Palace Intrigue, Scheming Heroine Rises to Empress, Emperor Dotes on Her Alone 宫斗＋女主有心机＋上位至皇后＋皇帝独宠

1. 1 贵 The Noble Consort Rejects Romance: While Others Fight for Favor, I Seize Power 贵妃不入爱河，别人争宠我夺权 Ran Qiqi冉七柒Ancient Romance460k WordsCompleted [Female-Lead Wish Fulfillment + Unfeeling Persona + Ruthless Revenge and Face-Slapping] Years later, the history books would describe Ming Tang as a master strategist with an iron fist, the ultimate winner of the harem struggles and the vast empire. Only Ming Tang knew she had never wanted to be that winner in the first place. From a young girl to the ruler of the realm, all she had wanted at first was to avenge her elder sister. The harem was full of danger. On one side was Consort Jin, who had 7.6kReads9.4Score901Shelves

   Reader note

   I highly recommend the second book! Surely no one hasn't read *Zhao Zhao*? The first two are both palace intrigue stories, about characters slowly rising through the ranks, and the female leads are both cunning and ruthless. The third book features a female lead who starts as the empress and needs to win over the emperor; she's a seemingly innocent but actually scheming character.

2. 2 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 87.6kReads9.5Score9.7kShelves
3. 3 皇 The Empress Leaped to Her Death, and the Mad Tyrant Wept Until His Eyes Were Red 皇后纵身一跃，疯批暴君哭红了眼 Huang Dandan黄蛋蛋Ancient Romance635k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance, devoted couple + palace intrigue + regretful pursuit, clear-headed heroine, everyone's unattainable ideal] Meng Tang is a gracious, gentle empress who never competes for favor. Everyone thinks she is a true white lotus standing tall in the harem, and even the tyrant believes it. He takes a new concubine, and she smiles, congratulates him, and arranges for the newcomer to spend the night with him. He sends her restorative medicine, and she obediently takes it, knowing full we 21.8kReads9.3Score2.1kShelves
4. 4 庶 The Fortunate Concubine 庶女有福 Leng Chu冷初Ancient Romance474k WordsCompleted The third daughter of the Chu family, Chu Lingran, is breathtakingly beautiful, with peerless looks. In truth, she is merely a concubine-born daughter of the Chengbo Marquis household, always cautious and modest, playing the pig to eat the tiger. Her stepmother took a fortune-teller’s words, “This girl will have many descendants,” and sent her to the Crown Prince’s residence to serve as a childbearing tool. But the full prediction was: “This girl will have many descendants, for she is destined t 1.3kReads9.0Score138Shelves

   Reader note

   A great palace intrigue novel, it's really good!

5. 5 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 4.1kReads9.2Score447Shelves

   Reader note

   These are all books I've read multiple times. They all feature a female protagonist who first enters the palace and receives preferential treatment, eventually becoming the emperor's sole favorite, and the emperor is madly in love with her. [Admiration][Admiration][Admiration] I really love them! [Kissing emoji]

