Imperial Exams, Rural Life, Children, Smart Characters, No Dumbing Down, and Real History 科举，农村，小孩，有脑子，不降智，真实历史

1. 1 不 If I Don’t Take the Imperial Exams, Should I Just Farm? 不科举，难道种地？ You Suo有所Historical1.5M WordsCompleted The new novel Sequence: Creator is currently being serialized. Give it a read! It's a story about surviving the apocalypse. Thank you 🙏. [Alternate History] [Imperial Examinations] [Plagiarist] [Political Scheming] [Farming] [No System] The barbarians on all four frontiers: anyone who dares invade will see their nation destroyed, their people wiped out, and their descendants cut off. I want this golden age to be exactly as I envision it. History is long, but I need only make the slightest effort 5.5kReads8.6Score398Shelves

   Reader note

   The first chapter of the third novel is titled "Into the Point of No Return"!!! Highly recommended! [Laughing and crying emojis] In the Wang family's courtyard, Wang Xuezhou was teasing an insect on the ground with a stick, watching it constantly change direction to try and escape his clutches. Da Ya, passing by, saw him smilingly teasing the insect and couldn't help but look down on him: "Five years old and still playing with insects, what a loser!" Wang Xuezhou lazily glanced at his cousin: "You were seven and still wetting the bed!"

2. 2 过 With a Photographic Memory, Isn’t It Only Natural I Came First in the Imperial Exam? 过目不忘，我中状元正常吧？ Mountaineer登山客Historical1.3M WordsCompleted Lu Chengan forgot to drink Granny Meng’s soup. One day, he transmigrates to a remote mountain village in the Great Zhou dynasty and becomes the second son of the Lu family’s second son. To take the imperial examinations, Lu Chengan has no choice but to urge his father to better himself. Before he knows it, his father becomes an official. Lu Chengan: Does he still need to work hard? 47.9kReads8.6Score5.1kShelves
3. 3 这 This Top Scholar Plays by His Own Rules 这个状元路子有点野 The Foundation of One's Life立身之本Historical2.3M WordsCompleted [Farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + lighthearted] My Parents Flipped the Table and Quit, So I Want to Take the Imperial Exams Too Just as Wang Xuezhou was about to reach the peak of his life, he transmigrated. The good news: in this life, his parents were loving, and his siblings got along. The bad news: the whole family was pinching pennies to fund his eldest uncle's studies. They had next to nothing and were living on coarse grain and wild greens. But before he could flip t 51.6kReads8.9Score6.4kShelves
4. 4 穿 Transmigrated to the Countryside: A Young Farmer's Road to the Imperial Exams 穿越之农家独苗苗的科举之路 Zhang Rubai张如白Ancient Romance2.5M WordsCompleted [Born into the Past + Farming + Imperial Exams + Fleeing Famine + Warfare] The slow-paced everyday life of a boy from a rural family in ancient times! Zhang Ping'an gets a new lease on life when he transmigrates to an ancient farming family. Fortunately, they are fairly well-off, so no one has to go hungry. He has six older sisters, and he is the only boy his parents had long hoped for. His parents favor sons over daughters, and all six sisters are fierce. He thought he was in for a story about 29kReads8.7Score2.8kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book is really good! I don't understand why it has such a low rating, it's really good! Personally, I think it's better than Sun Shan's book. If you like slow-paced family dramas with elements of the imperial examinations, you won't regret reading it. The author handles details very well, and the emotional descriptions are also very delicate. The only thing to note is that the male protagonist is an only child with six older sisters, so there is a gender bias. If you mind this, please be careful before reading. The second book is at least a 9.2 Out of 10. Apart from being serialized, it's really flawless, and it's not a story that starts strong but ends weakly. If you like realistic stories focused on the imperial examinations, don't miss it. It's a family portrait, written very realistically. The protagonist's life is really tough, but his personality is well-developed. He's not arrogant and just works hard at his studies. It's really good! I feel like it will become a huge hit (I love the second book even more than the first one, the writing is definitely better).

5. 5 从 From Little Kid to Top Scholar, I Cheat My Way to the Top 从幼童到状元，我一路开挂 Dreaming Back to Childhood Songs梦回童歌Historical2.1M WordsOngoing [Alternate-history fiction + imperial examinations + slice of life + no golden finger] Here, clan ties are more important than life itself, and clan rules take precedence over the law. When Qin Haoran was three, his father was killed in a bloody fight over water rights. According to clan rules, the entire clan was supposed to raise the family that had lost its breadwinner. But fate's cruelty was far from over. Three years later, his young mother, unable to bear a life of loneliness and widowhood 59.6kReads8.6Score4.5kShelves
6. 6 全 My Clan Raised Me to Greatness, So I Gifted Them Purple Robes 全族扶我青云志，我赠族人朱紫袍 Uncle Jianghe江河大爷Historical2.2M WordsOngoing After dying suddenly from overwork, workaholic Chen Yan is reborn as the only son of a newly born provincial graduate in the Great Liang Dynasty. His father is successful, so Chen Yan promptly decides to lie flat and enjoy the good life, with food brought to him and clothes laid out for him. But when he learns at the age of six that he was switched at birth with a farmer's child, his life takes a turn. The day the fake young master returns to the Chen family, he goes out to work in the fields an 214.1kReads9.3Score21.3kShelves

   Reader note

   After reading this book, I can't concentrate on any other imperial examination books.

