? A good education? A gentle, respectful, modest, and accommodating nature? Unfor 25.3kReads9.2Score3.1kShelves

    Reader note

    If you get transported in and survive even half an episode, I highly recommend it. The first and third books are by the same author.

27. 577 皇 The Empress Leaped to Her Death, and the Mad Tyrant Wept Until His Eyes Were Red 皇后纵身一跃，疯批暴君哭红了眼 Huang Dandan黄蛋蛋Ancient Romance635k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance, devoted couple + palace intrigue + regretful pursuit, clear-headed heroine, everyone's unattainable ideal] Meng Tang is a gracious, gentle empress who never competes for favor. Everyone thinks she is a true white lotus standing tall in the harem, and even the tyrant believes it. He takes a new concubine, and she smiles, congratulates him, and arranges for the newcomer to spend the night with him. He sends her restorative medicine, and she obediently takes it, knowing full we 22kReads9.3Score2.1kShelves
28. 578 热 The Hot-Blooded Hunter: God’s Assault 热血猎人神之袭击 Riding a Bull to Find You骑牛找你Historical1.3M WordsOngoing [Survival] [Hunting] [Fighting the Japanese invaders and looting their gear] [Cultivation] Wang Fei has just entered the world of cultivation when he's forced into becoming a live-in son-in-law. One blow shatters his dantian, setting him on a long road from staying alive to rising to greatness. Though he has lost his cultivation, he takes countless disciples. This novel was not written by AI. Every word was painstakingly typed out by the author, who only hopes readers will enjoy the story in its 27kReads9.0Score2.5kShelves

    Reader note

    [KISS][OK][Heart][Heart][Heart]

29. 579 枯 The Dying Lamp Rekindled: The Prison Rose Returns 枯灯复燃，狱中玫瑰归来 Jin Yan菳言Modern Romance616k WordsCompleted Five years ago, she was the eldest daughter of the Qian family, admired by everyone. But she was framed over her family's reputation and charged with murder, falling from the clouds into the mire and ending up behind bars. Behind those high walls, she met Zhao Yi, a woman imprisoned for financial crimes who nevertheless wielded absolute power inside. In their sunless days, they became each other's light, enduring more than two thousand nights together. Five years later, Qian Xin walks out of p 28Reads8.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Added to bookshelf][I also highly recommend][I also highly recommend][Admire][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Sparrow's Masterpiece][May you be blessed immediately][May you be blessed immediately][Admire][Admire][I also highly recommend]

30. 580 随 Drifting with the Tide 随波逐游 Year After Year一年有一年Historical1.1M WordsCompleted From Cowherd to Martial Sage: The Astonishing Rise of Niu Er, a Transmigrator, Packed with Schemes, Romance, and Brotherhood! [Explosive revelations] Niu Er’s double life: After transmigrating, how does he go from a clueless exam candidate to a martial sage and shake up the Three Kingdoms? [The pinnacle of political intrigue] Caught in a web of schemes: As the kingdoms of Daqian, Xiyang, and Jingtai clash, how does Niu Er plan every move and build his empire? [An epic romance] Niu Er’s confid 30Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Very good, it's almost finished, and all the foreshadowing from earlier episodes has been used.

31. 581 重 Reborn: A Ruthless Rise from Poverty 重生寒门逆袭全靠狠 May for the Rest of My Life余生五月Male-Channel Fanfiction2.9M WordsCompleted Xu Dazhi was a humble man from a poor family, and he spent most of his life getting nowhere. He never expected to be reborn by chance. With a new life ahead of him, shouldn’t he make the most of it? Making money and turning his life around should be a piece of cake! He never wants to go back to the cowardly life he led before. In this world, starting with nothing and trying to make a good life for yourself means you have to be ruthless! 214Reads6.6Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A masterpiece by a top author, highly recommended! You won't be satisfied without reading it. I'm currently following the updates. You're welcome!