6. 6 替 After Entering the Palace in Her Sister's Place, the Young Mistress Rises Through the Ranks 替姐入宫后，小主她一路高升 Zhizhi Rice Loves Zhizhi吱吱米喜欢吱吱Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Strong Male Lead and Strong Female Lead + Favored Consort + Palace Intrigue + Adorable Baby + Sole Devotion + Childbirth] (The early story leans toward palace intrigue, with the heroine putting on an act and scheming against the hero. Later, their feelings erupt, and he devotes himself to her alone.) After transmigrating, she becomes an illegitimate daughter of the Su family. Her birth mother died young, her father shows her no affection, and her stepmother is cruel. A complete nobody at home, 2.9kReads9.0Score332Shelves
7. 7 太 A Concubine’s Guide to Winning the Crown Prince’s Favor 太子宠妾上位攻略 Clouds at the Horizon天边云Ancient Romance599k WordsCompleted How will His Highness the Crown Prince deal with the side consort who fainted during her investiture? Pei Jingyan: “She embarrassed me. The Cold Palace is where she belongs!” How will the precious pearl in his palm take revenge on the Crown Prince who made her a concubine? Yao Baozhu: “A woman’s revenge lasts all day long!” Their meeting was far from beautiful, and their relationship began with schemes. Yet over the long years, they found love and tenderness, and learned to give each other their 1.8kReads8.7Score205Shelves
8. 8 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 56.9kReads9.5Score7.1kShelves
9. 9 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 20.5kReads9.4Score2kShelves
10. 10 萧 Empress Xiao: Win the Emperor and Bear Him a Son 萧氏皇后：拿下皇上生皇子 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance516k WordsCompleted More children, more blessings. [The fiercest rise to power through palace intrigue + Winning the emperor's heart + Having all the children in the imperial palace + Having children nonstop] Every child who survives in the end is the heroine's. After breaking all ties with Prince Ling, she enters the palace. Two years go by, and she avoids the emperor's favor, wanting only to live out her life in peace. She never expected the empress's banner to sway in her direction and choose her. Xiao Wan'er kn 291Reads8.9Score—Shelves
11. 11 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 45.4kReads9.5Score5.7kShelves
12. 12 娘 The Empress Is Sweet and Alluring, Winning Favor and Rising to Power 娘娘娇软妩媚，一路争宠上位 Bell Meow铃铛喵Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted (A pure palace-intrigue story, not a one-on-one romance, and not a mutually faithful pairing. Proceed with caution!) Bai Ruotang is the legitimate daughter of the second branch of the Right Chancellor’s household. At fifteen, just after coming of age, she is sent into the palace to bear a child for her legitimate elder sister and help her secure the emperor’s favor. Unwilling to be reduced to someone else’s pawn, from the moment she steps through the palace gates, she decides she will carve out 10.3kReads8.9Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    They are all one-on-one relationships in the later stages, and the female lead always ends up as an empress.

13. 13 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Charming, and Covets the Empress Dowager's Seat 娘娘娇娆柔媚，觊觎太后宝位 Buddhist-Style Little Salty Fish佛系小咸鱼Ancient Romance570k WordsCompleted [Rebirth + palace intrigue + medical skills + no pairing + doesn't love the emperor] At the age of seven, she was kidnapped in her previous life and became the disciple of a genius physician. But her master coveted the peerless beauty she gradually grew into. After three years of planning, she struck a fatal blow, thinking she was finally free. Then she found the letter her master had left behind... Reborn in a single moment, she changed her fate of being kidnapped and entered the palace. She tr 1.3kReads9.1Score159Shelves
14. 14 宠 He Spoils His Favorite Consort and Destroys the Harem, While the Biased Emperor Decrees Her Empress 宠娇妃灭后宫，偏心皇上下旨封后 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance309k WordsCompleted [The emperor falls in love at first sight + the heroine isn't the only one for him at first, but later receives all his favor + the emperor helps her fight in the harem and makes her empress + the heroine fights in the harem and kills] A low-ranking concubine? I want to be empress. No, no, I want to be Empress Dowager. What? The emperor saw Han Qianning kill someone, and still wants to keep her by his side... Once I'm in the palace, I'll climb my way up to the phoenix throne and kill them all. 1.1kReads9.0Score105Shelves
15. 15 入 I Entered the Palace to Help My Sister Keep the Emperor’s Favor, but Became His Cherished Favorite 入宫替嫡姐固宠，却成皇上掌心宠 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance504k WordsCompleted In her previous life, she entered the palace and devoted herself to helping her legitimate elder sister keep the emperor’s favor. In the end, she died without a body to bury, abandoned by her family. Returning to the year of the imperial selection, Luo Shuran calculates her every move. Her breathtaking beauty is her only weapon. She sheds her youthful timidity and blossoms into a woman of captivating charm. One fleeting glimpse, like a fairy fallen from the heavens, catches the emperor’s eye. 6.1kReads9.3Score859Shelves
16. 16 娇 The Sweetheart Deliberately Seduces the Cold Emperor, and He Falls for Her 娇娇蓄意勾引，清冷帝王沦陷了 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance651k WordsCompleted Palace intrigue + push and pull + seduction and rising to power + falling deeper at every step + devotion to one woman in the later story Loving her and knowing it + a man in power bowing his head for love * The short drama is out now. Search for “The Sweetheart Deliberately Seduces Him, and the Cold Emperor Falls” on Fanqie or Hongguo to watch the full series. * Pei Tingyue transmigrated into a book. She became a disposable consort in The Palace in Power. In the original story, she was simple-m 37.7kReads9.3Score4.4kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is about Zheng Shuning and Fu Junyi. Note that the male lead isn't chaste, and the female lead isn't. If you mind, you can skip this one. If not, you can enjoy the later part where the female lead is the sole focus of his affections. The second book is about Pei Tingyue and Xie Chen. Note that they aren't both chaste, but it seems like she transmigrates after serving the male lead. Later, the male lead is the sole focus of his affections because he initially used the female lead. Shen Yuyao isn't Xie Chen's white moonlight; she only uses the male lead. If you mind, you can skip this one. If not, you can read it! The third book is about Shen Jiayu and Pei Yan. Note that the male lead isn't chaste, and the female lead isn't. If you mind, you can skip this one. If not, you can enjoy the later part where the male lead is the sole focus of his affections! Also, after the female lead serves the male lead, the male lead doesn't seek out anyone else? Initially, the male lead uses the female lead, the concubines in the harem, and the court to maintain balance and power. There are a few episodes where Lu Zhaoyuan goes to see the male lead? Later, he falls for the female lead and gradually stops using her? If you mind, you can skip this one. If not, you can read it! Anyway, I've almost forgotten about it, so I'm starting over. These three books are all by the same author, Mu Niannian. If you like reading, you can check them out!

