Historical Romance Tragedy with a Bad Ending! 古言虐文，BE结尾！

1. 1 最 The Royal Family Is Truly Heartless 最是皇室无情人 Xia Xiaoli夏小礼Ancient Romance50k WordsCompleted For generations, the Mu family had loyally served the country. In the end, their entire clan was sentenced to execution. The official presiding over the execution was her husband, the most brilliant and extraordinary of the Great Jing Kingdom's Third Princes. Then she awoke to the truth: The man she loved was a member of the royal family, the most heartless people in the world... 621Reads7.0Score11914d adds
2. 2 皇 The Empress Leaped to Her Death, and the Mad Tyrant Wept Until His Eyes Were Red 皇后纵身一跃，疯批暴君哭红了眼 Huang Dandan黄蛋蛋Ancient Romance635k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance, devoted couple + palace intrigue + regretful pursuit, clear-headed heroine, everyone's unattainable ideal] Meng Tang is a gracious, gentle empress who never competes for favor. Everyone thinks she is a true white lotus standing tall in the harem, and even the tyrant believes it. He takes a new concubine, and she smiles, congratulates him, and arranges for the newcomer to spend the night with him. He sends her restorative medicine, and she obediently takes it, knowing full we 21.5kReads9.3Score2k14d adds
3. 3 皇 The Empress Doesn't Love the Emperor, and Now He Regrets It Too Late 皇后娘娘不爱陛下，陛下追悔莫及 Mr. Fanyang范阳先生Ancient Romance271k WordsCompleted [Transmigration, emperor and empress couple, not a mutually devoted romance] The young emperor Xiao Chenyuan had just ascended the throne when he met Luo Qingning, the daughter of a military family, at a palace banquet. He fell in love at first sight and, despite her existing engagement, appointed her empress on the spot. Luo Qingning was a clear-headed university student born in the 2000s. After unexpectedly transmigrating to an unfamiliar world, she remained a committed opponent of marriage an 4.7kReads8.0Score10614d adds
4. 4 燕 Where the Swallows Return, We Must Not Meet Again 燕归处，莫相逢 Mi Yuwangtu靡御忘荼Ancient Romance52k WordsCompleted Her name was Jun Mo. She had spent her life on horseback and on the battlefield, battle-hardened, bold, and arrogant. He was the person she loved most, and her only weakness. She feared he might get hurt if she so much as held him in her palm, and feared he might melt if she kept him in her mouth. But a weakness is itself a poisoned blade. At first, the pain is not fatal. In the end, the fatal wound no longer hurts. No one knew that later, amid the bitter winter snow, some people were only acti 315Reads8.7Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   I'm recommending three books, one of which isn't on Tomato Magazine 💕 The first one features a female general and a prince from an enemy country (I think that's it, not sure if I'm right), it's quite angsty. The second one is highly recommended, a angsty novel with an interesting soul, the content seems bland at first, but it's heart-wrenching and has a strong aftertaste (avoid: the substitute trope, but you can still give it a try). The third one is "Cutting Love" by Yidu Junhua, a novel angsty novel with a fresh theme: In the midsummer rain, he attained enlightenment and ascended to heaven, she found someone who took her to Kunlun.

5. 5 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 48.6kReads9.7Score7.1k14d adds
6. 6 鸩 A Cup of Poisoned Wine, and Drunk with You 鸩酒一杯与君醉 Flowing Wind流风Two Male Leads60k WordsCompleted Blurb: When they first met, he was a subject, and he risked his life to take a sword meant for the other man. Later, that man became emperor, wiped out his entire family, stripped away his pride, and forcibly kept him by his side. He waited, full of hope, for his elder brother to return victorious, but all he received was a cold corpse. In the end, he drank poison in front of everyone, smiling like a spring breeze. “Your Majesty, I offer my life as the price of regicide. May you live for all ete 1kReads8.0Score12514d adds

   Reader note

   Books one and three are both short, angst-filled stories with two male protagonists.

