Any Stories About a Farmer’s Son Taking the Imperial Exams Without Becoming Top Scholar? No Wish-Fulfillment Stories!!! 有没有农家子科举，但不是状元的，不要爽文！！！

1. 1 穿 Transmigrated to the Countryside: A Young Farmer's Road to the Imperial Exams 穿越之农家独苗苗的科举之路 Zhang Rubai张如白Ancient Romance2.5M WordsCompleted [Born into the Past + Farming + Imperial Exams + Fleeing Famine + Warfare] The slow-paced everyday life of a boy from a rural family in ancient times! Zhang Ping'an gets a new lease on life when he transmigrates to an ancient farming family. Fortunately, they are fairly well-off, so no one has to go hungry. He has six older sisters, and he is the only boy his parents had long hoped for. His parents favor sons over daughters, and all six sisters are fierce. He thought he was in for a story about 29kReads8.7Score2.8kShelves

   Reader note

   This story features a protagonist who wasn't the top scholar in the imperial examination and almost failed, but still managed to get into the bottom of the second tier due to factional infighting. It's quite good.

2. 2 卷 An Ordinary Life for a Workaholic in Ancient Times 卷王在古代的普通人生 Chi Chi, Keep It Up尺尺加油Historical525k WordsCompleted Chen Rui, an agriculture student in the modern era, transmigrates to the fictional Great Xia Dynasty and becomes the great-grandson of Chen Wang, a former company commander who has retired from military service to farm. With his family’s help, he enters officialdom through the imperial examinations and uses his knowledge to make sure the people under his jurisdiction have enough to eat. A heads-up: this isn’t a conventional power fantasy. It has a laid-back, slice-of-life feel, and the male lead 1.9kReads8.3Score145Shelves

   Reader note

   The first and fourth books are ordinary imperial examination novels, which you read step by step. At the beginning, you're very poor, and these kinds of stories are great for passing the time. The following are all completed imperial examination novels.

3. 3 为 To Avoid Planting Rice, I Work Hard to Pass the Imperial Exams 为了不插秧，努力考科举 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [The short drama adaptation is now streaming] A modern SSS-rank researcher dies suddenly and transmigrates to the Great Xing Dynasty. His health is so poor that he's not allowed to pick rice in the fields until he's six. Sunstruck and light-headed, Li Jing decides that farming with this body is a risky business, so he immediately resolves to study for the imperial examinations. That's what he's good at; the transplanting can be left to the professionals! The following year, now named Li Yiqing, 23kReads9.3Score2.2kShelves
4. 4 古 The Daily Life of an Ancient Couple Making Money and Raising Kids 古代夫妻赚钱养娃日常 Zhuang Sheng Mi庄生迷Ancient Romance735k WordsCompleted A local ancient couple's everyday struggle to save money and raise their child! The village's most beautiful embroiderer × a clever, capable accountant × their smart, well-behaved son! See how this family rises from humble farming roots and climbs the social ladder! The story of Chen Qiuyue and Zhao Huaiyu, a couple born and raised in ancient times, who work hard to save money and pay for their child's education after starting a family. They succeed in raising their child to excel, and their fa 7.4kReads8.6Score554Shelves
5. 5 寒 The Road to the Imperial Examinations for a Poor Scholar 寒门科举之路 Moon Glutinous White月糯白Historical821k WordsCompleted After surviving alone in the apocalypse for three years, Yang Han is betrayed by his teammates and scratched by a zombie. Unwilling to turn into one and get his head blown off, he takes his own life. To his surprise, he transmigrates into the body of a farm boy, the only son of a family with a thousand acres of fertile land. He can't handle the backbreaking work in the fields, and since all professions are inferior to studying, he has no choice but to set out on the path to the imperial examinat 193Reads8.6Score114Shelves
6. 6 寒 The Poor Scholar's Rise 寒门贵子 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical2.1M WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the body of a penniless scholar, Jiang Feng thought about how his computer science degree from his previous life was utterly useless here… Then it occurred to him: “Of all pursuits, studying is the noblest. I’ll just have to grit my teeth and take the imperial exams!” He kept going, and when he suddenly looked back, he had risen to the highest offices, expanded the empire’s borders, and built an unprecedented legacy! P.S. The new book, A Poor Scholar of the First Rank, 34.2kReads9.1Score3.4kShelves
7. 7 寒 A Proud Son of a Poor Family 寒门骄子 Swallow's Nest Eagle燕窝鹰Historical1.1M WordsCompleted “Transmigrated to ancient times? Don't panic. I was a chemistry PhD in my previous life. Surely I can invent a few things this era has never seen and make a fortune, right?” Watch as the hero puts his knowledge from his previous life to good use, amasses an astonishing fortune, earns the title of top scholar, marries a beautiful heiress, reaches the pinnacle of life, and changes the entire world... 14.9kReads9.0Score1.4kShelves
8. 8 苏 Su Chen'an's Journey Through the Imperial Exams 苏辰安的科举之路 Dream of Nine Hundred Million Girls九亿少女的梦梦Historical1.1M WordsCompleted Su Chen'an, a master of Chinese painting, had finally wrapped up an exhibition. Just as he walked out of the building, a flowerpot full of sunflowers came flying at him. He died on the spot. When he woke up again, he was almost starved to death inside his mother's womb. Every day, he teetered on the brink of starvation. He felt that if he absorbed even a little more nourishment from the amniotic fluid, his mother might die. But if he absorbed even a little less, the embryo that was him would pro 10.2kReads8.3Score877Shelves