17. 17 入 I Enter the Palace and Rise to High Rank: As His Majesty's Cousin, What Have I to Fear? 入宫即高位，我是陛下表妹我怕谁 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance477k WordsCompleted Palace intrigue + faux cousins + push-and-pull romance + winning hearts + taming a man Spring, Year Ten of the Zhaoqi reign. Shen Jiayu was summoned to the palace and became one of the emperor’s consorts. On the surface, the imperial harem seemed calm and peaceful, but beneath it lay tangled interests and hidden currents. The consorts schemed and fought among themselves, while the newcomers trembled with fear, terrified that one careless mistake would cost them their lives. Only Shen Jiayu s 234.5kReads8.9Score40.1kShelves
18. 18 步 Scheming for the Emperor's Heart at Every Turn! Her Majesty Climbs to the Top 步步谋帝王心！娘娘一路扶摇直上 Ming Family Charcoal Fire明家炭火Ancient Romance315k WordsCompleted (Not a pure romance with only one partner, palace intrigue, favored from the middle onward, and doted on exclusively in the ending) Wen Jing Tan went from a heaven-blessed darling to a confiscated palace slave, and had long since had enough of being beaten and cursed at. One day, she was framed and, by a twist of fate, sent to the emperor's side. From then on, she swore to become The Outcast, second only to one and above all others. She wanted His Majesty's favor, and her family to flourish! The 673Reads8.2Score107Shelves
19. 19 娘 The Consort Schemes Her Way to Power, and the Emperor Dotes on Her Daily 娘娘心机上位，皇帝日日宠 Ling Ling Yuan泠泠沅Ancient Romance328k WordsCompleted Song Shiwei, a concubine-born daughter of the Dali family, enters the palace in place of her elder sister, posing as the legitimate daughter. She becomes a low-ranking Seventh-Rank Baolin in the harem of Qi Jing, the fifth emperor of the Great Deng Dynasty. With no influential connections or status, Song Shiwei initially just wants to coast through each day, checking in for the daily greetings. At least life in the palace has to be better than it was at home. But in the imperial harem, getting f 318Reads7.4Score—Shelves
20. 20 帝 The Emperor Is Aloof and Hard to Approach? He Lures Me to Share His Bed Night After Night! 帝王清冷难近？夜夜诱我共枕眠！ Thousand-Pool Moon千池月Ancient Romance549k WordsCompleted [Live-action audio adaptation available] [Reborn + Palace Intrigue, Not Both Virgins + Favored by the Hero Early On, His Only Love Later + Clear-Headed Beauty Rises to Power + Emperor Becomes Love-Struck Later] [Cool, Distant, Hard-to-Approach Emperor vs. Delicate, Soft, Clear-Headed Heroine] In her previous life, Lin Wanqing was kept outside the palace as the mistress of the younger brother of the reigning emperor. She thought they were in love and that she would become his princess consort. S 3kReads8.8Score339Shelves
21. 21 宫 Beneath the Palace Walls, I Seduce Him to Steal Her Favor 宫墙之下，勾他夺宠 Strawberry Fondant草莓糖心Ancient Romance462k WordsCompleted Original Title: The Princess Becomes a Favored Consort, Bears a Little Crown Prince, and Seizes Her Sister’s Throne. [Reborn + System + palace intrigue + aloof beauty + stunning beauty + sweet romance] An aloof, noble, one-of-a-kind ruler x a delicate, alluring beauty with an innocent sensuality … Once, she was his nominally illegitimate princess (a lie), and the only stain on his life. He sent her to a foreign land to marry for peace. From atop the palace walls, she leapt, thinking she would b 22.3kReads9.1Score2.1kShelves
22. 22 皇 The Emperor's Cousin Says He Must Refuse 皇上表弟说他恕难从命 Coffee Chocolate咖啡朱古力Ancient Romance490k WordsCompleted [Completed] Younger man + sickly male lead + hapless cousins + a little palace intrigue + lighthearted Ye Su never imagined that because her fate was so strong, it would claim the lives of two fiancés, leaving her unmarried even at twenty-two. After her parents went to the palace to weep to her aunt, the Empress Dowager, it was decided that she would become a consort to her sickly cousin, the emperor. The reason was that a holy monk had declared Ye Su and the emperor’s destinies to be one strong 88.2kReads9.2Score10.8kShelves
23. 23 入 After Entering the Palace, the Obsessive Emperor Wouldn’t Let Me Leave 入宫后，偏执帝王不许我出宫 Three Days in the Capital三日京Ancient Romance509k WordsCompleted [Not both virgins, not a strong heroine, a little angst early on, devoted love later] In the fourth year of the new emperor’s reign, Consort Duan died suddenly of an illness in the palace. At the time, Shen Jiafu was not yet fifteen. The Empress Dowager was from the Shen family. Half a year later, she summoned a Shen daughter to the palace to attend to her, claiming to be ill. Shen Jiafu traveled from Quzhou to the imperial capital. In public, she was gentle and well-behaved, like a charming flo 14.1kReads9.0Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    All of these are true, but the female lead is completely innocent and guileless. Even if she were, it would only be a tiny bit, and she's the only one who truly dotes on the character. It's really, really good; I highly recommend it! [Heart emojis]

