Ancient-Era Romance With a Highly Intelligent Lead, Preferably Complete 古言高智商(最好是完结的)

1. 101 被 Three Fiances Came Looking for Her, and the Demon King Was Stunned 被三个未婚夫找上门，魔王她傻了 Stars Beneath the Sun阳光下的星辰Ancient Romance724k WordsCompleted [The whole cast overinterprets everything + hilarious absurdity] Before her death, the no-nonsense tomboy Ye Yue was plagued by illness. After transmigrating to the world of cultivation, all she wanted was to keep her head down and survive. But she ends up in the body of the fallen “leader of the villains,” the Asura King. Every one of her subordinates talks about crushing the Celestial Clan or exterminating humanity, and they hound her every day to conquer the world. Worse still, her predecesso 1.3kReads9.4Score177Shelves
2. 102 翡 Lotus in an Emerald Cage 翡翠笼中莲 Jiang Chengyu C江承钰CAncient Romance49k WordsCompleted The Lotus in the Jade Cage 722Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   The female author's most prized ancient romance novels, all completed, please enjoy! They're exceptionally good, with high-IQ, logical flow, and very intellectually stimulating! 🔥 My absolute favorite Tomato Female Channel novels are all charming, original, clear-headed, rational, and not overly sentimental heroines—truly powerful female protagonists who ultimately achieve fame and fortune, wielding immense power! ✌️❤️ 1: Domestic Strife + Palace Intrigue 🩷 A bit tear-jerking, reminiscent of the bittersweet feeling of an unfulfilled love story 😭 The daughter of a jade merchant meets a fallen prince who has been living among commoners, but there's no spark of romance until they fight assassins in a dilapidated temple. She falls in love with him, but he falls for another extremely delicate woman. By chance, he's placed on the throne by a powerful minister. 👑🍅 He doesn't love her, but respects her and needs her wisdom to help him navigate between powerful ministers and imperial power. She also lives peacefully with his lover. She loves him, and therefore loves him in a way that the male lead prefers. 😍🍅 In the end, it was that seemingly weak woman who protected the female lead with her own life until the very end. 😊 After reading it, you'll feel a sense of loss. It's a rare story where the male and female leads don't fall in love, but rather need to use each other. There's no competition between them, and the story has a strong aftertaste. 2: Palace Intrigue and Power ❤️ The seemingly ruthless female lead is a former slave girl, but she has the face of a phoenix. The mistress of the house not only doesn't kill her, but also spends a lot of money to cultivate her and build her up, successfully sending her into the palace. The young emperor falls in love with her at first sight 💘 and immediately makes her empress 👑 To protect the secret of her background and her power, she has been plotting to use external forces to bring down her enemies. She's almost ready to wreak havoc in the harem, but the emperor loves her to the bone and can't bring himself to punish her, not even to neglect her. 😍 The most divine part is the final, deathbed confession. The emperor already knew the female lead was originally a slave, and he knew she was ruthless and a bloodthirsty killer, but he was only grateful that he was the emperor and could help her. He also longed to be protected by her without hesitation just once 😭 Super tear-jerking! 3: Ancient Chinese romance novel with a strong female lead 🌹 A noble princess from a powerful family is forced into a political marriage with a prince, but the prince's heart belongs to another, and he plans to use her and her family for a purpose. After collapsing in the rain, the female lead awakens and immediately leads her family to ally with the prince who is her husband's enemy, protecting her family and killing the male lead, her enemy 👍 In the process, she meets a mysterious spy, and the two are drawn into a tug-of-war between their lucidity and infatuation, super addictive and sweet! ✌️ All are excellent works with novel plots 😍🍅

3. 103 锁 Locked Glaze 锁琉璃 Jiang Chengyu C江承钰CAncient Romance36k WordsCompleted Locked Glaze 433Reads—Score—Shelves
4. 104 穿 Reborn as a Bride Substitute, I Kneel Before the Deposed Crown Prince 穿成替嫁女，我向废太子献上膝盖 Yu Lingxiu毓灵秀Ancient Romance160k WordsCompleted A top student of modern medicine accidentally drowns and wakes up in the body of a prime minister's illegitimate daughter. Her stepmother is beating her on the spot and forcing her to marry the crippled crown prince in place of her legitimate daughter. Marry him? Of course she will! The prime minister's wretched household is no place to live. So what if the crown prince is crippled? Even a thin camel is bigger than a horse. Marrying him might give her a chance to survive. On her wedding night 29Reads8.5Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   These concise palace intrigue stories are intellectually stimulating and satisfying to read in one go, allowing you to release all your pent-up frustrations.