   Reader note

   🍅🍅At the start, the protagonist's mother has already given birth to two girls and is pregnant with another. She can't have any more children after this one, but thankfully it's a boy. The protagonist's family is poor, but he's been quite talkative and clever since childhood, recognizing herbs and having his family sell them. At five, he went to study in another village and was noticed by a teacher. He formally became an apprentice with his friends. After that, he took the imperial examinations, wrote poems, and helped his family with their business. The story is still ongoing.

9. 9 都 Since I've Been Reborn, I'll Master Both the Pen and the Sword 都重来了，我当然要文武双全 Ximen Kun西门坤Historical1.6M WordsOngoing Set in an alternate early Ming Dynasty, this is a story about a science student who transmigrates. Simple middle-school physics experiments are enough to amaze everyone. He sparks a scientific awakening, founds a new school of thought, and brings materialism into Confucianism to accelerate social progress. You just need a little scientific knowledge. You can do it too, and there’s no golden finger!! 1.7kReads6.5Score101Shelves

   Reader note

   The second grandson of a small rural landlord, a science student, time-travels and takes the imperial examinations step by step—it's incredibly realistic!

10. 10 种 Farming Didn’t Work Out, So I Made My Fortune Through the Imperial Examinations 种田不成，只好科举发家 Artemisia蒿菜Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After being transmigrated into a womb, Song Yingzhi was reborn too. In his previous life, Song Yingzhi had been born into the body of a child in a dirt-poor farming family. During the day, he worked in the fields with the men of the household. At night, he slept in the pigsty. When he was sixteen, his grandmother decided to sell the family’s pigs so Song Yingzhi could marry a wife, then cleaned out the pigsty and turned it into his bridal chamber… After getting married, Song Yingzhi became even 3.9kReads7.4Score455Shelves

    Reader note

    It's very good; it's not like the usual formulaic essays about filial piety, brotherly love, and respect for elders—it's exceptionally well-written.

11. 11 农 An Ambitious Country Boy's Life in Ancient Times 农家小子的古代上进日常 The Hibernating Donkey冬眠中的驴Historical6.2M WordsOngoing After transmigrating into the body of a farmer's son in ancient times, a poor student had no choice but to embark on the long road of the imperial examinations to improve his family's life. He sought neither wealth and status nor a high salary or lofty office in this life. All he wanted was to protect his family and give them a peaceful life. 40.7kReads9.2Score3kShelves

    Reader note

    In the first book, the male protagonist possesses the talent of a top scholar, and the emperor specially grants him fifth place. In the second book, he becomes a third-place scholar, the only male in his family, and the youngest son of his parents in their old age. His imperial examination process goes smoothly. In the third book, the male protagonist is an orphan, living alone. The female protagonist comes from a post-apocalyptic world and possesses supernatural abilities, but she only uses them to protect the male protagonist when needed.

12. 12 和 After Splitting from My Terrible Parents, I Married a Sickly Powerful Official 和极品爹娘分家后，嫁给病秧权臣 Cool Autumn Night Rain夜雨秋凉Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Farming + supernatural powers] Shen Hongguo transmigrates from the Apocalypse. Compared with the horrors of the Apocalypse, the world she finds herself in is peaceful and comfortable. If there's anything to complain about, it's her awful family: a cowardly father, a fierce stepmother, a little brother who acts like a bully, and a stepsister who seems to know the future. Shen Hongyue has been reborn. Her previous life was unbearably miserable, but she won't repeat the same mistakes this time. S 1.2kReads9.0Score103Shelves
13. 13 寒 The Imperial Exam Routine of a Poor Butcher's Son 寒门屠户之子的科举日常 Diki DaddyDiki粑粑Historical3.3M WordsOngoing The Wang butcher family is full of burly men, all tall, broad, and muscular, like a whole den of reincarnated black bears! But their youngest son, Wang Sanniu, is the odd one out: frail, delicate, and liable to fall over in a breeze. Standing beside his family, he looks like a little fox that wandered into a bear’s den. Butchering pigs? The moment pig’s blood splashes over him, he faints! Farming? The hoe is taller than he is! With the family fearing he’ll become a good-for-nothing, his mother m 188.1kReads9.0Score24.1kShelves

    Reader note

    The story follows a farmer's son taking the imperial examinations. The family is warm and united, there are no scoundrels, and the teachers and friends he encounters are all influential figures. What I enjoy most about novels about the imperial examinations is the exam questions and their analysis, and this novel does this very well.

