Looking for Harem-Intrigue Stories Focused on Court Rivalries and Favor. I Don't Mind Whether the Couple Are Each Other's First 求宫斗文 纯宫斗争宠 双不双洁不重要

1. 1 皇 The Empress Is a Max-Level Palace Intriguer, Crushing Everyone 皇后满级宫斗，嘎嘎乱杀 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance602k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + infidelity + fictional setting + a resourceful, money-loving, beauty-loving, life-loving empress ✖️ emperor] In her previous life, Hua Shu was a lowly palace maid. She schemed her way to the top of the political ladder, only to be condemned by everyone and branded a wicked woman who brought ruin to the nation. When she opens her eyes again, she finds herself in the unfamiliar state of Chu, as an unloved empress who’s also being made a scapegoat. As if she’d put up with that! S 14.2kReads9.4Score1.9kShelves

   Reader note

   🌟My top 4 favorite palace intrigue novels, no arguments allowed!🙅🏻‍♀️!!! These are incredibly good; after reading these four, other books just don't compare!!!! Anyone who loves historical palace intrigue novels should check them out!❗❗❗

2. 2 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Bewitching, and the Emperor Gives In to Pleasure 娘娘撩人魅惑，帝王纵情堕落 You Gongyu尤宫羽Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The Tomato short drama Kun Yi is now streaming~ [Transmigrate into a book, male lead is not a virgin but female lead is, palace intrigue, psychological games, happy ending] The Crown Prince, Jun Zechen, has seen his fair share of calculating women, and loves only those who are pure and kind. While campaigning beyond the frontier, he meets Ling Yue and is captivated by her free-spirited kindness. He promises to spend his life with her alone. But two years pass, and the Crown Princess has yet to c 118kReads9.5Score11.2kShelves
3. 3 娘 The Consort Is All Charm and Cunning, Scheming Her Way to the Top 娘娘又茶又媚，一路宫斗上位 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance835k WordsCompleted Signed for print publication In the third year of the Yifeng era, a concubine-born daughter of the Ningyang Marquis’s household enters the palace. The palace is a vast, treacherous place, where the one thing you must never do is give your heart away. Ning Shuyan is clear-eyed: she wants wealth and prestige, along with the emperor’s favor. For three years, she carefully plots each step, wins the emperor’s attention, and rises from Talented Lady to Noble Consort. Rumor has it that the emperor only 56.9kReads9.5Score7.1kShelves
4. 4 栖 Bough of the Phoenix Perch 栖凰枝 Lu Shiqi鹿时七Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Short drama now available. Search "A Sigh for Youth". Starring Mi Qi and Wang Kang] Also known as "I'm a Psychology PhD, and I'll Slaughter My Way Through the Palace" Palace intrigue + sweet romance + not both leads' first relationship + heroine focused on her career On her first day after transmigrating into the harem, Jiang Xinyue fell out of favor. Everyone said she was nothing but a pretty face, a vase. On her second day after transmigrating into the harem, Jiang Xinyue regained the emperor 36.9kReads9.4Score4.3kShelves
5. 5 娘 The Consort Is Coy and Alluring, and Has Her Sights Set on the Throne 娘娘又茶又媚，一心只想上位 Take Your Pikachu Away抱走你的皮卡丘Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Alternate history + pure palace intrigue + clear-eyed heroine who doesn’t love the emperor] Su Qingyao looks like a delicate beauty, but she is more clear-headed than anyone. In the imperial harem, all she wants is power. Before the emperor, she is the picture of understanding. “Your Majesty is my only support.” “With Your Majesty by my side, I have nothing to fear.” But what she is really thinking is: Thank goodness she made plans long ago. The man before her is the least reliable person of al 168Reads7.2Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Pure palace intrigue, not a clean-living female lead, very clear-headed and eager for power.

6. 6 傲 The Haughty Empress's Concubine Conquest 傲娇娘娘的宠妃攻略 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance437k WordsCompleted Palace intrigue + historical romance + not mutually chaste + marriage first, love later She is the general’s younger sister, with an excellent family background and beauty to match. After she transmigrates, she wakes up caught in the schemes and betrayals of the imperial palace. To protect herself, she resolves to become the emperor’s favorite consort. When they first meet, he tells her, “I will never like a woman like you in this life.” Gu Qingyan successfully presents herself as somewhat 1.6kReads8.9Score138Shelves

   Reader note

   Both books are by the same author and are both excellent. The female protagonist is very clear-headed.