7. 7 穿 Transmigrated with Three Kids! A Ruinous Start, a Road to Riches! 穿越带仨娃！天崩开局致富路！ Let Go of the Promise放下了诺言Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Li Tianming was done for. He lay motionless in a drafty thatched hut. He was a graduate student researching traditional Chinese medicine and herbal remedies, but after a loose-lipped remark, he tasted an herb and somehow transmigrated into the body of a pauper. Being poor wasn't the problem, and he could even accept being in his thirties. But the body was in terrible shape: its former owner had drunk himself to death, leaving Li Tianming with three children outside, wailing their hearts out! A d 21.6kReads8.1Score1.7kShelves

   Reader note

   Great book, highly recommended! You won't regret reading it! [Smile][smile]

8. 8 被 Driven from My Ancestral Home, I Feast with My Family 被逼出祖宅我带家人大鱼大肉 Let Go of the Promise放下了诺言Historical1.3M WordsCompleted Li Yongsheng wakes from a deep sleep to discover that he has transmigrated. Still dazed, he hears people arguing. His uncle, a scholar who had passed the first imperial exam, stole someone's jade pendant and was confronted over it. The family hurriedly held a discussion and made Li Yongsheng's honest, simple father take the blame. His mother was utterly unwilling, but she couldn't withstand the barrage of pressure. Fortunately, after the pendant was returned, the other party didn't pursue the ma 10.2kReads8.7Score855Shelves
9. 9 被 Falsely Accused and Split from the Family! My Life of Fine Food Makes the Old Homestead Green with Envy 被冤分家！鱼肉生活馋哭老宅 Let Go of the Promise放下了诺言Rural Life363k WordsCompleted Lin Feng woke up to find the sky had fallen. He had transmigrated to ancient Great Liang, where his family of four was being driven out over a pitiful accusation: his cousin from his uncle’s household claimed he had stolen and eaten an egg. The egg belonged to his grandfather, the family patriarch. Enraged, the old man wanted to send thirteen-year-old Lin Feng away for forced labor. His usually meek father, long accustomed to being bullied, finally snapped. He took the whole family and left with 8kReads7.6Score712Shelves
10. 10 穿 Transmigrate and Enlist to Survive! I Never Meant to Make a Big Splash! 穿越招兵活下去！真没想搞大事！ Let Go of the Promise放下了诺言Historical376k WordsCompleted Zhang Ye wakes up and finds that he has transmigrated to an ancient dynasty in a parallel world. The whole village accuses him of having an affair with his widowed sister-in-law, then drives him out in the dead of winter to fend for himself. Faced with hundreds of sneering, disgusting faces, he fights back and accidentally activates a pocket-dimension System. If he can’t put up with it, he doesn’t have to. He’ll just fight! War breaks out as the nation descends into chaos, and the whole village 778Reads7.3Score108Shelves
11. 11 开 The Golden Age of Kaiyuan! What’s That Got to Do With a Poor Soldier Like Me? 开元盛世！关我穷鬼府兵啥事？ Let Go of the Promise放下了诺言Rural Life348k WordsOngoing Lin Feng accidentally transmigrated to the nineteenth year of the Kaiyuan era of the Tang Dynasty. The golden age was dawning, yet he felt no joy at all. Thirty li northeast of Yunzhou City, beneath Mount Baideng, beside the Sanggan River, in Zhuyuan Village, Yongding Township. As a conscript about to be cast aside, Lin Feng was consumed by worry. As the family's main breadwinner, he had no choice but to work hard in the fields. His family of five had only a little over ten mu of meager farmland 3.1kReads—Score190Shelves
12. 12 寒 The Imperial Exam Routine of a Poor Butcher's Son 寒门屠户之子的科举日常 Diki DaddyDiki粑粑Historical3.3M WordsOngoing The Wang butcher family is full of burly men, all tall, broad, and muscular, like a whole den of reincarnated black bears! But their youngest son, Wang Sanniu, is the odd one out: frail, delicate, and liable to fall over in a breeze. Standing beside his family, he looks like a little fox that wandered into a bear’s den. Butchering pigs? The moment pig’s blood splashes over him, he faints! Farming? The hoe is taller than he is! With the family fearing he’ll become a good-for-nothing, his mother m 188.1kReads9.0Score24.1kShelves

    Reader note

    🫧🫧The protagonist transmigrates to an ancient rural village and becomes an out-of-place skinny guy in a butcher's family. Everyone in the family is big and burly, looking like a black bear. They can't slaughter pigs 🐷, can't work in the fields, so they can only participate in the imperial examinations. They go all the way from a student to the Minister of Rites and become a genius in the eyes of others.

