High Intelligence, Cunning Plans, Masterful Schemes, Treating the World Like a Chessboard 高智商，有谋略，算计足，以天下为棋

1. 651 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

   If this isn't high intelligence, then who is?

2. 652 生 After Giving Birth, the Cold and Aloof Demon Emperor Begs Me to Stroke His Tail 生崽后，清冷妖皇哭求我摸他尾巴 Big Tangerine, Big Fortune大橘大利Fantastical Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Cool, aloof seductress VS domineering female demon] The female demon Chu Qun was reborn. A thousand years had passed, yet her legends still covered the continent. The Saint of the Pill, the world-destroying Marquis Chu Yi, the sword-forging patriarch... They were all her secret identities! In her previous life, her siblings betrayed her. She was torn apart by chariots, and her soul was sealed beneath the abyss. This time, she returned in triumph, slaying prodigies, killing her enemies, and supp 39.3kReads9.6Score5.6kShelves

   Reader note

   These are all books I've read and can't bear to delete. "The World as a Chessboard" is highly recommended for its high intelligence and strategic thinking; "The Treacherous Minister's Daughter" by Xiao Wangshu is truly amazing!! And "The Female Chief Minister" by Cheng Qing is also fantastic! Both of these are incredibly intellectually stimulating... The others are also quite good; feel free to choose and see if any suit your taste.

3. 653 驸 My Consort Took a Concubine, So I Cast Him Off; He Rebelled, So I Became Emperor 驸马纳妾我休弃，驸马造反我称帝 Paper Tiger纸老虎Ancient Romance541k WordsCompleted [Signed for publication] [A noblewoman and a transmigrated woman join forces to contend for the throne. Strong female lead, ensemble cast, political intrigue, no romance] Yuan Xuan was born to be a pawn. For the sake of the realm, she lived as a man and served as crown prince for over a decade. When her younger brother was born, Yuan Xuan returned to living as a woman and became a discarded pawn. Abandoned by everyone, she had no one left who didn’t want her dead. Less than a year into her marri 15.3kReads9.5Score2.8kShelves

   Reader note

   I won't elaborate on the quality of Lin Du's work; both books are by the same author①, and the story revolves around a woman scheming for power. Every character is well-developed, the female characters each possess their own unique charm, and the male characters are also portrayed with great depth. No one is purely evil; everyone is acting in their own self-interest.

4. 654 超 Beyond the Veil: The Ascension Stairway 超凡迷雾：登神长阶 Lazy Person Who Lies Flat躺平懒人Urban92k WordsCompleted “The Ascension Ladder” is an evolutionary path followed by a handful of organizations. They believe there is a ladder leading from “mortal” to “divine,” and each step demands a price no human can bear. After a worldwide anomaly known as the “Great Fog Incident,” order appeared to return to the world. But those in the know understand that the dense fog never lifted. It simply became “invisible.” The true world is made up of layers of “reality” stacked atop one another. Ordinary people can percei —Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Numerous foreshadowing elements, mind-bending

5. 655 快 Quick Transmigration: The Max-Level Big Shot Gets the Cannon Fodder Script 快穿当满级大佬拿到炮灰剧本 Ran Qiqi冉七柒Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted When the Cannon Fodder System has no other choice, it grabs a random lackey, never expecting to latch onto a max-level expert! From then on, it gets to coast to victory. In the heroine's story, the lives of cannon fodder characters are always turned upside down by her. No matter how innocent they are, cannon fodder can only ever be cannon fodder, a stepping stone on the heroine's road to happiness. Then Guihua transmigrates into the cannon fodder characters of various little worlds. Guihua says: 27.1kReads9.4Score2.2kShelves
6. 656 官 The Officialdom Game 官奕 Dreams of Spring and Autumn梦话春秋Urban632k WordsOngoing My name is Wei Zilong, and I’ve spent my career in government. Through my story, I want to show everyone what the political arena is really like... When you’re in public service, you can’t always control your own fate. If you never weather a storm, how can you ever mature? 13.1kReads7.6Score1.1kShelves

   Reader note

   In the power struggles of officialdom, strategy comes first.