7. 7 快 Quick Transmigration: The Alluring Concubine's Rules of Survival and Plunder 快穿之妾室妖娆，生存掠夺守则 Yan Fei Loves Braised Pork爱吃甏肉的焱妃Ancient Romance2.8M WordsOngoing A note about the content: not every story is about concubines. Some also take place in modern times. These tragic concubines want to survive, and to do that, they have to fight and seize what they can. Jiang Chunxi transmigrates into the bodies of these concubines to complete her missions. Morality means nothing to her; all that matters is getting the job done. So what if her methods are underhanded and shameless? Concubine in the Duke's mansion: She secretly gets together with the heir under th 19.4kReads8.4Score1.1kShelves

   Reader note

   Quick transmigration: The female protagonist transmigrates into the body of a concubine, vying for the emperor's favor; palace intrigue and domestic power struggles.

8. 8 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 87.6kReads9.5Score9.7kShelves

   Reader note

   My favorites are the first three. They're pure palace intrigue stories; the female protagonists don't love the emperor, they only care about themselves. In the first book, the female protagonist becomes empress herself at the end. In the second book, the female protagonist is simply trying to survive, to live past 30. In the third book, the female protagonist is clear-headed and acts for the sake of her child.

9. 9 人 Life Simulator: I'm a Pro at Rising Through Palace Schemes 人生模拟器：宫斗升职我专业 I Eat Tomatoes Without Spitting Out the Skins吃西红柿不吐番茄皮Ancient Romance429k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Palace Intrigue + System + Golden Finger + A Story That's 30% Indulgence and 70% Playing It Safe] (Important, important, important!!! Content warning: The heroine is an ordinary person who grows over time. At first, she has some girlish romantic notions; she isn't highly intelligent from the start. Not a mutually exclusive first-love story, and the male lead doesn't dote on her alone. Don't read if these bother you.) From the start, she's in the hardest difficulty mode. After s 6.9kReads9.1Score666Shelves
10. 10 白 The White Moonlight Noble Consort’s Daily Life in the Harem 白月光贵妃的后宫日常 Yuanzi Eats Mulberries元子吃桑葚Ancient Romance434k WordsCompleted (Cover used with permission) With an illustrious family background, breathtaking beauty, and the distinction of being the emperor’s moonlight, Jiang Hui should have found life as a Noble Consort effortlessly easy. Unfortunately, the sisters in all but name in the Eastern Palace, wave after wave of beautiful candidates from the provinces, and the supposed substitutes who resemble her in looks and bearing all tell her the same thing: no one can walk unscathed through the imperial harem. [Alternate 24.6kReads9.3Score1.9kShelves
11. 11 宫 Palace Intrigue Begins Before the Selection 宫斗从选秀前开始 A Cluster of Flowers一丛花令Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted In her previous life, she endured a life of hardship and instability. From the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Wu’an to a government courtesan available to any man, she finally escaped a life of being passed from one man to another, only to jump from the tiger’s jaws into the wolf’s den. She walked on eggshells at every step until she finally became the real power behind the prefect’s household. But the misery of her first half of life had already left her body broken beyond repair. Only o 7.7kReads9.0Score763Shelves
12. 12 宫 Palace Intrigue: Starting with Pretending to Be Innocent 宫斗，从装纯开始 Round Round Pig圆圆猪Ancient Romance385k WordsCompleted To give her sister a peaceful life, Xiao Wu, who lived under other people's roof, entered the palace selection. The palace gates opened onto a world of intrigue, but Xiao Wu had a clear goal. She would climb, one step at a time, all the way to the top. She would climb until no one could bully her and her sister! When Bei Chen Yue first met Xiao Wu, he thought she was delicate and soft, someone who looked easy to bully... He figured he might as well give her a title and keep her by his side. Who 686Reads8.6Score107Shelves