5. 105 雪 Spring Brewed in Snow 雪酿春 Jiang Chengyu C江承钰C44k WordsCompleted Snow-Brewed Spring 325Reads—Score—Shelves
6. 106 三 Three Souls as the Betrothal Gift, Seven Spirits as the Wedding Present 三魂为聘，七魄为礼 All Out肆意满Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Everyone has three hun and seven po souls. Yin Wenjiu has only one hun and one po: an unidentified resentful soul and an unidentified life soul. Both exist to keep her body alive. But she only cares about enjoying the moment. She tells fortunes with perfect accuracy and charges the highest price! She won’t go out of her way to stay alive, nor will she actively seek death. She waited at Yunmeng Marsh for five years. If someone came to save her, she would go with them; if no one did, she would dig 24.4kReads9.3Score3.5kShelves

   Reader note

   💥 You won't know until the very end! It's mind-bending and requires a lot of brainpower, but it's really good!

7. 107 她 She'll Marry Only One Man, and All the Princes Turn Against Her 她只肯嫁一个，殿下们全翻了脸 Mystery Case谜桉Ancient Romance473k WordsCompleted After transmigrating into a historical romance novel, Yu Heng thought she had been given the role of a frail, pampered concubine. According to the plot, the original character was supposed to be madly in love with the Second Prince, Xiao Heng, and become the most captivating pair of star-crossed lovers in the whole book. On the night she arrived, in the pitch dark, she saw a man of peerless beauty lying on the bed and, after a little hesitation, spent a passionate night with him. The next mornin 2.1kReads8.1Score226Shelves

   Reader note

   Both the main characters and supporting characters are intelligent.

8. 108 穿 Transmigrated as the Eldest Daughter of a Farming Family: Hunting and Gathering Herbs, No Fleeing Famine 穿成农家长姐：打猎采药不逃荒 Grumpy Auntie暴躁小阿姨Ancient Romance534k WordsCompleted [Animated series now available] [Family life + Strong heroine + Hunting and gathering herbs + Farming and supporting the family + Building a fortune] Shen Xingnan, a modern-day office drone, unexpectedly transmigrates to ancient times and becomes a strong farm girl. Her mother is dead, her father has run off, the family is dirt poor, and she has several younger siblings to raise. ⊙﹏⊙ Shen Xingnan is on the verge of tears. What a disastrous start! ⊙﹏⊙ She’s strong, but she has a huge appetite too 4.2kReads8.2Score431Shelves

   Reader note

   Shen Xingnan was on the verge of tears. What a disastrous start! She was strong and had a huge appetite; she was sick of the wild vegetable porridge. Money, money! Hunting pheasants, trapping rabbits, digging kudzu roots, picking chestnuts, gathering medicinal herbs… the mountains were full of treasures; if you were bold enough, your basket wouldn't be full! ^0^ With her skills, Shen Xingnan earned money to support her family, eating meat every meal, and even built a large brick house, making the villagers extremely envious. ^0^

9. 109 明 Marry Me Beneath the Bright Moon 明月嫁卿卿 Rabbit Purple Moonrise兔紫月上Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Song Chuyu thought she and Kang Rui were deeply in love, and that no one could ever come between them. Yet that person had been living by their side all along, pampered under the title of “sister-in-law.” After being reborn, Song Chuyu didn’t spare Kang Rui a glance as he rode through the streets in triumph, and she certainly wouldn’t marry him again. * When Kang Rui woke up to find himself back in the impoverished days of his youth, he struggled to get used to the drafty windows after having li 85.4kReads9.3Score10.9kShelves
10. 110 夭 Good Grief! The Madam Is Helping the Grand Secretary Take Another Concubine Again 夭寿！夫人又帮首辅大人纳妾了 Ning Muxi宁慕溪Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Now adapted into a comic drama. Hongguo Drama title: The Cannon Fodder Wife of the Chief Minister [Transmigrate Into a Book] [Chief Minister] [Cannon Fodder] [Love After Marriage] Yun Wei accidentally transmigrates into the male-oriented harem power fantasy she has been reading lately, becoming the "wife" in the male lead's rise to power, fortune, and his wife's death. This "wife" is arrogant and domineering. She looks down on the male lead and humiliates him at every turn, thoroughly offending 48.7kReads9.0Score9.3kShelves
11. 111 我 I Played the Rat Race in Ancient Times and Rose to Marquis and Minister 我在古代搞内卷，一路封侯拜相 Yu Tiantian Ya遇田田呀Ancient Romance604k WordsCompleted [Strong heroine, no romance, nation-building, career-focused, light political intrigue, few top-quality men] After transmigrating into the backward Great Kang, a place where people slept on the floor and got nothing but soup for meals, Jiang Hui could only describe herself as numb. Completely numb. To make sure she could survive, she joined the army and earned distinction. Then the emperor sent her off to become magistrate of a godforsaken county. Luckily, she held two doctoral degrees. Building 1.4kReads9.2Score172Shelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend "Xiao Lou." It's a breath of fresh air in the world of mindless, feel-good novels. The author's writing is superb, with a solid literary foundation. It's a charmingly antique ensemble novel that revolves around three girls from the second branch of the Lou family, each with distinct personalities. They are intelligent, resilient, and insightful. I've memorized many of their lines: "Actually, what we want to go to is never far away; it's just that the world around us isn't what we want, so we think the outside world is far away."