7. 657 和 After the Divorce, the Villainous Stepmother Brings Blessings to the World! 和离后，反派后娘福载天下！ Mo Yi Mo Jia莫乙莫甲Ancient Romance758k WordsCompleted Su Xin peered into the secrets of fate and discovered that her terrible luck in this life was because someone had stolen her fortune and the merit she'd accumulated over a hundred lifetimes in her previous one! As she was pondering how to fix it, a bolt of lightning sent her back to her previous life. From the start, her stepfather had already packed her off to become someone else's stepmother. A wild System suddenly bound itself to her, too. One, two, three, four, five, six, seven troublesome k 36.3kReads9.6Score5.7kShelves
8. 658 过 Adoption into the Family 过继 Dreams of Spring and Autumn梦话春秋Urban1.9M WordsCompleted This is a novel about a man growing up through blood and tears. Along with the cruelty of reality comes the trickery of fate. But if you’re a man, wipe away your tears and face every hardship. Make yourself tough as steel, unbreakable... 29.9kReads9.3Score3.2kShelves
9. 659 寒 Lone Shadow over the Cold River, Moon-Hanging Blade 寒江孤影悬月刀 Cai Yuanwai蔡员外Historical478k WordsOngoing Hanjiang is a major military stronghold guarding the vital route between north and south, as well as a prosperous haven for merchants. It is said that its waters stretch for three thousand li, its sails carry grain from across the land, and its splendid nightlife rivals that of Jiangnan! Every faction in the realm has a foothold here, from warlords and great clans to martial arts sects and even the Buddhist and Taoist faiths. History-making battles... one coup after another, as power changes han 82Reads—Score—Shelves
10. 660 九 The Nine-Tailed Wolf-Badger 九尾狈 Moving with the Wind随念风而动Eastern Fantasy326k WordsOngoing [Fantasy court intrigue] [A must-read for CP fans] [Scheming protagonist] [Play the pig to eat the tiger] [No regrets once the move is made] Have you ever wondered what it would look like when sorcery clashes with magic? Or how a male lead might protect the woman he loves, shoulder the fate of his country, and search for his mother while uncovering the mystery of his own origins? The Far West, Ashen Plains. The sky was gray, and so was the earth. Two thousand sorcerers from the Western Frontier 7Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is it; those who are interested can come and take a look.

11. 661 聚 At the Foot of Demon-Gathering Mountain 聚魔山下 Loves Eating Dead Fish爱吃死鱼Eastern Fantasy34k WordsOngoing [A slow pace and careful buildup, all to tell a story that delves deeper into human nature.] [Brothers at Odds] “If you don't come back to help me, Saville... then we'll have to be enemies for the rest of our lives. We've always tempered each other. It's not that one of us changed, but that we were forced to be swept forward by history.” [The King's Commission] “Listen, Saville. You are the sharpest sword in the Kingdom of Carlos. I'll be waiting for you to bring back the scroll and save us, eve 8Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A politically charged, multi-ethnic, and extravagantly developed drama.

12. 662 假 The Fake Heiress Stole My Fate, So After I Was Reborn, I Took Her Out 假千金夺我命格，重生后我嘎了她 Mo Mo Is Master Mo墨墨是墨爷Modern Romance504k WordsCompleted [Rebirth + punishing scumbags + satisfying wish fulfillment] Ren Ran had an easy life for her first eighteen years, then spent the next eight plagued by bad luck. Her maternal grandparents, mother, and younger brother died one after another. Her scumbag father took over the company, and she was thrown out of the house to live on the streets. She’d be robbed just walking down the road, and flowerpots would fall from the sky when she approached a building. Whenever she got a job at a company, it w 49.1kReads9.5Score6.5kShelves
13. 663 曾 Zeng Guofan: A Distinguished Statesman Who Revived the Late Qing 曾国藩：晚清中兴名臣 Good Fortune and Happiness Beijing吉祥如意北京Historical377k WordsCompleted Written in an accessible style, this book recounts the remarkable life of Zeng Guofan, the foremost statesman of the late Qing revival. It begins with a baby's cries in a farming household in Xiangxiang in 1811, then follows his grueling path through the imperial examinations. He fails four times but keeps studying until, at twenty-seven, he finally enters the Hanlin Academy. As a capital official, he adheres to the principles of self-cultivation and holds fast to his convictions amid court intr 7.9kReads7.9Score355Shelves

    Reader note

    Engaging biographies of historical figures: Zeng Guofan, Zuo Zongtang, and Li Hongzhang [heart emoji]

