Looking for Palace-Intrigue Novels Without a Foolish, Sweet Female Lead, a Golden Finger, or a System, and No Qing Dynasty Transmigration!! 求宫斗文不要女主傻白甜有金手指系统不要清穿！！

1. 1 中 The Empress of the Central Palace 中宫元后 King Smile笑笑大王Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + marriage before love + palace intrigue] (This is a fictional setting, written as I please. Please don't hold it against me if it doesn't fit history.) Qiao Shanshan, who lived to thirty on Blue Star, died while saving a child. Only after reaching the underworld did she learn that it wasn't her time to die. The soul reaper had taken the wrong person. To make it up to her, the King of Hell promi 15.4kReads8.2Score1.4k14d adds

   Reader note

   Highly recommended, it's great!

2. 2 清 Consort De in the Qing Dynasty: One Small Goal, Become Empress Dowager 清穿德妃：定个小目标，先当太后 The White Coat Has Given Up白大褂它摆烂了Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Not a devoted-couple story, not exclusive pampering, not a childbearing plot, no golden finger, not a wish-fulfillment story. Don’t read if you dislike that. There are no golden fingers whatsoever. The heroine transmigrates, she is not reborn! The story breaks up historical Emperor Yongzheng’s official pairing, but Empress Xiaojingxian will get a happy ending. The author is still growing, so if you don’t like the early chapters, you can skip ahead. Readers say the later writing is better.] (The 2.2kReads9.2Score20714d adds

   Reader note

   These few books are in line with

3. 3 人 Life Is a Play, and the Empress Is All About Her Acting Skills 人生如戏，娘娘她纯拼演技 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + witty banter + sweet, delicate beauty + calculated mind games] The leads are not each other’s only partners. If that bothers you, don’t read. Be prepared for suspicion in the early chapters, followed by affection later. The pacing is slow, so proceed with caution if you prefer fast-paced wish-fulfillment stories. As a double award-winning actress and a seasoned star of palace intrigue dramas, how could Shi Yan possibly lose her nerve after transmigrating into the imperial hare 4.9kReads9.4Score54914d adds
4. 4 傲 The Haughty Empress's Concubine Conquest 傲娇娘娘的宠妃攻略 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance437k WordsCompleted Palace intrigue + historical romance + not mutually chaste + marriage first, love later She is the general’s younger sister, with an excellent family background and beauty to match. After she transmigrates, she wakes up caught in the schemes and betrayals of the imperial palace. To protect herself, she resolves to become the emperor’s favorite consort. When they first meet, he tells her, “I will never like a woman like you in this life.” Gu Qingyan successfully presents herself as somewhat 1.6kReads8.9Score14114d adds
5. 5 宫 Palace Intrigue Begins Before the Selection 宫斗从选秀前开始 A Cluster of Flowers一丛花令Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted In her previous life, she endured a life of hardship and instability. From the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Wu’an to a government courtesan available to any man, she finally escaped a life of being passed from one man to another, only to jump from the tiger’s jaws into the wolf’s den. She walked on eggshells at every step until she finally became the real power behind the prefect’s household. But the misery of her first half of life had already left her body broken beyond repair. Only o 7.8kReads9.0Score78414d adds

   Reader note

   Personally, I think these are the best; they're incredibly good. A step-by-step approach.