12. 112 穿 I Transmigrated to Ancient Times and Tore My Ex's White Moonlight to Shreds! 穿越古代手撕白月光前夫！ Moonlit Riverside Post Station月满江驿Ancient Romance310k WordsCompleted [Ruthless villainess heroine who acts first and never wastes words × madly devoted male lead who chases his wife to the crematorium + cold-faced, scheming prince] [Ancient political intrigue + a family of three transmigrates + the whole family faces the consequences + a power-fantasy heroine goes on a rampage] After a car accident, modern actress Jiang Yuan unexpectedly transmigrates to ancient times. She becomes Jiang Si, a disposable widow in Muchuan Prefecture, and from the start, she’s hande 214Reads—Score—Shelves
13. 113 掌 Palm Bait: A Record of Taming the Pampered One 掌心饵，驯娇记 Seventeen Sounds of Life十七声生Ancient Romance998k WordsCompleted [Gloomy eunuch ✖️ a palace maid who grows over time] Behind the deep palace walls, two broken souls become entangled and find a way to keep living amid the gray shadows of imperial power struggles. "Though the moss flower is tiny as a grain of rice, it still blooms like a peony." We may live humbly, hidden from the light, but we still live. A somewhat realistic story, not a wish-fulfillment novel. If you enjoy its subtle, tense atmosphere, step inside. 212.6kReads9.5Score38.5kShelves
14. 114 沉 The Sinking Carp Startles the Cattails 沉鲤惊蒲 Seven Inkstones七砚书Mystery442k WordsOngoing He calculated that today was “a day to avoid people in red.” Chi Jingpu immediately pulled out his red undershirt. “You’ve been standing there in a red undershirt this whole time, and now you’re telling me to avoid people in red?” Scientific-minded constable × Feng Shui master × little princess lost in the human world Hilarious mystery romance, one-on-one pairing, both leads pure and devoted, incredibly sweet 342Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Heart][Heart][Heart][Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up]

15. 115 穿 After I Transmigrated into a Book, the Wealthy CEO Was the Villainess 穿书后，豪门总裁是恶毒女配 Ai Miguo艾迷果Modern Romance735k WordsOngoing Shocking news! Ruan Qiao, the new chairwoman of the Ruan Group, has married the third young master of the Huo family at first sight. Will the playboy queen of romance settle down for a hot young heartthrob? The third Huo brother, who just won the Best Actor award, is bundled up by his two older brothers and dumped into Miss Ruan’s bed. He kicks and struggles. “No! I don’t want this! I belong to all my fans! I don’t want to get married. Besides, if anyone’s getting married, it should be you two f 5Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Ancient romance is even better; adding extra chapters won't affect the main story reading. The first book is an urban romance, depicting the joys and sorrows of a wealthy family, featuring business, movie stars, hilarious comedic moments, an ensemble cast, love, friendship, and parental love—a heartwarming tale. Of course, there's also a villainous female supporting character, the kind who's seemingly innocent yet ruthless. The second book is about the making of an ancient empress, a modern 996 workaholic transmigrating. The female lead is independent and ruthless, a master of both medicine and poison. The male lead is a crown prince who later becomes emperor; he's a yandere with a mental illness, usually gentle and refined, but has a fear of women. He's devoted only to the female lead, body and soul.

16. 116 浮 The Tale of Floating and Sinking 浮沉传 Miss Liangzi凉子姑娘Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [Household and palace intrigue + play the pig to eat the tiger + revenge and a comeback] A heroine in the vein of The Story of Minglan, this acclaimed historical domestic-intrigue novel has racked up over ten million plays as an audio drama. For a story that understands reason and human nature, read The Tale of Fushen! Her father shows her no affection, her mother dies a tragic death, her stepmother spoils her rotten, and her half-sister schemes against her. In this treacherous household, watch 6.9kReads9.2Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    These are a few books I just finished reading. I really love books where the female lead is strong, intelligent, and always has a sharp mind. I highly recommend them, especially "The Rise and Fall of a Hero." The story is long and detailed; I finished it day and night—it's so good!