14. 664 云 The Cloud Tower Rankings 云楼榜 Cai Yuanwai蔡员外Historical724k WordsCompleted A child abandoned during a time of war was reunited with his parents at the age of fourteen. Only then did he discover that his parents were the Great Yue Empire's Grand Generals Who Guard the Nation. But his true identity was even more astonishing: he was the leader of the world's most mysterious sect, as well as one of the few martial artists to have reached the Grandmaster realm... 809Reads5.2Score—Shelves
15. 665 快 Quick Transmigration: The Demon King Wrecks the Plot 快穿之大魔王崩坏剧情 Mist Rising Through the Long Forest雾起长林Modern Romance428k WordsCompleted (No romance, brainless wish-fulfillment.) The heroine is an overbearing, chuuni, unhinged supervillain. She isn't human! She has no human morality and is rotten to the core. Anyone seeking justice or a saintly heroine should stay away. She takes the scumbag's path and leaves scumbags nowhere to go. If she can solve something with violence, she won't waste a word. She's a master of every kind of scheming green tea and black lotus trick: if you can imagine it, she can do it. A mama's boy ends up w 29.3kReads9.5Score2.9kShelves
16. 666 左 Zuo Zongtang: The Late Qing Dynasty's Last Hawk 左宗棠：晚清最后的鹰派 Good Fortune and Happiness Beijing吉祥如意北京Historical271k WordsCompleted At its heart, this book is about a practical-minded reformer amid the upheavals of the late Qing dynasty. Spanning the years from 1812 to 1885, it vividly portrays the extraordinary life of Zuo Zongtang, from a poor scholar in Xiangyin to a high-ranking provincial official. The book recounts his early studies of statecraft and his years of obscurity after failing the metropolitan examination three times. It also details his military career: raising the Chu Army to suppress the Taiping Rebellion 13.3kReads8.6Score780Shelves
17. 667 锋 The Winds of Change in Fengge 锋戈之风起云涌 Cai Yuanwai蔡员外Historical801k WordsCompleted After a century of prosperity, the Great Yu Dynasty is in decline, beset by troubles at home and abroad. The court is in turmoil, and Xu Yunshan, the Great Yu's foremost commander, who had already retired to the mountains, is forced back into a web of intrigue and power struggles... 105Reads—Score—Shelves
18. 668 三 A Silver Tongue Conquers the World 三寸不烂打天下 Caribbean Mantis加勒比海刀螂Historical218k WordsCompleted [Hilarious + Political Intrigue + Carefully Crafted Details + Transmigration + Strong Moral Compass + High Intelligence + Ensemble Cast + No Golden Fingers + Masterful Detail + Brisk Pacing] A low-level delivery rider transmigrates into the body of a fool and marries two women from the start. What kind of chemistry will modern pickup lines, an ordinary person’s perspective, and iconic pop songs create in ancient times? What’s it like to give the emperor a bath? How do you use a handsome man to p 99Reads9.3Score179Shelves

    Reader note

    Multiple independent romantic storylines, each with a distinct female lead and no homogenized tropes. Diverse female lead characters + delicate emotions + sweet interactions. Gentle beauties, powerful queens, and noble ladies from aristocratic families take turns appearing, their interactions with the male lead full of fun and humor. #AncientStyleSweetRomance #MultipleFemaleLeadRomance #TimeTravelNovel

19. 669 让 You Asked Me to Bless You, but I Cursed You: The Alluring Goddess Has Arrived 让你赐福你赐祸，美艳神明她来了 Joy at Every Step步步见喜Modern Romance653k WordsCompleted Man Yue, the God of Joy (and Misfortune), was kicked out of the Divine Realm by her grandfather, the Supreme God. The moment she opened her eyes, she had become an unlucky woman with the exact same name. She went from being a contestant to a judge on the show. Netizens: Who does she think she is? She’s not some big-shot sponsor. Man Yue: Those who believe in me will prosper. Those who curse me will have bad luck! * Short on cash? Buy a lottery ticket, and quietly chant, “Man Yue, you’re my god!” 6.5kReads9.5Score915Shelves
20. 670 重 Reborn as a Poisonous Consort 重生之毒妃 Mei Guo梅果Ancient Romance3.9M WordsCompleted An Jinxiu, the Taishi’s illegitimate daughter, gave her heart to the wrong man and schemed her way through life. In the end, her lover became emperor, but he abandoned her in the wilderness. Reviled by all as a wicked, poisonous woman, she died in humiliation. Given another chance at life, An Jinxiu casts off her old ways. At first, all she wants is to spend the rest of her life with the man she wronged in her previous life, but she soon discovers that this life is still full of obstacles. After 5kReads8.9Score621Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is really good. The female lead is resourceful and can handle unexpected events at any time, but her relationship with the male lead is a bit tragic.