13. 13 宫 Palace Beauty 宫姝 Clear Summer Xixi清夏兮兮Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted She dared not love too deeply, afraid it would all turn out to be nothing but a dream. She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, scheming every day to win the emperor's favor; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, with invisible blood staining her hands; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts. In the end, it was only what she had imagined. 8.4kReads9.2Score950Shelves
14. 14 精 The Refined Self-Serving Life of the Imperial Harem 精致利己的后宫生活 Extra Extra Extra Spicy微微微微辣Ancient Romance906k WordsCompleted Content warning: Good and evil are relative, human nature is complicated, and the heroine is an unapologetic self-interested pragmatist. As a low-ranking palace maid, she has hundreds, even thousands, of mountains bearing down on her. Life is truly miserable... Rather than toil away her whole life, become a eunuch's bedmate, and be cremated after death, with her ashes scattered into the Rebirth Well so that they become one with his... Ji Hansu decides to find herself a better place to end up. As 1.2kReads7.2Score117Shelves
15. 15 妾 The Concubine’s Code of Conduct 妾室职业守则 Su Yun苏芸Ancient Romance638k WordsCompleted Ke Rong is a dedicated, third-rate actress who transmigrates and becomes a concubine in a prince’s household. The handsome, dashing prince provides her with food and lodging, occasionally shares her bed, and even pays her a monthly salary for doing nothing. She cannot quit this job and leave, and it would be hard to find another one if she did... Ke Rong decides that she must do her job as a “concubine” conscientiously and diligently, lest she get fired and lose the chance to live a leisurely, 716Reads8.3Score105Shelves
16. 16 风 Willows in the Wind 风中柳 Yu Ling雨泠Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Ruthless heroine➕female-lead power fantasy➕light ensemble-style palace intrigue➕face-slapping and scum-bashing➕primarily focused on building her career] (Female lead is a virgin; male lead is not) Jiang Fu, the Jiang family’s fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter, was lovely and graceful. Unfortunately, her stepmother was cruel and her father was heartless. As an illegitimate daughter, she had no say even in the marriage that mattered most to a woman. Her family could manipulate her as they p 2.1kReads8.8Score293Shelves
17. 17 为 The Concubine's Guide to Self-Cultivation 为妾的自我修养 Yu Jian郁见Ancient Romance429k WordsOngoing Zhu Yan transmigrates as a merchant's daughter and becomes a pawn her family uses to avoid disaster. Her father sends her to Changning Marquis Xie An as a concubine. As a concubine, Zhu Yan stays true to herself. She doesn't compete, make a fuss, or draw attention. Who could have guessed that the Marquis of Changning would be so fortunate? When something happens to the royal family's only two heirs, the emperor chooses Xie An, a member of the imperial clan, to inherit the throne. If a concubine 6.3kReads9.2Score450Shelves
18. 18 谁 What Kind of Concubine Bears Four Sons and a Daughter, Then Becomes a Noble Consort? 谁家通房生四儿一女，还当贵妃啊 Autumn Is Long秋很长Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Both leads are devoted only to each other + One-on-one romance + Many children + Sweet romance + Inner- and imperial-palace intrigue] In the fortieth year of the Xihe era, Lüqing became a concubine-in-waiting to Prince Jin. She knew full well that she had to earn Prince Jin's favor and give birth to a child as soon as possible if she wanted to secure her place in the prince's household. For eight years, she contended with the other women in the inner court, using every means at her disposal to 26.8kReads9.1Score2.5kShelves
19. 19 我 My White-Eyed-Wolf Sister and I Were Reborn and Swapped Souls 我和白眼狼妹妹重生后灵魂互换了 Luo Zhi落之Ancient Romance178k WordsOngoing A cunning, ruthless heroine versus a twisted, obsessive hero In her previous life, Su Yu'er enjoyed the emperor's favor without end, until Shen Ningyue and the empress conspired to frame her. Reborn, she and Shen Ningyue switch souls. Now in Shen Ningyue's body, she initially plans to pretend they've made peace and team up with Su Yu'er to get revenge. But that plan falls through, so she lies low at Lady Zhaohua's side and stokes conflict in the harem, sowing suspicion between the empress and L 8Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's really good, the theme is novel.