17. 117 重 Reborn as the Lucky Legitimate Daughter 重生之福运嫡妻 Ai Miguo艾迷果Ancient Romance596k WordsCompleted Princess Mai Miansang of Fu'an is a transmigrator. Mai Ya'er was a diligent HR intern at a Fortune 500 company, born in the late 1990s. After working overtime for three months straight, she got excited playing a game of cards on her day off and suddenly kicked the bucket… When she woke up, Mai Ya'er had been born into the Great Wei dynasty as the legitimate daughter of a marquis’s household. From then on, her eight older brothers doted on her endlessly, along with her cousin, the crown prince, w 3Reads—Score—Shelves
18. 118 王 The Prince Offered Himself to Her, and She Took Him Up on It 王爷以身相许，她要了 Seven Inkstones七砚书57k WordsCompleted The Prince Offered Himself to Her, and She Accepted 228Reads—Score—Shelves
19. 119 侯 My Lord, Your Dog Can't Come In! 侯爷，您的狗不能进！ Seven Inkstones七砚书Ancient Romance40k WordsCompleted My Lord, Your Dog Can't Come In! 224Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 120 轻 Where Does the Light Boat Go? 轻舟何岸 Plain Colors, Chilly素彩寒Ancient Romance271k WordsCompleted Are the four princes of Rui Kingdom really going to marry four common women from Chan Kingdom? Could it be because every woman in Chan Kingdom is beautiful and fertile? She has the talent to be a chancellor in a matriarchal kingdom, yet marries the “intellectually disabled” prince of a patriarchal kingdom, entering the marriage as a spy under the pretense of a political union. He is a prince with exceptional intelligence who hides his true self. But even after he regains his true self, is that r 16Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The rustling of leaves tells of a deer passing by, the sound of wind in the pines tells of a tiger approaching. She is a woman with the talent of a prime minister, yet she marries a "mentally challenged" prince of a man-made kingdom, using the guise of a political marriage to act as a spy. He is a prince of exceptional intelligence, hiding his true form, but even if he regains his true self, is he truly himself? Espionage, political intrigue, palace intrigue, business strategies, and battlefield tactics all unfold in the back-and-forth between these two powerful figures who admire each other…

21. 121 暴 After Beating Up the Villains, She Uses Her Space to Empty the Warehouse 暴打极品后，她带空间搬空了库房 Lone Wolf Jing'er孤狼静儿Ancient Romance610k WordsCompleted [Farming + space + food + medicine + feel-good story + face-slapping] Qiu Yue, an expert in Yuanwu martial arts, got into a car accident on her way to the airport. Her soul transmigrated into the body of the youngest daughter of the elderly Qiu couple. The Qiu family has two sons, two daughters-in-law, and four little grandsons. After transmigrating into the Qiu family and receiving the original host’s memories, Qiu Yue decides to atone on her behalf. The Qiu family is so poor they can’t afford 1.2kReads8.8Score139Shelves

    Reader note

    This absolutely fits the bill: an ancient romance/farming novel where the female protagonist transmigrates to an ancient farming family. She's not a saint, not a saint at all, but ruthless. She's skilled in medicine, cooking, and martial arts. And it's already finished! It's a satisfying, face-slapping story where the female protagonist is incredibly ruthless. It's either death or serious injury, extremely cruel. She becomes the imperial advisor, respected by the emperor, second only to him, incredibly powerful. She falls deeply in love with a prince! In the end, she even becomes the empress of several countries.

22. 122 下 I Came Down from Heaven and Gave the Wrong Medicine, and the Matchmaker God Exploded 下凡喂错药，月老炸了 Seven Inkstones七砚书Marriage & Romance7k WordsCompleted I went down to the mortal world and gave someone the wrong medicine. The Matchmaker God is furious! 96Reads—Score—Shelves
23. 123 灯 The Lamp Shines Where Worries Fade 灯照忘忧处 Seven Inkstones七砚书Ancient Romance155k WordsCompleted : Ling Xi is the lowest-ranking Spirit Guide in the Immortal Realm. Her duty is to light Spirit Guiding Lamps and lead the souls of those who died unjustly in the mortal world into reincarnation. But she has a secret: her lamp can guide not only ordinary souls, but also souls burdened by unresolved obsessions. And every time she helps a soul let go of its obsession, she forgets a memory connected to it. One day, she encounters the soul of a young man tightly entwi 34Reads—Score—Shelves
24. 124 国 The Imperial Academy’s Fallen Woman 国子监破鞋 Flying King1996飞大王1996Ancient Romance1.4M WordsOngoing 136,543 people have already missed this book because of its title... One-of-a-kind pure heroine + nobody is innocent + romance and desire + the fate of the nation. Beauty fades, and with it, love. Golden fingers are just something people say to fool the gullible. She is a soul from another world, sharp-eyed and streetwise. In this decaying dynasty, she aims to amass a fortune beyond imagination and avoid the humiliation China suffered over the past century. 20Reads9.2Score168Shelves

    Reader note

    The text states that "no one is truly pure," the characters lack a perfect moral filter, the views on relationships are realistic, and it does not create pure love fairy tales.