13. 13 古 The Daily Life of an Ancient Couple Making Money and Raising Kids 古代夫妻赚钱养娃日常 Zhuang Sheng Mi庄生迷Ancient Romance735k WordsCompleted A local ancient couple's everyday struggle to save money and raise their child! The village's most beautiful embroiderer × a clever, capable accountant × their smart, well-behaved son! See how this family rises from humble farming roots and climbs the social ladder! The story of Chen Qiuyue and Zhao Huaiyu, a couple born and raised in ancient times, who work hard to save money and pay for their child's education after starting a family. They succeed in raising their child to excel, and their fa 7.4kReads8.6Score554Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book is also super good. The male lead is an accountant, and his wife is an embroiderer. Their son becomes a fourth-rank official through the imperial examination, and their grandson becomes a first-rank official. The second book is about the whole family's precious child, following their journey from the village to the town and then to the county. They are incredibly doting. The male lead wants his father to stop spending money on him and instead save some for their future grandson. His father replies, "I just want my son to be happy." The male lead was especially cute as a child, fair-skinned and chubby. His father and father especially loved holding him.

14. 14 我 I Made My Way to Prosperity Through the Imperial Exams 我靠科举奔小康 Lemon Loves Milk柠檬爱吃奶Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted There are awful people. No golden finger (Though being a modern person who transmigrates might be the biggest golden finger of all!) After transmigrating, Song Zhixue wants only to change his life of toiling in the fields from dawn till dusk. 20.2kReads8.2Score1.8kShelves
15. 15 卷 An Ordinary Life for a Workaholic in Ancient Times 卷王在古代的普通人生 Chi Chi, Keep It Up尺尺加油Historical525k WordsCompleted Chen Rui, an agriculture student in the modern era, transmigrates to the fictional Great Xia Dynasty and becomes the great-grandson of Chen Wang, a former company commander who has retired from military service to farm. With his family’s help, he enters officialdom through the imperial examinations and uses his knowledge to make sure the people under his jurisdiction have enough to eat. A heads-up: this isn’t a conventional power fantasy. It has a laid-back, slice-of-life feel, and the male lead 1.9kReads8.3Score145Shelves
16. 16 状 The Top Scholar Is Real, and So Is the Beggar 状元是真的，乞丐也是真的 Half a Steamed Bun半片馒头Historical171k WordsOngoing Shen Mo, a Peking University history professor, wakes up one day as a nameless beggar. No household registration, no food, no shoes, and only a yellow dog so thin its skin clings to its bones. He spent thirty years studying the imperial examinations in his previous life, yet in this one he cannot even get near an exam hall. From a ruined temple to the Golden Throne Hall, from eating tree bark to earning top honors. The top scholar is real, and so is the beggar. 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Looking for something to read? Come in and get ready to be attacked. This is Tomato's first imperial examination novel. If you don't like it, come and scold me. The male protagonist transmigrates into a beggar, wakes up by being licked by a dog, and his first meal is tree bark. No system, no cheat codes, he relies on his brains to become the top scholar. "The top scholar is real, and the beggar is real too." A true hardcore underdog story, I'll pay ten times the price if it's fake. [Laugh][what]

17. 17 青 The Scholar's Robe Rises from the Dust 青衿起微尘 Ink Crossing Into the Azure Clouds墨渡青云Rural Life310k WordsOngoing Shen Wenyuan, a modern graduate student in history, suddenly transmigrates into the Great Zhou Dynasty and becomes the eldest son of a poor farming family. His grandparents favor his second uncle's family and mistreat and exploit his own. His father finally grits his teeth and splits from the family. A few acres of poor farmland and a dilapidated hut are all they have. Though mired in hardship, Shen Wenyuan refuses to accept his fate. Drawing on what he learned in his previous life, he studies t 35Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended. Not reckless, acts decisively.