21. 671 李 Li Hongzhang: The Plasterer of the Qing Empire 李鸿章：大清帝国的裱糊匠 Good Fortune and Happiness Beijing吉祥如意北京Historical626k WordsCompleted This is a sweeping historical portrait of Li Hongzhang's life, built around the metaphor of “learning to steer on a broken ship.” Beginning with a newborn's cries in the Li family home in Luzhou in 1823 and ending with his lonely final days at Xianliang Temple in 1901, the book follows the course of time to recreate the turbulent life of this high-ranking official of the late Qing. He was an ambitious scholar pursuing success in the imperial examinations, who honed his character under Zeng Guofa 3.3kReads7.9Score216Shelves
22. 672 镇 The Nation-Protecting Prince Consort 镇国驸马爷 Xuan Zhi轩轾Historical3.1M WordsCompleted [System + political intrigue + mind games! The story only gets better as it goes] Ji Ping’an, a die-hard Three Kingdoms Kill player, passes out while gaming. When he wakes up, he’s transmigrated to the Dayu Dynasty and, by some fluke, become its biggest doormat of a son-in-law: the princess’s husband. He also activates a Three Kingdoms Heroic Spirit System. With enough gold, he can summon any general, strategist, warlord, or beauty from the Three Kingdoms. From then on, Ji Ping’an sets out to ge 65.5kReads8.9Score5kShelves

    Reader note

    A high-IQ strategy novel has arrived! The protagonist is a master strategist, possessing unparalleled wisdom and ingenuity. He uses the world as his playground, meticulously calculating every step. A battle of wits and power, an intertwining of intrigue and open schemes. Witness how the protagonist manipulates the situation and controls the universe amidst the turbulent flow of events. Come and experience this masterpiece of strategy and wisdom!

23. 673 开 How Do I Survive After Becoming the Villain in a Formulaic Novel from the Start? 开局穿成了套路文的反派怎么破 Meow Nineteen喵十九Eastern Fantasy627k WordsCompleted The sequel is underway and can be found in the author’s works. This leans toward the female-audience genre. If that’s not your thing, please don’t read. Lighthearted and funny, an irreverent fantasy story. The protagonist is adored by everyone, men and women alike. All flirtation, no CP. After transmigrating, Cang Yu finds himself cast as the villain in three different books! Even though he’s the villain, he’s stuck with the job of saving the world! He decides he’d better save himself first. 007 3.8kReads9.2Score352Shelves

    Reader note

    This one! This one! It starts off a bit silly, but the pace picks up later, with the world at large and everything under the protagonist's control. It does, however, have a touch of madness.

24. 674 快 Quick Transmigration: My Scumbag Ex Cries as He Eats My Ashes 快穿修罗场：渣男哭着吃我骨灰 Meat Sauce Eater吃肉酱Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted The comic adaptation is out! [Conquest + Shura Fields + No CP + Abusing Scum + Everyone's Favorite] Yu Ai is the best task-taker across all of time and space, a beauty blessed with both talent and looks. Hearing that men are always looking for trouble, she teams up with System 001 to teach them a lesson. She's the original green tea, a master of acting, and she's ready to fight back online. * The scheming CEO pins a woman beneath him. "Woman, behave. You're only allowed to be my caged bird." The 10.3kReads9.4Score1kShelves
25. 675 我 My Grandfather Is Zhu Yuanzhang 我祖父是朱元璋 Time Thief岁月神偷Historical6.5M WordsCompleted I have the most illustrious name: Zhu Yuntong. I am the legitimate grandson of the founding emperor of Great Ming, and the legitimate son of Crown Prince Zhu Biao. My mother is the daughter of Chang Yuchun, and my maternal granduncle is Lan Yu. I am the most illustrious imperial grandson in Great Ming, and the most influential and legitimate heir to the throne. I will usher in a different Great Ming, magnificent beyond compare, its sun and moon shining bright. It will embrace all rivers and welc 234.7kReads9.4Score27kShelves
26. 676 半 A Song Beyond a Lonely Gate 半扇孤阙歌 Chen Kou尘蔻Ancient Romance2.8M WordsOngoing Mu Huashan, everyone says you bow to neither heaven, earth, gods, nor men! Today, will you stand while a hundred thousand people die with you, or kneel and die alone?” Many years ago, people called me a woman of unyielding integrity, who bowed to neither heaven, earth, gods, nor men, a hero without equal. I thought my blood would grow cold beneath the pines, my righteous deeds would fill my tombstone, and generations to come would honor me. The person I loved most ripped the bones from my living 29Reads6.4Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book features a female protagonist who is a businesswoman and a male protagonist who is a general.

