Transmigrate to Ancient Times, Build Cities and Infrastructure, Create a Modern City 穿古代，城建流，基建流，建现代化城市

1. 201 胎 Born as a Princess, I Take on Ancient China’s Infrastructure 胎穿公主后，我在古代搞基建 Osmanthus Rice Wine Fish酒酿桂花鱼Ancient Romance153k WordsCompleted [Food + Infrastructure Building + Princess + Overpowered Golden Finger + Everyone’s Darling + Business + Farming] Chu Qingyou, a newly graduated master’s student in civil engineering, transmigrates to the undocumented Great Chu Kingdom and becomes its only princess. The emperor dotes on her, the empress loves her, and her eldest brother, the crown prince, puts her first in everything. She also has an adorable little brother who calls for his big sister all day long. After living a peaceful life 30Reads—Score—Shelves
2. 202 大 The Great Qi Marquis of One Step 大齐一步侯 A Single Thought of Nothingness一念无Historical846k WordsCompleted [Alternate history, airtight logic, a treat to listen to, multiple heroines, lighthearted daily life, the jianghu and court politics, love and hate, national and family vendettas...] A modern-day criminal investigator transmigrates into the body of a minor official in the State of Qi. At first, his only dream is to stay alive. But when foreign barbarians invade the Central Plains, slaughtering and pillaging until the kingdom falls and families are torn apart, he has no choice but to enter the fr 15.7kReads8.2Score942Shelves

   Reader note

   An alternate history novel, focusing on territorial expansion. A great book, excellent! I've read it twice. Truly captivating, it's both funny and touching, not just a mindless wish-fulfillment story. [Admiration][Kiss]

3. 203 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: ... 30.3kReads9.6Score3.8kShelves

   Reader note

   Starting from a small, primitive tribe, building a unified nation

4. 204 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 98.2kReads9.4Score13.6kShelves

   Reader note

   It's a novel about female emperors building up the nation. The female protagonist conquers the world in a chaotic era, and as a woman, she wins over capable ministers and generals. It doesn't have a bad ending.

5. 205 穿 Transmigrated into an Ancient Apocalypse, I Use My Family Fortune to Build Infrastructure 穿进古代末世，靠着家底搞基建 Jiucai Huaye玖菜花叶Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Strong Heroine + Natural Disasters + Zombies + Infrastructure Building + No Superpowers + No CP] Wei Xiyin transmigrates, born into a noble family as its legitimate daughter. She thought she'd been handed the script for a family power struggle, but who could have expected a zombie outbreak on the way back to her hometown? Then plants and animals begin to mutate, and extreme weather sets in. Her entire worldview collapses in an instant. There are no cars, no canned food, no high-tech weapons, an 11.6kReads9.2Score1.5kShelves

   Reader note

   Infrastructure construction, nation-building, and becoming king!!!

6. 206 家 Who Gets It, Guys? The First Emperor Snatched My System 家人们谁懂啊，系统被始皇截胡了 Endless Journey迢迢不休Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [Main story has no romance, and is set in an alternate Great Qin. Not everything is historical: a mix of history and comedy] "The final bonus chapter is for readers' satisfaction and has a hint of romance. If that bothers you, feel free to skip it" Good news: Li Jiang transmigrates to the Qin dynasty and gets to see her idol in person. At last, she lays eyes on the legendary ancestor, nearly two meters tall, with thick brows and big eyes. She gets to watch the First Emperor unify the Six Kingdom 29.6kReads9.4Score4.5kShelves

   Reader note

   Ancient apocalyptic literature

7. 207 大 Great Qin: I Blow Up the Alchemy Furnace from the Start, and I'm a Ninth-Rank Alchemist 大秦开局炸丹炉，我乃九品炼药师 Folded-Earroot That Won't Fold折耳根不折Historical1.1M WordsCompleted [No System + lightly alternate history + wish fulfillment + ensemble cast] So, Who Let Him Transmigrate to the Qin Dynasty? Li Yi, a 21st-century civil service exam candidate, unexpectedly transmigrated into the Qin Dynasty and became an alchemist who made “immortality pills”! “One part sulfur, two parts saltpeter, three parts charcoal? What the hell! Which genius made this pill? Are you sure you’re not making black powder?” Looking at the alchemy furnace in front of him, Li Yi, who had just tra 2.3kReads8.9Score233Shelves

