Looking for Strong Female Leads Like A Warlord in Troubled Times, Romance Optional 求像乱世女诸侯这样的大女主文，有没有cp无所谓

1. 1 我 After Reaching Max Level in the Wasteland, I Transmigrated to a Famine Year and Became Empress 我在废土满级后，穿越荒年当女帝 Zhuye竹野Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted A satisfying infrastructure-building power fantasy, not a matriarchal-world story. Ruan Xiang, ruler of the largest base in the wasteland, transmigrated into one of the refugees fleeing famine in ancient times. Finding water, irrigating fields, building filtration ponds, making bricks and building kilns, teaching people to read, pressing oil… To survive better, Ruan Xiang gathered every worker she could. Until she discovered that the imperial court was growing weak, the ministers were afraid 9.4kReads9.1Score1.1kShelves

   Reader note

   I highly recommend reading the first two books first! Of these four, I think the order of enjoyment is 1 > 2 > 3 > 4! You can start with the first two; I think the female protagonists in these books all have very resilient personalities!!!

2. 2 穿 Transmigrating into a Chaotic Age, the Mad Princess Builds a Nation Through Robbery 穿乱世，疯癫公主她靠抢劫建国了 Turning Ink into Ink点墨成墨Ancient Romance2.7M WordsCompleted [Transmigrate + Struggle for Supremacy + Chaotic Era + Powerful Female Lead + Fleeing Famine + Infrastructure Building + No Romantic Pairing + Portable Space] Original title: Transmigrating Through Chaotic Times, the Mad Princess Builds a Nation by Robbing Others When Jiang Jin awoke, she discovered that she had become a princess of a fallen kingdom and was being sent to Liang City to become a plaything for the barbarian Jiao Liang. She thought about it and decided it would be better for others 148.2kReads9.5Score18.4kShelves
3. 3 从 From Toddler Prince to Sovereign of All Under Heaven [Infrastructure] 从奶娃诸侯王到天下共主【基建】 Peach Creek Wilds桃溪野Ancient Romance1.7M WordsOngoing Original title: From Infant Prince to Ruler of All Under Heaven: Infrastructure Building [Feel-good power fantasy + adorable toddler from the start + gaming cheat + infrastructure building + farming + war + family and country + cute pets + romance?] [Serious Synopsis] If you come from across the sea and travel west, you will eventually find a prosperous city unlike anything in this world. It is the fiefdom of His Highness, the Prince of You: Youzhou. At the end of the dynasty, the land is strew 171.2kReads9.3Score18.8kShelves
4. 4 三 Three Kingdoms: The Female Warlord of a Chaotic Age 三国：乱世女枭雄 Handsome Er You帅气的二油Ancient Romance1.1M WordsOngoing (Also known as: The Female Overlord of a Chaotic Age) [Strong female lead + Three Kingdoms + no System + traditional empire-building + ensemble cast] Liu Yi, a female engineering PhD, transmigrates into the late Han dynasty during the Three Kingdoms era and grows up as a boy. She develops water conservancy, conducts research, and improves life for the people of her region. Just as the various factions are trying to win her over, she reveals herself as a woman and establishes her own power base, 57.6kReads9.3Score8.8kShelves
5. 5 大 The Ming Dynasty's Princess Who Guarded the Nation 大明镇国公主 Li Hou黎侯Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [No Word Changes + Not a Power Fantasy + Slow-Burn + Aiming to Stay Close to History + Empress + Single Female Lead] [The above is a warning. As of October 30, 2026, the author earns 25 yuan per thousand characters from this book and has barely made any money. There is no reason to put up with unsolicited nitpicking from people who haven't paid for it. The author isn't your mother, after all.] [The person on the cover is Huanhuan, from artwork generously commissioned by a reader. Artist ID: Xi S 10.8kReads9.2Score1.8kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book is exceptionally well-written, a very female-centric power struggle story. Read that first. The second book is about a 20-year road to ambition, where both protagonists are like mothers to the protagonists.

6. 6 综 Film and TV Crossover: A Survival Guide for the Delicate Female Lead 综影视：娇软女配的生存指南 Cooking Rice Porridge熬稀饭Female-Channel Fanfiction1.9M WordsCompleted [System + golden finger + everyone loves the protagonist + shameless Mary Sue + wins over every male lead and supporting male character + no fixed couple] Xu Xiaoxiao was a couch potato when she was alive. After dying, she was recruited by the System and became a slacker in the Supporting Female Character group. Even she has no idea how she managed to complete her missions with a bizarre character-card System based on the Four Great Classical Novels. A worker's a worker, body and soul. One day a 11kReads7.4Score564Shelves

   Reader note

   These are all the different backgrounds and paths to becoming emperor. I think the writing is quite good; some stories have romantic pairings, some don't. It's a great read, and I hope you'll check it out.