25. 125 好 As Though I Have Powerful Backing 好似有靠山 Shu Guimei舒归妹Ancient Romance445k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance + healing + age gap + coming-of-age + a touch of possessive romance] After both her parents died, Gu Xixi had no choice but to rely on her only remaining relative, her maternal uncle. Though he was ruthless and calculating, he did take reasonably good care of her. But could someone explain why this uncle of hers was getting stranger and stranger? Who was it that tore away the facade of family affection, wanting more? Who fell without realizing it? And who walked into the gate 218Reads—Score107Shelves

    Reader note

    The male lead in this book is truly outstanding! (*^∀^))👍🏻 It's a story of raising a character, with a touch of force and cunning. The male lead is meticulous, calculating, sharp-tongued, and vengeful—a very successful character development. Although the female lead is raised to be quite weak by him, she's still very cute. [Smirk]

26. 126 掌 The Darling in the Palm 掌上娇娇 Zhi Yun支云Ancient Romance907k WordsCompleted [Print edition preorder opens July 17] [Film and TV rights sold] [Reader's guide: sweet romance, devoted couple, feel-good wish fulfillment, with clever schemes and political intrigue, many clues and details, and a large cast of well-developed characters. The heroine never gets the short end of the stick; anything that doesn't make sense will be explained later] Prince Xuan, He Junting. In the novel Devoted to the Imperial Consort, the author wrote of how he slaughtered the entire Northern Di co 84.3kReads9.5Score9.6kShelves
27. 127 春 Moonlight Falls on Blossoms in the Spring Courtyard 春庭月照落花 The Plainspoken Baili Che简单明了的百里澈Ancient Romance355k WordsCompleted The safe and smooth life of a noble young lady. Seen through Luo Yunchu's eyes, the colorful lives of those around her unfold. Everyone has their disappointments, and beneath every seemingly foolish decision lies the best choice they could make at the time. 3.3kReads8.0Score233Shelves

    Reader note

    The first two books are finished, the third is still being serialized. Don't be fooled by the low ratings; it's definitely worth the effort.

28. 128 古 The Leisurely Life of a Noblewoman in Ancient Times 古代闺秀的悠闲生活 The Plainspoken Baili Che简单明了的百里澈Ancient Romance296k WordsCompleted Savor the unhurried passing of time and enjoy a carefree life. I envy your graceful beauty, reflected in the blue heavens and the jade moon. Su Huayue learned everything from her mother from a young age, treating being a daughter of the Su family as a job. As the legitimate daughter of her father's second wife, all she had to do was live freely under the protection of her mother and elder brother. Her only pleasure was watching her two elder half-sisters compete for their father's and grandmothe 11.5kReads8.4Score1.1kShelves
29. 129 论 On the Upbringing of Noble Daughters 论贵女的养成 The Plainspoken Baili Che简单明了的百里澈Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [No rebirth or transmigration, a light ensemble cast] [The first part focuses on the everyday family life at the heroine’s maternal home, the Marquisate of Wuyang. The second volume focuses on everyday family life at her husband’s home, the Prince of Xinning’s residence.] Shen Lening is very happy with her life. She never has to worry about anything. Her only daily concerns are what to wear, what to eat, and what to accessorize with. (I’ve written several stories where the heroine’s mother is a 8.2kReads6.3Score751Shelves
30. 130 废 The Good-for-Nothing Princess Awakens: Her Time-Traveling Best Friend Helps Her Become Empress 废柴公主觉醒：跨时空闺蜜带称帝 Who Wants Peanuts谁要吃花生Ancient Romance793k WordsOngoing [Multiple Male Leads / Romantic Tension / Love Rivals / Political Intrigue / Growth] The princess incurs numerous romantic debts while pursuing her ambitions. The imperial physician, her secret guard, a mysterious merchant, the Minister of the Court of Judicial Review... one after another, they all fall for her. [The Male Leads' Lines] Wen Yu (the aloof imperial physician): "It's not that I don't want to. I think of you every moment, cherish you every instant, savor the memories every day, and 22kReads8.2Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Everyone is highly intelligent, and the intrigue and power struggles between the characters are very exciting [thumbs up]. It's a female-oriented novel, not a mindless story. The villains are also very powerful, and everyone is basically calculating their moves step by step.