20. 20 替 After Entering the Palace in Her Sister's Place, the Young Mistress Rises Through the Ranks 替姐入宫后，小主她一路高升 Zhizhi Rice Loves Zhizhi吱吱米喜欢吱吱Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Strong Male Lead and Strong Female Lead + Favored Consort + Palace Intrigue + Adorable Baby + Sole Devotion + Childbirth] (The early story leans toward palace intrigue, with the heroine putting on an act and scheming against the hero. Later, their feelings erupt, and he devotes himself to her alone.) After transmigrating, she becomes an illegitimate daughter of the Su family. Her birth mother died young, her father shows her no affection, and her stepmother is cruel. A complete nobody at home, 2.9kReads9.0Score332Shelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend the second book.

21. 21 重 With My Reborn Son's High-Stakes Schemes, Becoming Empress Dowager Is No Dream 重生儿子手段高，晋升太后不是梦 Chiyo千代Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Fictional Imperial Harem Drama + No Romance + Giving Birth and Raising Kids + My Son Must Be Crown Prince + Ambitious + Clear-Eyed] Content warning: The romance isn’t mutually exclusive, she doesn’t love the male lead, and there are painful, heartbreaking parts. The male lead is a scumbag emperor. Song Yuyan was hooked on a palace-harem management game. She never expected to open her eyes and find she had transmigrated to ancient times. After keeping a low profile for three years, she entered t 3.6kReads9.3Score427Shelves
22. 22 清 The Noble Consort Rong’s Daily Life Raising Children in the Qing Court 清穿荣妃娘娘养娃日常 Silver Candles in Autumn Light银烛秋光Ancient Romance560k WordsOngoing (Qing dynasty transmigration + System + raising children + palace intrigue) Other people’s leveling-up strategy is to start with a bowl and scavenge everything else. She starts with nothing but herself, and has to give birth to everything else. Yunchu’s first assignment after transferring to the Qing Dynasty Transmigration Department is to have babies and raise children. 432Reads8.9Score—Shelves
23. 23 重 Back to Her Audition Year, She Rises Through the Harem 重回选秀当年，她在后宫步步高升 Thousand-Layer Cheese千层奶酪Ancient Romance360k WordsCompleted In her previous life, Su Ningwan, daughter of the chancellor, was far too innocent. Though she was greatly favored after entering the palace, it was all a ploy to lull her into a false sense of security. In her fifth year there, she was framed for poisoning the imperial heir, thrown into the Cold Palace, and left to die a miserable death. Her family suffered because of her, enduring terrible hardships in prison before they died. She never expected to open her eyes and find herself back in the ye 217Reads8.4Score—Shelves
24. 24 人 In the Imperial Harem, My Goal Is to Become the Empress Dowager 人在后宫，目标太后 Dreams on the Mountain山上有梦Ancient Romance358k WordsCompleted # Palace intrigue is out of the question. I'll eat snacks, watch the drama, and have children, that's the plan # Cui Xuejian transmigrated into the past and became a low-ranking palace consort. Powerful figures towered over her, while a few insignificant nobodies clawed at her feet. With things like this, why bother with palace intrigue? Better to just give up and coast! Cui Xuejian believed that as long as she kept out of trouble, no monsters, demons, or other ghoulish creatures would come afte 1.7kReads9.2Score138Shelves

    Reader note

    Pure palace intrigue, interesting female lead character, clear-headed and rational, reasonable and lighthearted plot.

25. 25 我 I’m Fighting for Favor in the Palace, and You’re Watching the Show??? 我在宫斗，你在看戏？？？ Dreams on the Mountain山上有梦Ancient Romance492k WordsCompleted A no-holds-barred harem showdown. Got the guts to join? ^_^ [Pure palace intrigue + characters who aren't dumbed down + clear-headed heroine + no pointless self-torment + cheerful and lighthearted] After Qiu Ju dies, she transmigrates to the Qianyuan Dynasty and becomes a low-ranking palace maid. Because she doesn't want to get up at three in the morning to work, she decides to seduce the emperor... Her modest goal: become a consort who has to get up no earlier than five in the morning... 5.5kReads9.0Score533Shelves
26. 26 都 I'm Already a Concubine, So How Could I Not Go Mad? 都做妾了，哪有不疯的？ Dreams on the Mountain山上有梦Ancient Romance762k WordsCompleted #She miscarries from the start. What's wrong with going a little crazy?# #The heroine isn't a good person, the hero isn't a good person, and nobody's a good person# Yuan Xiangxue transmigrates. Other heroines either become mothers without the pain or get an overpowered golden finger. She's the unlucky one who miscarries from the start... Then she takes a look at her new identity: she's become the concubine of Liang Yujing, the ninth prince of the Great Liang Dynasty. She was a perfectly good per 5.3kReads8.6Score499Shelves
27. 27 清 Qing-Dynasty Time Travel: The Drama Queen Consort’s Epic Blunder 清穿雍正：戏精娘娘翻车实录 Dreams on the Mountain山上有梦Ancient Romance500k WordsCompleted [Qing Dynasty Setting + System + Childbearing + Mind-Reading] Cui Xueman, a top finance student in the 21st century, transmigrates one day and opens her eyes to a huge character for “funeral offerings” in the mourning hall. Fainting from shock… That's perfectly normal, isn't it? When she wakes up again, she receives the good-or-bad news: she's transmigrated, and to the Kangxi era, no less. But the long-awaited standard issue for transmigrators, a golden finger or System, is nowhere to be seen! F 1.5kReads9.1Score117Shelves
28. 28 在 A Hundred Ways to Win the Emperor's Heart in the Harem 在后宫征服皇帝的一百个技巧 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Ever since entering the palace, Yun Li has become a shameless schemer. Two-faced and insincere, she puts on an act every day. When dealing with the emperor’s favorite consort, she tears into her until she’s furious, then clutches her chest with a wounded look and says, “I’m so envious that His Majesty dotes on you.” When someone tries to frame her, she casually slaps them, then bursts into tears. “Why would you treat a kind person like me this way?” When speaking with the empress, she nods absen 12.2kReads9.5Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Three pure palace intrigue novels. The male lead is not pure. The plot is engaging. The writing is good. The scheming and intrigue are vividly portrayed. A must-read for those who enjoy reading about characters climbing their way up from the bottom.