7. 7 综 The Wicked Woman Never Dies: A Martial Arts Multiverse Story 综武侠恶女不死 Endless Mountains and Streams溪山无尽Ancient Romance251k WordsCompleted [Villainous Young Lady + Martial Arts + No Romance + System] Zhu Rong had always thought she was a kind and upright woman. Until one day, the Villainess System arrived. She transmigrated to a martial arts world, and the gears of fate began to turn. System: A villainess is someone who answers to no one, possesses powerful martial arts, kills and burns, and is richer than an entire nation. Zhu Rong: They sound like they have pretty good lives... System: Once a villainess's favorability toward 353Reads8.2Score—Shelves
8. 8 综 Wuxia Crossover: The More Men She Charms, the Stronger She Becomes 综武侠：万人迷她媚女就能变强 Endless Mountains and Streams溪山无尽Female-Channel Fanfiction369k WordsCompleted [Strong female lead, no male lead + wuxia + ascending the throne] (Not yuri) Also known as “Comprehensive Wuxia: Castrating Someone in Every World” “Women can only become stronger by charming other women! Your golden finger, the Charm Women to Get Stronger System, has arrived!” Zhu Rong: “How do I charm them?” System: “If a woman’s favorability toward you reaches +100 or -100, you can copy her skills, memories, martial arts...” Zhu Rong: “No limit on how many?” System: “Of course not.” Zhu Rong 510Reads8.7Score110Shelves
9. 9 系 System: The Savage Lands Crown Princess Just Wants to Herd Sheep 系统：蛮荒太子妃只想放羊 Song Xiangbai宋象白Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Also known as The Ambition Isn't Great: Just You and the World A Qi is clever and innocent. Her eldest brother is honest and just wants enough to eat; her second brother is sharp and wants to see the world. Their aunt is always fierce when chopping wood, their father is a wonderful cook, and their grandfather can recognize twenty characters, though he gets thirteen of them wrong. Their ambitions weren't great, but somehow they ended up winning the world. Content warnings: ... 30.2kReads9.6Score3.8kShelves
10. 10 暴 The Tyrant Tormented Me? I'll Turn Around, Seduce the Powerful Eunuch, and Seize His Empire 暴君虐我？转身勾搭权宦夺他江山 Green Mountain Has Its Say青山有辞Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted For eight years in the palace, Xiangjun fought to get ahead and tried to please everyone, yet the palace’s noble masters still ground her down, used her, humiliated her, and cast her aside... Those nobles basked in all the wealth of the realm atop heaps of corpses and bones, yet mocked her for trying her hardest and not knowing her place. In the end, the child Xiangjun risked her life to bear called her enemy “Mother,” while Xiangjun was cut open alive so the baby could be taken from her. She di 115.2kReads9.6Score16.6kShelves
11. 11 综 Film and TV Crossover: The Supporting Actress Has a Golden Finger 综影视：女配有了金手指 Candied Lychee冰糖荔枝Female-Channel Fanfiction9.5M WordsOngoing What changes will the lives of the various supporting female characters from TV dramas and films undergo once they gain a golden finger? 59.2kReads8.9Score999Shelves
12. 12 霸 The Bossy, Money-Loving Commandery Princess Marries the Heir as His Second Wife 霸道爱财郡主，嫁给世子做继室 Memories Like a Dream如梦记忆Ancient Romance263k WordsCompleted [A quick note: The heroine becomes emperor + a powerful golden finger + both leads have children, and she is the younger sister of his late wife + the hero must suffer to win his wife back] Everyone knows that Princess Zhaohua loves money. Now of marriageable age and unwilling to marry a prince, Princess Zhaohua sets her sights on a wealthy merchant. She doesn't care about his status, as long as he gives her a bride price in cold, hard cash. All that's left is to make the engagement official, bu 177Reads—Score100Shelves

    Reader note

    This is definitely a female-centric novel whose title misleads readers; it's a gender-swapped version of a "tortured" story (the female lead torments the male lead, who then has to go through a grueling pursuit of her, haha, he can't refuse, he has to follow the rules). The female lead, Lin Xuanbai, returns from her fiefdom to a banquet where she encounters a spoiled young master from the Earl's mansion who tries to ruin her reputation by framing others. When she finds out, she kills him on the spot. The male lead, the prince mentioned in the title, and his family, including those with vested interests, exploit the emperor's favor towards the female lead (who has no blood relation to the royal family but was raised by the emperor) to seek fame and fortune (using her to gain benefits while expecting gratitude and adherence to the rules for women). The female lead, however, is not going to tolerate this. After a very exciting plot development, before the female lead marries the male lead, she deliberately becomes pregnant (she goes to the palace and says that the man has two children while she only has one, which is fair). The emperor, favoring the female lead, forces her to have an abortion, which would harm her health, and then proceed with the marriage. (The male lead's family is determined to leave the title to their firstborn child, completely unaware that the princess's family has a throne to inherit and looks down on them. However, the emperor, for this very reason, uses a combination of threats and negotiation to force them to swallow their pride and not utter a word.) Then, the emperor only had two years left to live, and hadn't yet appointed a crown prince. Officials had to put forward candidates, and someone had to sacrifice themselves [laughing]. The candidate was the male lead. To protect his family, and because his family wanted the princess to get pregnant, and because the emperor favored the princess and wouldn't kill the prince consort, the female lead needed money to support her army. She used this to her advantage, getting pregnant and giving birth (the female lead wasn't willing to compromise herself; it was actually a fake pregnancy, and she just adopted a random child). In the end, the female lead became empress, and the male lead even fantasized about a dual reign, hahaha. This is when the gender-swapped version of the tragic story begins: you only lost the chance to return to court (which the male lead brought upon himself, angering the former emperor and being dismissed), while I lost love [laughing]. This is what female-oriented novels should be like—the female lead follows her heart from beginning to end, never compromising herself.

13. 13 乱 After Fleeing the Chaotic Era, I Became the Founding Empress 乱世逃亡后，我成了开国女帝 Nan Wanxu南婉徐Ancient Romance4.1M WordsCompleted [Publication rights signed] [Strong heroine + political intrigue + turbulent times + power struggles + ensemble cast] She’s fleeing from the start, a female warlord in a chaotic age. Lin Zhihuang, originally named Lin Zhihuan, transmigrates as a county magistrate’s daughter, only to find tens of thousands of refugees attacking the city from the start! While others transmigrate into palace or household intrigue, she transmigrates straight into a chaotic age and a desperate flight from famine. The 95.8kReads9.4Score13.2kShelves

    Reader note

    These two books are absolutely amazing!