18. 18 举 Your Whole Family Hopes You'll Pass the Scholar Exam, but You Top All Six? 举家盼你中秀才，你六元连中？ A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.5M WordsCompleted [Imperial examinations in the early chapters + farming + everyday life + lighthearted + court politics later on] In his previous life, Shen Zhou was in poor health and cultivated himself through a quiet, disciplined lifestyle, becoming rather indifferent by nature. Then he transmigrated to an ancient peasant family. The entire Shen family pooled their resources to support the original owner’s studies, hoping only that he would pass the county-level examination and become a licentiate. Sadly, the 14.7kReads8.7Score1.4kShelves
19. 19 苏 Su Chen'an's Journey Through the Imperial Exams 苏辰安的科举之路 Dream of Nine Hundred Million Girls九亿少女的梦梦Historical1.1M WordsCompleted Su Chen'an, a master of Chinese painting, had finally wrapped up an exhibition. Just as he walked out of the building, a flowerpot full of sunflowers came flying at him. He died on the spot. When he woke up again, he was almost starved to death inside his mother's womb. Every day, he teetered on the brink of starvation. He felt that if he absorbed even a little more nourishment from the amniotic fluid, his mother might die. But if he absorbed even a little less, the embryo that was him would pro 10.2kReads8.3Score877Shelves
20. 20 被 The Abandoned Heir Places First in the Imperial Exam, and Ten Thousand Riders Storm the Marquis’s Mansion 被弃世子中状元，万骑踏平侯府门 Jun Moyu君陌玉Historical1.8M WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Reborn in the Womb + Court Politics + Revenge + System] Shen Shufan was reborn in the womb as the heir to a marquis’s estate, only to be knocked unconscious and thrown into a river. No problem: ever heard of the Proficiency System? The impoverished Shen family, a humble family of scholars, found a poor child in a freezing river. Little did they know he was an imperial-examination genius! Other families considered it a blessing from their ancestors if even one person pass 22.6kReads8.7Score2.6kShelves

    Reader note

    In this book, the male protagonist is reborn as the eldest son of a marquis's family. He is knocked unconscious by his stepmother and thrown into the river, but is rescued by his adoptive parents who treat him like their own child! The author's writing style is excellent, witty, humorous, and heartwarming.

21. 21 穿 After Transmigration, Her Whole Family Are Villains 穿越之我全家都是反派 Song Xiangbai宋象白Ancient Romance832k WordsCompleted Content warning: Lots of crude bathroom humor. Don't read while eating. Version One: Jiang Mianmian transmigrates. Her father is a scheming scholar with the face of a kindly man. Her mother has the face of a bodhisattva and the heart of a ruthless killer. Her eldest brother looks simple-minded but is cunning at heart. Her second sister is selfish and sharp-tongued. They were born destined to be villains. To highlight the protagonist's justice, kindness, and greatness, they work hard to do all so 137.8kReads9.6Score16.6kShelves

    Reader note

    These recommended books are all completed, and they all feature peasant boys who take the imperial examinations to change their fate. The first-person perspective is male, giving them a unique feel. I think they're all quite good! Highly recommended!!!

22. 22 不 How Am I Supposed to Survive Without Taking the Imperial Exams? 不科举我可怎么活 Luo Ke洛可Historical436k WordsCompleted A soul from another world and a newly booted-up little System arrive in an unfamiliar dynasty and begin a new story. Will he be a celebrated minister or a treacherous official? Will his name be remembered for generations or reviled for all time? Of course, there is no need to choose. I came. I exist. And I will make sure that, for tens of thousands of years to come, the people of the future know that I was here! 68Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's so beautiful, so beautiful, so beautiful! [Learned it][Kiss][Laugh][Admiration][Added to bookshelf][Shy][Smirk]

23. 23 胎 Born into a Farmer's Family as Their Late-Born Son, I Change Our Fortunes Through the Imperial Exams 胎穿农家老来子，靠科举改换门庭 Tu Yi凃扆Historical1.1M WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Daily Life + No Golden Finger] Just after passing the civil service exam, Song Xi was sent by a cement truck trying to meet its quota to an ancient dynasty called Great Qi. He was reborn as a farmer's son, and his mother gave birth to him at an advanced age, drawing plenty of ridicule from those around them. His family owned nothing but four bare walls, and they could afford meat only once or twice a year. Fortunately, his family loved him, and he had something to look f 19.7kReads8.3Score1.8kShelves
24. 24 被 The Fake Heir Was Cast Out of the Marquis's Estate, Then Rose to Power Through the Imperial Exams 被赶出侯府假世子靠科举逆袭权臣 Fuyu Ya浮玉呀Historical1.1M WordsCompleted Chen Yan worked himself to the bone as an office drone. After finally paying off his mortgage and car loan, he had 400,000 yuan in savings and was ready to lie flat in a small county town. Little did he know that disaster can strike at any moment. He transmigrated! The good news: he was still a man in this life, so he wouldn't have to experience period pain. He was born into a wealthy marquis's household, surrounded by fine clothes, delicious food, and his family's boundless affection. The bad n 53.8kReads8.6Score2.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommend these books! They all feature time travel, rural life, imperial examinations, photographic memory, and a meteoric rise to wealth. Don't miss them! [Attention][Attention][Attention][Attention] The first book is about a young nobleman who becomes a poor farmer, immediately taking the imperial examinations to improve his family's fortunes. It's a story with both intelligence and humanity, definitely worth reading. The second book is a reincarnation story where a farmer earns money by sprouting beans to take the imperial examinations, becomes a county magistrate to increase grain production, and finally fights pirates. It's truly a story of a modern person venturing into ancient times! The third book is a story told from the mother's perspective, featuring a father and son taking the imperial examinations together. The unfortunate father needs his son's protection to succeed, which is quite rare. The fourth book is about a couple's time travel and imperial examinations, extending to their children, father-in-law, and the whole family. Highly recommended! The fifth book is about a fourth-generation exiled man who conquers the imperial examinations with his talent. Books six through eleven are all good stories about young men taking the imperial examinations, each with a different focus. Some of the examination questions are quite philosophical. The twelfth book features a scroll king who travels to ancient times, excelling in both medicine and the imperial examinations. He also cultivates a group of followers, saving countless lives, revolutionizing ancient medical techniques, and benefiting the country and its people. And yet, he achieves the highest honors in the imperial examinations six times in a row, as does his son. This is truly a scroll king!