   Reader note

   Traveling back to ancient times, the curtain rises on infrastructure development! In *Bringing a Strategic Warehouse Back to the Tang Dynasty*, Li Ke, with his strategic warehouse, sparks a construction frenzy in the Tang Dynasty, revitalizing it through steelmaking and welfare reforms. In *Passing the Civil Service Exam? Reaching the Shore of Qin! (Immortal Qin Domain)*, Li Yi unexpectedly travels to the Qin Dynasty and becomes a sorcerer, but uses his modern knowledge to initiate an industrial revolution, building a modern Qin Dynasty. In *Qin Dynasty, a Girl Who Can Breathe Is a Real Plus*, Li Jiang travels back in time as a cleaner, interacting with the First Emperor through her inner voice, helping the Qin Dynasty achieve glory. In *The Poor Scholar Jiang Feng*, Jiang Feng starts as a poor scholar, rises through the imperial examinations to become a high-ranking official, and expands the empire's territory. In *The First-Rank Son-in-Law*, Qin Feng travels back in time to become the son of a concubine in the Grand Tutor's mansion, intending to quietly make money, but unexpectedly stirs up trouble, changing the dynasty's (geju, a concept encompassing political landscape, destiny, and overall situation). In "The Fierce Prince," Qin You faces a difficult start, but through his wisdom and courage, he strives to build a better future in ancient times. Are you ready to follow in their footsteps and witness the dramatic changes in ancient society?

8. 208 逍 The Carefree Imperial Son-in-Law 逍遥驸马爷 Drunk from a Flick of the Finger弹指一壶醉Historical3.0M WordsCompleted (Set in a fictional world, drawing mainly on the Ming and Tang dynasties and the Three Kingdoms era) Qin Feng, a doctor skilled in every field, transmigrates into the body of an unwanted illegitimate son in the Grand Tutor's residence. He only wants to become a secret tycoon in this dynasty and find a chance to establish his own household. Unexpectedly, he becomes a royal son-in-law, entering a sham marriage with a princess. Each gets what they want from the arrangement, and Qin Feng only has hi 21.1kReads8.8Score2.1kShelves
9. 209 世 The Fierce Young Lord 世子凶猛 Fei Shuo Mo Shu菲硕莫薯Historical3.1M WordsCompleted The new dynasty has just been founded, and every trade is waiting to be rebuilt. The recommended civil officials strike grand poses and hold forth, already the forerunners of keyboard warriors. The founding generals endure every humiliation without complaint, keeping their heads down and tails tucked. At the Prince of Yue's residence, the third young master, Qin You, clutches the letter confirming his broken engagement. He looks over the accounts showing that the household staff's wages are over 7.6kReads8.7Score823Shelves
10. 210 带 I Took a Super Mall on a Tour of Ancient Times 带着超级商场逛古代 Just Passing Through经过而已Historical3.4M WordsCompleted [Print edition published] [Complete] [Alternate History + Transmigration + Pocket Dimension + Modern Weapons + Power Fantasy + Farming + Lighthearted Comedy + Daily Life] No money? I can pull out anything from my pocket dimension and live off it for the rest of my life. You’re a grandmaster? Let’s see how many bullets you can withstand. Want to get stronger? I just need a sip of water from my pocket dimension. I punish thugs, kill villains, fleece the Japanese, and take on the West. Food deliver 33.2kReads8.9Score2.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The air was thick with the smell of burning. Chu Chen sat bolt upright. "Holy crap, my Yamadi electric scooter burned?" Looking up, he found himself sitting on a straw mat, his head covered in tattered straw. Beside him, a thin woman was kneeling on the ground burning paper money, tears welling in her eyes. Seeing Chu Chen sit up, the woman was terrified and ran out of the house, shouting, "A ghost! A zombie..." Chu Chen shook his head. "Wait, where am I? What is this place?" Chu Chen muttered to himself, completely ignoring the woman who had just run away. Then, he felt a sharp pain in his head, his eyes rolled back, and he passed out again. When he woke up again, Chu Chen had many new memories. It turned out that Chu Chen was originally a food delivery driver. That day, he was anxiously waiting for a young lady to pick up his order of snail noodles outside a large supermarket. Unexpectedly, a woman weighing over 200 pounds, heartbroken and unable to cope with her feelings, fell from the sky and landed squarely on him. Everything went black, and he found himself transported to a feudal dynasty called the Great Xia Dynasty. This was a fictional world, one that had never appeared in his memories of history.

11. 211 我 I Became a Lord in Ancient Times 我在古代当领主 Big Spender大款子Ancient Romance360k WordsCompleted “System, everyone else’s System comes with a pocket dimension and a spirit spring. Why are you stuck with nothing but a ‘junk recycling’ feature?” “Host, stop complaining! That bag of leftover takeout malatang would be a lifesaving delicacy in your territory!” While other transmigrators were throwing money around in ancient times, Gu Mingyue was roaming the world, picking up “trash” with her dirt-poor System. An unfinished building that had sat untouched in a corner of the city for ten years? Sh 70Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist is poor, the system is poor, and she single-handedly builds her territory in ancient times.