14. 14 乱 A Lone Woman in Troubled Times, Plotting an Age of Prosperity 乱世孤女，谋千古盛世 Lingering Fragrance and Faded Powder旧香残粉Ancient Romance2.2M WordsOngoing [Strong Female Lead + No CP + Empress + Ensemble Cast + Political Scheming + War + Power Struggles in a Chaotic Era + Nation-Building and Farming + No Spatial Storage or System + Slow-Burn Growth + Epic Length] Yun Huaijin suddenly became a "corpse" in a world torn apart by chaos. She crawled out of a pile of bodies, with only a child on the verge of starving to death beside her. In this world, nobles lived in drunken indulgence, powerful clans monopolized knowledge, bandits slaughtered withou 24.2kReads8.9Score3kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist is a self-made woman who is both intelligent and skilled in martial arts; the story is very well written.

15. 15 大 Great Ming: From Fallen Princess to Legendary Empress 大明：从亡国公主到传奇女帝 Jiang Jiucheng江九程Ancient Romance549k WordsOngoing (No CP + transmigration + no System + strong female lead + power struggle + nation-building + daily life + she eventually ascends the throne as emperor. Read with caution if this bothers you.) Zhu Meichuo's story begins on the night her kingdom falls. Chongzhen arrives with a sword in hand. The whole city is ablaze with war. As someone who has transmigrated, what choice will she make? How can she save the Ming Dynasty from its impending collapse? In this dark age on the horizon, watch as this se 11.7kReads9.2Score409Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all historical dramas featuring female protagonists vying for supremacy. The female characters are numerous, brilliant, and meticulously crafted. Each one is so compelling I'd stay up all night to watch them. Highly recommended!!!

16. 16 穿 I Transmigrated, but Into a Walking Joke 穿了，但穿成大笑话了 The Cannon Fodder Has No Memories炮灰没有回忆Ancient Romance1.2M WordsOngoing A nontraditional Spring and Autumn period tale of rivalry and nation-building. The early chapters are told from the perspective of commoners, with a focus on farming and a slow, everyday pace. The power struggles come later. No romance + powerful heroine + hands-on craftswoman. Jiang He transmigrated into the past with one small problem: her new status was “wild person.” She was one of the lowest-ranking commoners, farming the land beyond the city for the ruler. She could not join the army and h 32.6kReads9.2Score4kShelves
17. 17 开 From the Start, I’m Terrified of Qin, but My System Helps Me Crush the Qin Empire 开局被秦吓破胆，凭系统干翻强秦 Loves Mild Weather喜欢不冷不热的天气Ancient Romance747k WordsOngoing Ji Heng, a modern-day overworked office worker, dies suddenly and is reborn in the Warring States period as a princess of Han, entering the world as a baby. She remembers history clearly: in 230 BCE, Qin would conquer Han. Over the next fourteen years, she quietly lays the groundwork with a “modern industrial System,” building an advanced workshop for cold weapons deep in the mountains and bringing Han's backward army a whole era ahead in strength. At first, she only wants to survive. But afte 736Reads6.0Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Both are good books (both have a protagonist with a cheat-like advantage). The first one is a fictional historical novel where the female protagonist has a harem, political marriages, and looks are also important; it's similar to a base-building novel with a strong female lead who grows up. The second one also features a very charming female protagonist, although some of her actions were a bit awkward at the time.

18. 18 三 After Completing the Three Kingdoms' Notable Figures Collection, I Ascended the Throne 三国名士全图鉴后，我登基了 Grilled Green Mushrooms炙烤见手青Ancient Romance452k WordsOngoing Also known as: How Can a Tiny Little Girl Conquer the Three Kingdoms? By Bending Without Breaking! [A heroine adored by all + An Eastern Han-era enchantress focused on her ambitions + A female ruler who makes no secret of being a woman + A true goddess with a built-in golden finger] Handcrafted with traditional techniques. If you don't like AI-written stories, come on in. Blurb: Bad news: Liu Ying died. Good news: Liu Ying came back to life inside a strategy game set in the Three Kingdoms era. B 202Reads8.9Score106Shelves
19. 19 三 Three Kingdoms: The Unhinged Princess Topples Dong Zhuo's Stronghold 三国：疯批公主她掀了董卓老巢 Rain over the Winding Lane繁陌临雨Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Liu Ying, a military academy student from the twenty-first century, opened her eyes in the body of a princess who had hanged herself and died. The marks on her neck had barely faded when the door burst open under the kick of a rebel soldier, sword in hand. She grabbed a gold hairpin, knocked over a folding screen, and stabbed the soldier in the thigh, leaving a bloody hole. Then she casually swiped some saltpeter and sulfur from an alchemist and gave Dong Zhuo a “welcome gift.” The three-hundred 1.8kReads6.8Score219Shelves

    Reader note

    How about this? No romance-obsessed protagonists, no Mary Sue stories. High-energy throughout, featuring military power struggles and political intrigue. Hardcore historical research.