25. 25 农 A Farmer's Son, the Imperial Exams, and Officialdom 农家子，科举，做官 Jiang He姜禾Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Born into the womb + imperial examinations + farming + daily life + public works and infrastructure, with a couple, little romance] [No pocket dimension, no System, no golden finger] [He starts looking for a teacher in Chapter 38. If you’re short on patience, you can start reading there.] Shen Huai is born into an ancient world and becomes the only boy in his family. The good news: he can take the imperial examinations. The bad news: they’re poor, very poor, desperately poor. Born into a 5.1kReads8.5Score390Shelves
26. 26 从 From Maid to Magistrate’s Wife: A Native Woman’s Journey 从丫鬟到官夫人，土著女子奋斗史 Zhuang Sheng Mi庄生迷Ancient Romance769k WordsCompleted [Native-born leads, no space, no System, no golden finger] Strong, beautiful maid Ren Qingmiao x unlucky, sickly, handsome scholar Lin Yanchu Ren Qingmiao's hometown was struck by disaster when she was young, and she was sold into slavery. Her intelligence and strength won her master's favor. By chance, she saved the unlucky scholar Lin Yanchu, and the two became entangled from then on. She learns a trade and trains her body, becoming self-reliant and strong. After leaving the manor, Ren Qingmia 5.2kReads8.9Score545Shelves
27. 27 蒸 The Sun and Moon in the Steamer 蒸屉里的日月 Deep Plowing in Spring春日深耕Modern Romance324k WordsCompleted Set against the changes sweeping the northern countryside in the 1990s, this story follows an ordinary rural woman as she spends half her life juggling household chores, conflicts with her sisters-in-law, small business ventures, and her children’s education. With only an elementary-school education, she supports her family with her skill at making steamed buns, putting her son through college and helping him build a life of his own. She lives through the transition from earthen houses to brick 298Reads—Score—Shelves
28. 28 家 A Family with Kids in Ancient Times 家有儿女在古代 Early Spring in March晓春三月Ancient Romance860k WordsCompleted After years of marriage without children, a couple runs into trouble aboard a plane headed to a major hospital in another city for IVF. When they wake up, they find themselves with a family of four, a son and a daughter. The two are both shocked and overjoyed. But having transmigrated from modern civilization to an ancient world without electricity or internet, how are they supposed to get by? They still have to sit the imperial exams, since they have no desire to be drafted for labor or militar 10.2kReads9.2Score1.1kShelves
29. 29 卖 Selling Vegetables and Studying, Then Becoming the Top Scholar 卖菜读书，结果高中状元 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.1M WordsCompleted After Shen Qingfeng dies alongside the Zombie Emperor in the apocalypse, he transmigrates to an alternate dynasty called Great Chu and becomes a child in Ning'an Village. The boy, nicknamed Dog Egg, is frail from birth, suffers from heart disease, and has a lowly name. Luckily, his proper name is Shen Yu'an. After studying for a few months with the elders, Shen Yu'an decides to take the imperial examinations, only to discover that his ancestors were exiles, and the descendants of exiles for thre 5.5kReads8.9Score573Shelves
30. 30 科 The Road to Success Through the Imperial Examinations 科举之青云路 A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.2M WordsCompleted In his previous life, Lu Sheng was a spoiled rich kid. After being born into a farming family, he regains his memories at the age of three when his cousin pushes him to the ground over two pieces of pork crackling. Among the four paths of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, working for someone else is out of the question. With his poor knowledge of farming, he couldn't even support himself, so it looks like the imperial examinations are his only way to change his fate. From then on, Lu S 1.8kReads7.7Score130Shelves
31. 31 努 I Strive for the Imperial Exams, But My Slacker Dreams Never Change 努力考科举，咸鱼梦想从未改变 A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.8M WordsCompleted [Imperial exams + everyday life + lighthearted] Lu Yang, a rich second-generation heir, wakes up one day as the youngest and most cherished son of the Lu family. This youngest son is a scholar, yet selfish and self-centered, turning a blind eye to his family's sacrifices and caring only about his own future. Lu Yang may be a slacker with little conscience, but he knows who's good to him. He keeps his dream of being a slacker tucked away and works hard to pass the imperial exams, hoping to become 17.8kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves
32. 32 随 After My Mother Remarried, I Made Three Rules with My Stepfather 随母改嫁，我跟继父约法三章 Early Spring in March晓春三月Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted I was born into this family, and before I was two, my father had an accident on his way to take the prefectural exams. No one ever saw him again, alive or dead. My grandfather died of grief that very month, and my grandmother was bedridden for two years before leaving us with a mountain of debt and passing away. A few years later, my mother could no longer shoulder the burden of making ends meet and decided to remarry. Fine, she could marry again. I wasn't going to do anything foolish, but I had 69.8kReads9.2Score8.9kShelves
33. 33 说 They Called Me Sickly, So I Turned Around and Made a Name for Myself in the Imperial Exams 说我病殃子，我转身科举争光 King Smile笑笑大王Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Farming + Alternate Ancient Setting, Imperial Exams, but Not a Conventional Exam Novel, Romance] My new book, [Reborn with the Appearance of an Eighteen-Year-Old, While My Children Are Already Twelve], is now updating. Please give it your support. Wang Erxiao was in the prime of his life when he transmigrated, born into the body of a farm boy named Wang Erxiao in the Great Liang dynasty. The Wang family now has three generations living under one roof. Counting his biological and cousin sisters, 26.4kReads7.2Score2.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These are all books about rural children taking the imperial examinations. I especially recommend the first one; the male protagonist is intelligent, quick-witted, and eloquent.