7. 7 相 A Shattered Longing 相思碎 Green Ink青墨Two Male Leads49k WordsCompleted One meeting, and they were fated to be entangled for life. Jiang Lingyu never imagined that the person he loved most would destroy everything he treasured with his own hands. “If you ever betray me, I'll make you wish you were dead!” His dignity, his body, and his shattered heart were trampled underfoot and ground into dust. He had obeyed, begged for mercy, and fought back... but in the end, he could only surrender to fate. Who can truly see through love and hate entwined? When all was settled a 704Reads8.6Score10114d adds
8. 8 被 After My Sect Tore Out My Heart and Drained My Blood, I Became a Demon on the Spot 被师门掏心放血后，我原地成魔 Watching the Girls from the Wall坐在壁上观姑娘Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Angst + Strong Female Lead + Revenge + Cultivation + A Chain of Cause and Effect] The soul-nourishing jade shattered, and out came a “me” who had stolen someone else's place? Luo Li returned with half a broken jade pendant and tore away Ye Qingqing's mask. You stole my royal status and my place in the sect. You even killed the person who saved my life and harmed my loyal servant of ten thousand years! When the brand of “monster” was seared into her heart, and a contract of “until death do us pa 391Reads9.3Score—14d adds

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   I lay on the cold flagstones, blood gushing from my shattered veins. I heard Qingxue's piercing scream, followed by the dull thud of something heavy falling to the ground. I wanted to tell her not to worry, but the blood gushing from my throat choked me, and the world before me gradually distorted into a crimson blur. In the haze, Chu Ziyu's figure loomed over me. I tried to grab his sleeve for help, but he coldly lifted me up. His once warm and gentle hands were now like iron clamps; my light body swayed in his grasp, as if he were holding not a fellow disciple, but a lifeless rag. When Yun Shu's soft voice rang out, I saw the clarity in Chu Ziyu's eyes vanish completely, replaced by a murky and unfamiliar malice. The wind from the Cliff of Contemplation, carrying the sweet, metallic scent of blood, filled my nostrils, and I convulsed in pain. As Yun Shu's dagger pressed against my face, I suddenly remembered that night seven days ago when I took the backlash pill. The searing pain of the burning pills in my meridians overlapped with the agony of my flesh tearing open—it turned out that the seven days I had exchanged for my soul were nothing more than witnessing the cruelty of these people. "Senior Sister's face is so beautiful," Yun Shu's voice was sickeningly sweet, yet the dagger slashed viciously at my brow bone. "When you stole my spiritual root back then, how could you not have imagined this day would come?" Warm blood flowed into my eyes, blurring Gu Hansheng's disgusted gaze. The roasted meat he offered was still warm, but I tasted nothing but rust. The moment my spine snapped, I heard a crisp cracking sound in my sea of consciousness. The protective mirror that had accompanied me for a hundred years finally shattered completely in endless despair. Looking at Yun Shu's smug face, I suddenly laughed. All the sincerity I had shown was a joke; the sect I had fought so hard to protect was nothing more than a group of demons in human skin. The night wind whipped my blood-stained hair; I curled up on the cliff edge, feeling life slip away like sand through my fingers. This world holds no more allure for me. My only regret is not being able to take one last good look at the peach blossoms of that spring before I vanished into nothingness. 13

9. 9 女 Matriarchy: The Enemy General’s Canary 女尊：敌城将军的金丝雀 Bai Youyou白油油Ancient Romance348k WordsCompleted [Read with caution: angst; strong female lead, weak male lead] They say the Crown Prince Rong of Nanzhao is peerlessly beautiful, a beauty who could topple kingdoms. Yuanzhou is a barbarous land where the people defy the natural order and exalt women. One day, its army invaded, Nanzhao fell, and the Crown Prince became the female general's caged bird. “My little nightingale, your stubbornness is breaking the hearts of Nanzhao's people.” 100Reads8.4Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   All three books meet your requirements. The first one seems to be about the male lead saving the female lead, but the female lead destroys the male lead's country. It's quite tragic later on. I forgot. The second one is about the male lead abusing the female lead. The male lead loves the female lead very much, but the way he loves her is a bit twisted. The third one is about the female lead abusing the male lead. It's very, very tragic. I don't want to talk about it. After all, I cried completely in this one. Go read it yourself!

10. 10 尧 Yao Ning's Farewell 尧宁辞 Yi Zhao奕昭Ancient Romance173k WordsCompleted Ning Rui’an, granddaughter of the Imperial Tutor, uses her frail body to assist Regent Mu Yao in purging the court and helping him ascend the throne. The two fall deeply in love amid political machinations, but she dies before the coronation crown can be placed upon her head. Grief-stricken, Mu Yao also knows that she had long ago used her life as ink to draw the path to his imperial throne. 155Reads—Score—14d adds

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    This was co-written with a friend; thank you for your support.

