Historical Alternate-Universe Imperial Exam Novels, Focused on the Male Lead's Exams; the Female Lead Can Be a Doctor 历史架空科举文,男主科举考试为主,女主可以会医
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Imperial Exam Comeback: From Farmer’s Son to First-Rank Grand Secretary 科举逆袭:从农家子到一品阁老
A modern young man transmigrates overnight and becomes a farm boy, descended from generations of farmers. Other people who transmigrate get a golden finger or a System. But when he takes a look at himself, he has nothing at all and is one of the lowest-ranking people of this era. He wants to invent things and change the age, but he's hopeless with his hands. He wants to master Neo-Confucianism and stand above the world, but, well, he knows nothing... Sigh, he'd better face reality. After thinkin
7.7kReads8.8Score634Shelves
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A Commoner Conquers the Nine Provinces 布衣镇九州
Zhao Ce transmigrates to the Ming Dynasty, becoming an impoverished scholar with a terrible reputation. He also discovers that he borrowed money to get married, then squandered it all, and ended up buying a pitiful little cripple on the way back to make up the numbers. The little cripple has mismatched eyes and is treated like a monster. Zhao Ce: What kind of miserable life is this? A disastrous start? But when he takes another look at the little cripple, so tiny and thin, blinking those big eye
30.3kReads9.2Score3.4kShelves
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My Entire Clan! Supports My Imperial Exams 全族!供我科举
Imperial exams + transmigration + imperial exams + no golden finger, no System. The story draws on the privileges enjoyed by scholars in the Ming dynasty! The clan elder was a licentiate, and that was the only reason Baihu Village was protected. Now the elder is gone, and no new licentiate has appeared. The entire clan can only pool its strength to support one child. Just one licentiate can improve life in the village, give the children a future, boost the village economy, and make officials thi
16.7kReads8.5Score1.5kShelves
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This Top Scholar Plays by His Own Rules 这个状元路子有点野
[Farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + lighthearted] My Parents Flipped the Table and Quit, So I Want to Take the Imperial Exams Too Just as Wang Xuezhou was about to reach the peak of his life, he transmigrated. The good news: in this life, his parents were loving, and his siblings got along. The bad news: the whole family was pinching pennies to fund his eldest uncle's studies. They had next to nothing and were living on coarse grain and wild greens. But before he could flip t
57.6kReads8.9Score7kShelves
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The Imperial Exam Routine of a Poor Butcher's Son 寒门屠户之子的科举日常
The Wang butcher family is full of burly men, all tall, broad, and muscular, like a whole den of reincarnated black bears! But their youngest son, Wang Sanniu, is the odd one out: frail, delicate, and liable to fall over in a breeze. Standing beside his family, he looks like a little fox that wandered into a bear’s den. Butchering pigs? The moment pig’s blood splashes over him, he faints! Farming? The hoe is taller than he is! With the family fearing he’ll become a good-for-nothing, his mother m
205.2kReads8.9Score28.2kShelves
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My Wife Is Already the Richest, So Why Take the Top Scholar Exam? 娘子都首富了,还要考状元?
[Whose husband is this? Whoever grabs him gets to keep him!] Xu Ye accidentally transmigrates while rescuing someone from drowning. When he reaches shore, he realizes he's holding the daughter of the richest man in the realm. He thinks he's landed himself a wealthy wife and can lie flat, living off her money, but then he sees his fiancée being schemed against... “Copy books to pay off your debts? Why not copy Battle Through the Heavens!” “The teahouse is empty? Let's get on the BBS!” The imp
32.4kReads8.2Score3.5kShelves
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I Strive for the Imperial Exams, But My Slacker Dreams Never Change 努力考科举,咸鱼梦想从未改变
[Imperial exams + everyday life + lighthearted] Lu Yang, a rich second-generation heir, wakes up one day as the youngest and most cherished son of the Lu family. This youngest son is a scholar, yet selfish and self-centered, turning a blind eye to his family's sacrifices and caring only about his own future. Lu Yang may be a slacker with little conscience, but he knows who's good to him. He keeps his dream of being a slacker tucked away and works hard to pass the imperial exams, hoping to become
21.9kReads9.1Score2.2kShelves
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The Imperial Tutor's Road to the Civil Service Exams 农门帝师的科举之路
Imperial Examination, One-on-One Romance After an accident, a young man from the modern era transmigrated into the Great Qian Dynasty. Looking at his family’s dilapidated brick house, Qi Wenyu wondered how he would make a living from then on...