20. 20 科 Imperial Examinations: Reborn, She Took Her Ex-Husband's Steady Job 科举：重生后她抢了前夫的铁饭碗 Rabbit Lord's Chitchat兔君闲谈Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [Heroine Does Not Disguise Herself as a Man | Civil Service Exams and Government Career | A Name in the History Books | A Strong Heroine Who Grows] In her previous life, Jiang Ruchu was a fallen noblewoman. Her father was faithless, her mother weak. Carrying a keepsake, she married into the prominent local Huo family to repay a debt of gratitude. When her husband entered school, Jiang Ruchu quietly supported him through his studies... She kept a low profile and fulfilled her duties, hoping only 7.1kReads9.1Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    All I can say is that this is what a true female protagonist should be like. In the first book, the female lead participates in the imperial examinations; the writing is superb, and it's a story where women are allowed to take the exams, without the female lead disguising herself as a man. What kind of female protagonist is someone who disguises herself as a man her whole life without ever being exposed? They might as well just write her as a man! The second book is incredibly enjoyable, enjoyable from beginning to end.

21. 21 南 South Branches Toward Dusk, The Regent Has Been Plotting This for Ages 南枝向晚，摄政王他蓄谋已久 Doudou from Zhongyue Province中月省的逗逗Ancient Romance726k WordsCompleted [Just received a rating] Complete ◎ [Revenge after being reborn + mastery of medicine and poison + powerful leads who cherish each other + everyone’s a schemer + palace intrigue and political machinations] Important: No stupid villains. Everyone has eight hundred tricks up their sleeve, and the battle of wits is at its peak! In her previous life, Shen Nanzhi, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo’s family, was blind to the truth. She used a forbidden technique to save a scumbag man, dr 22.6kReads8.8Score2.6kShelves

    Reader note

    A female-centric political intrigue novel, featuring cunning and top-tier strategic battles. [Completed, Rebirth & Revenge + Healing & Poisoning Mastery + Two Strong, Mutual Pampering + Cunning Characters + Palace Intrigue & Power Struggles] **Highlight:** No villains with low intelligence; everyone is incredibly cunning, a peak battle of wits! In her past life, Shen Nanzhi, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, was blinded and used forbidden techniques to save her scumbag husband, exhausting her life force. However, this only resulted in her husband's affair with her scheming cousin, leading to the tragic deaths of her entire family! Reborn, she returns to the day she used poison to prolong her husband's life, wielding silver needles. Facing her husband's hopeful gaze and her cousin's feigned tears, Shen Nanzhi coldly withdrew her needles: "I won't cure the poison. Since my cousin is so deeply in love, why don't you bleed her flesh?" In this life, she tears away the pretense, possessing unparalleled healing and poisoning skills, capable of bringing the dead back to life and healing the wounded! Xiao Duo, the Regent of Dayuan, a powerful and influential figure, suffers greatly from a rare poison. Shen Nanzhi tossed down the antidote, her voice cold and arrogant: "I will extend Your Highness's life. Lend me your blade to slaughter all the demons and monsters, how about it?" The world believed the Duke's daughter was merely a delicate canary in the palm of a living Yama. Only when powerful officials took center stage, and deadly schemes unfolded one after another, did everyone realize with horror—the seemingly fragile Shen Nanzhi was actually a master strategist, a female Zhuge Liang who held the reins of power and calculated every move! She and he entrusted their lives to each other, slaying gods and demons alike, manipulating the entire court with ease! When the bloody path was cleaved through, the world was at peace. The ruthless regent, who struck fear into the hearts of all under heaven, shed his menacing aura and held her tightly in his arms, his voice low and hoarse with madness: "Zhizhi, the realm is settled. This vast and beautiful land is my dowry; when will you finally give me a title?!" —A ruthless and decisive medical and poison queen × A crazed regent who bows down to her; together, they join forces to slaughter all demons and monsters!

22. 22 女 Matriarchy: Resigning from the Golden Palace 女尊：辞金阙 Xie Yang谢央Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted He asked, “Does the Imperial Princess only make use of me? Is there not a trace of genuine feeling in her heart?” He said, “Your Highness, rest easy. Even if it costs me my life, I will bring Youzhou City back for you!” He said, “My wife, don’t frown. It’s only money. The He family will pay for it and help you unify the Nine Provinces.” He said, “Jiang Li, I already lost you once. This time, even if I die, I won’t let go of your hand.” They all asked her the same question: “Does Your Highness ha 8.6kReads9.1Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    These two are truly unbeatable, the top contenders in strong female lead novels with 1vN dynamics and no romantic pairings. The second book isn't even finished yet. After reading these two, everything else seems just so-so. [Crying emojis]

23. 23 参 After Enlisting, She Became the Dream Lover of Noble Ladies 参军后，她成了贵女们的梦中情郎 Warm Moon暖月Ancient Romance639k WordsCompleted [Invincible Style + Golden Finger + Transmigration and Rebirth + Female General Enfeoffed as a Marquis + No Romance] Shen Jiang was once the marquis’s eldest legitimate daughter, but when her mother was demoted from wife to concubine, Shen Jiang became an illegitimate daughter. Her innocent birth mother died unjustly. Driven to despair, Shen Jiang awakened memories of her past life. Only then did she notice something lodged in her mind. In her previous life, she was an exceptional special forces 2.8kReads9.0Score338Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book tells the story of a female protagonist who transmigrates from a post-apocalyptic wasteland to a famine-stricken area. She goes from being a lord in her previous life to a weak child on the road to survival. To live, she begins to recruit people, and to live even better, she begins to dominate the world.