11. 11 闻 My Love, Come to Me in a Dream 闻君入梦来 Gu Shisan顾十三Ancient Romance953k WordsCompleted Five years ago, he led his troops to war, intending to welcome her as his wife with ten miles of wedding finery. Five years later, she betrayed their love, ended their child’s life, and became his father’s woman. He hated her betrayal. He branded her face, severed her fingers, and even killed their daughter! She swore she would make him pay for every drop of blood. When all the secrets came to light, he was consumed with regret. “A Zuo, don’t go...” She turned and plunged her sword into his 579Reads7.7Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    The first book was incredibly heart-wrenching!!!

12. 12 弃 The Innocent Abandoned Consort: Prince, Please Let Me Go 弃妃无罪：王爷请你放过我 Chen Youning宸有凝Ancient Romance500k WordsCompleted [Prince + imperial power + tragic romance] At first, he grabs her by the throat, his expression sinister and alluring. “How much truth is there in those tears of yours? Cheng Luoxun, I’ll make you pay in blood.” In the end, she fulfills his wish, barely conscious and almost lifeless. When the peach blossoms bloom in the third month, he gently takes her hand. “You said I didn’t love you, but you never once asked me if I did.” The candles flicker dimly in the room. He looks up, and there is nothin 1kReads8.0Score10114d adds
13. 13 雪 Prisoner of the Snowfall Palace 雪烬宫囚 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance939k WordsCompleted [Historical Fantasy] [Romance] [Revenge] [Angst] [Plot Twists] [Redemption] [Mutual Firsts] [Happy Ending] I am the most beloved Ninth Princess of Liang. The day the capital fell, my father, who had doted on me beyond measure, shoved me off the Star-Viewing Tower, hoping to trade my life for his own escape. Qin Yi, the rebel leader, caught me below. Emotions I couldn't understand surged in his bloodshot eyes. "Tell me, who threw you down?" I fainted in his arms, which reeked of blood. The man be 4.8kReads6.4Score29714d adds

    Reader note

    This wave of ancient Chinese romance novels with tragic elements is so high-quality, you'll regret it if you don't read them.