32. 582 和 He Shen in the City 和珅在都市 Xu Muyu徐牧渔Urban2.5M WordsCompleted On February 22, 1799, Heshen received a white silk cord from the Jiaqing Emperor and met his end. Somehow, he found himself in the future, in 1983. As an ancient man in a modern city, how will he make his way in the world? 28.8kReads9.3Score4kShelves
33. 583 昭 The Chaos of Zhaohua 昭华乱 See Fortune at First Sight, Meow一见生财瞄Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Available in print. Search "Zhaohua Rebellion" on any platform to purchase.] [Strong female lead, satisfying revenge, high-IQ palace intrigue, the heroine schemes against the entire harem, a dangerously unhinged antagonist] Song Zhao has always been a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and she has always seen the world more clearly than anyone else. From the moment she learned that Xiao Jingheng had chosen her to enter the palace as a consort, her goal was crystal clear: "I en 88.6kReads9.5Score9.7kShelves

    Reader note

    If you're looking for political intrigue novels, novels that require critical thinking, and novels where everyone seems to be using their brains, then this book has you covered. Just look at its ratings, its readership, and my reading time—you'll know I'm a seasoned bookworm. This book will absolutely satisfy you.

34. 584 黑EN Death God of the Night 黑夜杀神 Riding a Bull to Find You骑牛找你Eastern Fantasy509k WordsCompleted Hunted from the start, I barely escaped with my life. I fought to defy fate, launching attacks and taking down countless powerful opponents. Born with a beautiful face... I hope you enjoy the story. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 2.6kReads8.8Score194Shelves
35. 585 我 My Years as the CEO's Daughter 我当总裁千金的这些年 Jin Yan菳言Modern Romance299k WordsCompleted CEO romance + face-slapping + satisfying revenge + youth + love + the worlds of politics, business, and the military + fierce battles A poor girl rises to become a wealthy beauty, taking on the worlds of politics and business in turn! The plot is thrilling: her secret crush confesses his feelings! A domineering CEO pursues her relentlessly! The political world treats her like a treasure! The business world holds her in awe! The heroine is clever, intelligent, emotionally savvy, and financiall 54Reads8.8Score—Shelves
36. 586 明 A History of the Ming Palace 明代宫闱史 Xu Xiaotian许啸天Historical734k WordsCompleted Venture deep into the palace to explore the love and hatred between emperors and their consorts; delve into history and discover the twists and turns of feudal dynasties. Understand this series, and you understand the palace. Understand the palace, and you understand history. Understand history, and the realities of the world become clear. Palace romances are an important branch of traditional historical fiction. 40.9kReads9.6Score710Shelves

    Reader note

    The most brilliant political maneuvering is all in history.

37. 587 被 After Being Kidnapped, I Kidnap the Western Regions' Young Lord and Bring Him Back to the Central Plains 被拐后，我反拐西域少主回中原 Thousand Threads of Intrigue千丝戏Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Young lord of the Western Regions × Princess of Sheng'an] Ye Zhaoyu was born into the imperial family. She figured she'd surely been dealt the pampered darling's script in life, so she wisely decided to coast. But she never expected to take a wrong turn and be kidnapped to the Western Regions. By a stroke of bad luck, she was sent to the bed of a deranged young lord known as a demon's lair and a living Shura. She immediately switched into survival-and-escape mode, determined to flee back to the 8.4kReads9.5Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    The whole thing is absolutely amazing, with each plot twist leading to the next, and you can never guess who the final boss will be. The story is full of surprises, and the author's writing is superb; you'll want to copy every single sentence.

38. 588 重 Reborn: One Tip-Off Letter Set Me on the Path to the Top 重生：一封举报信，开启巅峰仕途 He Shihuan彼时还声Urban525k WordsOngoing [Reborn] + [Officialdom] + [Scheming] + [Revenge] + [play the pig to eat the tiger] + [Tycoon] + [Urban] + [Political Intrigue] After twenty years of ups and downs in Officialdom, deputy department-level official Chu Yunfei dies with grievances in the midst of factional infighting, discarded as a pawn! Thankfully, Heaven takes pity on him, and he is reborn in 2008! At the engagement banquet of the ex-wife who humiliated him, he suddenly sees the light. The “bloody, tear-stained playbook” of the 304Reads8.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Reborn in 2008, a wedding banquet brings a sudden realization: a powerful deputy director pretends to be a "lazy bum" while secretly wielding power and making money; the revenge and counterattack is incredibly exciting.