29. 29 深 The Black Lotus of the Imperial Harem Goes on a Killing Spree 深宫黑莲花她杀疯了 Hungry Dodo呆头鹅饿了Ancient Romance330k WordsOngoing Warning: Readers who want both leads to be devoted only to each other, beware. This is a palace intrigue novel where everyone is evil. There is no sweet romance. A truly heartless, faithless scumbag of a hero vs. a truly ruthless and vicious heroine. The emperor's eldest son's birth mother? The empress? The legitimate son? Consort Zhuang? The emperor's favorite consort? A childhood sweetheart? The empress dowager's niece? Jiang Qingjiu will be merciful: those who obey may stay, and those who don 8Reads6.8Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend this book! Don't be put off by the low rating, it's just because there aren't enough reviewers. The female lead is very clear-headed, doesn't love the emperor, and is a pure native. There's no time travel or reincarnation. She doesn't always win; she makes mistakes too. Her character's rise to power is also perfectly timed. The emperor is somewhat suspicious of her, and it's not just mindless pampering. The plot is full of twists and turns, and the writing is excellent. I'm begging you all to read it! Why is it so good but nobody reads it? [Crying][crying]

30. 30 娘 The Empress Is Exquisitely Charming: Winning the Palace Battles and Raising a Child to Become Empress 娘娘千娇百媚，宫斗养崽坐后位 Take Your Pikachu Away抱走你的皮卡丘Ancient Romance486k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Pure Palace Intrigue + Raising a Child + Clear-Headed Heroine + Focused on Her Career + Light Ensemble Cast] Xie Zhao transmigrates to the state of Beiqi, a country that has never existed in recorded history. When she learns she is to take part in the selection two years later, she begins diligently practicing all kinds of skills. After successfully being selected, her goal is to safely give birth to a prince, raise him into an outstanding crown prince, put him on the throne, a 374Reads7.3Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book to reach the pinnacle of high intelligence!! [Smirk][Admiration] This palace intrigue novel features characters with an average cunning of 800! The female lead rises from a lowly maid to a noble consort, bearing a total of five children! The palace intrigue plot is intellectually stimulating, not at all simplistic.

31. 31 撕 Tear Apart the Harem! Win Favor! She's a Lunatic, Who Dares Cross Her? 撕后宫！得恩宠！她是疯批谁敢惹 Cats Are Extra Sweet猫猫特别甜Ancient Romance683k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue Only + Concubine-born Daughter + Reborn + Revenge + Everyone Is Evil + Wish-Fulfillment] [The story begins before the heroine enters the palace] [The emperor favors no one at first, and the heroine doesn’t fall in love] Jiang Shiying had died once. She died in childbirth, after her own elder sister had her killed to keep the baby. Reborn, she had made up her mind: she would enter the palace and get revenge, but she wouldn’t suffer! Not her stepmother or her elder sister, not eve 7.4kReads9.3Score950Shelves
32. 32 人 Life Is a Play, and the Empress Is All About Her Acting Skills 人生如戏，娘娘她纯拼演技 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + witty banter + sweet, delicate beauty + calculated mind games] The leads are not each other’s only partners. If that bothers you, don’t read. Be prepared for suspicion in the early chapters, followed by affection later. The pacing is slow, so proceed with caution if you prefer fast-paced wish-fulfillment stories. As a double award-winning actress and a seasoned star of palace intrigue dramas, how could Shi Yan possibly lose her nerve after transmigrating into the imperial hare 5kReads9.3Score532Shelves
33. 33 都 I'm Already a Concubine, So What's Wrong with a Little Cunning? 都做妾了，有点小心机怎么了？ A Qing Who Loves to Eat爱吃的小晴Ancient Romance418k WordsCompleted [Scheming in the household early on, palace intrigue later + System + Gorgeous heroine + A little childbirth + Sweet romance] [Stunning heroine who is sweet yet ruthless and a brilliant actress × Cold-faced prince who dotes on his wife and lets his imagination run wild] The male lead in this palace-intrigue novel is not sexually inexperienced. He favors the heroine early on and devotes himself solely to her later. Readers who mind should proceed with caution. In her previous life, Su Yujiao was 2.3kReads7.3Score154Shelves
34. 34 后 The Legend of Jinru in the Harem 后宫晋如传 Ocean Whale洋鲸Ancient Romance208k WordsCompleted Xu Jinru was chosen as a palace maiden and sent to the Crown Prince's residence by her father for the sake of the family. Unfortunately, the Crown Prince's residence already had a gentle and virtuous Crown Princess, a charming and beautiful Concubine Zhao, and plenty of other concubines. Xu Jinru was hardly favored. The peaceful Crown Prince's residence was like a placid green pond, disturbed only by the occasional ripple. Concubine Zhao's open hostility and the schemes hidden from view kept Xu 30Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    No system, no time travel, no rebirth. A story about a prince's concubine, a royal consort, and finally an empress dowager.