24. 24 退 After Breaking Off the Engagement, the Foolish Princess Marries the Ninth Lord with Her Four Maids 退婚后，傻妃携四大丫鬟嫁九千岁 Clingy Little Tomato粘人小番茄Ancient Romance1.8M WordsOngoing [Palace Intrigue + Household Intrigue + Historical Romance + Princess Consort + Legitimate Daughter + Medical Skills + Two Powerful Leads + Cunning + Playing the Fool + Reborn + Fiercely Protective + Political Scheming] 99% of the comments are positive! Read with confidence! Su Qian, once the leader of a special forces unit in the apocalypse, died unexpectedly while carrying out a mission. With her portable medical space, she transmigrated to ancient times and into the residence of a great gener 22.8kReads8.1Score3.8kShelves

    Reader note

    No more feeling lost in a reading slump! This book is definitely worth following. The plot is engaging, the characters are compelling, and there's no disappointing ending. You won't regret reading it; you'll want more after you finish! A highly recommended gem! The plot is tight and fast-paced, with plenty of exciting moments that don't feel frustrating. The writing is smooth and immersive. Once you start reading, you'll be hooked and won't want to put it down! I've discovered a treasure of a novel, with likable characters, an explosive plot, and not a single dull moment. If you like this genre, don't miss it! [Good fortune is coming soon!]