34. 34 科 The Imperial Exam: Top of the Six Tests, Reshaping the Workplace 科举，六元及第整顿职场 Cangbai Beneath the Moon月下苍柏Historical1.6M WordsCompleted (No System, no golden finger, one female lead) (A slow-burn story) In the 21st century, the only person in Tianhai University’s history to earn master’s degrees in both the arts and sciences suddenly transmigrates into the body of a poor farmer’s son in ancient times. Looking at the bare walls of his home and the family who place all their hopes in him, Wang Ping can only gaze at the heavens in speechless resignation. Since all other pursuits are inferior and only scholarship is esteemed, he wi 944Reads7.5Score107Shelves

    Reader note

    Five recommended novels [thumbs up] 1. As a top student, a master's graduate in both arts and sciences [shocked], I unexpectedly transmigrated into a farmer's son. Looking at my family and their circumstances, and thinking about this era, I realized that all other professions are inferior except for studying [thumbs up] 2. Starting from an ordinary farmer's son, I climbed the ranks step by step through the imperial examination system, finally reaching the pinnacle and passing the imperial examination with flying colors [thinking]. In the officialdom, I continuously rose through the ranks, eventually becoming a first-rank official [laughing]. Go check them out! [Please follow]

35. 35 科 The Imperial Examinations: Rising to the First Rank of Officialdom 科举之官居一品 Nine Jin of Fat九斤肥肉Historical826k WordsCompleted Synopsis: A scholar in the morning, admitted to the imperial court by night. The protagonist begins as a young scholar from a farming family and rises step by step through the imperial examination system. In the end, he earns a place on the honors list, becomes a jinshi, and enters the ranks of officials. After becoming an official, he works his way up through the bureaucracy until he reaches the highest rank and governs the realm as chief minister, guiding Chinese civilization to become the mos 2kReads7.6Score101Shelves
36. 36 野 A Wild Monk and a Stinky Cook? No! He's the New Top Scholar 野和尚臭厨子？不！他是新科状元 Peach Youyou桃幽幽Rural Life154k WordsOngoing [Family life] [Imperial examinations] [Farming] [Lighthearted] Jiang Zhuo transmigrates and becomes a young monk kicked out of the monastery by the abbot. With no other choice, he returns home and resumes secular life. But the moment he steps through the door, he’s confronted by an entire family of oddballs. A spineless father, a meek mother, grandparents who play favorites, and a brother who loves to show off... Jiang Zhuo: Fine, fine! This messed-up transmigration life boils down to one t 21Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A lighthearted story about the imperial examination system, everyday family life, a ten-year-old male protagonist, a stable core, and a gradual climb up the social ladder.