35. 35 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Delicate, and the Cold, Cruel Emperor Falls for Her at First Sight 娘娘娇娇媚，冷戾帝王一见倾心 The Star Among the Stars in the Sky天上星星的星星Ancient Romance460k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue and revenge, a slow-burn, slow-payoff story + stunning heroine + exceptionally clearheaded heroine with an unwavering goal] [The hero always favors the heroine + dotes on her exclusively in the middle + disbands his harem later] After Shen Qingtang’s aunt is schemed against and killed by Madam Shen, her goal becomes perfectly clear: she will enter the palace, become the most honored woman in the land, and make everyone who plotted against her aunt pay. She is also perfectly clea 4.9kReads9.1Score544Shelves

    Reader note

    [Sending Heart] The first book features a clear-headed and beautiful female lead. It's a pure palace intrigue novel, so the female lead suffers a lot during the palace intrigue, and the male lead is gradually won over by her. Every step in the palace intrigue is difficult, which is perfectly reasonable. [Eating Melon][Eating Melon][Eating Melon] [Sending Heart] The second book features a very smart and cunning female lead, who is also very beautiful and clear-headed. [Admiration] The male lead is a jerk and fickle in the beginning, and I also felt he was unworthy of the female lead later on. His only redeeming quality is that he trusts her and eventually falls in love with her. [Full][Full][Full]

36. 36 庶 The Fortunate Concubine 庶女有福 Leng Chu冷初Ancient Romance474k WordsCompleted The third daughter of the Chu family, Chu Lingran, is breathtakingly beautiful, with peerless looks. In truth, she is merely a concubine-born daughter of the Chengbo Marquis household, always cautious and modest, playing the pig to eat the tiger. Her stepmother took a fortune-teller’s words, “This girl will have many descendants,” and sent her to the Crown Prince’s residence to serve as a childbearing tool. But the full prediction was: “This girl will have many descendants, for she is destined t 1.3kReads9.0Score138Shelves
37. 37 玉 Jade-Soft Pastry 玉团酥 A Sunny Branch一枝晴Ancient Romance318k WordsCompleted Also known as The Survival Guide of a Palace Hothouse Flower [Female transmigrator who plays the pig to eat the tiger X scheming, calculating emperor] [Palace intrigue + raising a child + food + sweet romance + both leads are smart] After transmigrating and being forced to become a consort, Su Su always follows the professional code of conduct for a delicate little flower with no family status, talent, virtue, or connections: lie flat and look beautiful. In practice, that means eating, drinking, 48Reads8.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A recently completed novel about a female protagonist who rises from a palace maid to a high-ranking official. The relationship evolves from mutual exploitation to favoritism, and finally, she becomes the sole lover of the emperor.

38. 38 太 The Crown Prince Dotes on His Concubine and Neglects His Wife: The Empress's Daily Life After Bearing Twins 太子宠妾灭妻，娘娘双胎上位日常 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance554k WordsCompleted [There are a few typos, so please skip this if that bothers you.] A deranged, ruthless heroine and an obsessive Crown Prince, with exclusive devotion later on, clear-headed palace intrigue, and multiple births. Jiang Shiruo is stunningly beautiful, but only a concubine’s daughter. Still, even a concubine’s daughter deserves to live. Jiang Shiruo has no interest in the other princes. She only wants to enter the Eastern Palace, because that’s the only way she can reach the highest position. After 7.7kReads8.9Score676Shelves

    Reader note

    🎯 [Book Recommendation Expert Online]📖 Four pure palace intrigue novels! [Top Post][Top Post][Top Post] The first one features a super cool female lead who doesn't easily suffer losses even in the palace. It's a super satisfying read! [Cool][Cool][Cool] The second one has a female lead who starts in the cold palace and rises through the ranks to become the emperor's favorite, eventually regaining her position as empress. [Heart] The third one initially helps her sister secure the emperor's favor, but she wins the male lead's affection and exclusive love through her wisdom and cunning. [Thumbs Up][Thumbs Up][Thumbs Up] The fourth one has a male lead who suffers a huge misfortune and hides in the female lead's family. Even after rising to a high position, he doesn't forget to come back to find her. [Shy][Shy][Shy]