14. 14 这 This Top Scholar Plays by His Own Rules 这个状元路子有点野 The Foundation of One's Life立身之本Historical2.3M WordsCompleted [Farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + lighthearted] My Parents Flipped the Table and Quit, So I Want to Take the Imperial Exams Too Just as Wang Xuezhou was about to reach the peak of his life, he transmigrated. The good news: in this life, his parents were loving, and his siblings got along. The bad news: the whole family was pinching pennies to fund his eldest uncle's studies. They had next to nothing and were living on coarse grain and wild greens. But before he could flip t 51.6kReads8.9Score6.4kShelves

    Reader note

    All three stories depict characters rising from humble beginnings to achieve great success. I've somewhat forgotten whether any of them became top scholars, but they're still worth reading.

15. 15 农 A Country Girl’s Daily Life of Preparing for the Imperial Exams 农家女的科举日常 Panda Loves Life胖达爱生活Ancient Romance780k WordsOngoing [System + No CP + Women's Imperial Exams + No Cross-Dressing as a Man + Academy Life + Slow Pace + Alternate World] In her previous life, as an orphan with no family to support, Zhuge Yunshu lived an utterly carefree, lazy life. Perhaps even Heaven couldn't stand to see it anymore. It killed her with a piece of falling debris, and she was reborn as a farmer's daughter in ancient times. In this agrarian society, men and women alike had no choice but to work in the fields once they reached the app 22.6kReads8.9Score2.7kShelves

    Reader note

    ① The male protagonist only has a small part of a system, relying mainly on his own hard work and diligence in taking the imperial examinations. His life isn't achieved overnight, but he perseveres time and time again for himself and his family. ③ The female protagonist transmigrates to an ancient farming family where both men and women can take the imperial examinations. To seize the opportunity to change her fate, she dares not slack off for a moment, using her intelligence to stand out from her many brothers and sisters.

16. 16 我 I, San Mao, Will Take the Imperial Exams 我，三毛，要科举 Muscle Boss肌肉头子Historical563k WordsCompleted [Alternate world + farming + imperial examinations + everyday family life] One brick was all it took to turn Chen Ping'an into a poor farmer’s son. Farm the land? The taxes are too high. He shakes his head and gives up. Go into business? He’d still be stuck with corvee labor. No, that won’t work either. That leaves only one path. Fortunately, as he pursues his studies, he has the support of a teacher and several like-minded friends by his side. Along the way, Chen Sanmao overcomes one challenge 1.1kReads7.4Score100Shelves

    Reader note

    The male protagonist in this book transmigrates into the body of a poor farm boy. He's not good at this, and he can't do that, so the only path left is the imperial examination. It's a rather ordinary story, nothing particularly dramatic.

17. 17 说 They Called Me Sickly, So I Turned Around and Made a Name for Myself in the Imperial Exams 说我病殃子，我转身科举争光 King Smile笑笑大王Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Farming + Alternate Ancient Setting, Imperial Exams, but Not a Conventional Exam Novel, Romance] My new book, [Reborn with the Appearance of an Eighteen-Year-Old, While My Children Are Already Twelve], is now updating. Please give it your support. Wang Erxiao was in the prime of his life when he transmigrated, born into the body of a farm boy named Wang Erxiao in the Great Liang dynasty. The Wang family now has three generations living under one roof. Counting his biological and cousin sisters, 26.4kReads7.2Score2.4kShelves

    Reader note

    It's a newly released book, and it's very good. The male lead has very positive values.