37. 37 为 To Avoid Planting Rice, I Work Hard to Pass the Imperial Exams 为了不插秧，努力考科举 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [The short drama adaptation is now streaming] A modern SSS-rank researcher dies suddenly and transmigrates to the Great Xing Dynasty. His health is so poor that he's not allowed to pick rice in the fields until he's six. Sunstruck and light-headed, Li Jing decides that farming with this body is a risky business, so he immediately resolves to study for the imperial examinations. That's what he's good at; the transplanting can be left to the professionals! The following year, now named Li Yiqing, 23kReads9.3Score2.2kShelves
38. 38 遗 Life in Ancient Times as a Posthumous Child 遗腹子的古代生活 Cheng Shu Ju程书橘Historical2.2M WordsCompleted [No golden finger + farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + court politics in the later stages + everyday family life] He wakes up as the posthumous son of a county deputy in the Great Zhou dynasty. He may not be born into an official family, but surely the assets his father left behind are enough to make this only child rich. So he happily decides that in this life, he’ll coast to success. Things don’t go as he expected. His father died young after only a few years in office, leav 11.5kReads7.7Score1.2kShelves
39. 39 穿 The Long Road to the Imperial Exams as a Farmer's Son 穿成农家子的漫漫科举路 Yuedi月棣Ancient Romance3.7M WordsOngoing He dies unexpectedly, but by Heaven's grace, Zhang Ze is given a new life and born into the womb of a peasant woman. At just five years old, Zhang Ze solemnly tells his parents, “Father, Mother, your little Ze wants to go to school...” Living a decent life in ancient times is incredibly difficult. A simple chill can take your life, not to mention the crushing taxes and forced labor. Zhang Ze understands better than anyone that only earning an official degree can improve his family's life. Even t 2.6kReads7.3Score143Shelves
40. 40 农 The Imperial Examinations of a Farming Family 农门科举 Mu Mu Qiao木木乔Historical507k WordsCompleted [Turbulent Court, Speaking Up for the People] After an accident, Zhang Ping transmigrates to an impoverished farming family in ancient times. Scene One “To establish a path for the people, preserve the lost teachings of the sages, and bring peace to all generations: this is our mission. Even if we die nine times, we shall have no regrets.” Zhang Ping asked, “Teacher, isn't this the original aspiration of us scholars?” Scene Two He never forgot his original aspiration. After great hardship, Zhang 98Reads6.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all good (this is the first book I recommended, it's only been out for a short time, so there's no rating yet. But I gave it five stars, I think it's very well written).

41. 41 启 Your Majesty, the Top Scholar Is Slacking Off Again and Again 启禀陛下，状元郎他又又又开摆了 Fang Jinxi方锦溪Historical2.8M WordsOngoing [Imperial Exams and Farming]+ [Family Matters]+ [Building Wealth]+ [Scheming]+ [Alternate Ancient Setting] Lu Qilin, a modern enthusiast of intangible cultural heritage, unexpectedly transmigrated. When he woke up, he had become an eight-year-old village boy with a dim mind, whose mother had died young and whose father had disappeared. Fortunately, his grandparents and uncle and aunt truly loved him, and his two older cousins genuinely cared for him. It wasn't the worst start imaginable. Unfortu 13kReads8.5Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Books 1 and 6 are highly recommended; I'm currently reading them and the writing is excellent. Book 2 is finished, and I'll be updating the epilogue later. The last book is a classic Tomato novel.

42. 42 我 Dream of the Red Chamber: I Take the Imperial Exams in the Rongguo Mansion 【红楼】我在荣国府考科举 Canxue Lingshang残血凌殇Historical1.0M WordsCompleted A concubine-born son refuses to accept his fate. With a single stroke, he can change the world. He carves a path through blood, until the day he holds power over all under heaven! In the history of the Red Chamber imperial examinations, no one had ever won first place in all six stages, until Jia Huan came along. County, prefectural, and academy exams, followed by the provincial, metropolitan, and palace exams: he takes first place in every single one and becomes famous throughout the land. Gran 574Reads6.2Score—Shelves
43. 43 科 The Imperial Exams: A Country Boy Becomes a Pillar of the Nation 科举：农村娃成了国家顶梁柱 Ji Gu Ha叽咕哈Historical1.0M WordsCompleted (Imperial examinations + farming + cuisine + infrastructure) Wang Xue'an wakes up in an ancient farming village, forced to chew wild greens day after day. He finally flips the table in a rage: this is no way to live! So he puts the knowledge he learned in another world to use, taking the imperial exams, building infrastructure, and creating delicious food... He cultivates superior seeds, boosts productivity, and builds an agricultural powerhouse. He develops new military technologies, expands th 2kReads7.4Score173Shelves
44. 44 书 Master Calligrapher? Poet Immortal? Chief Minister? That's Right, I'm All of Them 书圣？诗仙？首辅？没错，都是我 Sunlight on the River日照前川Historical834k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Cui Xian was a PhD in Chinese Language and Literature at a top-tier university. In this life, he transmigrated to ancient times, into a poor family with no connections: A destitute home, a pregnant mother, young siblings, an uncle who had failed the exams six times and was hopeless at studying, a grandmother so obsessed with imagining her son placing high in the imperial examinations that she had become delusional, and Cui Xian, who was only eight years old. Cui Xian: This 28.3kReads9.4Score2.7kShelves

    Reader note

    This is probably the most enjoyable ancient imperial examination novel I've ever read. It avoids mindless posturing and excessive angst, and the family members aren't a drag on the story. It's a truly enjoyable read.