14. 14 九 Nine Lifetimes of Reincarnation, A Love Begun and Lost 九世轮回，缘起缘灭 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫11k WordsCompleted Nine Lifetimes of Reincarnation, Fate Begins and Ends 597Reads—Score—14d adds
15. 15 浮 Pagoda: The Lord Steals His Minister’s Wife 浮屠：君夺臣妻 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Historical15k WordsCompleted Futu: The Lord Takes His Minister's Wife 936Reads—Score1814d adds
16. 16 他 He Slaughtered My Entire Family, So I Stabbed Him Through the Heart 他屠戮我满门，我给他穿心一剑 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫37k WordsCompleted He Slaughtered My Entire Family, So I Stabbed Him Through the Heart 617Reads—Score—14d adds
17. 17 简 Simple Storm: It Started with a Peep 简单风暴：从一次偷窥开始 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Modern Romance442k WordsCompleted “You gave yourself to me just to protect that man?” A storm of fury rose in the man's eyes as he stared at the silent girl. “Do you think I'll still marry you? Get out!” On a stormy night, the coldhearted man mercilessly drove her out of the villa... 138Reads—Score—14d adds
18. 18 宠 He Doted on His Concubine and Neglected His Wife, So I Divorced the General 宠妾灭妻，我把将军给休了 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫26k WordsCompleted He Dotes on His Concubine and Neglects His Wife, So I Divorced the General 608Reads—Score—14d adds
19. 19 他 He Turned Me into a Blind Woman 他把我变成了盲女 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫26k WordsCompleted He Turned Me into a Blind Woman 1kReads—Score—14d adds
20. 20 暗 An Assassin’s Love and Revenge, Beyond Romance 暗卫情仇，无关风月 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance38k WordsCompleted A Dark Guard's Love and Grudge, Beyond Romance 136Reads—Score—14d adds
21. 21 我 I Was His Blade, and He Shattered My Soul 我为他刃，他断我魂 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance7k WordsCompleted I Became His Blade, and He Shattered My Soul 113Reads—Score—14d adds
22. 22 碎 Shatter the Inverted Qilin 碎逆麟 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance20k WordsCompleted Shattered Reversed Scale 219Reads—Score714d adds
23. 23 囚 Kept as a Fox Concubine, I Ran Away 囚狐为妾，我直接逃了 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance40k WordsCompleted I Was Kept as a Fox Concubine, So I Ran Away 394Reads—Score—14d adds
24. 24 飞 The Canary That Flew Away 飞走的金丝雀 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫18k WordsCompleted The Canary That Flew Away 145Reads—Score—14d adds
25. 25 宠 He Doted on His Wife Without Limit, Yet She Jumped Off a Building 宠妻无度，她却跳楼了 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Marriage & Romance17k WordsCompleted He Doted on His Wife Without Limit, Yet She Jumped off a Building 132Reads—Score—14d adds
26. 26 山 Where the Hills Are Green, the General Has a Heart 山有扶苏，将军有情 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Marriage & Romance7k WordsCompleted There Are Fusu Trees on the Mountain, and a General with a Heart 110Reads—Score—14d adds
27. 27 再 The Crown Princess Again 再为太子妃 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫11k WordsCompleted Become the Crown Princess Again 128Reads—Score—14d adds
28. 28 第 The Seventh Artifact 第七件藏品 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫20k WordsCompleted The Seventh Artifact 16Reads—Score—14d adds
29. 29 断 A Grudge Written in Broken Bones 断骨之怨 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance48k WordsCompleted A Grudge Carved in Broken Bones 844Reads—Score—14d adds
30. 30 玩 It Was Just for Fun, But He Took It Seriously 玩玩而已，他却当真了 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Marriage & Romance27k WordsCompleted It Was Just for Fun, But He Took It Seriously 26Reads—Score—14d adds
31. 31 他 He Said I Was Too Loud, So I Fell Completely Silent 他嫌我太吵，我彻底安静了 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫12k WordsCompleted He Said I Was Too Noisy, So I Went Completely Quiet 73Reads—Score—14d adds
32. 32 剑 Sword Dance for the Demon-Subduing Consort 剑舞镇妖妃 Eighteen Is My Cat十八是我的猫Ancient Romance8k WordsCompleted The Sword-Dancing Demon Queen 24Reads—Score—14d adds
33. 33 吾 Which of Us Is More of a Yandere, Me or the Male Lead? 吾与男主孰病娇 How Many Chapters Today, Baobao爆爆今天几更Ancient Romance276k WordsCompleted [Revenge + regret and redemption. Everyone gets hurt except Fuguang] Fuguang is a Void task-taker who specializes in taking on the resentment of people who died unjustly despite being blessed with great fortune. Unlike other task-takers, she uses the original person’s identity, wisdom, and temperament to live their life again and give them the ending they deserved. At the request of the original Lin Yusan, she plays two roles at once. Without her disguise, she is a gentle, pure-hearted young wo 832Reads9.4Score10214d adds

    Reader note

    Revenge + Cremation + Abusive Romance: Fu Guang is a Void Mission taker. After accepting a mission, she is reborn using the original owner's identity, wisdom, and personality, leading to a different ending for Lin Yusan. She is a naive and intelligent girl disguised as a sinful emperor, using her own flesh and blood to build a ladder for Fu Xingli's ascension to the throne, forcing him to atone for his sins for life. "Fu Xingli, I curse you, curse you to lose your loved ones, to live a life of loneliness, curse you to live a long life, curse you to live your whole life... In regret... Unable to live or die..." So he guards this land like a puppet, a solitary atonement, repenting for a mistake no one remembers. "You lie buried beneath the earth, your bones turned to dust, while I remain in this world, my head covered in snow." It is Fu Xingli who ultimately relinquishes the throne, supports the young female emperor, and works tirelessly day and night for the country. The story is about Lu Danqing, a renowned scholar-official who died in despair in the same season as her sister. It also mentions Hua Chongjin, who suffered childhood abuse and went insane before dying young. He loved his sister dearly but was forced to remain strangers to her, speaking harshly to her and only wishing for her to stay away.