22.7kReads9.2Score2.1kShelves
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You Abandoned Me When I Failed the Imperial Exam, So Who Are You Now That I’ve Swept the Boards? 名落孙山你不陪,连中六元你是谁
[The short drama is now available, and the print edition is in publication.][Slow-burn, warm, and humorous][Alternate history + business + imperial examinations + one female lead + no System] Su Run transmigrates into the body of a disgraced scholar who has lost both his parents, failed the imperial exams, and earned a notorious reputation as a lovesick doormat. When he opens his eyes, his fiancée is publicly putting him down and emotionally manipulating him, even threatening to break off their
25.8kReads8.8Score3kShelves
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The Fake Heir Was Cast Out of the Marquis's Estate, Then Rose to Power Through the Imperial Exams 被赶出侯府假世子靠科举逆袭权臣
Chen Yan worked himself to the bone as an office drone. After finally paying off his mortgage and car loan, he had 400,000 yuan in savings and was ready to lie flat in a small county town. Little did he know that disaster can strike at any moment. He transmigrated! The good news: he was still a man in this life, so he wouldn't have to experience period pain. He was born into a wealthy marquis's household, surrounded by fine clothes, delicious food, and his family's boundless affection. The bad n
60.9kReads8.6Score3.5kShelves
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Selling Vegetables and Studying, Then Becoming the Top Scholar 卖菜读书,结果高中状元
After Shen Qingfeng dies alongside the Zombie Emperor in the apocalypse, he transmigrates to an alternate dynasty called Great Chu and becomes a child in Ning'an Village. The boy, nicknamed Dog Egg, is frail from birth, suffers from heart disease, and has a lowly name. Luckily, his proper name is Shen Yu'an. After studying for a few months with the elders, Shen Yu'an decides to take the imperial examinations, only to discover that his ancestors were exiles, and the descendants of exiles for thre
6.6kReads8.9Score660Shelves
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The Imperial Exam Path to Success 科举助吾上青云
After transmigrating into a family of farmers who also valued education, Bai Zimu had grandparents, parents, uncles, and aunts to support, as well as seven older sisters whose dowries had to be prepared. To escape the fighting on the border, the entire family moved back to their hometown. Along the way, they lost two of his sisters, and he himself nearly died. He wasn't strong enough to carry heavy loads or even lift much. In this underdeveloped world, Bai Zimu thought it over and realized that
3.8kReads8.9Score300Shelves
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Imperial Exams: Sir, Your Son Just Scored Six Perfects in a Row 科举:老爷,少爷他连中六元了
One heroine + no System + lighthearted pacing A thorough understanding of the world is knowledge, and social savvy is good writing. Ren Junjie, a history graduate, suddenly finds himself in an unfamiliar world as the eldest legitimate son of the richest family in Xinchang County. A former wastrel, he turns over a new leaf and marries a lovely young wife. He rests every other day and works on the days in between, studying harder and striving to improve. With his deep knowledge of history, he purs
9.1kReads8.8Score704Shelves
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I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examinations 我,孙山,科举
“Imperial exams + transmigration + farming + exams + no space System” “Romance included, devoted male lead. The female lead is his childhood sweetheart, but she appears infrequently. Romance is not the main plot.” “The male lead rises step by step through hard work and good luck.” “The male lead is no good at scheming, but he gets things done and has technical skills.” “The imperial examination system is based on the Ming and Qing dynasties.” After an accident, he is transmigrated into the womb
49.1kReads8.8Score3.1kShelves
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Transmigrated to the Countryside: A Young Farmer's Road to the Imperial Exams 穿越之农家独苗苗的科举之路
[Born into the Past + Farming + Imperial Exams + Fleeing Famine + Warfare] The slow-paced everyday life of a boy from a rural family in ancient times! Zhang Ping'an gets a new lease on life when he transmigrates to an ancient farming family. Fortunately, they are fairly well-off, so no one has to go hungry. He has six older sisters, and he is the only boy his parents had long hoped for. His parents favor sons over daughters, and all six sisters are fierce. He thought he was in for a story about
40.5kReads8.7Score3.9kShelves
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The Imperial Examination: I’m from a Humble Family 科举:我是寒门子弟
After an earthquake, modern college student Chen Xiao transmigrates to the fictional Great Zhou dynasty, becoming the son of a poor farming family. He has a widowed mother, a virtuous wife, and a child who is four months away from being born. Looking at his family’s utter poverty, Chen Xiao decides to take up the original owner’s ambition of passing the imperial examinations and lead the whole family toward a bright future...