12. 212 不 I Couldn't Tame Beasts, So I Hatched an Insect Queen 不能御兽的我，孵化了虫群女皇 Tragic Thunder悲雷Urban661k WordsCompleted Also known as: You Only Have a Few Spirit Beasts, While His Empress Commands an Infinite Swarm; Insect Swarm Evolution: I Have an Elite Beauty Squad; Back When the Empress Was Still a Little Bug, She Called Me Master! Hungry, Hungry; His Maids Are Either Insect Empresses or Fox Venerables [Empress training + beast girls + mech girls + universal beast-taming + talent recruitment + smart characters + fusion technology + devouring evolution + infrastructure and farming] Empress Lily: Master, if you 778Reads6.5Score125Shelves

    Reader note

    For fans of urban fantasy, beast taming (or insect taming), and fast-paced, action-packed stories, this is definitely worth a try. You'll be hooked! [Licking screen][shy]

13. 213 大 The Qin Empire’s Industrial Revolution 大秦工业革命 Nine-Fingered Divine Lid九指神盖Historical2.5M WordsCompleted History · Alternate History | Farming · Industry | Ensemble Cast · Conquest A six-year-old soul transmigrates into a barren village in northern Shaanxi during the Qin dynasty, where he becomes a posthumous child. With no System and no golden finger, the first thing he does is use a pendulum to redefine “one meter.” Over the next ten years, all he manages to do is make sure everyone in the village has enough to eat. Then the real story begins. He builds an “underground railway station” in Zhang V 4.6kReads8.1Score463Shelves

    Reader note

    It's a very well-developed infrastructure-based farming game with high operability. You could do it too.

14. 214 大 Great Tang: It Starts with Popcorn 大唐：从爆米花开始 Duan Tuo of Feixin Island费信岛的段驼Historical231k WordsCompleted Transmigrated as Li Luo, the Tang dynasty's third prince... After about fifty chapters, the System barely appears. The protagonist does not rebel or become emperor, but focuses on developing Chunlei County... 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This book transitions to a pure developmental narrative after chapter 48, and it's pretty good, updating over 7000 words daily, which helps alleviate some of my reading slump.

15. 215 开 My Ancestors’ Graves Started Smoking from the Start: Disguised as a Man, I Take the Imperial Exams 开局祖坟冒青烟，女扮男装科举忙 Jiang Suiwan江岁晚Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Xie Yuheng transmigrates from the Apocalypse to a farming household, where a tyrant rules the land. With no other choice, she disguises herself as a boy. As she grows older, everyone in the surrounding villages comes to know that the Xie family's prodigy has an exceptionally clever mind. Too bad he's a sickly weakling who can't lift a finger or carry a load. Bystander: “You're so noble, so impressive! Your sickly family member just kicked someone through a wall!” The Xie family: “Does the head o 12kReads9.2Score1.7kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is super good, but it's not finished yet. The second book, which doesn't have a romantic pairing, is also very good.

16. 216 穿 After I Transmigrated, I Farmed, Built Infrastructure, and Rose to the Top 穿越后，种田基建，登顶称霸 Drinking Happily Under the Bright Moon and Clear Breeze明月清风饮酒欢Historical188k WordsCompleted Farming + Infrastructure + Developing a Fief + System After transmigrating, Li Min, a chemical engineering master’s graduate, finds himself in ancient times. See how he works with the System to develop his fief, improve people’s lives through farming, build up industry to create a powerful nation, train troops and develop advanced weapons, expand the borders, train personnel and establish social institutions, grow the market economy, and conduct diplomacy with other countries... bringing new vit 85Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a book being updated continuously; those who like infrastructure and transportation construction might want to check it out! [Note]

17. 217 大 Great Tang: If You Won’t Rebel, Father, Then I Will! 大唐：父亲您不造反，我造反！ Darn Spider扑街蜘蛛呀Historical2.5M WordsOngoing [Ruthless and decisive]+ [Golden finger]+ [Conquest and expansion]+ [Industrial Revolution]+ [Age of Discovery] Also known as The Crown Prince Should Stop Competing, the Tang Dynasty Already Has Nine Dragons in One Court, Tang Dynasty: Father, You’re This Old, How Can You Still Sleep?, and I, Li Chengqian, the Steadiest Crown Prince in History. He transmigrates to a parallel Tang Dynasty and becomes Li Chengqian, still the heir of the Prince of Qin’s household. Faced with Li Shimin’s indecision, 13kReads8.6Score785Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is about building infrastructure in the Tang Dynasty and dominating the world through the Industrial Revolution.