18. 18 惊 What?! I Transmigrated into a Farmer's Son from the Start, and Now He Wants to Take the Imperial Exams 惊了！开局穿成农家子，他要科举 Luo Yi落矣Historical802k WordsCompleted [Famine + transmigration + System + farming + imperial examinations + daily life] Shen Yu woke up one morning to find that he had transmigrated. It was bad enough for a science student to end up in ancient times, but he’d arrived in the middle of a famine, with his family having nothing to their name. Luckily, he unlocked a red packet group. Without it, how could he possibly survive in this strange world? The Shen family had one daughter after another. At last, the third son’s family had a bo 1.4kReads8.3Score107Shelves
19. 19 科 The Exam-System Bargain Hunter Accidentally Wins the Whole Empire 科举捡漏王，一不小心捡了个天下 Fan Yuxing凡与星Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [Imperial Exam Fiction] [Alternate History] [One Heroine] [No Golden Finger] Xie Qi thought he had died, but one day he woke up to discover that he had transmigrated into the son of a poor farming family in an alternate dynasty. The only way to change his fate was to take the imperial exams! After finally passing the exams and becoming the top scholar, Xie Qi was badly set up by the emperor. He was sent straight to the most remote prefectural city. Since he was here, he might as well make the be 67Reads7.0Score—Shelves
20. 20 何 The He Clan's Palace Graduate 何氏传胪 The Tangerine Who Dreams of Getting Rich做梦也想暴富的橘Female-Channel Fanfiction599k WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + business + farming + native protagonist + romance] Born into a family of scholars and farmers, he comes from a long line of officials. His direct relatives now include a third-rank court official, but his own branch is so distant that they have been excluded from the clan for five generations. To restore the family’s former glory and stop his grandmother and grandparents from being mocked, he has only one path: the imperial examinations. He takes exam after exam, builds 664Reads6.7Score—Shelves
21. 21 小 The Daily Life of a Minor Official's Son Preparing for the Imperial Exams 小官之子科举日常 Ninth Day of the First Month良月初九Historical377k WordsCompleted [Woman Transmigrates into a Man + Imperial Exams + Farmer's Son + No Problematic Family Members + No Pocket Dimension + No Golden Finger] Lin He, a graduate student in history, transmigrates into the Great Qi, a dynasty that never existed in history, and goes from being a woman to a man. His family has nothing to its name: his father is a catlike academic prodigy, his mother a tigerlike farmer, and Lin He's life is a constant struggle. Fortunately, his father earned the jinshi degree early on, a 1.8kReads8.8Score130Shelves
22. 22 举 Your Whole Family Hopes You'll Pass the Scholar Exam, but You Top All Six? 举家盼你中秀才，你六元连中？ A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.5M WordsCompleted [Imperial examinations in the early chapters + farming + everyday life + lighthearted + court politics later on] In his previous life, Shen Zhou was in poor health and cultivated himself through a quiet, disciplined lifestyle, becoming rather indifferent by nature. Then he transmigrated to an ancient peasant family. The entire Shen family pooled their resources to support the original owner’s studies, hoping only that he would pass the county-level examination and become a licentiate. Sadly, the 14.7kReads8.7Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    🦟🦟 Imperial Examination + Daily Life + Relaxed Life + Imperial Court: Shen Zhou, who has a congenital illness, transmigrates into the body of a peasant boy. Good news: Healthy body, all limbs intact. Bad news: Burdened with debt, failed the examinations three times. Shen Zhou: A bad start. His teacher tells him to go home and think things through before returning to school. Shen Zhou understands. He returns to school, but becomes his classmates' nightmare. "Family members, who understands? This guy's efforts are sporadic." The most infuriating thing is, he actually passed the exams! His classmates weep. Shen Zhou helplessly shrugs: "I don't care about passing the imperial examinations; I'm not a scoundrel."

23. 23 卖 Selling Vegetables and Studying, Then Becoming the Top Scholar 卖菜读书，结果高中状元 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.1M WordsCompleted After Shen Qingfeng dies alongside the Zombie Emperor in the apocalypse, he transmigrates to an alternate dynasty called Great Chu and becomes a child in Ning'an Village. The boy, nicknamed Dog Egg, is frail from birth, suffers from heart disease, and has a lowly name. Luckily, his proper name is Shen Yu'an. After studying for a few months with the elders, Shen Yu'an decides to take the imperial examinations, only to discover that his ancestors were exiles, and the descendants of exiles for thre 5.5kReads8.9Score573Shelves
24. 24 阿 Sister, I Passed the Imperial Examination! 阿姐，我中举了！ The Mantis Loves to Dance螳螂爱跳舞Historical647k WordsCompleted Scholar Chen studied hard all his life but never passed the provincial examination. Before he died, he told his eldest daughter, “You must make sure your younger brother studies and earns an official title. Otherwise, I won’t be able to rest in peace!” An elder brother is like a father, and an elder sister is like a mother. Bearing her father’s final wish, Chen Zhaodi resolutely laid down her terms: “If you want to marry me, you must send my little brother to school.” While everyone else in the 4.7kReads8.6Score350Shelves
25. 25 科 A Zhuangyuan Emerges from a Farming Family Through the Imperial Exams 科举农门出了个状元郎 September Jojo九月玖玖Historical608k WordsCompleted After finally making something of himself as an orphan, he opened his eyes in the darkness and found himself a five-year-old idiot in ancient times. From the start, the Husky System tricked him into going deep into the mountains, telling him to be independent and figure out how to survive there alone. To hell with that! I have a home and a family. There’s just one problem: this family is dirt poor! No worries. Getting rich and passing the imperial exams are well within his abilities! This is a s 365Reads6.9Score—Shelves
26. 26 我 I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examinations 我，孙山，科举 Ximen Qizi西门七仔Ancient Romance4.7M WordsOngoing “Imperial exams + transmigration + farming + exams + no space System” “Romance included, devoted male lead. The female lead is his childhood sweetheart, but she appears infrequently. Romance is not the main plot.” “The male lead rises step by step through hard work and good luck.” “The male lead is no good at scheming, but he gets things done and has technical skills.” “The imperial examination system is based on the Ming and Qing dynasties.” After an accident, he is transmigrated into the womb 47.9kReads8.8Score3.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Here are a few novels featuring rural youths taking the imperial examinations that fit your criteria. The protagonists aren't top scholars, and they're not typical wish-fulfillment stories. Please check them out.