34. 34 杏 When Spring Deepens After the Apricot Blossoms Set Fruit 杏花结子春深后 Still Remembering Sky-Blue Porcelain犹忆天青瓷Ancient Romance276k WordsCompleted She is a lowly convict slave in the palace laundry, humble as dust. He is the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, noble and radiant. Though their stations could hardly be further apart, they fall hopelessly in love. Only when their feelings are at their deepest does she unexpectedly learn that his father, the emperor, had her father framed so he could claim her mother for himself. Where can this ill-fated romance spanning two generations possibly lead? ----- A prince steals his minister’s wife + 997Reads—Score10714d adds

    Reader note

    It was incredibly tragic, a heart-wrenching regret that lingered for a long time. I wanted to change the ending, but felt utterly lost!

35. 35 易 Yi Xun Is Hard to Find 易洵难寻 I'm Duoduo我是朵朵吖Ancient Romance99k WordsCompleted Love is like a mountain spring, its gentle current winding all the way to Jiangnan. [Though I know your heart is true, I cannot find you. I hope you will turn back again and ease this longing of mine.] Qi Wan, an illegitimate daughter of the Qi family in Jiangnan, has been overlooked since childhood. She has no interest in business and only wants to live out her life in peace and freedom. Then Yi Xun appears and changes everything. He teaches Qi Wan the ways of business and stays by her side day 39Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Highly recommend!! It's so moving, I cried so much 😢😢😢

36. 36 月 A Moonlit Wish 月明愿 I'm Duoduo我是朵朵吖Ancient Romance108k WordsCompleted [Tragic historical romance with a bad ending, slow start and strong payoff] [Those who love each other may not end up together, and those who do may not truly love each other] [In this world, perhaps the hardest things to obtain are not money and power] [The hardest thing to find is a heart that never changes] Preface: A thousand years ago, the realm was divided in two. The Celestial Dynasty and the Southern Wu Dynasty each claimed half the territory. Fearing the military might of Southern Wu, 139Reads—Score—14d adds
37. 37 官 The Story of Guan Xi 官禧传 I'm Duoduo我是朵朵吖Ancient Romance131k WordsCompleted [Court intrigue + love and hate intertwined + sweet yet angsty romance] The long-awaited wedding she had looked forward to with all her heart turned out to be a trap set long ago by the man she loved. Overnight, her entire family was slaughtered. For Guan Xi, it was a devastating blow. The love that had seemed so pure was, it turned out, full of lies and deception. Sometimes I wonder if these words can truly tell the whole story of Guan Xi’s life. There is a quiet resilience about Guan Xi. She l 91Reads—Score—14d adds
38. 38 权 The Game of Power 权栖戏 I'm Duoduo我是朵朵吖Ancient Romance126k WordsCompleted [Political Intrigue ✖️ Spycraft ✖️ Forced Love] [Scheming Against Each Other ✖️ Saving Each Other] The world is unpredictable, and fate can change in an instant. Yan Lepei, the daughter of Yancheng’s lord, is forced to conceal her identity and infiltrate the Quanqi Pavilion as a spy. Shao Quan, master of the Quanqi Hall, is calculating, powerful, and scornful of all things. Yet he cannot help falling in love with his own pawn. Shao Quan: “She is the most capable weapon in my hand, and the person 32Reads—Score—14d adds
39. 39 惊 Startled by an Old Dream 惊旧梦 Zi Hui梓回Ancient Romance120k WordsCompleted [Heartbreaking tragic ending] Zhong Shuyin always dreamed of a warm figure. Later, she tucked that figure away in her heart, until... that face appeared in her dreams once more, and she realized with a shock that she had lost him many years ago. The person who once pulled her out of the abyss was also the one responsible for her misfortune. Once everything had settled, what fate would await them... The beginning of the story: “You have to come back safe.” She lowered her he 18Reads—Score—14d adds
40. 40 嫁 After She Married, the Mad Emperor Seized Her by Force 嫁人后，被疯批皇帝强取豪夺了 A Penguin Who Has to Write Every Day每天都要码字的企鹅Ancient Romance320k WordsCompleted [Coercive Possession + Later Revenge on the Scoundrels + Obsessive, Unhinged Hero + Groveling Chase + No Reconciliation + Second Male Lead Wins] Chu Huaiyu personally offered Lu Zhaoxue to the Crown Prince, using her as bait to frame Chu Siheng. After ascending the throne, Chu Huaiyu imprisoned Lu Zhaoxue deep in the palace, using his favor as a pair of shackles. Night after night, they were entangled in the palace. Biting her earlobe, Chu Huaiyu whispered, “Zhaoxue, do you hate me? Hate me if y 13.8kReads8.1Score63014d adds

    Reader note

    This book is super good! The male lead goes through a crazy chase to win back his wife, but the female lead never looks back.