18. 218 从 From the Apocalypse, I Became a Queen in a Chaotic Age 从末世来，成乱世女王 Cat Ten Thousand猫万Ancient Romance404k WordsCompleted Strong female lead + no romance + powerful heroine + infrastructure building + no saintly do-gooding + minimal System + heroes vie for supremacy After ten years in the apocalypse, Chu Shu is exhausted. She transmigrates to ancient times and only wants to find a place to spend her remaining years in peace. Instead, she becomes a refugee who can't even get through the city gates. She has no choice but to recruit a few followers first. There's strength in numbers, and with enough people, even bandi 41Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Strong female protagonist, refreshing novel, infrastructure building novel, from scratch

19. 219 流 Exile? No, I’m Here to Hand Out Money to the World 流放？不，是去给万国发钱 I'm a Hami Melon我是哈密瓜Historical4.0M WordsCompleted Li Zhao, the ninth prince of the Wu Kingdom, has spent years frequenting brothels, earning the disfavor of the current emperor, Wu Huang. Before the struggle among the nine princes for the throne has even begun, he nearly gets his engagement broken off by the most talented woman in the capital. Faced with the crown prince’s relentless pressure, Li Zhao stops drifting through life. Threshing machines, windmills, and curved-beam plows make their debut one after another. Granaries overflow, and 37.4kReads8.8Score4.3kShelves

    Reader note

    He was originally a down-on-his-luck prince, disliked by the Empress and suppressed by the Crown Prince, and almost jilted by a talented woman from the capital—his start was practically hell. But when miraculous inventions like threshing machines, windmills, and curved plows appeared, grain production skyrocketed, and the people of his fiefdom prospered. Li Zhao then implemented commercial policies and cracked down on corrupt aristocratic families, causing unease among the powerful clans. Not only that, he also embarked on a grand scheme, destroying the You Kingdom, driving out the Cang Kingdom, and merging the Zhou Kingdom, beginning his unification and hegemony even before the struggle for succession among the nine princes began! This book, "Intending to Retire to the Mountains, But Unfolding a Golden Age," is packed with elements of farming, conquest, and gourmet food—guaranteed to get your blood pumping and leave you wanting more! 📖

20. 220 重 Reborn as Crown Prince: I Make a Flintlock from the Start and Leave My Father Stunned 重生太子开局手搓火枪惊呆父皇 Shangguan the Money Lover上官财迷Historical176k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Crown Prince Chen Fan was deposed and confined to the Cold Palace. He could only watch as his father was poisoned to death and the once-mighty Great Yan Dynasty crumbled beneath the iron hooves of foreign invaders. The ancestral temples were burned, and the people were driven from their homes. Filled with endless regret and resentment, he was reborn one year before his deposition. This time, a futuristic device called the Black-Tech Nation-Building System activated in his m 8Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended. The protagonist, reborn, acquires a technological system and begins to build this ancient world, constructing a feudal society from scratch and achieving technological leaps.

21. 221 流 Exiled? I'll Kick You Out and Claim the Throne Myself! 流放？姑奶奶踹了你自己坐江山！ Huihui Cat茴茴猫Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Strong heroine + playful comedy + wish fulfillment + sweet romance] Xiao Qingcheng, a powerhouse from the apocalypse, returns to life in another body and transmigrates to ancient times, becoming the second young madam of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household. She thinks she can coast through life, but before she’s had her fill of living off her husband, an imperial decree orders the entire household executed. Fortunately, the sentence is changed to exile. Her mother-in-law is cruel, the guards abuse 24.7kReads8.9Score2.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Recommended by a reader with ten years of experience, it's really good!

22. 222 开 Exiled from the Start, I Become the Beloved Darling of Evil Valley 开局流放，我在恶人谷当团宠 Yin Man茵漫Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Strong heroine, pairing with Bai Yu] She was a test subject at a secret underground research facility in the twenty-first century, designation Zero. She could retrieve objects from thin air and had no empathy. One day, she was reborn and transmigrated to an ancient farming household. A natural disaster struck right after she was born, and her whole family was exiled when she was barely a month old. Everyone around her said she was a harbinger of disaster. Grandma Su let out a cold laugh, hoist 18.8kReads9.5Score3.5kShelves
23. 223 带 Survive the Ancient Apocalypse in Luxury with a Build-and-Develop System 带神豪基建系统躺赢古代末世 vMoonshadowvv月影vAncient Romance251k WordsCompleted [No CP + natural disasters + strong female lead + satisfying read + infrastructure building + mutated plants and animals] Apocalyptic powerhouse An Ning blows herself up to protect everyone at the base. Her obsession with ending the apocalypse before her death is so powerful that it attracts the Apocalypse Infrastructure-Building System. As the System takes her back in time, it accidentally collides with the Tycoon System in a space-time passage, sending her into the Great Xia dynasty, on the br 95Reads—Score—Shelves
24. 224 报 Report, Your Highness: The Princess Consort Has Returned from the Modern World 报告王爷：王妃从现代回来了 Pisces Dream双鱼梦Ancient Romance317k WordsOngoing Leng Jiyue unexpectedly finds herself transported to the Great Xia dynasty. With no golden finger and no distinguished family background, she relies solely on her knowledge from the future to enter the Ministry of Works, where she is surrounded by men. She devotes herself to improving papermaking techniques and settling displaced artisans, hoping to tangibly improve ordinary people’s lives and carve out a place for herself amid the constraints of court politics. The great clans are rife with u 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    🔥Ancient Chinese setting with infrastructure development | Transmigrated female protagonist | Career-focused, slow-burning romance. A modern female protagonist unexpectedly arrives in the Great Xia Dynasty. Without relying on palace intrigue or cheat codes, she enters the Ministry of Works based on her own knowledge. She conquers new papermaking and movable type printing, engages in heated debates with officials in the court, and is determined to promote these new technologies to the common people, making affordable paper and education accessible to everyone. She thoughtfully considers the pros and cons of people's livelihoods, pays attention to legal shortcomings, and acts with vision and responsibility. The romance between the male and female leads develops gradually, without mindless rushes or sudden heart-fluttering moments. The court debates, workshop operations, and everyday life are all described in detail. A must-read for fans of hardcore infrastructure development novels! ✨