27. 677 兵 Marching Out of the Ten Thousand Mountains to Reclaim Our Homeland and Expand Our Borders 兵出十万大山，复故土拓新疆 The Twenty-Five-Thousand-Li Long March二万五千里长征路Historical885k WordsOngoing Liu Yongfu went up the mountain to gather firewood. In a dream, an old man told him that he was a mighty general who should defend his home and protect his people. When he woke, he also had a new set of memories from the future. Liu Yongfu decided that, besides defending his homeland, he should find the Han people a place to settle, help them survive more than a decade of war and natural disasters, and fight against imperialism... [Some parts of this story take liberties with history, or happen 5.4kReads—Score385Shelves

    Reader note

    The male protagonist is reborn to restore his homeland and build a Han Chinese world for the people.

28. 678 小 My Little Martial Uncle Really Doesn't Push Herself. She Just Wants to Kill the Female Lead 小师叔真不卷，她只想杀女主而已 Mo Caiwei莫采薇Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Ensemble cast] [People say the blurb did this book a disservice. I'm no good at writing blurbs, so just read the story.] Reincarnated as a doomed female supporting character destined for a gruesome death? No problem. Kill the heroine from the start, wreck the plot, and reset everything. This time, I'm the heroine. The original heroine was a pitiful girl born to a concubine. She had a lowly start but a powerful protagonist's aura. No matter what danger she faced, she always escaped disaster, ros 97.9kReads9.5Score16.7kShelves
29. 679 重 Reborn to Cultivate Immortality: The Supporting Actress Gets the Heroine’s Script 重生修仙：女配拿了女主剧本 Knife, Medicine, Pen刀药笔Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The Yun family of Cangyun City has two daughters. The legitimate daughter, Yun Yue’e, has a Water Spirit Root and the destiny of a phoenix. Her parents dote on her, and her master cherishes her. The concubine-born daughter, Yun Nian, is desperate for her parents’ attention. She willingly becomes her elder sister’s shadow, practices the Yun family’s forbidden arts, takes her injuries, and clears the path for her. Yun Nian thinks this might finally make her father spare her a glance, but she neve 3.5kReads9.0Score335Shelves
30. 680 回 After the College Entrance Exam, I Used My Foresight to Become a Tycoon 回到高考后，利用先知成富豪 The Twenty-Five-Thousand-Li Long March二万五千里长征路Urban841k WordsCompleted By a twist of fate, Chen Feiyu returns to the day after his class reunion, held after the college entrance exam. Using his information advantage, he makes up for past regrets. From the start, he sets his sights on the Brazil World Cup to earn his first fortune, then uses his expertise and memories to grow his money in the stock market. He also keeps in touch with his high school crush and his senior from university, wins the hearts of both beauties, and becomes a winner in life! 2.6kReads—Score107Shelves
31. 681 水 Water Margin: My Family Was Slaughtered? Then I'll Bathe Liangshan in Blood! 水浒：满门被屠？那就血洗梁山！ Big Stone Block大石墩子Historical1.2M WordsOngoing [No System]+ [Crush Liangshan]+ [Farming]+ [Officialdom]+ [Power Struggles] When Hu Cheng woke up, he smelled burning flesh and saw flames. His six-month-pregnant wife lay by the well, her belly split open and her blood already drained away. His father lay sprawled across the stone steps, head severed from his body. Of the more than three hundred members of the Hu family estate, only twenty-three had survived. The murderer was called Li Kui. The group was called Liangshan. Hu Cheng crawled out o 5.7kReads8.4Score208Shelves

    Reader note

    Massacre of entire families, separation, assassins, strategists, princes, and the backlash of imperial power! This is the ruthless drama that ancient Chinese political intrigue should have! 🔥

32. 682 不 Nothing More Than That 不过尔尔 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance400k WordsCompleted Er’er is a weak little immortal. She can’t fight monsters, and she can’t meditate either. With barely eight hundred years of cultivation, she loses it all the moment she ascends to the Ninth Heaven. But she has the gift of foresight. She knows that one day, the man before her will destroy heaven and earth and slaughter every living thing. Before he turns demonic, she must bind her little life tightly to his. Li Ye is a powerful High God. He ranks first at fighting monsters, first at meditati 7kReads9.4Score1.2kShelves
33. 683 九 Nineties Hong Kong: I Woke Up as a Kidnapped Heiress's Sister-in-Law 九零香江：睁眼穿成被绑豪门大嫂 Beauty Plucking Stars美人摘星Modern Romance2.4M WordsCompleted Chen Rou first met Nie Zhao during a counterterrorism case involving a wealthy Hong Kong family. He had been Hong Kong’s undisputed richest man for years and was a powerful figure renowned across the region. Even with both legs crippled and confined to a wheelchair, even in his fifties with deep wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, he still radiated sharpness and intelligence. Three generations of Chen Rou’s family had served in the police. Her father died in the war on drugs, and she had once b 24.5kReads9.1Score2.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist, a modern-day special forces soldier, transmigrates to the 1990s in Hong Kong to become the wife of a powerful tycoon. Highly intelligent, strategic, and shrewd, she commands the respect and deference of all the wealthy and powerful figures of the era.