41. 41 后 Flowers of the Rear Courtyard 后庭花 Sparse Willow Leaves柳叶疏Ancient Romance601k WordsCompleted [Scheming Prince]+ [Princess of a Fallen Kingdom]+ [Tragic Romance]+ [Bad Ending]+ [Li Er and Xiao Yang] A gender-swapped Li-Yang story, modeled on the tale of Emperor Taizong of Tang, Li Shimin, and Consort Yang. She was the empire's little princess, bright and lively, adored by everyone. He was an illegitimate son of the prince's household whose origins were unknown, scheming and brooding, bent only on reaching the pinnacle of power and washing away his humiliation. He approached her, used 529Reads8.3Score10314d adds

    Reader note

    A tragic ancient Chinese romance novel, a sad ending, the kind that makes you cry buckets. The book review section is full of people crying. It's a modified version of the story of Emperor Taizong of Tang and Consort Yang.

42. 42 鸩 Poison Concubine 鸩姬 Song of Picking Mulberries采桑子Ancient Romance750k WordsCompleted Long ago, there was a wicked bird that lived by the South Sea. Its feathers were bright and beautiful, but laced with deadly poison. It was called the Zhen. The daughter of the King of Xiliang was cunning and twisted, a disastrous beauty and a demon in human form, known throughout the realm as the Zhen Consort. History written by men has never set the record straight for women, but this tale teaches us one thing: there is always a price to pay for offending a woman. 174Reads8.8Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    The first book is arguably the pinnacle of historical romance novels. The character of Jiao Jiao'er is just that – Jiao Jiao'er – but to me, she's not a substitute; it's quite heart-wrenching. The second book is absolutely fantastic, with its masterful use of intrigue and power struggles. The third book features a delicate and easily manipulated female lead who is also very cunning. Sadly, she dies alone in the palace, never seeing the male lead again.

43. 43 反 The Villainess Kills with Her Beauty 反派她以美貌杀人 Shattered Starlight夜空碎光Ancient Romance355k WordsCompleted (The heroine is a true villain. If you prefer morally upright characters, read with caution.) She was the villain of a book, but she never knew it. But what did that matter? Her beloved was dead. How could those responsible for his death be allowed to live? She toyed with the world in the palm of her hand, laying schemes within schemes and concealing deadly intent at every turn. Her gentle nature and ethereal beauty were both weapons, and no one could stand in the way of her revenge. The person 4kReads9.4Score48014d adds
44. 44 帝 An Emperor's Cruel Love: A Beauty's Heartbreak 帝王宠虐，红颜劫心 Sugar-Free Sticky Bean Bun粘豆包不加糖Ancient Romance537k WordsCompleted [Sweet Romance, Angsty Love, BE, Palace Intrigue, Political Scheming, Romance] At sixteen, the guileless and sheltered noble daughter Chu Qingge met Fu Yichuan, a brilliant young general. They fell in love at first sight and pledged themselves to each other in secret, but family obligations forced them into the palace. At the time, Emperor Xiao Jingyu of Liang had only just ascended the throne. With an elder brother plotting rebellion above him and ministers forming cliques below, he could only 2Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Not only did the male and female leads have tragic endings, but the male and female supporting characters also met tragic ends. The emperor and empress schemed against each other, the concubines vied for power in the inner palace, the harem was constantly in turmoil, the court plotted to usurp the throne, and brothers killed each other. The emperor, who held immense power, lost his beloved; the concubine who went undercover for love only to be cruelly abandoned; the illegitimate daughter who became a favored concubine to win her father's favor only to die realizing she was merely a pawn in her family's game. I was emotional for days after watching it.