1.5kReads7.7Score105Shelves
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A Poor Scholar’s Rise Begins with Meeting the Miserable Crown Prince 寒门崛起,从遇上苦逼太子开始
[Transmigration + Imperial Exams for the Poor + No System + Lighthearted + Wits and Strategy] After transmigrating to ancient times, Tang Yin was completely dumbfounded. He'd gone to sleep and woken up as a seven-year-old kid? He lived in Peach Blossom Village, Qingzhou Prefecture, in the Great Ming, and came from a poor family? It was a disastrous start. He had to fight heaven and earth, and even deal with his awful relatives. Determined to escape the mountains, Tang Yin secretly studied at the
8.6kReads7.9Score739Shelves
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Starting My Civil Service Exam Journey After Being Kicked Out of My Home 科举从被赶出家门开始
An accident turned Gu Yuan into the third son of the Gu family in ancient Qing Shui Village. His father had died young, and his mother showed him no affection. His family was reasonably well-off, but he didn’t get a single cent of it after being kicked out. Just as he had finally found hope for life, a System suddenly appeared and told him he’d die if he didn’t take the imperial examinations. Fine, then: he’d sit the exams and make a living. Let’s see how he builds a future for himself, one step
265Reads7.9Score—Shelves
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On the Imperial Exams, Who Knows Who'll Be the One Sweating? 论科举,谁卷谁还不知道呢
In his previous life, he was visiting Dujiangyan with his mentor to draw up reinforcement plans when one misstep cost him everything. When Zhang Shi’an opened his eyes again, he was holding a little stick, facing a golden field of rice. The rice looked unusually small, though. Before he could figure out what he was doing, he spotted several sparrows feasting on the rice. His hands reacted even faster than his mind. He raised the stick and swung it at them. The thieving sparrows soon flew up into
460Reads7.7Score—Shelves
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Transmigration: The Daily Life of an Ancient Imperial Exam Candidate, Son of a Peddler 穿越:商贩之子的古代科举日常
[Imperial Examinations + Alternate History + Everyday Life in Ancient Times + Building Wealth + Slow-Burn + Coming of Age] In his previous life, Lin Xiang’an lost his parents at a young age and grew up dependent on others. After getting into college, he took a leave of absence to serve as a conscript. When he returned from the military and resumed his studies, he started a few businesses and gradually made his fortune. He achieved success at a young age, and his business kept growing. Then, one
3kReads7.9Score220Shelves
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The Chief Minister's Road to the Imperial Examinations 首辅的科举之路
[No golden finger + No pocket dimension + Heartwarming family + No ridiculous characters] [The male lead works hard and climbs the ranks one step at a time through his own efforts] [The male lead is devoted; the female lead appears fairly late. The story begins with the imperial examinations and later moves into officialdom] [No forced stupidity, no self-righteous saint, and no fake innocent heroine] Xu Xingfeng, a county-level civil servant in a twenty-first-century town, suddenly finds himself
7.5kReads8.9Score687Shelves
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A Poor Scholar of Noble Character 一品寒士
[Single heroine, semi-fictionalized Tang Dynasty] In an era when the great aristocratic clans looked down on the imperial family, Zhao Quan was born to a farming family and entered school carrying the hopes of his parents and six older brothers. Farming was out of the question: even the village head’s family had no food to spare… So he had no choice but to take the imperial exams and become an official.
11.5kReads9.3Score962Shelves
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The Poor Scholar's Rise 寒门贵子
After transmigrating into the body of a penniless scholar, Jiang Feng thought about how his computer science degree from his previous life was utterly useless here… Then it occurred to him: “Of all pursuits, studying is the noblest. I’ll just have to grit my teeth and take the imperial exams!” He kept going, and when he suddenly looked back, he had risen to the highest offices, expanded the empire’s borders, and built an unprecedented legacy! P.S. The new book, A Poor Scholar of the First Rank,
39kReads9.1Score4.1kShelves
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The Commoner Who Became Chief Minister 寒门首辅
When Gu Changliu wakes up, he has become a country scholar. He has no grand ambitions: he just wants to pass the provincial examination, become a minor official, put down roots, and spend his life in harmony with the woman he loves. But the officialdom is no easy place to get by. He had hoped to be a lazy nobody, but the political infighting leaves him no choice but to press forward with all his might. If he can't be a carefree salted fish, then he will take flight like a great roc, rising ninet
3.4kReads8.6Score217Shelves
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The Scholar from a Poor Family 寒门状元
After transmigrating into the family of a common farmer, Ye Xuanmo arrives just as his paternal cousin passes the imperial examination. To revitalize the clan, his cousin invites a teacher to the family to educate the children. In an age when “all trades are base, and only studying is noble,” Ye Xuanmo wants nothing more than to pass the exams and change his family’s circumstances…
3.5kReads8.9Score302Shelves
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From Little Kid to Top Scholar, I Cheat My Way to the Top 从幼童到状元,我一路开挂
[Alternate-history fiction + imperial examinations + slice of life + no golden finger] Here, clan ties are more important than life itself, and clan rules take precedence over the law. When Qin Haoran was three, his father was killed in a bloody fight over water rights. According to clan rules, the entire clan was supposed to raise the family that had lost its breadwinner. But fate's cruelty was far from over. Three years later, his young mother, unable to bear a life of loneliness and widowhood
52.8kReads8.6Score4.2kShelves
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Reborn, I Study for the Imperial Exams in Another World 重生后,我在异世界读书科举
(Transmigration) + (farming) + (daily life) + (imperial examinations) (no System) + (court politics) Chen Chuyi was reborn into a poor family in Beishui Village, carrying the memories of his past life. At first, he only wanted to earn a little money to improve his family's life. But in this unfamiliar ancient world, he was always afraid someone would take his family's money and eat their food. In the end, he embarked on the path of study and the imperial examinations. He knew that only by changi
7.5kReads8.4Score619Shelves
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I Transmigrated, and They Made Me Emperor! 一朝穿越,我被黄袍加身了!