31. 131 穿 I Transmigrated to a Chaotic Era and Became a Vicious Stepmother to a Brat 穿越乱世，我成了白眼狼恶毒后娘 Aged Wine陈年老酒Ancient Romance227k WordsOngoing Jiang Wan’s family runs a martial arts school and is quite well-known in the Chaoshan region. As the only girl in the Jiang family to be entered into the family genealogy, her standing is beyond question. After graduating from the police academy, Jiang Wan fulfilled her dream of joining the police force, but tragically died during a mission. When she regained consciousness, Jiang Wan discovered she had transmigrated to ancient times and become a vicious, ungrateful woman. The land was in turm 5Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I'm recommending a farming story set in a chaotic world! The original owner of this body had a terrible reputation, and the female protagonist transmigrates into this world only to find herself in a hellish situation: poverty, her husband seriously injured, and gossip throughout the village. The female protagonist is resourceful, hunting in the mountains to find food, supporting her family while simultaneously changing the prejudices of others. The child's maturity is very touching. The male and female protagonists gradually get to know each other, starting from mutual distrust, but the romance develops slowly, focusing primarily on their daily life.

32. 132 大 The Black Lotus of Great Ming 大明黑莲花 Xian Yuke羡鱼珂Ancient Romance594k WordsCompleted [Female con artist × hypocrite] The year the Jiajing Emperor ascended the throne of the Ming Dynasty, Magellan's fleet completed its circumnavigation of the globe. It was only decades later, along the eastern coast of Zhejiang, where the sea ban was in force, that a country woman happened to hear the Western theory that “the world is round.” Suddenly, she realized: If all four seas are round, then wherever you stand, you can be the center of the world. But when she looked around, women had no pa 5.9kReads9.3Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    My goodness, watching political intrigue always gives me that exhilarating, unbelievable shock when the plot twists and foreshadowing are revealed.

33. 133 献 Offering to the Abyss 献京渊 Qi Yi Zi七一子Ancient Romance528k WordsCompleted [Print edition releasing October 25] “He taught me to kill, seize power, and look after myself. I taught him what it means to have a weakness.” [Serious drama + political intrigue + the fate of the nation and its people + I’m terrible at writing blurbs] Jiang Qingyu was born into wealth, and her family’s love had made her naive and pampered. It wasn’t until the day the entire Jiang family was executed that she realized how foolish she had been! When she opened her eyes again, she was determined 24.7kReads9.5Score4kShelves
34. 134 春 Spring Banquet 春日宴 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance664k WordsCompleted She kept male favorites and toyed with powerful ministers! For eight years, the arrogant and tyrannical Princess Danyang, Li Huaiyu, wreaked havoc across the court and country. She died on the day the new emperor ascended the throne, bleeding from every orifice in a truly gruesome death. The officials celebrated and the people rejoiced: Evil gets what it deserves! Good riddance! Yet on the seventh day after her death, Princess Danyang returned to life in the body of the Bai family’s Fourth Mis 13.6kReads9.4Score2.3kShelves
35. 135 点 Turning Slaves into Lamps 点奴为灯 Rebellious Heroine反骨女侠Ancient Romance490k WordsOngoing [Historical Romance and Political Intrigue x Nation and Family] [Pure Historical Romance x Two Strong Leads] [Mystery and Investigation x Ensemble Cast] [No Golden Finger, No Transmigration, No Rebirth] [A Must-Read for Detail Lovers] [Brain-Burning Political Intrigue] [An Enduring Prince Stripped of His Status x A Clever Slave Girl Who Grows Stronger] -- Two Kingdoms, North and South | Power Struggles Between Great Houses | A Blood Feud -- A lowly slave who crawled out of a stinking ditch behin 188Reads8.1Score106Shelves
36. 136 夫 My Wife Is Timid and Unassuming 夫人胆小木讷 The Sleepy Kitty爱睡觉的喵Ancient Romance687k WordsCompleted Two people born to concubines were forced together for the sake of their family’s interests. One was a talented young man, the other bland and taciturn; one had genuine ability, the other only pretended to be dull; one wanted to make a name for himself, the other just wanted to play dumb… 9.4kReads8.4Score889Shelves

    Reader note

    You can give it a try; it's not mindless or melodramatic.