24. 24 我 I Only Want to Be a Military Doctor, So Why Are You Making Me Empress? 我只想当军医，你们让我当女皇？ I'm Starving我超饿Ancient Romance965k WordsCompleted [Feel-good revenge + transmigration + System + medicine + nation-building + conquering a chaotic age + empress + cheat powers] Medical student Liu Yi transmigrates into a war-torn age. The world is in chaos, the imperial court has fallen, and ordinary people can barely survive. But she brought along her all-purpose doctor System. System: “I can give you medical equipment.” System: “I can give you medical books.” System: “I can give you an entire modern hospital.” System: “Your goal is to becom 10kReads9.5Score2.3kShelves
25. 25 复 Reviving Qin: My Motherland Helps Me Become Empress 复秦：祖国助我成女帝 A Bowl of Spicy Wontons, Please来碗红油抄手Ancient Romance465k WordsCompleted [No romance! No babies! Passing the throne to an empress!] Qin Yijun had just become a public servant. She went home to attend a funeral, and transmigrated… Luckily, her phone and her farm stay came with her! In a chaotic era, Qin Yijun, a descendant of Qin Shi Huang, worked hard and, with the help of her great motherland, ascended the throne! Qin Yijun: “Leader, our industry is too backward to make machine guns. Could I have a few for self-defense?” Leader: “Sure, sure, sure! Will a few Gatling 564Reads9.1Score101Shelves
26. 26 穿 Reborn as the Empress Dowager, I Just Want to Take It Easy 穿成太后只想咸鱼 Fei Xi妃玺Ancient Romance2.4M WordsCompleted “Pay attention: this is a story with a strong female lead, no male lead, and no romance.” After transmigrating, she became the most exalted woman in Yun Zhao. She thought she could live a carefree life of wealth and luxury, but danger closed in from every side, with pitfalls everywhere. It was not just her reputation at stake, but her life. The emperor dreams of ruling in his own right? Here, take the imperial seal. Go play by yourself, kid! The consorts are fighting for power in the palace? Tos 15.3kReads9.2Score1.7kShelves
27. 27 踹 After Kicking Over the Dragon Throne, the Entire Court Begged Her to Take the Crown 踹翻龙椅后，满朝文武跪求她登基 Fei Xi妃玺Ancient Romance2.5M WordsCompleted (The heroine focuses on her career, with no romantic pairing. She becomes somewhat cold-hearted and ruthless later on.) Born into the world as a princess, Yu Hui thinks that at last, an incredible fortune has fallen into her lap. She has a palace to live in, money to spend, and status to protect her, so she can enjoy a peaceful, happy life. But peace is out of the question. Calamities keep dropping out of the sky, and they’re heavy ones. Happiness? Not really. Someone is always ending up dead, s 8.6kReads8.8Score728Shelves
28. 28 长 The Grand Princess Was Banished to Her Fief, So I Became Empress 长公主被贬封地，我转身成女帝 Happy Little Crawler幸福的爬爬虫Ancient Romance279k WordsCompleted [Strong Female Lead + Revenge and Regret + Empress + No Romance + War for Supremacy in a Chaotic Era] Chu Ning transmigrates into the Great Chu Dynasty as a princess who has been confined to her fief. Carrying the grudge of her mother’s murder, Chu Ning unexpectedly awakens the strongest Empress System, and begins a fiery journey to become an empress who conquers the realm. With a decisive hand, she takes control of Changle Commandery, her fief, and builds a solid power base. Declaring herself Q 672Reads—Score102Shelves

    Reader note

    I must recommend it.

29. 29 穿 Reborn as a Six-Year-Old Little Strategist, My Tyrant Dad Begs Me to Carry Him 穿成六岁小军师，暴君老爹求带飞 I Want to Make Money爷要赚钱Ancient Romance172k WordsOngoing [War for supremacy in a chaotic age + no romance + political intrigue] The realm falls into chaos, six provinces are carved up, and the roads are strewn with starving corpses. Xue Chujiu, a Daoist physician at the peak of her powers, shrinks into a six-year-old beggar on the verge of starving to death. Just when she thinks she’ll die before she can make a difference, a beggar stuffs the last half of his black steamed bun into her mouth. “Little girl, eat up. You’ll need it for the road!” Xue Chu 411Reads—Score100Shelves

    Reader note

    Having read so many time-traveling female protagonists who fall in love in their teens, this is truly a breath of fresh air! The female lead is only six years old, and the entire story revolves around her career, revenge, and protecting her adoptive father and third uncle. There's almost no romance; the focus is entirely on survival, practicing medicine, and political maneuvering. The opening scene of escaping from the coffin is incredibly vivid; I reread the scene of her miraculously reviving from the dead after crashing into the coffin multiple times. The plot is fast-paced, with new conflicts in every chapter, and it doesn't pad out the word count.

30. 30 被 Wrongfully Married, I Stabbed My Husband to Death and Became Famous 被错嫁后，我捅死夫君名扬天下了 Bright Blue灿蓝Ancient Romance646k WordsCompleted [No Romance] + [Pocket Dimension] + [Taking Down Scumbags] + [Villainess] After transmigrating, Li Shu became a pitiful woman who had been married off to the wrong man. Her deranged husband had just beaten her to death. Her mother-in-law said, “My son has no flaws except that he hits people. Can’t you just put up with it?!” The man said, “I wanted to marry A Ning, but I’m not good enough for her, so let’s just settle down and live our lives together!” Even her own father kept his head down and i 16.2kReads9.3Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    This is a different kind of empress novel; it's more of a wish-fulfillment story than a political intrigue one. Those who enjoy wish-fulfillment stories might want to give it a try.