34. 684 忆 Remembering Song: The Ultimate Battle of Wits [Northern Song Arc] 忆宋：顶级权谋对决【北宋篇】 Snow at Nightfall夜阑雪Historical501k WordsCompleted [The author is a junior fellow of Dang Nian Ming Yue. Thanks to him for his sincere encouragement and support. I dedicate this work to Those Things in the Ming Dynasty and pay tribute to Dang Nian Ming Yue!] After experiencing so much and seeing all kinds of men and women around us, after growing used to desire and entanglements, deception and temptation, and looking back across history, we have all come to accept things as they are. The core of history, human nature, has never changed over thou 3.3kReads9.4Score440Shelves
35. 685 重 Reborn, I Turn My Fate Around with the System of Noncontention 重生归来，我凭不争系统扭转死局 Wen Qiheng温栖珩Ancient Romance114k WordsOngoing Reborn on the eve of the palace banquet, Su Wanyuan's fingertips brushed against the secret drug hidden in the lining of her gown. In her previous life, she was tricked into making a scene, lost her reputation, and saw her entire family executed. This time, she stayed calm, waiting to tear away her half-sister's gentle facade in front of everyone at the banquet. Before the trouble had even settled, a wooden token etched with a whirlpool pattern led her to a decades-old secret plot involving a 15Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    High intelligence, strategic thinking, and shrewd calculation

36. 686 繁 A Splendid Mistake 繁华错 A World of Splendor繁华锦世Ancient Romance1.9M WordsCompleted If I had another life, I would never put my hand in yours again. Never. · Hengzhou’s richest man, the Yun Sect’s Iron Cavalry, Qiongzhou’s pleasure quarter, the Four Great Houses of the capital: what earth-shattering secrets lie hidden among these people and places, so seemingly unrelated? What turmoil does a peerlessly beautiful woman, moving through the world of courtesans, stir up with her delicate hands? Everything should have been in the palm of her hand, effortless and under control. But t 595Reads8.4Score103Shelves
37. 687 我 I, the Ultimate Schemer: The Empress Calls Me a Living Yama 我，最强毒士，女帝直呼活阎王 Xing Xing Zi星星子Historical4.3M WordsOngoing [Search Tomato to watch the short drama: The Third Greatest Stratagem of All Time] Gao Yang transmigrated to the Great Qian Dynasty just as the Empress ascended the throne and began recruiting talent from across the land. So he volunteered himself as a poison strategist! The Empress: “Suppose you personally wiped out your enemy's entire family. As you looked at the bodies scattered everywhere, you suddenly realized there was still a child in the house. What would you do?” Gao Yang: “I'd say, ‘Re 386.2kReads9.2Score32.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The protagonist is a logical genius; his thought process is completely beyond your comprehension, calculating every step in advance.

38. 688 宫 The Willow by the Palace Wall 宫墙柳 Dream Doll梦娃Ancient Romance166k WordsCompleted Why must the imperial consorts compete for the emperor’s favor? A smash-hit, heart-wrenching historical romance that burst onto the scene in 2019! Recommended by countless tearful readers, this unconventional palace-intrigue novel will stay with you long after you finish. In the lightest of styles, it captures everyone’s deepest regrets. In May of the year I turned fourteen, with the pagoda trees in fragrant bloom, I sat in Yong’an Palace, propping up my head as I dozed. The man’s laughter held 50.6kReads9.7Score7.4kShelves
39. 689 神 The Divine Cage Game 神笼游戏 AshzzoieUrban2.2M WordsOngoing In a dazzling technological future, a powerful being descends, calling itself a god and ruling over all. Everything becomes a game for the gods. The gods become humanity’s sole objects of faith. Above all faith, humans are the pieces and the gods move them. The world is a cage, and this is a game ruled by the gods. The gods rule everything! The gods create the games! The gods make the rules! Rule One: Every human must take part in the game. You need a ticket to compete, but the winner takes all, 26.6kReads9.3Score2.1kShelves