6. 6 重 With My Reborn Son's High-Stakes Schemes, Becoming Empress Dowager Is No Dream 重生儿子手段高，晋升太后不是梦 Chiyo千代Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Fictional Imperial Harem Drama + No Romance + Giving Birth and Raising Kids + My Son Must Be Crown Prince + Ambitious + Clear-Eyed] Content warning: The romance isn’t mutually exclusive, she doesn’t love the male lead, and there are painful, heartbreaking parts. The male lead is a scumbag emperor. Song Yuyan was hooked on a palace-harem management game. She never expected to open her eyes and find she had transmigrated to ancient times. After keeping a low profile for three years, she entered t 3.6kReads9.3Score41814d adds
7. 7 娘 The Consort Is All Charm and Cunning, Scheming Her Way to the Top 娘娘又茶又媚，一路宫斗上位 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance835k WordsCompleted Signed for print publication In the third year of the Yifeng era, a concubine-born daughter of the Ningyang Marquis’s household enters the palace. The palace is a vast, treacherous place, where the one thing you must never do is give your heart away. Ning Shuyan is clear-eyed: she wants wealth and prestige, along with the emperor’s favor. For three years, she carefully plots each step, wins the emperor’s attention, and rises from Talented Lady to Noble Consort. Rumor has it that the emperor only 56.6kReads9.5Score7k14d adds
8. 8 在 A Hundred Ways to Win the Emperor's Heart in the Harem 在后宫征服皇帝的一百个技巧 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Ever since entering the palace, Yun Li has become a shameless schemer. Two-faced and insincere, she puts on an act every day. When dealing with the emperor’s favorite consort, she tears into her until she’s furious, then clutches her chest with a wounded look and says, “I’m so envious that His Majesty dotes on you.” When someone tries to frame her, she casually slaps them, then bursts into tears. “Why would you treat a kind person like me this way?” When speaking with the empress, she nods absen 12.3kReads9.5Score1.4k14d adds
9. 9 非 An Unconventional Palace Intrigue 非传统宫斗 Known in the Jianghu as the Thorny Rose江湖人称带刺玫瑰Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted Imperial selection from the start / Pure palace intrigue with a touch of household intrigue / Ensemble cast / Realistic style [Pure palace intrigue begins after chapter 20] Not the emperor’s sole favorite / Not a virgin couple / No romance pairing [The emperor is a scumbag with the power of life and death. The first few chapters establish his character and contain potentially uncomfortable scenes. If that bothers you, skip to chapter 20.] Everyone is caught up in palace intrigue. The consorts an 2kReads8.3Score22314d adds

   Reader note

   This is amazing! A pure palace intrigue story, incredibly good! An ensemble piece where every concubine is brilliant, intelligent, clear-headed, and realistic.

10. 10 小 The Little Palace Maid's Thoughts Were Read 小宫女被读心了 Jiang Xiaoshi江小十Ancient Romance254k WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the palace as a maid, Qin Jianjian works diligently, flatters those above her, and deceives those below her. In the end, she becomes the top-ranked maid serving the Empress Dowager. She has undoubtedly reached the pinnacle of her profession. Money she’s openly entitled to, along with money she shouldn’t have, keeps flowing into Qin Jianjian’s pockets. Delighted, she just has to wait until she’s old enough to leave the palace and retire early. Who could have guessed the 14.7kReads9.4Score1.2k14d adds

    Reader note

    The female lead is not a naive and innocent character, nor is it a time-travel story set in the Qing Dynasty. There are two endings; the female lead is ruthless and merciless, killing without blinking an eye.

11. 11 深 Seventy Years in the Imperial Palace 深宫七十载 Nan Zhu Youyou楠竹悠悠Ancient Romance290k WordsOngoing Feng Zhilan was a lovely young woman who entered the palace, the secluded fortress most women in the realm dreamed of joining, with her kindness and goodness, aided by her aunt, the Empress Dowager. She entered the palace through the main gate. To wear the crown, one must bear its weight! For the honor of her family, she could not be deposed. She also wanted to put her mother’s mind at ease. She gave everything she had to survive, escaping one crisis after another. Gradually, she had sons and da —Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    🌟🌟🌟These three books are all very good. If there's anything bad about them, it's that they're still being serialized. ❤️❤️❤️My current favorite is the first one; I highly recommend it.

12. 12 宫 Palace Intrigue's Winner: I Rise to Power by Raising Kids 宫斗赢家：我靠养崽上位 Fu Qian Qian福千千Ancient Romance430k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue and childbirth, no golden finger, not a devoted couple] “Your Majesty, Ning Guiren's red mandarin-duck bellyband is still hanging from that scoundrel's belt!” Opening her eyes to such a shocking scene, Ning Yuxi immediately kicked the scoundrel aside and ran for it. Seriously, did she have a death wish, giving the emperor a cuckold's horns? An emperor who loves the throne more than beautiful women? No problem. Two children in three years? What's that? I'll have three in two! Wha 145Reads6.7Score—14d adds
13. 13 福 The Lucky Little Princess 福气小王妃 Cuckoo布谷鸟Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Jiang Muxue: “It's strange. How did I get noticed by the Prince Yu's household after just one trip to a temple?” Before they met, Li Jingheng: “This is ridiculous. I've somehow been engaged without even knowing how it happened.” After they met, Li Jingheng: “This engagement isn't so bad after all.” After they married, Li Jingheng: “Imperial Uncle, I don't want to take any concubines.” Jiang Muxue's ideal life was to have a little money and grow trees and flowers. But she unexpectedly became eng 12.8kReads9.0Score1.3k14d adds
14. 14 智 Wise Men Avoid Love, and the Noble Consort Wants No Responsibility 智者不入爱河，贵妃不想负责 Uncle Luo洛叔叔Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Being a beggar would be better than being in the harem. Shen Qing is despairing over her current identity. The female lead won't appear for another two years, and Shen Qing is the lowest-ranking consort in the male lead's harem. Her father is useless, and she has neither money nor power. It seems her only option is to wait for the emperor's favor. To make matters worse, she has a face that attracts trouble. If she fights for influence, she has no leverage; if she doesn't, she'll just get bullied 47.7kReads9.5Score6.1k14d adds