31. 31 都 Kill Them All. There's No Need to Act Normal 都杀了，做人没必要太正常 The Round-Headed, Round-Brained, Round-Bellied Tangerine圆头圆脑圆肚皮的橘子Ancient Romance339k WordsCompleted [Now being published; a motion comic is out. The heroine is invincible, no romance, no nation-building, plot-focused, with male characters who may die.] Guan Zhiwei is forced to transmigrate. Countless Systems bind themselves to her, promising to send her home once she completes their missions. They all turn out to be liars. Our unlucky heroine decides to take down this world. Starting with killing the male lead. As she takes out one romantic male lead after another, she leads her neighbors 57kReads9.6Score10kShelves
32. 32 太 The Empress Dowager Reborn: A Phoenix’s Plot for the Empire 太后重生：凤谋天下 Gu Yu孤妤Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Strong heroine + ensemble cast + political intrigue] Reborn, she turns the world into a board and all living beings into pieces. She is the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. Slender, pale hands, an icy gaze She moves her pieces, a faint smile on her lips Why should beauty worry? Reborn, risen from the ashes A phoenix’s schemes hide in her lotus-bloom bones Her name will live on in the annals of history Willow branches in her hometown, the moon a hook She watches generals and princes 1.3kReads9.0Score185Shelves

    Reader note

    This one! You absolutely must read this one! Just look at the synopsis! Ancient Chinese romance with political intrigue—it's the pinnacle of my reading list! The female protagonist is reborn back to her childhood, relying entirely on her intelligence and cunning to navigate the complexities of the world and turn the tide of events! A behind-the-scenes power broker! Leading her entire family in a business empire, she rewrites the fate of the world! The dashing young men in their finery are also fantastic! A captivating ensemble piece in ancient Chinese style! You won't regret reading it!

33. 33 穿 Transmigrate to Ancient Times and Become a Heroine! 穿越古代做女侠！ Invincible Lazybones 2000无敌大懒虫2000Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted I only wanted to lie flat and be a queen, but you forced me to become an empress! In the chess game of a chaotic age, there are never any true winners. She is Li Tingting, a modern special forces champion, who unexpectedly transmigrates into the legitimate daughter of a military family. Just after arriving in this world, she is betrayed by an arranged marriage with a powerful clan, so she cuts all ties with the secular world. Guarding the remote frontier alone, she turns back a massive army, cla 164Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend this book. It features a strong female lead who takes action rather than talk, with incredibly exciting and visually stunning fight scenes. The villains are not brainless, and the plot is not idiotic.

34. 34 汉 Chronicles of the Han Dynasty’s Last Empress 汉末女帝纪事录 A Reed Knows White一苇知白Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Content warning: If you don’t accept a female lead in a one-on-one romance who has children, please don’t click. [Strong female lead + political intrigue + contest for supremacy + nation-building + one-on-one romance] At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the land is in turmoil. A flash flood sends the soul of Liu Zhen, a modern teacher, a thousand years into the past, where she possesses the frail, sickly Liu Zhen, the Han Emperor Ling’s second daughter, who died young. At the brink of death, 1.4kReads8.2Score223Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is definitely a female-centric story. The female protagonist transmigrates to the late Han Dynasty, becoming the daughter of Emperor Ling of Han, and uses her strategies to rebuild the Han Dynasty three times.

35. 35 截 I Hijack the Male Lead's Path to the Throne, Kick Fate Aside, and Become Empress 截胡男主登基路，踹翻天命当女帝 Jiang Yao江药Ancient Romance733k WordsCompleted [An unapologetic female-led power fantasy. The heroine is a ruthless, ambition-driven fanatic who says little and will do anything for power. She loves no one but the throne. No equally matched power couple, and no stronger male lead: the woman is strong, and the man is weak!] Li Yuanzhao is the most revered Grand Princess of Great Qi, charged with protecting the nation. Born of imperial blood and devoted to political power, she is so formidable that no court official dares meet her gaze. But on 7.9kReads9.2Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    A must-read for girls! The female lead is a carbon copy of the protagonist in male-oriented novels; she effortlessly wins over all sorts of men, from aloof beauties and spoiled princes to arrogant kings and handsome men.

36. 36 我 I Use a Card-Drawing System to Start a Rebellion in Ancient Times 我靠抽卡系统在古代搞造反 Whale's Slumber鲸眠Ancient Romance559k WordsOngoing [Historical figure gacha System + woman disguises herself as a man + infrastructure and farming + transmigration power fantasy] Xie Linchao transmigrates into the body of Qi's second prince, who is a woman disguised as a man and has been demoted and sent to his fief. With everything stacked against her from the start, Xie Linchao is about to give up when she binds to a gacha System for world domination. [Congratulations, you drew an SSS-rank general card: Bai Qi, the God of Slaughter] [Congratul 2.4kReads9.3Score253Shelves

    Reader note

    12678 features a female protagonist, while 345 is an ensemble piece. The rating is the primary factor (as some readers have only read a few dozen chapters).

37. 37 全 The Whole Dorm Was Reborn: The Apocalypse's First Girl Group Goes on a Rampage 全寝重生，末世第一女团杀疯了 He Zhiling赫至灵Sci-Fi & Apocalypse1.0M WordsCompleted Reborn in the apocalypse + quick transmigration with the whole group + a truly powerful heroine and a thrilling read + no romance, everyone is ruthless + overwhelming combat power + conquering the globe multiple times + stockpiling supplies amid the zombies + passionate action with no rivalry between women + reigning as two emperors at the height of her power Luo Jiu and her roommates fought desperately to survive the apocalypse for half a month, only to die together in an utterly unbelievable 22.8kReads9.3Score3.1kShelves

    Reader note

    12678 Features a female protagonist, while 345 is an ensemble piece. The rating is the primary factor (as some readers have only read a few dozen chapters).