    Reader note

    📖All four are high-IQ novels. I highly recommend the first one🌟—no fantasy, no high-martial arts, but it's incredibly good, and everyone in it is intelligent🧠! The second one features a professional con artist🎭! The third one features a super shrewd protagonist🤪!! The fourth one features a protagonist with an insane IQ!!!💯

40. 690 奸 The Treacherous Minister Is Expecting 奸臣有喜 Gu Xige顾夕歌Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted She is the short-tempered, shameless Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, skilled at embezzlement, bribery, and abusing her power for personal gain. Her hobbies include attacking people from the shadows and sowing discord. She is the dynasty's infamous number-one villain. Then one day, the officials were relieved to discover that she had finally set her sights on someone else: the renowned Imperial Preceptor. To arrange a chance encounter, she starts lurking outside his residence every 2.9kReads9.2Score382Shelves
41. 691 百 The Hundred Demons Manual (2) 百妖谱（2） Shaluo Shuangshu裟椤双树Ancient Romance191k WordsCompleted A man, a monk, and a fox, laughing and bickering as they roam the land. White demons, myriad affairs, and a hundred emotions: a strange and wondrous world, full of life’s warmth and hardship. 2.2kReads9.5Score608Shelves
42. 692 凤 The Phoenix-Tortoise-Borne City 凤凰龟驮城 Meiniang Qingqing媚娘倾倾Eastern Fantasy415k WordsCompleted The story of a heavenly brat coming down to the mortal world, and my life as a top-tier star among humans: I ruined Jiang Ziya's retirement, stole the Thunder God's hammer, and smashed the Jade Emperor's palace... In short, I stirred up everyone's wrath, so they sent me to the mortal world for a little experience. But I never expected the dazzling world of mortals to be so captivating. I got involved, I ran away, I tried it all, and I endured every kind of hardship! I thought I could make a name 14Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    To bring peace to the world!

43. 693 暴 The Tyrants' Four-and-a-Half-Year-Old Daughter 暴君们的四岁半闺女 A Face Full of Beauty Marks一脸的美人痣Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted The three tyrants of the great powers were rumored to be cold-blooded and brutal, killing without batting an eye. Yet somehow, a little girl had them all wrapped around her finger. They were willing to go to war and shed blood to claim her, even giving up their thrones. “Our Qingxiao has fertile land and overflowing wealth. Let me have precious Miaomiao, and all of Qingxiao will be yours!” “Nanyue has the mightiest army and the most magnificent palace. If Miaomiao joins me, everything I own will 1.3kReads9.0Score248Shelves
44. 694 蝉 The Cicada Project 蝉计划 Moonlight Old Rascal明月老贼Urban4.7M WordsCompleted [Spiritual qi revival + crafty schemer + comedy + meme references + one heroine] As spiritual qi revived, Jiang Bai unexpectedly arrived in the age of the fifth mysterious tide. Everything he knew had faded with the passage of time. The world had been utterly transformed, familiar places and people were gone, and the career he had once fought for had turned to dust. The past was beyond recall. In this chaotic, dark age, order had long since collapsed, civilization was no more, and the shadow of 70kReads9.3Score7.2kShelves
45. 695 媚 Enchanting Niangniang 媚娘倾倾 Meiniang Qingqing媚娘倾倾Ancient Romance298k WordsCompleted Take a prince as his apprentice, form a joint male-and-female logistics team, build a nationwide logistics network, create the most advanced war chariots, turn a cute child into a lucky charm, and help his divorced mother rise again. She’s dominating the ancient world of commerce! 17Reads—Score—Shelves
46. 696 我 I Took Over My Own Body 我夺舍了自己 Fang Yebai方夜白Urban1.2M WordsCompleted An accident turned Chen Luo into a vessel for his parallel-world selves, who had died and come back to life. He was possessed by his counterparts from parallel worlds. Every time Chen Luo fulfilled an unfinished wish of one of his parallel selves, he gained a skill they had learned, such as combat, languages, computers, firearms, and more. Assassin Chen Luo: “Let's go paint the town red!” Playboy Chen Luo: “My blade is practically begging for a taste!” Master Thief Chen Luo: “Next, we're going t 14.3kReads9.0Score1.4kShelves
47. 697 三 Three Kingdoms: From the Start, I Offered Cao Cao a Plan and Founded the Tomb-Raiding Corps 三国：开局献计曹操，成立摸金校尉 Twinkling Stars闪闪繁星Historical1.5M WordsCompleted After transmigrating to the end of the Eastern Han dynasty, Yang Ling originally planned to assist Liu Bei and accomplish great things. But their views clashed, and after they argued, Zhang Fei gave him a sound thrashing. In a fit of anger, Yang Ling chose to join Cao Cao, who had only just started building his power. From now on, I, Yang Ling, have only three things to do: eat, sleep, and beat Liu Bei! Liu Bei: If only I had known Yang Ling was such a genius, I wouldn't have let him go so easil 6.2kReads8.9Score806Shelves