    Reader note

    Every single one is incredibly good, with very high ratings. Genre: Palace Intrigue. Recommendation Rating: Five Stars. Main Character Relationships: All stories involve emperors and their concubines. Synopsis: No transmigration, rebirth, cheat codes, or systems.

15. 15 宠 Beloved Across the Realm 宠倾江山 Sugar Heart with No Heart糖心没有心Ancient Romance667k WordsCompleted Chu Ran was a triple-threat star in film, television, and music in the twenty-first century. While filming on a city street, she was hit by a car after saving a little girl. When she woke, she had fallen into a dynasty she’d never even heard of in her history books. Well, when in Rome. Fortunately, she had transmigrated into the imperial family as a beloved young princess. Her royal grandfather treated her like a treasure, but her father cared only for romance and poetry, so having a father was 1.2kReads9.0Score12214d adds
16. 16 离 Splendor of the Palace: Long Live the Empress 离宫风华惊天下：娘娘万福 Wenruo in Flight文若纷飞Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted On their wedding night, beneath the warm red bridal curtains, he gazed at her for a long time before saying, with only the faintest flicker in his eyes, “You are the ugliest woman in my palace.” She smiled faintly and replied with resignation, “It is my fault for offending Your Majesty’s eyes…” Two years later, before the imperial concubines, she took off her phoenix robe and bared the red birthmark on her arm before him and the Empress Dowager. “I am unworthy and have occupied the empress’s thr 34Reads8.7Score—14d adds
17. 17 帝 The Imperial Terrace's Charm: The Noble Consort Is Beautiful and Well-Behaved 帝台娇：贵妃娘娘她又美又乖 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance501k WordsCompleted [Harem intrigue + climbing the ranks and crushing the villains + doting romance. The male lead knows his own heart. He'll devote himself to her alone later on.] [The heroine rises through the ranks quickly at first, then more slowly later on.] [The heroine comes from a noble family, is the most beautiful woman in the harem, and already has two adorable children. The Emperor falls for her first and favors her from early on, before devoting himself to her alone in the middle and later parts.] By a 20.2kReads9.4Score2k14d adds
18. 18 开 Thrown Into the River From the Start? The Foxlike Consort Takes the Palace by Storm 开局投河？贵妃狐媚子大杀四方了 Qiao Yan乔焱Ancient Romance462k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue + Not Both Leads’ First Love + Transmigration + Beloved Consort + Devoted Love Later] Yun Tang, a top-tier star and award-winning actress, wakes up one day to find she has transmigrated into the fictional Chengyu Kingdom, where she is the lowest-ranking palace attendant. From the start, things go badly: a hidden enemy pushes her into the water. The three most powerful women in the harem all want her gone, but thanks to her peerless acting skills and alluring charm, she manages t 171Reads7.8Score—14d adds
19. 19 入 Pregnant with Twins After Entering the Palace, She Is Promoted to Imperial Consort 入宫后怀双胎，她被抬位做贵妃 The Star Bridge Slowly星桥缓缓Ancient Romance655k WordsCompleted When her elder sister, the legitimate daughter who had entered the palace as a consort, fell out of favor, Jiang Qingwan was chosen by her stepmother to enter the palace and help her sister regain the emperor's favor. She was beautiful and timid, but who could have guessed that the emperor would end up doting on her to no end... 1.2kReads8.6Score10514d adds
20. 20 我 I’m Sweet and Well-Behaved, So Why Am I the Harem’s Only Favorite? 我又乖又美，独宠后宫怎么了？ Yi Jiu Lu宜久录Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Sweet Romance + Harem + No Angst] A lively, stunning beauty + a devastatingly handsome, love-struck good emperor. (He’s love-struck but knows right from wrong) (No cutthroat palace intrigue) (Not a devoted couple) (Fast-paced) (Heroine’s halo) Ji Wanqing transmigrates into the harem of the Emperor of Yan and becomes a low-ranking concubine. The moment she arrives, the arrogant Consort slaps her. The Consort is bad enough, and the Empress is no better, using her to stoke the Consort’s anger. Wit 4.1kReads9.2Score46714d adds
21. 21 缚 Bound by Spring 缚春情 Ren Huanyou任欢游Ancient Romance603k WordsCompleted [The print edition is available on the homepage; film and television rights have been sold] The Jiang and Song families have been close for generations, and Song Wan was betrothed to Jiang Xingjian before she was even born. They grew up together, but she was confined to the inner quarters, where everything she learned was meant to prepare her to become a Jiang family wife. The young man was dashing and ambitious. Before he had even turned twenty, he went off to the frontier to make his name. Bef 90.9kReads9.6Score12.1k14d adds