39. 589 娘 Mother, Please Stop Trying to Find Me a Concubine 娘，真的别给儿子纳妾啦 White Dragon, Don't Lurk白龙勿潜Historical905k WordsOngoing Multiple heroines + alternate world + political intrigue + satisfying power fantasy Shen Zhi'an transmigrates into an ancient family of merchants as its only son. To ensure the Shen family line continues, his mother is intent on taking concubines for him so he can father a dozen sons. Shen Zhi'an's own dream is to live as a spoiled young master. But the world is in turmoil, and the Jiangnan Shen family has become a target of the imperial court. Shen Zhi'an has no choice but to flee. In Great Zho 5.4kReads—Score376Shelves
40. 590 情 City of Heartbreak 情伤都市 Riding a Bull to Find You骑牛找你Urban215k WordsCompleted My new work is out! Come read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 953Reads—Score—Shelves
41. 591 物 Survival of the Fittest: Women Choose 物竞女择 Jin Yan菳言Urban515k WordsCompleted Han Jiarui, a girl precisely calculated through numbers, biology, technology, and human-body engineering. Her body-driving chip fell into ruin years ago, and no one knows her true identity... The truth comes to light: a girl who is half human, half machine, and half biological being must survive public scrutiny and the extreme challenges of the apocalypse. “For you, I’m willing to make the whole world my enemy!” A love that spans worlds. This is a story about the human rights of mechanical li 5Reads—Score—Shelves
42. 592 铁 The Iron-Blooded Prince and His Commandery Princess Wife 铁血王爷郡主妻 Rice Fragrance Fills the Autumn City稻香满秋城Ancient Romance171k WordsOngoing [Secret Love Becomes Reality] [Marriage First, Love Later] [High-Stakes Love Triangle] [Great Power Rivalry] Everyone knew that Xiao Yanchen, the Prince of Zhenbei of Great Zhou, was cold and ruthless. But no one knew he carried a packet of wound medicine and ten years of unrequited love, enduring night after night on the battlefield. He forced her into marriage and pressed her at every turn, trapping her between his chest and the bed. "On our wedding night, you called me Uncle?" Shen Yishi t 63Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Already recommended] A grand era of political intrigue, a tale of family, nation, and the world. An epic love story! He secretly loved her for ten years; she was his cousin, he was her imperial uncle! Yearning for her day and night, unable to express his feelings, he finally broke free from societal constraints, kneeling before his imperial brother to grant her marriage! He was a prince of the Great Zhou, commanding 300,000 iron cavalry, stationed on the border between Zhou and Qi! She was the granddaughter of the Grand Princess, a shrewd businesswoman with businesses spanning ten kingdoms, possessing unparalleled beauty! The Qi Kingdom harassed her businesses! He led 100,000 troops to the border between Zhou and Qi! She went alone to the meeting, her eloquence and political maneuvering shaking the Qi court!

43. 593 乱 A Lone Woman in Troubled Times, Plotting an Age of Prosperity 乱世孤女，谋千古盛世 Lingering Fragrance and Faded Powder旧香残粉Ancient Romance2.2M WordsOngoing [Strong Female Lead + No CP + Empress + Ensemble Cast + Political Scheming + War + Power Struggles in a Chaotic Era + Nation-Building and Farming + No Spatial Storage or System + Slow-Burn Growth + Epic Length] Yun Huaijin suddenly became a "corpse" in a world torn apart by chaos. She crawled out of a pile of bodies, with only a child on the verge of starving to death beside her. In this world, nobles lived in drunken indulgence, powerful clans monopolized knowledge, bandits slaughtered withou 25.5kReads8.9Score3.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is very well written and enjoyable; I recommend it.