25. 225 基 Infrastructure: Raising Little Ones in the Great Qin Empire 基建：我在大秦养崽崽 Yun Xuan Weijing云玄未璟Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Infrastructure building + sweet romance + System + food + raising a child + devoted 1v1 romance + parallel world] [One-sentence summary] Transmigrating into the Qin dynasty, she builds infrastructure and falls into a sweet romance with Brother Zheng~ [Full synopsis] Chu Yue Ning, a crafting blogger, thought she would live an ordinary, peaceful life. Unexpectedly, a moment of kindness sent her transmigrating to the Qin dynasty two thousand years ago, where she happened to spend a passionate nigh 10.3kReads8.9Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This is... Well, it's a brainless, lighthearted, and sweet romance novel with a system and a fast pace. Overall it's not bad, but the sweet romance aspect is a bit simplistic. Those who like infrastructure-themed novels might want to check it out.

26. 226 两 Wanted in Two Worlds: Rebel in Ancient Times, Become King in the Apocalypse 两界通缉：古代造反，末世称王 Ink-Nourished Scholar墨润书生Sci-Fi & Apocalypse556k WordsCompleted [Modern fugitive × ancient rebel leader!] [Travel between two worlds] [Apocalyptic natural disasters] [No zombies] A meteorite nearly hits him. He survives, only to be handed a “Humanity’s Savior Trial Pass”? To rescue his family, who are under house arrest, he accepts an outrageous set of KPIs and starts stockpiling supplies. But three days pass and the apocalypse still hasn’t arrived. Instead, he becomes the “Greatest Thief of the Century,” wanted by the entire internet! While fleeing overseas 38Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A fast-paced, action-packed story. The protagonist encounters the apocalypse in modern times, but he can travel to ancient times. Watch how he becomes invincible in his rebellion in ancient times, and thrives in the post-apocalyptic base.

27. 227 穿 Transmigrating to the Early Tang Dynasty to Build a Different Kind of Golden Age 穿越初唐打造另类盛世 Zhe Yuan喆元Historical790k WordsCompleted [On the Bloody Night at Xuanwu Gate, He Crashed Through History in an Off-Road RV] An earthquake in Tibet tore open space and time, sending retired combat engineer Yao Kem in and his vehicle tumbling into the ninth year of Wude. Before Xuanwu Gate, Li Shimin’s sword was aimed at the crown prince. The cold gleam of its edge met the roar of the diesel engine as Yao’s vehicle surged forward. As drones skimmed over Chang’an, the lost bronze gears of the Mohists meshed perfectly with the patterns o 302Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Both of these are construction books

28. 228 大 The Great Song’s Industrial Liangshan 大宋之工业梁山 Zhe Yuan喆元Historical230k WordsCompleted A collection of trope-defying scenes: Wu Song doesn’t fight a tiger; he’s a righteous man from Hangzhou in the historical records. Ximen Qing isn’t some domineering CEO, but a shy top student devoted to medical research. And there’s more: Hu Sanniang isn’t a bold heroine of the martial world, but an artsy young woman. What about Pan Jinlian? As it turns out, she’s the little maid who follows Sanniang around... Wang Yifan transmigrates to a different Liangshan. Watch as he stirs up a storm of blo 77Reads—Score—Shelves
29. 229 双 Dual Transmigration: The Nation Sent Me to Yongle as an Ambassador 双穿：国家让我去永乐当大使 Qianyu Jian千羽涧Historical1.2M WordsCompleted In the fifth year of the Yongle era, Chen Yuanzhou brings back two people from six hundred years in the past: Emperor Yongle Zhu Di and Empress Xu, who is critically ill. Zhu Di draws his sword in Chen Yuanzhou's living room. “Where is this place?!” Chen Yuanzhou: “My home.” Zhu Di wants to return to the palace, but Chen Yuanzhou's ability to travel through time has entered its cooldown period. The Empress's fever won't break, and modern medicine gives its diagnosis: early-stage sepsis. Under Mi 359Reads6.6Score113Shelves

    Reader note

    Help! The protagonist has secured a 99-year mining right in Siam, and tin, tungsten, lead, and zinc mines are being extracted in abundance, not only meeting the industrial needs of China but also boosting the economy of the Ming Dynasty!