25. 25 那 So What? His Majesty Dotes on Me Alone 那又怎样，奈何陛下独宠我 Moon Over the High Terrace月上高台Ancient Romance569k WordsCompleted The rating will rise once it’s posted + [A cold, devoted emperor and a dazzling beauty, an alternate dynasty, doted on from the start, both wholeheartedly in love and choosing each other] Jiang Yuexin is reborn. In her previous life, she and her best friend had both transmigrated. Jiang Yuexin became a consort in the palace who had beauty but no brains, while her best friend became the eldest daughter of a general’s household. She was breathtakingly beautiful, while her friend had only the rep 39.5kReads9.0Score6.5kShelves
26. 26 七 Her Seven Brothers Died in Battle, and the Legitimate Daughter Returned Darkened 七个哥哥战死沙场，嫡女黑化归来 Wild Donkey Tribe野驴部落Ancient Romance1.1M WordsOngoing [Historical romance, court intrigue, palace and household scheming, reborn, joining forces, legitimate daughter, revenge, two formidable leads, transmigrate into a book, seven older brothers, no saintly heroine, miracle doctor, adored by all, comeback, punishing scoundrels, imperial uncle, devoted husband, devoted couple] The comment section is 99% positive! Read with confidence! “Shen Nanqiao, being chosen to marry into the Eastern Palace is a blessing for your Duke of Zhenguo household!” Rebor 4.1kReads7.2Score804Shelves
27. 27 救 Help! The Horror NPCs Are Lining Up for Me to Do Their Makeup 救命！惊悚NPC都排队找我化妆 Wild Donkey Tribe野驴部落Mystery519k WordsCompleted [Horror game + NPCs + horror survival + no System] Su Qing, a workaholic makeup artist, was just working overtime. When she opened her eyes again, she had been sucked into a horror game with a 99% death rate! As she watched her teammates panic and wet themselves, the bottom-performing Slit-Mouthed Woman approached her with a pair of scissors. Su Qing despaired. But wait... This woman’s makeup is way too crude! Her professional instincts kicked in, and she blurted out, “Your makeup isn’t working. 871Reads—Score183Shelves
28. 28 勾 Seduce My Way to the Top: Your Majesty, I've Been Plotting This for a Long Time 勾引上位：陛下，我对你蓄谋已久 New Little Moon新小月Ancient Romance479k WordsCompleted [Transmigration into a book, villainess, revenge, palace intrigue, seducing her way to power] [They scheme against each other. She runs, he pursues, and she can never escape him] Blurb One Shen Jiaojiao transmigrated into a book and became the heroine of an ancient romance novel. Unfortunately, she was the former heroine. The original heroine, pitifully robbed of the male lead’s life-saving favor by the female supporting character. Heaven knows how miserable Shen Jiaojiao felt, transmigrati 16.8kReads8.5Score1.7kShelves
29. 29 病 The Mad Concubine Is Too Unhinged, and His Majesty Indulges Her Without Restraint 病娇贵妃太疯批，陛下宠溺无度 Guest from the Green Cliff in a Pillow枕中青崖客Ancient Romance681k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue | Scheming | Unhinged and possessive | Older man | Everyone protects her | Healing | Devoted to her in the second half] [Content warning] The male lead has a harem in the first half, but devotes himself to her alone in the second half. Readers who require a male lead with no past relationships should proceed with caution. This isn't a mindless wish-fulfillment story. If you like everything going smoothly, proceed with caution. Ling Qihe's birth mother transmigrated into a chaoti 24.6kReads9.2Score3.1kShelves
30. 30 改 Remarrying the Crown Prince’s Father Reborn 改嫁太子他爹【重生】 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance738k WordsCompleted [Rebirth + palace intrigue + marrying the crown prince's father] The incompetent crown prince feared the Shen family's power. He listened to slander, falsely accused her elder brother of treason, and slaughtered her entire family. When she opened her eyes again, she was seventeen, in the year before she was to marry the crown prince. To save the Shen family, she had to bring the crown prince down. But the crown prince was protected on every side, like a man locked inside an iron cage. Shen Hanyu 19.6kReads8.7Score3kShelves
31. 31 娇 The Delicate Little Cabbage Is Ravished by the Old Emperor 娇娇小白菜被老皇帝拱了 Meow Meow Monster Is Adorable喵喵怪可爱Ancient Romance380k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Sweet Romance + Alternate World + Fatherly Male Lead + Male Lead Is Not Chaste, Female Lead Is] A born workaholic transmigrated into the body of the prime minister’s legitimate daughter. At long last, all this incredible wealth had finally fallen into her lap. A doting prime minister father, a gentle mother, and a brother who adored his little sister. Power, money, and good looks were all hers. She longed for freedom and hoped to spend her life with one person, and one person a 15.1kReads8.7Score1.4kShelves
32. 32 娇 Endless Pampering: I Want You on Your Knees, Calling Me Empress Mother! 娇宠无度：本宫要你跪着喊母后！ Shallow Starry River浅末星河Ancient Romance260k WordsCompleted [Sweet and wicked troublemaking beauty × Scheming, indulgent emperor] [Age gap, male lead has a past while female lead is chaste, one step at a time he falls, powerful man bows to love, sweet and satisfying with a hint of scumminess, happy ending] In her previous life, she was the Eastern Palace’s most spoiled and headstrong consort, yet died on the eve of the Crown Prince’s coronation. As she lay dying, she heard the Crown Prince sneer, “You’re nothing but a brainless idiot. What makes you thin 1.1kReads6.7Score103Shelves
33. 33 并 Twin Blossoms, One Heart to Steal 并蒂双生夺君心 Bell Meow铃铛喵Ancient Romance357k WordsCompleted (Set entirely in ancient times, with palace intrigue. Not a one-on-one romance, and not a relationship where both leads are untouched. Please read with care!!!) The Yan Prince’s manor was home to a pair of twin sisters. The elder, Su Beixue, was plain and ugly, while the younger, Su Nanzhi, was breathtakingly beautiful. For generations, the Yan princes had guarded the border. Each was a formidable warrior, and the Su army struck such fear into other nations that none dared invade. In the thirtie 166Reads—Score—Shelves
34. 34 宫 Palace Charms: The Concubine's Daughter, a Screen Queen, Snares a Mad Emperor 宫阙媚：庶女影后钓疯帝王 Little Circle and Me小圆和我Ancient Romance182k WordsOngoing Movie queen Su Yinshuang died suddenly and transmigrated into the body of an unloved concubine-born daughter of a marquis. Selected for the palace, she was given the low rank of Changzai. The rule for surviving the inner palace: never, ever fall in love with the emperor. She knew this better than anyone. In her previous life, she had acted out every kind of romance. In this life, she wanted only wealth and honor, and would never give away a shred of her true feelings. Gentle and obedient, with e 570Reads—Score106Shelves
35. 35 惹 Why Bother With Her? She's a Toxic Tease and the Emperor's Beloved 惹她干嘛，她茶又坏是皇上心尖宠 Fish Carrying the Moon鱼衔月Ancient Romance449k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + scheming black-lotus heroine + winning power through seduction + doted on exclusively from the middle onward] [Instinctive attraction + knowing one's own heart] Everyone said Song Shuangning was a gentle, innocent beauty, with shy eyes and a slender figure. But no one knew that beneath her delicate appearance hid a schemer whose plans never stopped turning. She framed consorts, slyly tripped up her rivals, and could toss out honeyed, affected words with ease. Xiao Yan had met 31.6kReads8.9Score4.7kShelves
36. 36 娇 The Sweet Little Promise Who Rose Through the Ranks by Bearing Children 娇娇小答应靠生子一路晋升 Purple Cat紫色猫Ancient Romance355k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + System golden finger + multiple births + silly beauty + laid-back palace intrigue + doted on exclusively later + not a pure romance] Guys, how is this fair? Other women fight for favor with their family background, beauty, and talents... Qing Luo does it by getting pregnant. She spends her days having babies, raising them, and doting on them, gradually earning the emperor's exclusive favor. With her children by her side, she climbs to the top of life... 10.1kReads9.1Score951Shelves