    Reader note

    The first book has no cheat codes, the second is a local palace intrigue story, and the female lead has a normal mind. Both the male and female leads have many tragic fates. The third book is a time-travel story with no cheat codes; the female lead's only focus is on continuous advancement in her abilities.

22. 22 神 The Divine Doctor and Poison Princess's Baby Is a Little Lucky Star 神医毒妃宝宝是个小福星 Moon Tu月荼Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted Pediatrician Xia Yao was transmigrated on her very first day as an intern after getting caught up in a hospital dispute. The original Xia Yao, a peasant girl turned princess, was foolish and uncouth. In an effort to win favor, she deliberately made her biological son fall ill again and again. After Third Prince Xiao Xuan saw through her, mother and son were separated, and she was banished to the Cold Palace. Xia Yao tried to hang herself, and her fake death became real. Xia Yao failed to get a d 12kReads8.6Score2k14d adds

    Reader note

    These are all palace intrigue novels where the female lead isn't a naive and innocent character. The writing is excellent, and they're definitely worth reading. I highly recommend everyone check them out.

23. 23 荒 Exiled During Famine, the Disgraced Heiress Farms to Feed Her Family 荒年流放后，罪千金靠种田养全家 Memories Are Beautiful回忆很美丽Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted A plane crash gave her a second chance at life, though in a different body. As the granddaughter of a general and the daughter of an official, she had a noble status. But fate can change in an instant. One day, she was demoted and became a little peasant girl who made her living farming. She would grow a bright future and cultivate a beautiful romance worthy of a prosperous age. 357Reads8.8Score10214d adds
24. 24 长 The Eldest Daughter’s Dazzling Rise 长女惊华 Get Rich Overnight一夜暴富Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Satisfying revenge + political intrigue + mutual salvation + miracle doctor + two powerful leads] The Ji family was a century-old military clan, revered by everyone in the imperial capital of Yulin. And yet the eldest Ji daughter was known throughout Yulin as a useless coward. Then, in a single night, the Ji family fell, and every man in the family died on the battlefield. It was the supposedly useless eldest daughter who held the entire family together. She divorced a prince! She made an enemy 3.1kReads8.8Score50114d adds
25. 25 傲 The Arrogant Heir’s Wife: The Prince Kneels and Sings in Defeat 傲娇世子妃：王爷跪下唱征服 Miss You悠小姐Ancient Romance2.5M WordsCompleted Back at the age of twelve, Yun Fuxiao wanted to win her father an official post, earn her mother’s affection, secure a bright future for her little brother, and find peace of mind for herself. She never expected to attract the attention of the most rebellious young heir of the Duke of Qingguo. All the unmarried young women in the capital spent their days plotting how to throw themselves at him, while all he could think about was how to lure her home. At the Duke’s estate, the man he had finally 55Reads6.3Score—14d adds
26. 26 宫 Palace Beauty 宫姝 Clear Summer Xixi清夏兮兮Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted She dared not love too deeply, afraid it would all turn out to be nothing but a dream. She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, scheming every day to win the emperor's favor; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, with invisible blood staining her hands; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts. In the end, it was only what she had imagined. 8.3kReads9.2Score95314d adds