30. 230 不 Never Yield the Land 不让江山 Know White知白Historical5.3M WordsCompleted At first, I looked upon the world and saw nothing but heroes and great men. Then I looked again, and saw nothing but a rabble. Rather than entrust this realm and its people to you, I might as well take it for myself! 506Reads9.4Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These should fit the bill, right? They're all set in ancient times, involved in infrastructure development, building up their power, and some even deal with modern weaponry. I haven't finished watching yet, but it's worth a look. Personally, I think it's alright!

31. 231 穿 Transmigrating to the Late Qing: A Chicken Dinner Streamer Defends the Nation 穿越晚清：吃鸡主播守国门 Two Rivers两河Historical1.0M WordsOngoing [Alternate-history setting, goofy protagonist, jump right in] Wang Hao, a former professional gamer turned streamer in the Kun district, is struck by justice from above and sent hurtling back to the late Qing dynasty. Did the gaming company behind the battle royale game transmigrate too? And what about the livestreaming System? The viewers are losing it. “Are we even allowed to watch this livestream?” “Development is the only way forward. I want Faraday and Edison.” “Faraday's retired? It's not 529Reads9.3Score104Shelves

    Reader note

    A very compelling late Qing Dynasty novel. It depicts the beginning of industrialization, the occupation of Southeast Asia, the kidnapping of global scientists, the development of cutting-edge technology, and the hosting of the Olympics.

32. 232 我 My Little Brother Is Called Zhu Chongba 我小弟叫朱重八 The Wolf Is Coming狼来咯Historical160k WordsOngoing [Late Yuan, Early Ming] [Struggle for Supremacy] [Two Transmigrators] [Slow-Burn Story] A gaming enthusiast and a chef imprisoned for illegally making firearms. Two modern men transmigrate, one after the other, to the late Yuan dynasty, where warlords vie for supremacy. How will they meet? What kind of empire will they build? And will Zhu Chongba really be content to serve as a subject? All the answers are in the book… —Reads—Score—Shelves
33. 233 海 The Lost Song Dynasty Overseas: From the Start, I Was at the Battle of Yashan 海外遗宋：开局便是崖山海战 The Boy Who Tends Cattle牧牛的少年Historical670k WordsCompleted He transmigrates into the body of Zhao Bing, the last emperor of the Song dynasty. The moment he wakes, the Battle of Yashan is underway. The Song army has been routed, and Lu Xiufu comes out from the ship and cries, “Your Majesty, hurry and climb onto my back!” With knowledge from the future, Zhao Bing will defy fate, save the Great Song, and save the Han people. He leads the Song survivors overseas, reforms education, advances technology, establishes a financial system, and builds an advanced 468Reads7.0Score—Shelves
34. 234 糙 The Rough-Hewn Hunter’s Lucky Marriage 糙汉猎户的旺夫妻 Lucy Menghui露西梦绘Ancient Romance173k WordsOngoing The good news: The former owner of a farm has been reborn with max-level experience! The bad news: She starts with only ten eggs, and a snake has its eye on her. On the first day, she crouches by the stove, checking the eggs’ temperature. The villagers react: “Has she gone mad? She’s hatching eggs herself?” On the twenty-first day, eight chicks hatch. Her awful relatives react: “You’ll never keep them alive. Just wait and see!” By the third month, the hens are laying eggs like crazy. The local b 4Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A top-tier livestock breeder is reborn and marries a rough-and-tumble hunter! Beset by difficult relatives? He'll turn the tables and make them look down on him with his wealth!

35. 235 大 Great Ming: I Told You to Hang Yourself, Not Rebuild the Ming Dynasty 大明：让你上吊，没让你重建大明 Tiger of Fire vvvv火之虎vvvvHistorical3.0M WordsCompleted He opens his eyes on the eve of the Jiashen upheaval. Li Zicheng has already breached Beijing, the Manchus beyond the passes are eyeing the capital, and court officials are closing in to force the issue. Faced with a nightmare from the start, what should the Chongzhen Emperor do… This work’s style: history as its bones, art as its wings. It respects real history and does not rewrite established events, using artistic storytelling to fill the regrets history left behind. A note for readers: This 5.7kReads8.9Score478Shelves
36. 236 奋 Striving in the First Year of Hongwu 奋斗在洪武元年 Imperial Nobility天煌贵胄Historical2.8M WordsCompleted The good news: I transmigrated. The bad news: I transmigrated to the first year of Hongwu. Who else can relate? I, Young Master Yang, got press-ganged right from the start and became one of Emperor Zhu Chongba's proud wage slaves. 14.7kReads8.9Score925Shelves

    Reader note

    🔥🔥This is it, of course!🔥🔥I read it all night long, without even blinking!🔥[Heart][heart][heart] It was absolutely addictive, I couldn't put it down! It felt like I was on a thrilling adventure with the protagonist. This work is a masterpiece, absolutely addictive! The plot is tight and fast-paced, every twist is brilliant, and the protagonist is humorous yet realistic, definitely not the kind of annoying, saintly white lotus. If you don't like it, I'll call you daddy!!!