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37. 37 综 A Multiverse Journey: Using the System to Become a Favored Consort 综穿：带着系统做宠妃 Unyielding百折不弯Female-Channel Fanfiction547k WordsCompleted (The main story is complete. The second book, Quick Transmigration: The Many Lives of the Little Worlds, is now updating.) Sun Shuya was born into a happy, harmonious family, but at a young age, she was in a car accident and died unexpectedly. After her death, she was bound to a System called the Harem Struggle System and sent to various little worlds to obtain energy and dragon aura. The heroine is gorgeous, gorgeous, gorgeous, and the most beautiful person in every world. (The author updates r 10.2kReads9.2Score552Shelves
38. 38 综 Film and TV Crossover: A Beauty Who Captivates the Nation 综影视：名花倾国 Hua Zhi华织Female-Channel Fanfiction252k WordsOngoing (The pacing in Volume One has issues and is being revised. You can start reading from Volume Two.) When famous flowers bloom together, the ruler often looks upon them with a smile. How deep, how deep the courtyard lies: willows shrouded in mist, curtains layered without end. As a quick transmigration traveler, Chu Tong journeys through one screen world after another, all to help countless supporting characters fulfill a dream of their own. Planned characters: Empresses in the Palace Xia Dongchun 16Reads8.0Score—Shelves
39. 39 快 Quick Transmigration: Lingrong's Rise to Power 快穿之陵容上位记 Grape Iceberg葡萄冰山Female-Channel Fanfiction604k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + reborn + childbirth + System] World One, Empresses in the Palace: An Lingrong is reborn, encounters a System that will make her empress dowager, and learns that she is a cannon-fodder supporting character in a novel. She will bear children, rise through the ranks, become a concubine, then a consort, a noble consort, and finally the empress dowager. Step by step, she will climb to the very top! According to the historical records, Empress Dowager Chun Ci, née An, given name Lin 144Reads6.9Score—Shelves
40. 40 重 Reborn: An Lingrong Has the Script in Hand 重生之安陵容手拿剧本 Qianqian Nan茜茜楠Female-Channel Fanfiction103k WordsCompleted Zhen Huan bashing. If that bothers you, proceed with caution. “Consort Li has passed away.” With those words, An Lingrong’s miserable life came to an end. Reborn, An Lingrong will no longer let others manipulate her. A lowly family background doesn’t matter. Watch her climb, step by step, to the pinnacle of life. 57Reads8.0Score—Shelves
41. 41 综 Film and TV Crossover: So Lovely, I Can't Help but Pity Her 综影视：我见犹怜 You Nanshan幽南山Female-Channel Fanfiction4.3M WordsOngoing She is a dodder vine, delicate and weak by nature. Her only instinct is to absorb the love of everyone around her, bringing the favored children of fate and emperors who stand above all others crashing down from their pedestals alongside her. The heroine is beautiful and utterly lovable, and she flirts without realizing it. At first, she doesn't understand love, but she'll gradually learn through these experiences. Every story is a mutually devoted one-on-one romance, and the heroine will fall i 3.5kReads9.1Score—Shelves
42. 42 风 Willows in the Wind 风中柳 Yu Ling雨泠Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Ruthless heroine➕female-lead power fantasy➕light ensemble-style palace intrigue➕face-slapping and scum-bashing➕primarily focused on building her career] (Female lead is a virgin; male lead is not) Jiang Fu, the Jiang family’s fifteen-year-old illegitimate daughter, was lovely and graceful. Unfortunately, her stepmother was cruel and her father was heartless. As an illegitimate daughter, she had no say even in the marriage that mattered most to a woman. Her family could manipulate her as they p 2.1kReads8.8Score293Shelves