    Reader note

    (●♡∀♡)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)(๑♡⌓♡๑)

27. 27 将 The General's Legitimate Daughter: The Hot-Tempered Consort Is Not to Be Trifled With 将门嫡女：暴脾气贵妃不好惹 Lu Yueerwu陆月二五Ancient Romance936k WordsCompleted [Devoted Love in the Later Story + Adorable Baby + Powerful Hero and Heroine + Beloved Legitimate Daughter] [Hopelessly Devoted Foolish Emperor + Clear-Headed, Self-Controlled, Clever Noble Consort] Once you enter the palace, it’s as deep as the sea. Yu Jinghe is the most clear-eyed woman in the world. Noble Consort Yue, the most stylish woman in the harem, wins the emperor’s favor all to herself with her fiery temper. Sharp-tongued and quick to throw a punch, she’s practically the harem’s gangs 3.4kReads9.2Score32014d adds

    Reader note

    Synopsis: These are all completed and enjoyable palace intrigue novels, and none of them are time-travel stories set in the Qing Dynasty. I hope this helps you. Character traits: The female lead is beautiful but possesses a unique personality and charm. She is cunning and not just weak, attracting the male lead's attention and gradually gaining his favor. Main relationship: The male lead is the emperor, and the female lead is a concubine. Genre: Palace intrigue. Recommendation rating: Five stars.

28. 28 帝 The Emperor and Empress Joined Forces and Purged the Court 帝后联手后，肃清了朝纲 Piggy Piggy Piggy Yao猪猪猪猪瑶Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Empress from the start! They love each other for a lifetime, and when the empress passes away, the emperor dies for love! They don't ask to be born together, only to die together! Marriage first, love later + not both virgins + not exclusively doting + completely fictional setting What? The emperor has made a concubine's daughter empress? The powerful ministers are so furious their beards are practically standing on end. Su He, the woman struck by this incredible stroke of fortune, is relieved i 1.8kReads9.0Score18814d adds
29. 29 宋 Empress of the Song Family: The Legend of Yuyao 宋家皇后——钰瑶传 Ling Songs by the River江上菱歌Ancient Romance486k WordsCompleted The leads are not each other’s first partners!!! The heroine is neither a naive innocent nor a particularly kind person!!! The emperor hero is a jerk!! Set in an alternate history!! This is not a feel-good story!!! She transmigrates straight into the role of empress. If she rises in rank, she becomes the empress dowager; if she fails, she is deposed and banished to the cold palace. That is the reality of the inner palace: failure leaves almost no chance to recover. A twenty-first-century fashion 585Reads9.0Score10314d adds
30. 30 获 After Getting a Healing System, I Went on a Rampage in the Imperial Harem 获得治愈系统后，我在后宫杀疯了 Pomegranate Eating石榴在吃饭Ancient Romance241k WordsCompleted Lin Xiaowan, a palace maid in the laundry rooms, is envied for her beauty. Trapped in a desperate situation and on the brink of death, she unexpectedly gains a System golden finger. She advances step by step, winning hearts as her first priority, and becomes a favored consort. From then on, she proceeds carefully and plots with cunning, laying her plans and winning the emperor's heart one step at a time until she rises to become empress. 611Reads6.4Score10514d adds

    Reader note

    The female lead is beautiful and cunning, possessing a golden touch in palace intrigue.

31. 31 女 Disguised as a Man: The Tyrant Charms with Her Beauty 女扮男装：暴君她美色撩人 Flower Roll Rice花卷饭Ancient Romance750k WordsCompleted [Woman disguised as a man + no romance + strong heroine + gradually becomes everyone’s favorite] Jun Lin was born into the modern world and then reborn in another era. After disguising herself as a man, she finally managed to ascend the throne, only to be poisoned by her childhood friend and turned into a puppet under his control. Her memories became jumbled and her personality changed drastically. After five years of tyranny, she died in court. Jun Lin: “Thanks for asking. I woke up in a mass g 2.9kReads9.5Score48214d adds

    Reader note

    Blinded by the prosperous and peaceful world, I turn back with every step, the voices and figures of old friends are everywhere, their silhouettes are everywhere, yet they are no longer here. Their brows are like gathered mountain peaks, their eyes like rippling water; we gaze at each other from afar, speechless with unspoken words. The night is deep, the moonlight is bright, the breeze rustles, and the leaves whisper in the wind.