37. 237 提 I Raise My Employees' Salaries, and You Say I'm Disrupting the Market! 提升员工工资，你说我扰乱市场！ Dong Fenghu东风胡Urban2.7M WordsCompleted [The short drama is now online: I raised my employees' wages, and you say I'm disrupting the market] [Business growth, globalization, cross-industry expansion, coming-of-age story] How do you rate the youngest person ever to become the world's richest man on the Forbes list? Economic Times: “The whole world is working for Song Jiang!” Peace Master: “Thank you, Song Jiang, for your contributions to peace. The world has never been more peaceful!” America: “Damn it! China is so despicable! He's usi 52.6kReads9.1Score3.7kShelves

    Reader note

    😒😒The protagonist inherits a forgotten tourist destination. People mock its desolation and neglect, but he sees a bright future in it. He vows to transform this forgotten land into a shining pearl.

38. 238 荒 Hunter in a Year of Famine: I Stockpile Grain and Become King by Killing a Tyrant 荒年猎户：从杀恶霸开始屯粮称王 At First, I Didn't Understand the Meaning of the Book初读不知书中意Historical244k WordsCompleted Hunter + farming + conquest + stockpile grain and bide your time before claiming the throne After transmigrating into a year of famine, Su An had barely opened his eyes when his own father nearly killed him. His dad thought he was possessed by a ghost! “Since I’m here, I’d better survive first!” A bully killed his original body to take the village beauty? He raised a crossbow to the bully’s forehead, and the man didn’t dare make another peep. Freezing in the bitter night? He spent the night repa 697Reads6.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Travel back to ancient times, starting as a hunter and rising to become a king.

39. 239 乱 A Million Armored Men in Troubled Times, and You Call Them Beggars Scrounging for Food? 乱世带甲百万，你说是流民乞食 At First, I Didn't Understand the Meaning of the Book初读不知书中意Historical162k WordsCompleted [War + passion + history + anti-cliché + no System] Qin Tian, a university graduate, transmigrates into a vagrant in a land torn apart by war. From the start, he’s fighting a wild dog over half a piece of bread. No System, no golden finger, and he can’t even understand what people are saying! Bandits want to sell him, soldiers want to arrest him, and the city is full of starving corpses and danger at every turn. While others endure humiliation, he grabs a shard of pottery and fights back; while 89Reads—Score—Shelves
40. 240 逃 Fleeing Famine and Farming: The Eldest Daughter of the Farmhouse Keeps the Family Fed 逃荒种田，农门长姐养家忙 Clouds Above the Clouds云上之云Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted This story has no space, is not a feel-good power fantasy, and its famine-flight scenes are adapted from historical accounts of ordinary people fleeing famine in different periods. The heroine is only eight years old, so escaping with her whole family in tow is very hard, incredibly hard. If you’re looking for a feel-good power fantasy, please move on. Don’t read to the end, decide the main characters have suffered too much, feel bad, and then leave a negative review. Writing is hard, so please 33.9kReads9.4Score4.1kShelves
41. 241 逃 Fleeing Famine for Twenty Thousand Miles, I Led the Whole Village in Building a Peach Blossom Utopia 逃荒两万里，我带全村手搓桃花源 Talent Comes and Goes才华忽有忽无Ancient Romance751k WordsCompleted Three years of severe drought have left thousands of miles of barren land, and the road is strewn with the dead and starving. Shen Nanxing, a top student at a modern agricultural university, faces a hellish start from the moment she transmigrates: her head is split open, her frail mother can't protect their last mouthful of muddy water, her little brother is on the brink of death, and her awful grandmother and second aunt are plotting to kick their whole family out. No miraculous pocket dimensi 90Reads6.7Score102Shelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist, a science student, travels through time to escape famine in a chaotic world. Instead of engaging in palace intrigue, she focuses on infrastructure development, mining coal, smelting iron, and making gunpowder. She leads the refugees to build a peaceful paradise in the deep mountains, making the story increasingly relatable.

42. 242 土 A Native Heroine Goes from Harem Life to Nation-Building 土著女主从后宫到基建 Black Tea Pork Chop红茶小排Ancient Romance267k WordsCompleted [No Romance + Strong Female Lead + System + Infrastructure Building + Ensemble Cast] [Blurb One] Shen Qinghuan was sent into the palace through her stepmother’s scheming. She has no desire to compete with all these women for a man, so she can only find a way to escape this cage. [Blurb Two] Shen Qinghuan couldn’t understand why women could be bullied so cruelly: divorced, sold, drowned in a pond, and subjected to endless gossip and judgment. They were even blamed when they gave birth to girls. S —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Although she is not a time traveler, the female protagonist is an ancient person who, due to the education system, has to study all the way. In ancient times, there was still nine years of compulsory education, and there were also exams!