    Reader note

    This is the only palace intrigue novel I've ever read from beginning to end; the female lead is incredibly virtuous!!

43. 43 重 She Was Reborn and Stole My Match, So I Married into the Harem and Went on a Rampage 重生抢我姻缘，我嫁到后宫杀疯了 Xue'er雪儿Ancient Romance651k WordsCompleted Ye Wanchen and her legitimate older sister were both reborn. In her previous life, her older sister entered the palace as a consort, only to die deep in the palace after plotting to harm the emperor’s child. Ye Wanchen married an unfavored prince. She carefully plotted at every turn to put him on the throne, only to be stabbed by the person dearest to her and die within the palace walls. Now that they had another chance at life, her older sister wanted to switch marriages and take over her fate? 324Reads7.3Score—Shelves
44. 44 白 The White Moonlight Noble Consort’s Daily Life in the Harem 白月光贵妃的后宫日常 Yuanzi Eats Mulberries元子吃桑葚Ancient Romance434k WordsCompleted (Cover used with permission) With an illustrious family background, breathtaking beauty, and the distinction of being the emperor’s moonlight, Jiang Hui should have found life as a Noble Consort effortlessly easy. Unfortunately, the sisters in all but name in the Eastern Palace, wave after wave of beautiful candidates from the provinces, and the supposed substitutes who resemble her in looks and bearing all tell her the same thing: no one can walk unscathed through the imperial harem. [Alternate 24.6kReads9.3Score1.9kShelves
45. 45 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Bewitching, and the Emperor Gives In to Pleasure 娘娘撩人魅惑，帝王纵情堕落 You Gongyu尤宫羽Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The Tomato short drama Kun Yi is now streaming~ [Transmigrate into a book, male lead is not a virgin but female lead is, palace intrigue, psychological games, happy ending] The Crown Prince, Jun Zechen, has seen his fair share of calculating women, and loves only those who are pure and kind. While campaigning beyond the frontier, he meets Ling Yue and is captivated by her free-spirited kindness. He promises to spend his life with her alone. But two years pass, and the Crown Princess has yet to c 118kReads9.5Score11.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This perfectly matches the title.