39. 39 穿 I Became the Deposed Empress in the Cold Palace, So I Raised a Baby 穿成冷宫废后去养娃 Moonlit Journey月途Ancient Romance2.2M WordsCompleted Leng Luoyue, a web novelist who regularly stayed up late writing until she was half-dead, suddenly dropped dead. Not only did she die suddenly, she also transmigrated. She woke up in the body of a disgraced empress confined to the cold palace, who had died in childbirth, and was bound to some inexplicable child-rearing System. To complete her mission, she had to raise the little kitten into the crown prince. Since she’d already transmigrated, what else could she do? Raise him, of course! 5.3kReads9.0Score863Shelves
40. 40 入 I Entered the Palace to Help My Sister Keep the Emperor’s Favor, but Became His Cherished Favorite 入宫替嫡姐固宠，却成皇上掌心宠 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance504k WordsCompleted In her previous life, she entered the palace and devoted herself to helping her legitimate elder sister keep the emperor’s favor. In the end, she died without a body to bury, abandoned by her family. Returning to the year of the imperial selection, Luo Shuran calculates her every move. Her breathtaking beauty is her only weapon. She sheds her youthful timidity and blossoms into a woman of captivating charm. One fleeting glimpse, like a fairy fallen from the heavens, catches the emperor’s eye. 6.1kReads9.3Score859Shelves
41. 41 娇 The Delicate Beauty Steals Spring 娇娇夺春 Hai Ying海盈Ancient Romance283k WordsCompleted Yu Luo transmigrated into a book as a female supporting character in a novel aimed at male readers. The male lead, Prince Qin Li Xiao, was a celebrated general whose military exploits shook the realm. Yet the emperor framed him and ordered his entire family executed. After turning to the dark side, Prince Qin concealed his identity and took shelter in the Yu household, becoming a guard by the side of Yu Luo, the eldest daughter of the family. Miss Yu was arrogant and domineering, spending her da 9.2kReads8.9Score900Shelves
42. 42 凤 Phoenix's Cry Across the Nine Heavens: The Poison Queen's Plot to Topple the Palace and Usurp the Throne 凤唳九霄：毒后谋宫覆皇权 The Polite Meow有礼貌的喵Ancient Romance486k WordsCompleted The worst thing I ever did was fall in love with the enemy who wiped out my entire family. The best thing I ever did was dare to stake my life on the hope that he would turn back. I am Chu Wan'er. On the surface, I am the empress of Mo Jingyuan. In truth, I am a avenger who infiltrated his side. I hate him for allowing Pei Dezhen to slaughter my Lan family. I hate him for keeping me caged in a gilded prison. I hate him because, even though his heart was moved, he never once spoke honestly to m 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The book I'm currently reading is truly excellent! I highly recommend it! It's pure palace intrigue, with conspiracies and power struggles interwoven throughout. There's no fantasy or cultivation elements, no modern elements, everyone is incredibly intelligent, there are no idiotic supporting characters, everyone is a villain, everyone is armed, even breathing is a conspiracy, every action is a trap. There's no dragging plot. Ladies who love palace intrigue novels should definitely check it out! You can read it from beginning to end! Experienced bookworms understand what I mean!

43. 43 宫 Palace Tragedy: The Political Marriage Princess Steals His Favor and His Heart 宫殇：和亲公主夺宠又夺心 Snow Banquet Twelve雪宴十二Ancient Romance331k WordsOngoing [Palace Intrigue] [Alternate History] [Not Both Virgins] [No Saintly Heroine] [Fights Back Against Everyone] She is the Ninth Princess of Xiling, adored by all. But after Xiling suffers a crushing defeat, the Emperor of Dasheng names her as the bride sent to secure a marriage alliance. When she first enters the imperial palace of Dasheng, she thinks she must guard against suspicion and schemes for the emperor's favor. What she doesn't know is that the emperor has already quietly taken her to hea 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    In this book, the female lead is both restrained and clear-headed, knowing exactly what she wants, and the Emperor is truly moved. [Learned something new]

44. 44 非 An Unconventional Palace Intrigue 非传统宫斗 Known in the Jianghu as the Thorny Rose江湖人称带刺玫瑰Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted Imperial selection from the start / Pure palace intrigue with a touch of household intrigue / Ensemble cast / Realistic style [Pure palace intrigue begins after chapter 20] Not the emperor’s sole favorite / Not a virgin couple / No romance pairing [The emperor is a scumbag with the power of life and death. The first few chapters establish his character and contain potentially uncomfortable scenes. If that bothers you, skip to chapter 20.] Everyone is caught up in palace intrigue. The consorts an 2kReads8.3Score227Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a genuine palace intrigue story! It doesn't force purity or exclusive favoritism in the romance, making it very realistic!