37. 137 她 She Just Wants to Lie Low, but They Keep Forcing Her to Rebel 她想咸鱼躺，非逼她造反 Warfires Stain All烽火尽染Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Screen adaptation rights sold] Lu Songli transmigrated into a book and became the cannon-fodder first wife of Xie Zhan, the male lead of The Powerful Minister's Beautiful Young Second Wife. In the book, her friend Zhao Yutan, who returned in glory from a place of exile, would steal her husband. The two of them carried on behind her back while she was gravely ill, and their affair literally angered her to death. Lu Songli was about to roll up her sleeves and tear into the cheating scumbag and 107.4kReads9.5Score12.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These are all incredibly good historical romance novels with political intrigue elements. The female leads are all highly intelligent, strategic, and cunning, maintaining their sharp minds throughout the entire story. They're truly amazing! [Laughing][laughing]

38. 138 错 After a Mistaken Marriage to the Heir, She Spends Every Day Showering Him with Sweets 错嫁世子后，她每天都在撒糖 Strawberry Xi草莓汐Ancient Romance370k WordsCompleted [Reborn + mutually devoted sweet romance + revenge and household intrigue] Jiang Rong was deceived her entire life, and only learned the truth when she was on the verge of death. Returned to ten years earlier, she found herself fleeing an arranged marriage to elope. Jiang Rong gave the scoundrel a thorough beating, then turned around and went back to the prince’s manor to marry. The husband she had run from was Xie Lingxi, heir to the Northern Prince. In her previous life, he had protected he 34.9kReads9.5Score4.5kShelves

    Reader note

    Book 1: The female lead is reborn. The male lead died saving her in his previous life. In this life, the female lead is very affectionate towards the male lead. The male lead thinks the female lead is abnormal because she's "possessed by the Yellow Springs." The two are still very sweet together, and the female lead is also very cunning, playing a game of open intrigue. You know it, but you can't do anything about it. The supporting characters are also very well-developed. Book 2: The female lead is an empress, decisive, ruthless, and merciless. She "tames" the male lead; the empire is hers, and so are the men.

39. 139 诱 Luring the Lord into His Embrace 诱君宠 Queen Julian朱莉安女王Ancient Romance300k WordsCompleted [The animated series “Win Your Lord's Heart: My Troubled Prince” is now streaming. We hope you'll show it your support.] Shen Yu, a modern-day doctor, is murdered by her senior fellow and transmigrates into the body of the eldest daughter of the Shen family. The eldest Shen daughter is breathtakingly beautiful, but her fiancé sets her up and forces her to marry the brutal Prince of Qi. At first, Shen Yu ties her handkerchief around the prince's wrist. “This handkerchief is like me. As long as yo 12.6kReads9.4Score1.6kShelves

    Reader note

    You guys will come back and give me a little thumbs up! [Heart][heart]

40. 140 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

    I just finished reading this one, it's really good! There's another one I've reread, but it's not on Tomato (a Chinese online literature platform), it's called "The Commoner's Difficult Journey" by Yun Ni, the female lead is Tao Ronghua and the male lead is Xue Ming'ai.

41. 141 丞 Stop Flirting, Chancellor: The Empress Only Wants to Build Her Empire 丞相别撩：女帝只想搞事业 Long-Tailed Sparrow长尾雀Ancient Romance407k WordsCompleted Yuan Xin transmigrates into a book as Yuan Xiheng, the early-story villain and the male lead’s doomed older sister. Just who is Yuan Xiheng? The seventh emperor of the Qi Kingdom. The trouble is, this empress… She neglects affairs of state and the people, and lives in extravagant excess. All across the kingdom, people complain, and the common folk can barely survive. The male lead has a miserable time cleaning up her messes later on, leaving him no time for romance. The readers aren’t happy abou 616Reads8.9Score—Shelves
42. 142 风 A Beauty That Outshines the Nation 风华倾国 Young Master Tang唐家小主Ancient Romance134k WordsCompleted Ten years ago, she was the last princess of Mengxia. Ten years later, she is the foremost female grand preceptor of the Liuli Kingdom. In enemy territory, she makes careful moves, stirring up turmoil at court behind the scenes with her own hands, all to avenge a hatred that has cut deep! She had planned for everything, but his arrival was the one thing she never expected! He is the famed God of War, admired by women everywhere, yet he falls for her at first sight. Their encounter seems ordained 210Reads9.4Score—Shelves
43. 143 春 A Long Spring Night 春夜阑珊 Fluffy Winter Hibernation绒绒冬眠期Ancient Romance654k WordsCompleted They had been classmates since childhood, sharing poetry and wine while they were young. The four families joined forces and eventually put the Fourth Prince, a gentle and long-suffering man hidden away in the academy, on the throne. The new emperor ascended, and power was divided among the four families. Those who once traveled arm in arm became adversaries facing off before the throne. There were no old friends left on the chessboard, only a fierce struggle of interests and ambition. Chen Yuan 156.2kReads9.3Score28.1kShelves

    Reader note

    It has to be this one! The political intrigue is exceptionally well-written, and the villains are intelligent too.