46. 46 皇 The Emperor Breaks His Vows and Spoils Me Without Restraint 皇帝破戒后宠我无度 Pinellia Fruit半夏果子Ancient Romance415k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue + Medicine + Sweet Romance + Alternate History + Obsessive Love + Scheming] Xia Qing, a genius physician from ancient times, dies in an explosion and wakes up in the Great Shang Dynasty. What? Her new identity is a low-ranking concubine who has only just entered the palace? If only she'd transmigrated a little earlier. She's already in the palace now, so how is she supposed to get out? Unexpectedly, her original identity is more complicated than it seems. She also carries the im 1.6kReads9.2Score219Shelves
47. 47 穿 After Transmigrating Into a Book, the Frail Empress Became the Emperor's Cherished One 穿书后，娇弱皇后成了皇帝心尖宠 Zhu Qing渚清Ancient Romance299k WordsCompleted Tags: domineering, devoted simp emperor × sweet, gentle empress [Double purity + fictional setting + forced marriage + not a strong heroine + pure sweetness] Ling Jiayi was an obedient college student in the modern world, with a loving, caring family. She'd never weathered any great storms. Gentle and soft-spoken, with a sweet face, she liked reading novels and daydreaming in her spare time. One day, while lying in bed and engrossed in a novel called The Emperor Is a Simp, a flash of light from 1.1kReads8.4Score101Shelves
48. 48 只 As Long as I Act Well, the Empress's Throne Is Mine 只要演技好，娘娘的凤位跑不了 A Bird's Wing一只鸟的翅膀Ancient Romance260k WordsCompleted Red bricks and green tiles, beauty all around. One shower of imperial favor, and from then on she advances step by step, finally ascending the throne to stand alongside the emperor. Her family is in decline? Her brother's career prospects are uncertain? Her sister's marriage prospects have come to nothing? See how Wen Ruo keeps true to herself in the harem, rises step by step, leads her family back to the top, helps her brother advance his career, and finds her sister a fine marriage! “This hare 2.7kReads9.0Score298Shelves
49. 49 我 With the Beloved Empress System, I Become the Prince's Favorite 我靠宠后系统，被王爷宠上天 Sweet Nine with Sugar甜九加糖Ancient Romance296k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance, sweet story] Gu Qingmei wakes up one morning to discover that she has transmigrated into the body of a palace selection candidate with the same name. “Ding! The Beloved Empress System is online. Our goal: defeat every obstacle and claim the throne of Empress!” Gu Qingmei looks at the emperor across from her, carefully holding out the imperial seal, and smiles alluringly. That was easier than expected. Xie Lang looks at the young woman in front of him, who's angry with him, a 722Reads9.0Score100Shelves
50. 50 贵 The Imperial Consort Reigns Supreme in the Harem 贵妃娘娘宠冠后宫 Pine Ink and Smoky Elegance松墨韵烟Ancient Romance676k WordsCompleted [First novel, read at your own risk] The three armies welcome the imperial carriage! General Yun personally leads the way! The Emperor himself comes out to greet it! Who on earth is sitting inside that carriage? How can they deserve such a grand reception? “What village did you crawl out of? Who else could be treated like this by those two?” The younger sister of General Yun, the Yun family’s legitimate daughter, Yun Qing: the imperial consort personally appointed by the Emperor, and the apple o 884Reads7.8Score103Shelves

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