27. 27 我 I Made My Way to Prosperity Through the Imperial Exams 我靠科举奔小康 Lemon Loves Milk柠檬爱吃奶Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted There are awful people. No golden finger (Though being a modern person who transmigrates might be the biggest golden finger of all!) After transmigrating, Song Zhixue wants only to change his life of toiling in the fields from dawn till dusk. 20.2kReads8.2Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    Transmigrating to ancient times, Song Sihe possesses a brilliant mind but no special abilities. He bids farewell to his life in the fields and embarks on a path of success through the imperial examinations. This farming romance is not a mindless wish-fulfillment story; it's steeped in classical charm.

28. 28 宝 My Precious Grandson's Journey to the Imperial Exams 宝贝孙子的科举之路 Mo Rui墨芮Ancient Romance223k WordsOngoing My grandma is what everyone calls a nightmare, but she absolutely dotes on me and gives me anything I want. In that case, I'll make sure she gets to live a life free of worries, with fine clothes and plenty to eat. (No romance between people of the same sex. None. Any mentions of it early on are just a misunderstanding.) 4Reads8.1Score—Shelves
29. 29 科 The Imperial Examination: I’m from a Humble Family 科举：我是寒门子弟 Autumn Wu秋梧Historical675k WordsCompleted After an earthquake, modern college student Chen Xiao transmigrates to the fictional Great Zhou dynasty, becoming the son of a poor farming family. He has a widowed mother, a virtuous wife, and a child who is four months away from being born. Looking at his family’s utter poverty, Chen Xiao decides to take up the original owner’s ambition of passing the imperial examinations and lead the whole family toward a bright future... 1.1kReads7.7Score105Shelves
30. 30 过 With a Photographic Memory, Isn’t It Only Natural I Came First in the Imperial Exam? 过目不忘，我中状元正常吧？ Mountaineer登山客Historical1.3M WordsCompleted Lu Chengan forgot to drink Granny Meng’s soup. One day, he transmigrates to a remote mountain village in the Great Zhou dynasty and becomes the second son of the Lu family’s second son. To take the imperial examinations, Lu Chengan has no choice but to urge his father to better himself. Before he knows it, his father becomes an official. Lu Chengan: Does he still need to work hard? 47.9kReads8.6Score5.1kShelves

    Reader note

    This new book fits the bill perfectly. Unlike previous imperial examination novels, it has a fresh approach and is very well written. I'm currently following it... The male protagonist comes from a poor family and, after experiencing various injustices, strives to change his fate through the imperial examinations!