45. 45 女 A Woman in a Man's Body: The Concubine-Born Heir's Rise to Power 女穿男，庶房嫡子的逆袭 Liu Jilian刘忌廉Ancient Romance1.3M WordsOngoing Now available as an audiobook with a full cast. [Alternate history] + [Woman transmigrates as a man] + [Born into this world] + [Imperial exams and business in the early story] + [Court politics later on] + [One female lead, with a relatively small role] + [A touch of ensemble cast] + [No golden finger] Xie Chengxi was born into another world as the sixth son of the Xie family, a minor family in Bianjing's Grain Transport Guild. His father was the clan's rejected son, kept under pressure for yea 33.9kReads8.3Score3.7kShelves

    Reader note

    This bag is nice.

46. 46 本 I Should Have Topped the Imperial Exams, but Instead I Became a King on the Battlefield 本该金榜提名，我却沙场封王 Ji Feng Who Loves Red Bean Tangyuan爱吃豆沙汤圆的纪峰Historical575k WordsOngoing In his previous life, elite special forces soldier Bai Wei died while carrying out a mission. He was reborn as a baby in the Great Jing Dynasty. The country had only just emerged from years of war, and the Jing Dynasty had signed peace treaties with its neighboring nations. Looking at his poor but loving family, Bai Wei decided to live a peaceful life this time around. He planned to start a business when he was older and improve their living conditions. Five years later, a sudden conscription sh 83Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Thinking][Thinking][Thinking][Thinking][Thinking][Thinking]

47. 47 本 I Only Wanted to Get By, but I Passed the Imperial Exams Six Times in a Row and Shocked the Emperor 本想混口饭，科举连中六元惊陛下 Moonlight in Motion月色流光Historical3.0M WordsOngoing (Alternate history + imperial examinations + heartwarming + everyday family life + one heroine) He Mingfeng transmigrated. The good news: The knowledge in his head was his golden finger. The bad news: He’d become the village idiot. His family was dirt poor, and his grandmother looked at him like he was a burden. A hellish start? No worries! The village idiot suddenly “came to his senses,” leaving the whole village stunned. He caught fish and set up a stall, and had just started making a little m 6.6kReads8.2Score591Shelves
48. 48 农 The Imperial Tutor's Road to the Civil Service Exams 农门帝师的科举之路 Ju He雎禾Historical1.0M WordsCompleted Imperial Examination, One-on-One Romance After an accident, a young man from the modern era transmigrated into the Great Qian Dynasty. Looking at his family’s dilapidated brick house, Qi Wenyu wondered how he would make a living from then on... 21.3kReads9.2Score2kShelves
49. 49 冒EN Impostor of the Langya Clan 冒姓琅琊 Eastern Zhou Young Master Nan东周公子南Historical1.6M WordsOngoing (Also known as “The Matter of Me Pretending to Be a Nobleman of the Southern Dynasties”) To transmigrate isn’t a dinner party. It’s a deadly game at every turn. The south is beautiful, yet lofty ambitions often fade away. Since ancient times, the Southern Dynasties have been weak, their heroes short-lived. No golden finger, no System, and no second chance at life. Everything starts from zero! Original owner’s memories: none! Identity: none! Supplies: none! When transmigration becomes reality, ho 493.7kReads9.7Score71.7kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is the only one I've continued reading after catching up to the previous one. Even if I caught up to the others, I'd lose interest and wouldn't want to continue. So, I highly recommend the first one. The second one is kind of a freebie [facepalm], since the updates are so slow... But the quality is still very high. If you don't mind the slow updates, I also highly recommend the second one. (The second one isn't a civil service exam novel.)

50. 50 农 A Farm Boy's Road to Turning His Life Around Through the Imperial Exams 农家少年科举翻身路 Cherry on the Hillside半山樱桃Historical459k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Hang Yan had always been a top student, but he never managed to make anything of himself. He went from being a beloved prodigy to a wage slave everyone pitied. People said good grades were useless, but then he was reborn in the womb and returned to an era when studying could change your fate. A dilapidated home, a doting family, I, a genius boy, will pass all six imperial examinations and rise to power over the whole court. Go ahead and tell me studying is useless again. I 125Reads8.6Score—Shelves

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