45. 45 甄 Reborn in Empresses in the Palace: I Outshine Zhen Huan and Become Empress Dowager 甄嬛传重生：力压甄嬛做太后 Christmas Eve safe平安夜safeFemale-Channel Fanfiction488k WordsOngoing The heroine is a true villain, with tons of original plotlines and characters. No frustrating nonsense, no out-of-character writing. You won't regret picking this up. P.S. The early chapters have a lot of plot beats, so the story focuses on the ensemble. The heroine gets more and more screen time starting in Chapter 39, and a flood of original characters arrives from Chapter 80 onward. The proper synopsis: Consort Hua's temperament, Pure Yuan's looks, a wealthy family, and a background that pose 393Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It includes palace intrigue elements, and guarantees it won't be out of character (OOC). If it is, come and scold me.

46. 46 帝 The Imperial Terrace's Charm: The Noble Consort Is Beautiful and Well-Behaved 帝台娇：贵妃娘娘她又美又乖 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance501k WordsCompleted [Harem intrigue + climbing the ranks and crushing the villains + doting romance. The male lead knows his own heart. He'll devote himself to her alone later on.] [The heroine rises through the ranks quickly at first, then more slowly later on.] [The heroine comes from a noble family, is the most beautiful woman in the harem, and already has two adorable children. The Emperor falls for her first and favors her from early on, before devoting himself to her alone in the middle and later parts.] By a 20.5kReads9.4Score2kShelves

    Reader note

    Sweet and fluffy with no angst, neither rebirth nor time travel, the female lead comes from a good family and is loved by her parents, the most beautiful part of the whole story, and the pacing is quite fast.

47. 47 娘 The Empress Is So Cunning, Her Political Rivals Are Doomed 娘娘心机太深，政敌要被玩死了 No Worries, No Worries无烦无烦Ancient Romance416k WordsOngoing [Female-Led Political Intrigue, Workplace Power Fantasy, Ruthless in the Later Stages, Interlocking Cases] Just how satisfying is a truly career-driven female lead? She takes an eighth-rank county deputy and raises her to a third-rank official, and turns a palace maid who swept floors into the head of the Six Bureaus. A maid in her service is getting married? She gets a lavish wedding outfit and a procession stretching ten miles! Want to build a career? Pick any prime shop in the capital! The he 98Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A book where everyone is a politician, the struggles are fierce; one moment you're smiling and talking, the next your head is rolling. It involves many cases, and the female lead is cunning and shrewd. It's worth reading carefully.

48. 48 宋 Empress of the Song Family: The Legend of Yuyao 宋家皇后——钰瑶传 Ling Songs by the River江上菱歌Ancient Romance486k WordsCompleted The leads are not each other’s first partners!!! The heroine is neither a naive innocent nor a particularly kind person!!! The emperor hero is a jerk!! Set in an alternate history!! This is not a feel-good story!!! She transmigrates straight into the role of empress. If she rises in rank, she becomes the empress dowager; if she fails, she is deposed and banished to the cold palace. That is the reality of the inner palace: failure leaves almost no chance to recover. A twenty-first-century fashion 602Reads9.0Score103Shelves

    Reader note

    It's not a "double virginity" story; the female lead is clear-headed, not love-struck, and only wants to become the Empress Dowager.

49. 49 不 Oh No, Fourth Master from Empresses in the Palace Has Transmigrated 不得了，甄嬛传四大爷穿越了 The Master and the Master's Husband夫子和夫子夫Female-Channel Fanfiction1.1M WordsCompleted [System] [Transmigration] [Empresses in the Palace] [True Harem] Ye Shu has watched Empresses in the Palace countless times, and her greatest pleasure is reading the live comments. Without them, the show just isn't as fun. As usual, Ye Shu turned on the live comments, only to spot an amusing one: “If the emperor could be reborn, what would he do?” Ye Shu chimed in, “Guard against fire, thieves, and getting cheated on. Hahaha.” Ding! Congratulations, you've been granted the chance to transmigrate 570Reads5.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Pure and simple palace intrigue: Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace and Zhen Huan.

50. 50 重 Reborn in The Story of Ruyi: Life Is Better Without Being a Saint 重生如懿传不做圣母的日子好极了 The Master and the Master's Husband夫子和夫子夫Female-Channel Fanfiction1.0M WordsCompleted 1. Palace-intrigue novel, palace-intrigue novel, palace-intrigue novel. No romance. 2. No lovestruck fools, no lovestruck fools, no lovestruck fools. This applies only to certain characters. No saintly do-gooders, no saintly do-gooders. 3. A Ruyi reborn story. No plagiarism, no padding, quality comes first. There will be changes. It may not fully follow history, or it may not follow it at all. The reason: no plagiarism. Synopsis The Ruyi from "Ruyi's Royal Love in the Palace", who always conside 218Reads7.2Score—Shelves

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