31. 31 重 After Rewriting the Family Tree, Smoke Rose from the Ancestors' Graves: I'm Rich! 重开族谱后祖坟冒青烟，发家啦！ Astonishing Swan Takes Flight惊鸿鹊起Historical898k WordsCompleted [Business] [Imperial Exams] [Alternate Setting] [Everyday Life] [A Touch of Romance] Modern intangible cultural heritage video editor Li Yanning is in a car accident and transmigrates into the body of Li Yanning, a frail five-year-old boy. His biased grandfather and sharp-tongued step-grandmother are ready to let him die! Luckily, his reliable birth parents go all out to protect him. So touching... But after the family splits up, they're left with nothing. His parents are bullied, and his greedy 3.7kReads8.6Score321Shelves
32. 32 科 I Came First in the Imperial Exams and Became a Just Official in Ancient Times 科举成状元，我在古代当青天 The Crown Prince Who Loves Radish Meatballs爱吃萝卜肉圆的王储Historical1.2M WordsCompleted An ordinary female college student is reborn in an imaginary ancient dynasty, where she becomes a man. As he struggles to adapt to this era, he sees the hardships of the common people, the extravagance of the powerful elite, the integrity of scholars, and the opportunism of politicians. This is a society ruled by a brutal class system. Unluckily for him, he has been reborn here, and all he wants is to live with dignity. Study, take the imperial examinations, become an official. At first, he only 1.2kReads8.5Score101Shelves
33. 33 一 A Poor Scholar of Noble Character 一品寒士 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical1.6M WordsCompleted [Single heroine, semi-fictionalized Tang Dynasty] In an era when the great aristocratic clans looked down on the imperial family, Zhao Quan was born to a farming family and entered school carrying the hopes of his parents and six older brothers. Farming was out of the question: even the village head’s family had no food to spare… So he had no choice but to take the imperial exams and become an official. 10.2kReads9.3Score888Shelves

    Reader note

    The imperial examination system for farmers.

34. 34 全 My Clan Raised Me to Greatness, So I Gifted Them Purple Robes 全族扶我青云志，我赠族人朱紫袍 Uncle Jianghe江河大爷Historical2.2M WordsOngoing After dying suddenly from overwork, workaholic Chen Yan is reborn as the only son of a newly born provincial graduate in the Great Liang Dynasty. His father is successful, so Chen Yan promptly decides to lie flat and enjoy the good life, with food brought to him and clothes laid out for him. But when he learns at the age of six that he was switched at birth with a farmer's child, his life takes a turn. The day the fake young master returns to the Chen family, he goes out to work in the fields an 214.1kReads9.3Score21.3kShelves

    Reader note

    These two books are truly masterpieces among imperial examination essays; I'm absolutely right about ten years of letters.

35. 35 科 The Imperial Examinations: Rising to the First Rank of Officialdom 科举之官居一品 Nine Jin of Fat九斤肥肉Historical826k WordsCompleted Synopsis: A scholar in the morning, admitted to the imperial court by night. The protagonist begins as a young scholar from a farming family and rises step by step through the imperial examination system. In the end, he earns a place on the honors list, becomes a jinshi, and enters the ranks of officials. After becoming an official, he works his way up through the bureaucracy until he reaches the highest rank and governs the realm as chief minister, guiding Chinese civilization to become the mos 2kReads7.6Score101Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended! A newly released time-travel, alternate history, farming, and imperial examination novel: ① The 30th year of the Southern Dynasty. Lin'an County, Longmen Town, Chenjia Village. July, the sun blazing. A brick, and Chen Ping'an was transformed into a poor farmer's son in ancient times. Reborn, Chen Ping'an didn't want to be a farmer dependent on the weather, so he could only study and participate in the imperial examinations. Originally, he only wanted to pass the county-level examination to protect himself. When his eldest sister got married, he found that the county-level examination was not enough, so he had to continue to work hard. When he looked back, he found that he had already stood high and far enough.

36. 36 普 An Ordinary Man’s Road to the Imperial Examinations 普通人的科举之路 The Sea in Deep Spring春深的海Historical448k WordsCompleted [No transmigration] [No rebirth] [No System] [No golden finger] For eight generations, the Qiao family had been poor peasants. Hardly anyone in the household could read more than a few characters, yet somehow a promising scholar emerged from their midst. Qiao Shan is a country boy with no photographic memory and no family fortune. His family has to tighten their belts just to give him the chance to study. Watch this young boy carve out a path to the heavens through countless days of hard work, t 2.9kReads8.4Score208Shelves

    Reader note

    This isn't about someone who achieves the highest honors in all three levels of the imperial examinations; the protagonist simply studies diligently, making for a very enjoyable read.

37. 37 从 From Little Kid to Top Scholar, I Cheat My Way to the Top 从幼童到状元，我一路开挂 Dreaming Back to Childhood Songs梦回童歌Historical2.1M WordsOngoing [Alternate-history fiction + imperial examinations + slice of life + no golden finger] Here, clan ties are more important than life itself, and clan rules take precedence over the law. When Qin Haoran was three, his father was killed in a bloody fight over water rights. According to clan rules, the entire clan was supposed to raise the family that had lost its breadwinner. But fate's cruelty was far from over. Three years later, his young mother, unable to bear a life of loneliness and widowhood 59.6kReads8.6Score4.5kShelves
38. 38 我 I Was Already Eight When Grandpa Finally Passed the Provincial Exam 我都八岁了爷爷才中举 The Sixth of Madam Six六夫人的老六Historical1.5M WordsCompleted The transmigrator has a smaller role in the early chapters. The protagonists are Liu Lin and the transmigrator Liu An. I, Liu An, have been transmigrated for eight years, and only now has Grandpa passed the provincial civil service examination! In the thirteenth year of the Wanli era of the Great Ming, forty-two-year-old Liu Lin passes the provincial examination. Years later, Liu Lin gazes at the plaque reading “Four Jinshi from One Family” and falls into deep thought. Follow the protagonist’s g 2.8kReads6.9Score221Shelves

    Reader note

    This is not a wish-fulfillment novel; it's a story about one person passing the imperial examination in the Ming Dynasty and their entire family rising to prominence.