44. 144 锦 The Zither's Unending Mystery 锦瑟无端 Cha Xiao Qi茶小七Ancient Romance150k WordsCompleted [Clear-headed, rational heroine × Devoted, possessive second male lead; SC; HE] [Power couple | Play the pig to eat the tiger | Marriage first, love later | Everyone gets their comeuppance] [The heroine is no angel, and she's good at striking back and stirring up trouble] [He enjoys mistreating his wife at first, then runs himself ragged chasing her later] My name is Jin Se. By imperial decree, I married the capital's most famous lovesick second male lead. He was devastatingly handsome and brill 1.5kReads9.0Score156Shelves
45. 145 穿 Transmigrating to Become the First Wife 穿越之我为正室 mockangleAncient Romance883k WordsCompleted Xu Mingwei was the legitimate daughter of a prominent family. Raised according to her family's traditions, she married a man of equal standing and became his principal wife. To Xu Mingwei, who had been raised to be a proper wife, this was all perfectly ordinary. Looking back, she and Fu Heng had been married for five years and had a pair of adorable children. She had never expected to find love from the start. She never imagined that her husband would suddenly ask her for it. How could she give 2.1kReads7.9Score104Shelves

    Reader note

    A truly clear-headed and strong-willed female lead! [Thumbs up][Thumbs up][Thumbs up]

46. 146 完 Oh No! The Male Companion I Kept Is Actually a Prince and Spy 完蛋！我养的面首竟是细作皇子 The Sensitive-Skin Toast Lover爱吃吐司的敏感肌Ancient Romance207k WordsCompleted Eldest Princess vs. Prince of an Enemy Nation Alternate historical setting Si Mingzhen is the only eldest princess of Dazhao. In outsiders’ eyes, she is not only arrogant and domineering, but shamelessly keeps male lovers as well. But she is the emperor’s elder sister, and no one can do anything about it. If her younger brother, the emperor, could hold the empire of Dazhao together, Si Mingzhen would be perfectly content to spend her days in drunken revelry, though she’d be bored out of her mind 22Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book features a subtle power struggle and strategic maneuvering between the male and female protagonists, both of whom are intelligent and the writing is also quite good. Highly recommended!

47. 147 阿 Ah Li 阿漓 The Sensitive-Skin Toast Lover爱吃吐司的敏感肌Ancient Romance696k WordsCompleted She was the eldest daughter of the Protector General’s household in Great Liang, yet she was born with the ability to understand the language of beasts… She should have enjoyed a life of luxury, but at the age of five she was sent away to face the world alone… She longed for the love of family, only to be abandoned by her relatives again and again… Time after time, hope was within reach, only for disappointment to follow! It turned out she had come into this world alone, and was destined to leav 16.2kReads9.1Score1.5kShelves
48. 148 将 The General's Adorable Forensic Doctor 将军家的仵作娇娘 Wen Ting温听Ancient Romance429k WordsCompleted Sickly beauty Su Yihan vs. unruly General Shen Su Yihan, daughter of the Commander of the Imperial Guard, was born with an illness and was a delicate beauty. Lord Su cherished her as if she were the apple of his eye. Once, when a mischievous young man made suggestive remarks to her, Lord Su chased him for two whole streets and beat the brat until he screamed. Her several older male cousins treated her like fragile porcelain, protecting her with the utmost care. They always saved the best food an 762Reads9.3Score117Shelves

    Reader note

    The female lead is the young master of the Imperial Prison, and I especially love her sharp tongue.

49. 149 不 Wasn't I Supposed to Come Here to Enjoy Life? Second Miss, I'm Busy 不是穿来享福吗？二小姐我很忙 There Are Little Fish in the Water水里有小鱼Ancient Romance815k WordsOngoing A chapter-based historical romance modeled on Dream of the Red Chamber. It has a certain learning curve and is set in an alternate Song dynasty. Every detail can withstand scholarly scrutiny. Li Yi transmigrated here to enjoy a life of comfort. By a twist of fate, she won the favor of the Dowager Consort of Prince Heng's residence, and with her father, the prefect of Qingzhou, protecting her, she lived freely and boldly. (No romantic scenes in the first 200 chapters. If that's not your thing, yo 169Reads—Score140Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a traditional Chinese romance novel written in chapters; there are fewer than 10 of these online. It is meticulously researched, and the author is a specialist in Song Dynasty history. Every word is credible.

50. 150 皇 The Heartless Empress 皇后薄情 You Zhi Yu尤知遇Ancient Romance467k WordsCompleted [Ruthless Empress VS Cold-Blooded Prince] [Palace intrigue + power plays] She is the eldest legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household, skilled at riding and archery, well versed in strategy, and every bit as bold and valiant as any man. Then, in a single night, everything changes. The Duke of Zhenguo’s household falls into decline, and she becomes empress. In public, she is a virtuous empress, renowned for her grace and dignity; in private, she plots every detail of her revenge, rut 959Reads9.1Score104Shelves

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