32. 32 女 The Vicious Villainess in a Matriarchal World Raises Her Fish Online 女尊恶獠在线养鱼 Garlic Bamboo Shoots蒜香竹笋Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Matriarchal society + sweet romance + one-on-one + devoted to each other] [Calculating and ruthless princess × obedient, loyal guard] The capital's good-for-nothing Second Princess is beaten in the street by another woman for pursuing a man, then crashes into a stone lion. After recovering from her serious injuries, the Second Princess seems like a completely different person: kind to others, uninterested in competing, and always helping her sisters. It isn't until the day this powerful princes 15.2kReads9.5Score1.7k14d adds
33. 33 女 Only the Empress Can Do Whatever She Wants 女帝才能为所欲为 Stir-Fried Durian Milkshake爆炒榴莲奶昔Ancient Romance161k WordsOngoing Theme: May every girl break free from worldly constraints and be her truest, freest self. [Feel-good power fantasy + strong female lead + devoted male lead + light humor (not quite laugh-out-loud funny)] (An influential, troublemaking Grand Princess/Empress VS a devoted Chief Eunuch who wields power over the entire court) Content warning: The female lead is stronger than the male lead. If you haven't explored this kind of story before, you may find it hard to accept. Blurb: Yun Qingyi likes play 23Reads7.8Score—14d adds
34. 34 昭 The Chaos of Zhaohua 昭华乱 See Fortune at First Sight, Meow一见生财瞄Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Available in print. Search "Zhaohua Rebellion" on any platform to purchase.] [Strong female lead, satisfying revenge, high-IQ palace intrigue, the heroine schemes against the entire harem, a dangerously unhinged antagonist] Song Zhao has always been a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and she has always seen the world more clearly than anyone else. From the moment she learned that Xiao Jingheng had chosen her to enter the palace as a consort, her goal was crystal clear: "I en 87.1kReads9.5Score9.7k14d adds
35. 35 书 Trapped in a Book as the Demon Queen: The Sickly Regent Is No Gentleman at Night 书穿妖后：病娇摄政王每晚不当人 Ran Aran冉阿冉Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the Great Zhou’s most notorious empress, Su Ruo barely has time to enjoy herself before her life is in danger. A patriotic System comes knocking, asking her to support the young emperor and change the fate of the Great Zhou’s fall. ??? She’s the wicked empress everyone wants dead! Never mind that the young emperor is hopelessly incompetent. Picking a fight with the regent, who holds all the power at court, is just asking to die young, isn’t it? Patriotic System: The reg 2.2kReads9.4Score28614d adds
36. 36 宫 A Palace Maid’s Daily Struggles 宫女奋斗日常 Phantom Beneath the Moon月下幻影Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Ling Huan has skin as smooth as ice and looks like a goddess, yet she has no interest in power and thinks only of leaving the palace. In the end, neither she nor her child meets a good end. Given another chance, her goal is to raise her child well and become Empress Dowager herself. A palace-intrigue story with a strong female lead. The heroine is ruthless and clever. A thoroughly satisfying read. 5.9kReads9.2Score84614d adds

    Reader note

    A smile only wished for your glance, but alas, things don't always go as I desire. The harem boasts three thousand beauties, each overflowing with talent. How laughable, for the palace is rife with intrigue; smiles conceal malice, intentions are feigned, and ulterior motives are rendered insincere.

37. 37 嫡 The Legitimate Daughter's Allure 嫡女媚 Restless Slumber怅眠Ancient Romance986k WordsCompleted Her birth mother was murdered, and her younger brother died a tragic death. She had swallowed her pride and become another’s plaything, only to be tortured and abused to death in the end. Her heart had screamed in anguish, but she’d been powerless to fight back. Now reborn, Wu Yue swore she would carve out a bright future for herself. Those who had bullied and humiliated her would pay back every last debt, with interest. There was a beauty whose face I’ll never forget; a single day apart, and I 1.7kReads9.0Score21514d adds

Other lists with The Empress of the Central Palace