39. 39 古 A Guide to Surviving as a Lowborn Son in Ancient Times 古代庶子生存指南 Ms. Cabbage包菜女士Ancient Romance412k WordsCompleted [The male lead transmigrates without a golden finger; domestic family life; studying for the imperial examinations; the female lead appears late; fictional historical setting] After transmigrating as the concubine-born son of a civil official in an unknown dynasty, Huaize planned to take life easy and be a contented freeloader in the ancient world. But Huaize had hoped to keep to himself, only to discover that in an age when collective punishment was common, everyone in a prominent family had 7.8kReads8.4Score594Shelves

    Reader note

    I remember that this person didn't get the top score, but only the second-highest score, which was enough to pass the time.

40. 40 穿 Transmigrate to a Farming Family, Aim for the Imperial Exams 穿越农家，科举为上 Tang Qinghan唐轻寒Ancient Romance305k WordsCompleted Wang Xi had a heart condition as a child and was abandoned at an orphanage. He worked odd jobs to put himself through college and finally landed a pretty good job. After three years of working diligently, just as he was finally able to give something back to the orphanage where he grew up, he suddenly died while working overtime one night. Reborn into a farming family, Wang Xi is now a little boy named Li Shuanzi. He knows all too well that if he wants a better life, passing the imperial exams i 3.6kReads8.9Score224Shelves

    Reader note

    Reborn into an ancient farming family as the sickly second son, despite having terrible relatives, his parents, siblings, and he siblings are united in their efforts to live a good life. Without any powerful advantages, he lives an ordinary life.

41. 41 女 A Woman in a Man's Body: A Country Boy's Road to the Imperial Exams 女穿男：极品农家小子的科举 Hei Ma黑吗Ancient Romance531k WordsOngoing [Female-to-male transmigration + farming + imperial examinations + changing her fate + everyday family life] Liu Shu was on his deathbed when he transmigrated into the body of a little boy. His father was crafty, his mother slippery, his older brother simple-minded, and his older sister fiery. He was both lazy and greedy, so he had two flaws to his name. By chance, he learned that his family was the eldest branch's human ATM, the kind they would grind to the bone and still squeeze dry. This... T 4Reads6.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all quite good.

42. 42 全 My Entire Clan! Supports My Imperial Exams 全族！供我科举 Yang Chan Who Loves Braised Yellow Mutton爱吃焖黄羊肉的杨婵Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Imperial exams + transmigration + imperial exams + no golden finger, no System. The story draws on the privileges enjoyed by scholars in the Ming dynasty! The clan elder was a licentiate, and that was the only reason Baihu Village was protected. Now the elder is gone, and no new licentiate has appeared. The entire clan can only pool its strength to support one child. Just one licentiate can improve life in the village, give the children a future, boost the village economy, and make officials thi 13.8kReads8.5Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    The frustration is very real; highly recommended, I'll definitely binge-read it.

43. 43 古 Daily Life Raising Children in Ancient Times 古代养娃日常生活 Shui Bo1984水波1984Ancient Romance911k WordsCompleted [Ancient times]+ [Dual Transmigration]+ [Raising children]+ [Alternate history]+ [Family life]+ [No personal dimension]+ [No golden finger] Mu Yi’an is an agricultural schoolteacher in her thirties who never married and nearly got kicked out by her own mother. Jiang Shuyun is a high school politics teacher in his forties and a committed non-marriage, non-parenthood advocate. His parents are away most of the time and respect his choices. An elevator accident sends them both to the fictional Da Li 13.6kReads9.2Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    The story follows a couple who travel back in time to ancient China, becoming the second son and daughter-in-law of a village schoolteacher. They decide to work together to make a good life for themselves. The male lead later passes the imperial examination but doesn't become an official; instead, he returns home to teach at an academy. The female lead focuses on agriculture and raising children. It's watchable; a decent way to pass the time.