    Reader note

    🍃🍃①In ancient times there was a master of open strategy, Gao Yang; now there is a master of intrigue, Gao Yang. Hehe, it's me again. As the number one strategist of the Great Qian Dynasty and the Empress's top advisor, what's wrong with me being a little timid?

48. 698 带 Taking Power While Pregnant, So Step Aside, You Crazy Little Uncle 带球掌权，疯批小表叔靠边站 I'm Eleven!我是十一啦Modern Romance224k WordsCompleted [A Powerful Alliance + Unhinged Cousins + Hatred and Political Scheming + Workplace Power Struggles + Corruption + Power Struggles in a Wealthy Family + Marriage for Mutual Benefit] Pregnant with twins, Wen Canlan takes over the Jing Group in a crisis. Just as she finds her footing, she falls into a series of deadly traps laid by her unhinged younger cousin, Bo Jinlin. A trap involving hundreds of millions in funds, a stolen bid, sabotage at a construction site, and a deadly car crash come one 77Reads7.0Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Everyone is highly intelligent, and every step is carefully planned and calculated!

49. 699 难 The Difficult Homeowner Became My Beloved Wife 难缠女业主终成我娇妻 Meiniang Qingqing媚娘倾倾Urban69k WordsCompleted A no-nonsense man meets an elite woman. When these “enemies” meet, they can’t stop arguing. A twist of fate leads to a hilarious, heart-wrenching romance full of playful banter, and they ultimately become the perfect couple! The ordinary guy’s spring comes on a little too strong!!! 17Reads—Score—Shelves
50. 700 大 Great Ming: I Transmigrate as the Chongzhen Emperor, Starting with a Rope 大明：穿越崇祯帝，开局一根绳 An Illiterate Writes a Novel文盲写小说Historical2.8M WordsCompleted [No System + Political Intrigue + Ensemble Cast + Ruthless Combat + War] Good news: Zhu Lian transmigrated and became Zhu Youjian, the Chongzhen Emperor of the Ming dynasty. Bad news: It was the tenth day of the third month of Chongzhen’s seventeenth year, just seven days before Li Zicheng’s rebels stormed the outer city. The Ming dynasty was already on the brink of collapse, in grave danger. The Jurchens threatened from the north, rebels from the west, with one natural disaster after another an 60.3kReads9.3Score6.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Here are a few highly recommended, addictive historical time-travel novels without a system. The first new book: Depicting the late Ming Dynasty, a time of frequent natural disasters, an incompetent court, an empty treasury, border unrest, and widespread poverty, beset by internal and external troubles. At this time, the time traveler Zhu Youjian is born. Witness how the last Han Chinese emperor navigates the treacherous palace, carefully navigates the complexities of survival, secretly builds his power, and ultimately turns the tide of history to rule the world. The book's highlight is its vivid and lifelike character development. The characters are not merely plot devices; each one is fleshed out, experiencing joy and sorrow, possessing strategic acumen, intelligence, and a keen understanding of human nature. They are insightful, discerning, and capable of concealing their true intentions, reflecting on their actions, and exercising restraint… using knowledge as a weapon to dismantle inner demons and break through the schemes of others. The second and third books are rich in historical background, with a reasonable plot progression and rigorous logic. They depict battles against rebels, defense of the capital, conquest of the Jurchens, stabilization of the borders, suppression of bandits, struggles against officials and gentry, and the rectification of corruption. When natural disasters and wars, along with the barriers between officials and gentry, become shackles of fate, they use wisdom to break through these shackles, risking their lives. When the laws of survival and human weaknesses intertwine to form a web, they use strategy to break through it, using the game as a chess piece. Only those who can outmaneuver fate by half a move are true heroes. In short, the books depict the turbulent times of the imperial court, the power struggles and intrigues, the journey through time, the legends of emperors, the regrets of dynasties, and the allure of history, showcasing the rise and fall of dynasties as the wheels of history roll ever onward.

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