38. 38 重EN Too Many Reborn Heroes? Time to Bring in the Government 重生者太密集？我带国家队下场 Bian Lu边鹿Sci-Fi & Apocalypse758k WordsCompleted (A feel-good power fantasy, with a beautiful, badass heroine who confiscates golden fingers) “Sheng is the boss around here. She's ruthless and doesn't waste words. Cross her, and she'll take you down!” In the year 2323 of the Star Era, the apocalypse is about to begin. Some people awaken their powers early, while reborn people are already making their moves… As the head of a new department, Sheng An is responsible for recruiting and leading all the powered and reborn individuals, preparing for 123.7kReads9.7Score17.5kShelves
39. 39 末 The Whole Dorm Transmigrates Into a Book in the Apocalypse! Are We All Cannon Fodder? No Way 末世全寝穿书！全员炮灰？不可能 Moon in a Can月亮罐头Sci-Fi & Apocalypse503k WordsCompleted The comic adaptation is now online [Apocalypse + transmigrate into a book + girl squad's comeback + dorm-room pocket dimension + taking down scumbags + ensemble cast + no romance] The dorm went “boom”! Mu Mu opened her eyes to find the apocalypse was just seven hours away! All four girls in the dorm had transmigrated into the bodies of cannon fodder who died early? Worse, each of them was destined for a miserable end, serving as nothing more than tools to bring the male and female leads closer. 6.1kReads8.9Score1.1kShelves
40. 40 大 The Qin Dynasty’s Peerless Empress 大秦之女帝无双 Bi Yu璧玉Ancient Romance902k WordsCompleted Qing Yuan becomes the daughter of King Qin, Ying Zheng, and is sent off for a political marriage right from the start. Her father is unreliable, and Fusu and Huhai are even less dependable. Qing Yuan gets it: she can only count on herself. “Father, here's how to make salt.” “Father, here's papermaking.” “Father, your daughter would like to recommend a few talented people.” Ying Zheng: My daughter gives me so much. The ministers: Your Majesty, please name the princess your heir. Ying Zheng lo 2.2kReads8.6Score209Shelves
41. 41 穿 Transmigrated as Cao Cao's Daughter: From Farming to Empress 穿成曹操女儿，从种地到女帝 The Classic of Mountain Journeys山游经Female-Channel Fanfiction1.0M WordsCompleted Cao Sui, a graduate student in agricultural science, has just finished slogging through her thesis when she jolts awake and opens her eyes to a woman gazing at her with tender affection. After spending over half a year recovering in bed, she finally gets up and learns that her father has gone off to fight the Yellow Turbans. The Yellow Turbans? What a historically specific term. Cao Sui is devastated. Why on earth did she have to end up in the Three Kingdoms? With disasters and war stacked aga 12kReads9.0Score1.9kShelves
42. 42 别 Don't Mess with Her: The Princess May Lie Flat, but She'll Still Crush the Scum 别惹她，长公主虽躺平，但狠虐渣 Flying Like Clouds如云飞扬Ancient Romance1.0M WordsOngoing [Transmigration, past and present lives, woman disguised as a man, political intrigue, sweet and satisfying] Yun Qing was a princess born of the emperor's elder sister. On the day she was born, she was switched, poisoned, and hunted down, ending up in the common world as a discarded daughter of the family who had to disguise herself as a man. Her heartless father, her vicious concubine stepmother, and all manner of monsters and demons wanted her dead. When she opened her eyes again, she had s 1.4kReads9.3Score173Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a female-centric time-travel political intrigue novel. The female lead is much more normal; every step she takes is a calculated move, and everyone is intelligent. It's not a mindless story and is worth reading.

43. 43 手 With the Notable Ministers System in Hand, I Disguise Myself as a Man in Ancient Times 手拿名臣系统，我在古代女扮男装 Tianyang Peak, Who Loves Handmade Wheat Dumplings爱吃手工麦饺的天阳峰Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Xu Yue transmigrates into a book. She becomes the delicate, vulnerable cousin of the male lead in an examination-themed novel: her mother died young, she has no brothers and no one to rely on, and her family won't take her in, so she is awkwardly forced to live in the male lead's home. In her previous life, Xu Yue rose from being an orphan to earning a doctorate. She never believed in fate, and even though it was hard for women to get by in ancient times, she never stopped thinking about how to 118.2kReads9.6Score11.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These four books are truly the pinnacle of female-oriented political intrigue novels! They're listed in order of my preference. The first one, *Lin Zhihuang*, is absolutely brilliant; I had a very long withdrawal period after finishing it. No one in the story is a fool, and the female lead doesn't rely on others to highlight her. The second one, *Xuan Mingyao*, focuses more on other characters in the latter half, so the female lead's schemes aren't as prominent, but it's still very enjoyable. The third one, *Lü Songli*, is comparable to the first one; the male lead is more like the female lead's subordinate, somewhat similar to the first book. The fourth one, *Xu Yue*, is about a woman disguised as a man taking the imperial examinations. Unlike the previous three, the female lead doesn't become emperor, but it's still very engaging, with detailed character portrayals.

44. 44 秦 The Qin Dynasty's Last Empress Sweeps Across the Six Realms, Her Ambition Unmatched 秦末女帝扫六合，虎视天下何雄哉 Fish-Skin Pancake鱼皮饼Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [No cheat powers + no romance + female-led battle for supremacy + modern-day sky screen reveal later on] What a horrifying experience: transmigrating as Consort Yu, only to open your eyes and find a hulking man in bed with you! A perfect start, a chaotic world to survive in, and as a concubine, sharing her master’s bed is part of the job. How can she turn her life around? Yu Xi is determined: As long as she keeps striving, she’ll trample everyone who dares to bully her underfoot. Then... the who 3.2kReads8.7Score499Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is recommended by the author himself.