Also known as The Finest Young Master from a Humble Family One month after transmigrating, a woman I've never even met wants to be my wife? And she wants to have my babies! What does it matter if the dynasty is in chaos and the times are turbulent, even if I'm out in the countryside, far from the centers of power? Foreign enemies are invading and want to take my money? Dream on!
832Reads8.6Score102Shelves
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I Enlisted in My Brother’s Place, but After My Triumph, They Called Me Illegitimate? 替弟从军,功成归来说我是庶出?
(Historical power fantasy + decisive and ruthless + transmigration to ancient times + modern technology) Su Qin transmigrates to an ancient world and becomes the eldest son born to a concubine in the Marquis of Yan's household in the State of Ning. Because his mother was born a slave, he has endured nothing but hardship. Just as Ning is at war, the marquis orders him to enlist in place of his younger brother. Su Qin expects to die on the battlefield, but instead he uses modern knowledge to defea
312Reads7.6Score106Shelves
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I Debate the Classics with Great Scholars in the Embroidered Uniform Guard 我在锦衣卫跟大儒辩经
Yang Zhi, a top salesman and philosophy graduate student in his previous life, transmigrates to the end of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Through a twist of fate, he joins the Embroidered Uniform Guard, passes the imperial examination, enters the Hanlin Academy, and debates the classics with the great scholars at court!
4.7kReads8.8Score363Shelves
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I'm Eighty! And You're Telling Me I Placed First in the Imperial Exams? 吾龄八旬!你告诉我状元及第?
After transmigrating to ancient Ning, a dynasty that never existed in history, Li Chang’an unexpectedly finds himself in the body of an eighty-year-old man! From the start, he offends the Wu’an Marquis’s household and becomes the target of the marquis’s spite. With no other choice, he sets out to pass the imperial examinations and become a provincial graduate so he can protect himself. But to his surprise, he draws on the poetry and literature he learned in his previous life to outshine all the
74Reads6.9Score—Shelves
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The Flames of War in the Wanli Era 万历烽火
A detailed portrayal of the imperial examinations; the brutal Battle of Sarhu! A grand war brought vividly to life; thunderous horns and drums, whistling arrows and keen points; stinging sand in every face, skin torn and bones broken; corpses strewn along the banks of Jugang, blood filling the passes in the Great Wall! A tender, heartrending love, like a song that lingers through the years! Emotions as poetic as a lover’s warm hand, gently stroking eyes clouded by rain; a quiet parting, soft as
128Reads—Score—Shelves
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I Sing the Song of Mortals for You 吾为君吟凡人歌
[Male-Oriented, Transmigration, Fictional Setting, Farming, Everyday Life, Imperial Examinations, No System, No Golden Finger, Rural Life, Rustic Setting, One Heroine, Not a Power Fantasy] Lin Zezu, an ordinary nobody from Blue Star, transmigrates to the fictional Wu Kingdom. He arrives just as the original body's father, a scholar, dies of illness. Since the original body's birth mother was a brothel girl, his stepmother and eldest half-brother in the Lin family never treated him well. After Ma
3Reads6.4Score—Shelves
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The Nameless Boy in Black, Retaking the Imperial Exams to Restore His Family’s Glory 乌衣少年今无名,重考科举振门庭
[Alternate setting + imperial examinations + court politics + detective work + multiple heroines + no System] Born into a prestigious family whose numbers had dwindled, with no hope of a career in government. But they were rich. Xie Guan transmigrated to the Great Li Dynasty: “Brothers, this is exactly my kind of thing!” But why had he already lived through an entire lifetime? At twenty, a licentiate. At twenty-eight, a provincial graduate. At twenty-nine, a successful candidate in the imperial
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Ming Dynasty Natives Versus Transmigrators 皇明土著大战穿越众
Current plot: A newcomer to officialdom enters the inner circle as a pawn, but refuses to settle for mediocrity and wants to break free of his constraints. By chance, he gets caught up in turmoil on the frontier, where three hundred battered soldiers rout thirty thousand northern invaders. Zheng Zhi, a household retainer of the Zhen Ding Guard under the Ming rear army's Governor's Office, dreams of himself sixty years in the future. From then on, the Ming Dynasty gains a peerless talent in both
110Reads8.2Score—Shelves
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