44. 44 歹 Even Bad Bamboo Can Grow Good Shoots, An Ge Got into High School! 歹竹出好笋，安哥高中了！ Forgetting Alt忘却阿尔特Historical568k WordsCompleted [Imperial examinations + family life + bringing glory to the family + single heroine, appearing later] In the modern world, Li Xing'an was just a struggling comic artist who had never achieved much. He worked himself to death from exhaustion. When he opened his eyes again, he found himself reborn as a poor boy in a remote backwater. The ramshackle mud-brick house leaked whenever it rained. His unreliable father was a useless layabout, and his mother was so furious she stood with her hands on her 2.1kReads7.3Score133Shelves

    Reader note

    It's not a typical wish-fulfillment story; it's quite lighthearted, with both setbacks and satisfying moments.

45. 45 穿 I Transmigrated to Ancient Times and Still Reached the Pinnacle of Life 穿越古代照样走上人生巅峰 Walking Little Chili Pepper行走的小米椒Historical680k WordsCompleted Li Fengnian gets hit by a car and is sent straight to the ancient world to start his life over. In this life, he is born into a peasant family. They are poor, but at least his parents love him and his grandparents dote on him. Along with his own shamelessness, that makes for a pretty decent life. The only problem is that farming is exhausting! He just can’t do it. Luckily, his father is dependable: he divides the family’s property and sends Li Fengnian to school. Hoping to make life easier for h 1.5kReads8.4Score112Shelves
46. 46 此 This Road Leads Straight to the Azure Clouds 此去直上青云路 Qing Suisui卿岁岁Historical603k WordsCompleted Li Yu, courtesy name Zixuan, originally named Shen Dakui, was from Shunqing Prefecture, Sichuan, and his ancestral home was Huangzhou Prefecture, Huguang. He ranked twenty-sixth in the second-tier examination in the second year of Xing'an. A politician, financier, firearms expert, hydraulic engineer, military strategist, educator, and more in the early years of the Dayong dynasty... Li Yu lost his father at an early age and followed his mother when she remarried Li Gang, the patrol inspector of 25.7kReads8.6Score2.4kShelves
47. 47 朱 A Scholar from a Humble Family in the Zhu Household 朱门寒士 Catch Turtles and Embrace the Moon捉鳖揽月Historical317k WordsCompleted A family of scholars, but who deserves a bowl of chicken soup? Climbing out of poverty: how many can fit on that narrow path? During the Jiajing reign of the Great Ming, the Zhu family hall in Zhuhe Village hosted a silent contest every night. The chicken soup's oily sheen floated only in the bowl of the eldest grandson, Zhu Yawen. The whole family tightened their belts to support a promising young scholar who had struggled for more than a decade without even passing the county-level examinatio 215Reads6.0Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a slow-burning but excellent book about a protagonist from a poor farming family in the Ming Dynasty who almost couldn't afford to go to school. His life is full of hardships and misfortunes.

48. 48 科 The Imperial Exams? Just Another Way to Take the Civil Service Exam! 科举？不过是换个地方考公罢了！ Braised Braised Pork红烧红烧肉Historical196k WordsOngoing [Civil Service + Imperial Exams + Humble Origins + Transmigration + Slow-Paced + Historical + No System + Not Brain-Dead] Lin Shuheng spent years grinding away at an entry-level civil service job. He had just passed his evaluation and was about to be promoted to deputy section chief. While imagining how he’d climb the ranks step by step, he died suddenly from overwork and transmigrated into the body of a poor scholar in ancient times. With the imperial exams looming, the original owner had been —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Try these books

49. 49 农 The Imperial Tutor's Road to the Civil Service Exams 农门帝师的科举之路 Ju He雎禾Historical1.0M WordsCompleted Imperial Examination, One-on-One Romance After an accident, a young man from the modern era transmigrated into the Great Qian Dynasty. Looking at his family’s dilapidated brick house, Qi Wenyu wondered how he would make a living from then on... 21.3kReads9.2Score2kShelves
50. 50 我 I Debate the Classics with Great Scholars in the Embroidered Uniform Guard 我在锦衣卫跟大儒辩经 A Grain of Rice in the Vast Blue Sea沧海茫茫粒米身Historical1.2M WordsOngoing Yang Zhi, a top salesman and philosophy graduate student in his previous life, transmigrates to the end of the Zhengde era of the Ming Dynasty. Through a twist of fate, he joins the Embroidered Uniform Guard, passes the imperial examination, enters the Hanlin Academy, and debates the classics with the great scholars at court! 5kReads8.8Score354Shelves

    Reader note

    You're not looking for the top scholar, but for my Ming Dynasty imperial examination and court intrigue novel! My writing is excellent, the historical background is authentic, and the plot is driven entirely by real historical events. It's definitely not some mindless, feel-good story like porn! You won't be able to put it down!

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