45. 45 都 I've Transmigrated to a Cultivation World, So I Might as Well Become an Immortal Emperor 都穿越修仙界了，那就搞个仙帝当 Nan Wanxu南婉徐Ancient Romance1.8M WordsOngoing [Cultivation + taking the place of a wicked second-generation cultivator + transmigrate into another body + supernatural abilities + ambitious heroine + battle for supremacy] Superpowered Dragon Nayingle transmigrates into the cultivation world and from the start lands herself in the doomed situation of an evil woman with the exact same face as hers. The villainess, Yuan Qishui, is an arrogant second-generation cultivator from a sect. She is domineering, kills innocents, and commits every kind o 30.2kReads9.4Score3.8kShelves

    Reader note

    I love these three books!

46. 46 大EN The Tang Dynasty's Pearl-Dispelling Record (Original Novel of the TV Adaptation Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong) 大唐辟珠记（田曦薇、宋威龙主演同名影视原著） Meal Card饭卡Martial Arts810k WordsCompleted [All-New Bonus Edition] [A Screen Adaptation with the Same Title Has Been Officially Announced, Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong] [Beloved Princess Reborn: Looks Like a Delicate Crybaby, Actually a Well-Rounded Warrior] ✖ [Defiant, Doomed, Devoted, Pure-Hearted Top Jianghu Big Shot] [Their Romance Is So Sweet It Makes You Cry] Princess Wanshou, blessed with the Tang emperor's favor and love, died of an illness at just seventeen. A thief secretly opened the eerie underground palace, only to d 203.8kReads9.7Score25.2kShelves
47. 47 我 When Did My Bookstore Turn into a Weapons Shop? 我的书店什么时候改行做武器行了 Just a Little Silly Bean这样一只小憨包Modern Romance536k WordsOngoing A rift in time and space lies hidden in the Floating World Bookshop, connecting it to the Ming dynasty a thousand years ago. A pastry and a cup of cola spark a bond that spans two worlds. Time never flows the same way in either realm. Hongxi moves the capital, Zhu Biao is assassinated, and turmoil engulfs the court. Fifteen-year-old Zhu Xiongying arrives clutching a jade clasp, with the fate of his country weighing on him. In a sorry state, he stumbles into her bookshop. She is Ye Zijin, owner 6Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Ye Zijing was truly clear-headed. Faced with the ancient emperor's mad love, she was only slightly moved before quickly regaining her senses; her life was more important. What's the point of talking about love if you're dead?

48. 48 女 The Empress Transmigrates: Conquering the World in a Chaotic Age 女帝穿越，她在乱世逐鹿天下 Autumn Farewell and the Lantern's Song秋辞与灯鸣Ancient Romance645k WordsCompleted No romance + strong female lead + powerful heroine + light ensemble cast + infrastructure building + satisfying read + transmigration Yun Zhi was a princess who grew up in the Cold Palace. In the Cold Palace, you either erupt out of silence or perish in it. To survive, she used every means at her disposal, killed her father and brother, and took the throne everyone wanted. But after only a few years on the throne, she died of illness. When she opened her eyes again, she was Yun Zhi, the newborn 1.8kReads8.9Score183Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommend! The first book is really good, and the second one is also great. [OK]

49. 49 驸 My Consort Took a Concubine, So I Cast Him Off; He Rebelled, So I Became Emperor 驸马纳妾我休弃，驸马造反我称帝 Paper Tiger纸老虎Ancient Romance541k WordsCompleted [Signed for publication] [A noblewoman and a transmigrated woman join forces to contend for the throne. Strong female lead, ensemble cast, political intrigue, no romance] Yuan Xuan was born to be a pawn. For the sake of the realm, she lived as a man and served as crown prince for over a decade. When her younger brother was born, Yuan Xuan returned to living as a woman and became a discarded pawn. Abandoned by everyone, she had no one left who didn’t want her dead. Less than a year into her marri 15.7kReads9.5Score3kShelves

    Reader note

    A female strategist in troubled times would inevitably include Lü Songli. ① The female protagonist was disguised as a boy and raised as the crown prince from childhood, but after the birth of her younger brother, her true gender was revealed, and she was deposed. Because of her gender, no matter how outstanding she was as crown prince, she was branded with various stigmas after being deposed. How could she accept this? So, she began her struggle for the throne as a princess – a true political intrigue novel. ② Lü Songli's modern soul transmigrates to the ancient Qin family, whose members have been loyal ministers and generals for generations. Due to their high merits, they were not tolerated by the monarch and were exiled on charges of treason. Forced into rebellion, they eventually gained the throne, and the couple ruled the country together. Very exciting.

50. 50 山 Bandit Chief? Even the Great Scholars Call Her Their Lord! 山贼头子？名士都喊她主公！ Little Su Mehmeh小素咩咩Ancient Romance457k WordsCompleted [Strong female lead, no romance + ensemble cast + recruiting talent + troubled times + infrastructure building + political intrigue + wish fulfillment + no System] Xie Jiao, an HR director, opened her eyes to find herself a murderous bride with a dagger in her hand and a bandit chief lying at her feet! Her scummy master deliberately led troops to exterminate the bandits? Xie Jiao struck back and became the bandit chief herself. If they wanted her dead, they'd have to see who died first! She seiz 1.7kReads8.8Score244Shelves

    Reader note

    Similarly, the logic is acceptable, and the writing style is acceptable.

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