43. 243 穿 Transmigrating into a Refugee Exodus: I Use the System to Raise an Emperor 穿越逃荒：我靠系统扶持一代帝王 Xiao Se小色Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Gu Jiu unexpectedly transmigrated to ancient times, where everything was already inconvenient. Then disaster struck. With no other way to survive, she clung desperately to the person who had saved her. With her benefactor by her side, she had nothing to fear on the road to refuge. What could she do when disease, hunger, wild beasts, and villains all came at once? Bring it on! She was a jack of all trades with a System pocket dimension, capable of taking down anything. (Xie Zhan: You can't put o 35.3kReads9.5Score4.7kShelves
44. 244 空 The Beloved Farm Girl Wins by Doing Nothing on the Road to Escape 空间：团宠农女她在逃荒路上躺赢 Qiqi Mu七七木Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted As natural disasters and human calamities struck, barbarians invaded and warfare raged without end. The old Shen family joined the villagers on the road to escape famine. But hunger and cold were no concern: the Shen family had a beloved good-luck charm who brought them blessings. Wild boars came knocking, pheasants and rabbits ran right into their cooking pot, and game could be gathered in droves. She knew medicine and had a pocket dimension, and she saved children and cured the sick. But why d 11.4kReads9.4Score1.1kShelves
45. 245 赵 Zhao Gouzi's Struggles in Ancient Times 赵狗子的古代奋斗史 Riverside Pebble河边鹅卵石Historical2.1M WordsCompleted At the end of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, Zhao Gouzi was born. The Ming was visibly in decline, while the world hurtled into the Age of Discovery, with wealth pouring in from across the seas. Zhao Gouzi lifted his chin and resolved to catch the last wave of the Age of Discovery, sending the peoples of Huaxia sailing across the seas to conquer new lands! 8.2kReads8.9Score707Shelves

    Reader note

    Both the first and last books start from scratch and have a lot of detail; I highly recommend them.

46. 246 带 I Transmigrated to an Era of Famine and War with a Few Acres of Land 带着几亩地，穿越到饥荒战乱年代 A Simple Life平淡生活Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (Alternate history + spatial powers + fleeing famine and war + fighting for the throne + decisive and ruthless + a little palace intrigue) Ye Yutong has transmigrated! She's landed in a novel once written by her college roommate, set in an unknown dynasty during a time of famine and war. In the original story, the heroine is her cousin, while Ye Yutong is the wicked supporting character who competes with her for the male lead. Not only does she get thoroughly humiliated, her family is dragged do 21.6kReads9.2Score2.1kShelves
47. 247 父 Father, I Only Want to Be a Prince 父皇，我只想当个王爷 A Man with a Wu Hook男儿带吴钩Historical5.3M WordsCompleted In the 115th year of the Jingli era, the realm was in turmoil, with three kingdoms standing in opposition. On that day, Ye Zhuo, heir to the Prince of Shou, opened his eyes after being unconscious for three years... Ye Zhuo only wanted to live a quiet, carefree life as a hedonistic playboy. But he was so outstanding that he shone wherever he went. See how Ye Zhuo carves out a path to becoming a wise prince in this chaotic age, one that belongs to him alone! 27.4kReads8.7Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Story summary: Good, lots of words, modern elements only appear towards the end.

48. 248 铁 Ironblooded Late Ming 铁血残明 Ke Shanmeng柯山梦Historical2.5M WordsOngoing In the late Ming dynasty, Spain and Japan gradually restricted the outflow of silver, reversing the capital inflow that the Ming had enjoyed since the early sixteenth century. The commercial and smallholder economies that coexisted under the Ming were both hit by deflation. Combined with the effects of the Little Ice Age, one domino after another fell, plunging the realm into chaos. In the eleventh month of the sixth year of the Chongzhen reign, the roving rebels crossed the river south of Mianc 104.5kReads9.4Score11kShelves
49. 249 帝 The Empire’s Great Bandit 帝国大反贼 White Lonely Island白色孤岛Historical5.8M WordsCompleted (This is a traditional alternate-history novel.) That year, more than a dozen prefectures suffered a severe drought, and the harvest failed completely. That year, five powerful military governors carved up the land, and their princes rebelled. That year, Zhang Yunchuan became an outlaw and one of the great bandits of Jiufeng Mountain. 47.8kReads8.7Score4.2kShelves
50. 250 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 137.2kReads9.6Score16.5kShelves

Other lists with Born as a Princess, I Take on Ancient China’s Infrastructure