44. 594 宁 Ning Jinge 宁烬歌 Calm as Ever冷静如斯Ancient Romance697k WordsOngoing [Female commander × top-tier spy and assassin | Two equally matched leads | Court intrigue and the martial world | Standing together in troubled times | Devoted 1v1 romance] The sweeping scale of a male-oriented story, with the emotional depth of a female-oriented one. Fast-paced and tightly plotted, with no filler or dragging. The political intrigue is logical, and long-laid clues are brought back into play. A serious world with lighthearted, hilarious everyday moments, and an incredibly sweet 379Reads8.5Score103Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is a thrilling tale of power struggles in a chaotic world, a complex web of overt and covert schemes. What's truly remarkable is its witty writing style; it's not heavy-handed at all, but rather brings joy and occasionally makes you smile. [Laughs][laughs]

45. 595 宋 The History of the Song Dynasty’s Imperial Court 宋代宫闱史 Xu Muxi许慕羲Historical607k WordsCompleted Drawing on official histories, unofficial accounts, and folk legends, this work offers a profound portrayal of the emperor's emotional world alongside a detailed depiction of life in the palace. It vividly recreates the lives of emperors and empresses in the secluded inner palace, while also offering readers interested in history clues to follow. 2.5kReads9.4Score321Shelves
46. 596 江 The Jiangzuo Mystery: I Investigate a Murder and Get Caught in a Power Struggle for the Throne 江左之谜（我查命案卷入皇权博弈） The Liu Family Patriarch Who Likes the Autumn Rankings喜欢秋榜的柳家家主35k WordsCompleted The Mystery of Jiangzuo (I get caught up in a struggle for imperial power while investigating a murder case) —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    All the political intrigue you're looking for is here. If you enjoy novels like "The Longest Day in Chang'an" and "The Mischievous Langya," this one will satisfy you.

47. 597 公 Turning the Tables in the Civil Service Exam: Climbing the Ladder from the Interview Onward 公考逆袭：从面试开始一路攀登 Yuanming Xiaoyang元明小阳Urban3.3M WordsOngoing People's affections are as thin as paper, and the world changes like a new chess game with every turn. Li Xiuyuan starts at the grassroots level, driven by a desire to get ahead. He takes one steady step after another, climbing higher with every move! 742.1kReads9.2Score59.8kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is amazing!!!

48. 598 从 From Toddler Prince to Sovereign of All Under Heaven [Infrastructure] 从奶娃诸侯王到天下共主【基建】 Peach Creek Wilds桃溪野Ancient Romance1.7M WordsOngoing Original title: From Infant Prince to Ruler of All Under Heaven: Infrastructure Building [Feel-good power fantasy + adorable toddler from the start + gaming cheat + infrastructure building + farming + war + family and country + cute pets + romance?] [Serious Synopsis] If you come from across the sea and travel west, you will eventually find a prosperous city unlike anything in this world. It is the fiefdom of His Highness, the Prince of You: Youzhou. At the end of the dynasty, the land is strew 171.4kReads9.3Score18.8kShelves

    Reader note

    There were no scheming or trickery, only the chubby boy's genuine kindness.

49. 599 官 The Bearing of a Soldier on the Official Path 官道之军人风采 Shahé Courier Station Clerk沙河驿丞Urban1.3M WordsCompleted The political arena is a battlefield, but Chen Feng insists on meeting it head-on with a soldier's iron will! No rebirth, no System, no golden finger. He relies on sheer intelligence to fight back! While others depend on connections to win political battles, Chen Feng uses the battlefield-honed skill of “anticipating your anticipation.” After all, if he can dodge bullets, why fear your backstabbing? From a hail of gunfire to mountains of paperwork, he holds fast to a soldier's spirit with one ha 12.5kReads8.2Score1.7kShelves
50. 600 一 A Deputy Section Chief's Siege 一个副科长的围城 City Farmer都市老农Urban535k WordsCompleted You think it’s just a trap, never realizing you’ve already stepped onto the chessboard. Chen Yuan, a cautious deputy section chief in the government offices, leads a life as calm as still water. Then new colleague Lin Xue arrives like a pebble tossed into a stagnant pond. Helping her after she gets drunk, receiving a late-night call for help: step by step, he is drawn into a gentle trap. Fifty thousand yuan in “hush money,” an expensive fountain pen, and intimate photos that “accidentally” get l 44Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    He smiled. "It's a personal matter, I'll handle it, it won't affect my work." "That's not what I meant," Chen Yuan took a few steps closer, leaning against the foot of another bed. "I meant, if there are any difficulties, perhaps... Perhaps I can help? After all, I know more people in the provincial capital than you do."

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