45. 45 朱 Cinnabar Etched into My Bones 《朱砂烙骨》 Rain Guest of Startling Beauty惊鸿雨客Ancient Romance14k WordsCompleted Cinnabar Branded on the Bone 75Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    💔 To save my beloved and sisters, I was forced to marry my enemy, only to be hated to the core by them. I was reborn as the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister of the Great Yan Dynasty, a child prodigy at seven, the most talented woman in the Great Yan at fourteen, and the richest woman in the land at sixteen. Yet, at eighteen, the year I was to marry the Crown Prince, I was caught in a conspiracy and forced to marry the Crown Prince's elder brother. The world condemned me for my vanity and betrayal of my childhood sweetheart; even my best sister saw me as an enemy. But no one knew—on the day of my wedding, I saved everyone's lives! 📖 "Cinnabar Brand" How does an empress become the most heartbroken player in a game of chess? She poured everything into raising an army of 300,000 in the Northern Frontier, only to have it ultimately betray her! "I never betrayed anyone; I simply bore the entire truth alone."

46. 46 众 The Gods Were Willing to Descend from Their Thrones for Me? I Don't Care Anymore 众神肯为我走下神坛了？不稀罕了 Ling Wu令梧Ancient Romance356k WordsCompleted [From Universally Hated to Universally Adored + Everyone's Regretful Redemption Arc + No Forgiveness + Everyone Has a One-Sided Crush on the Heroine + Heroine Doesn't Get Emotionally Invested + No Happy Ending + Everyone Dotes on Her + Putting Scumbags in Their Place + Face-Slapping] Her master dislikes her? The whole sect hates her? The entire cultivation world looks down on her? She even gave them her Golden Core, and they still lowered their opinion of her? She's done being everyone's punchin 3kReads8.6Score37814d adds

    Reader note

    The female lead is the ruthless rule of heaven; there is no romantic pairing.

47. 47 烬 Ashen Bones, Passionate Embrace 烬骨合欢 Yu Yuan钰芫Ancient Romance150k WordsCompleted I still remember the years when we were children, laughing and talking without end, close as we played in the courtyard with its swings. We shared sour plums, and leaned together by the pine-framed window through many a spring. Now each of us has grown old in a different corner of the world, yet still searches for warmth on the page. Sometimes I turn to the verses on red leaves, and we look at each other, recalling old tearstains. The first ten years of Jiang Wanqing’s life were blissfully happy 197Reads—Score—14d adds
48. 48 逃 After Fleeing My Wedding, I Fell in Love with the Cold General 逃婚后，我与高冷将军谈恋爱 Xiaosha Is a Bit Fierce小莎有点蛮Ancient Romance236k WordsOngoing "A Woman Disguised as a Man - Everyone’s Darling - Angsty Romance" To uncover the truth about her father and brothers’ murder, Su Yan disguises herself as a man and infiltrates the military camp. She and Mu Qingchen go through life and death together, never realizing that he has known all along that she is a woman… Just as they are about to marry, the bloody truth hits Su Yan… —Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    It was so heartbreaking! The beginning was so sweet, but the ending was really angsty. The female lead ran away from her arranged marriage and disguised herself as a man to enter the army camp. She met the male lead, and due to various power struggles, it got more and more angsty. It was really good!

49. 49 风 Even Love and Longing Betrayed Me 风月也曾负相思 Gu Shisan顾十三Ancient Romance50k WordsCompleted Her hands were stained with blood, yet she won this vast kingdom for him. He was the ruler, and she was his slave; decades of companionship could not outweigh a single tear from the woman he loved. To save his beloved, he offered her up to the enemy army. She endured every kind of torture, willingly. Still for the sake of his beloved, he severed her left arm, took her unborn child, and drained her blood to keep the other woman alive. Then, with a great army before her, her hair white as snow, sh 168Reads6.1Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    It's not the pinnacle of bad ending (BE) fiction, but it's definitely a top-tier BE novel. I'm quite sensitive to tears, but I couldn't cry at all.

50. 50 风 Fate Deals Me a Love Trap 风月赐我相思局 Qi Xiaolan齐小懒Ancient Romance61k WordsCompleted Before their wedding, he told her that he would take her as his consort and give her the rank of princess consort, but nothing more. But he had no idea that she would offer him her life with her own hands, so he could save the woman he loved, risking everything just to spend what little time she had left by his side. At the end of her life, she looked at his seemingly panicked face with sorrowful eyes and smiled. “Mo Yuan, in the next life, I only wish we’d never met!” 54Reads8.0Score—14d adds

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