In the Mood for Imperial Exam Stories 想看科举文了

1. 101 寒 Poor-Born Child Prodigy: At Five and a Half, I Face-Slap My Entire Clan in the Imperial Exams 寒门神童：五岁半科举打脸全族 Feast 3盛宴3Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [Genius child from the start, satisfying comeback, putting every skeptic in their place!] Xu Fei is a five-and-a-half-year-old farm boy who was born into an ancient era, yet is treated as a “nobody” by his family. His biased grandmother makes him work and feed the chickens, while every egg goes to his thirty-year-old uncle, a licentiate who has yet to pass the imperial exams, and his “child prodigy” cousin! Xu Fei is furious: Pretend to be a prodigy? I can do that, too! He recites poetry in publ 4.7kReads8.0Score334Shelves
2. 102 烟EN Misty Rain Tower 烟雨楼 A Night of Misty Rain一夕烟雨Eastern Fantasy9.5M WordsOngoing [The print edition is now available nationwide at all major retailers] "Traditional xuanhuan" "No harem" In the land of Jiuzhou stands a tower called the Misty Rain Tower. Its master, Li Qingzhi, is hailed as a peerless prodigy, holding life and death in his hands beneath the cover of night. Yet what the world doesn’t know is that someone else stands behind the Misty Rain Tower, its true founder. Using the guise of a spoiled young master as cover, he manipulates the winds and clouds and plots ac 868.2kReads9.6Score68.1kShelves
3. 103 三 The Language of the Three Corpses 三尸语 Luo Xiaoyang洛小阳Mystery1.1M WordsOngoing You’ve heard of people who died with their eyes open, but have you ever heard of a dead person whose mouth wouldn’t close? His grandfather’s death turns the life of a broke college student upside down. A corpse glares, a soul is hooked; a corpse opens its mouth, and disaster strikes twice. As one bizarre incident after another unfolds, he accidentally discovers that there’s far more to it than ghosts… 69.1kReads9.3Score10.7kShelves
4. 104 午 Midnight Fortune-Teller: Humans Keep Away, Ghosts Come Forward 午夜算命师：人回避，鬼上前 West of the Clouds云间之右Mystery1.7M WordsCompleted Everyone knows about fortune-telling, but have you ever heard of telling fortunes for ghosts? Just because you've never heard of something doesn't mean it doesn't exist. If you ever come across a fortune-telling shop with its doors still open in the middle of the night, don't go looking for excitement. Because the people waiting in line might not be people… 35.4kReads9.0Score2.6kShelves
5. 105 超 Super Scary Livestream 超级惊悚直播 Yuwen Chang Gong宇文长弓Mystery2.2M WordsCompleted "Welcome, everyone, to the Supernatural Scary Live Stream. Before we start today's broadcast, I have to tell you that only three kinds of people can watch this stream: those with a heavy aura of yin energy, those who will die within seven days, and the third kind, which I can't discuss in detail. I can only give you one warning: watch your back!" 25.3kReads9.2Score3.3kShelves
6. 106 古 The Daily Life of an Ancient Couple Making Money and Raising Kids 古代夫妻赚钱养娃日常 Zhuang Sheng Mi庄生迷Ancient Romance735k WordsCompleted A local ancient couple's everyday struggle to save money and raise their child! The village's most beautiful embroiderer × a clever, capable accountant × their smart, well-behaved son! See how this family rises from humble farming roots and climbs the social ladder! The story of Chen Qiuyue and Zhao Huaiyu, a couple born and raised in ancient times, who work hard to save money and pay for their child's education after starting a family. They succeed in raising their child to excel, and their fa 7.4kReads8.6Score554Shelves

   Reader note

   These are all highly-rated completed imperial examination novels that I've finished reading. They're all 1v1, the third one is a cross-dressing story without a romantic pairing, and the second one is a female-to-male transmigration story. None of them have any major flaws; they're all quite enjoyable.

7. 107 穿 Transmigrated to Ancient Times to Take the Imperial Exams in a Farming Novel 穿越古代在种田文里考科举 Mu Zixi木子熙惜Ancient Romance429k WordsCompleted [Rags-to-Riches Reversal + Political Intrigue + No System] He wakes up to find himself the son of a dirt-poor farming family. His parents are counting on him to change their fate through study, while the whole village waits to see him make a fool of himself! Wen You'an says, “What’s there to panic about? A top student is a top student anywhere! A scientific approach to exam prep? Coming right up! Targeted poverty alleviation to improve the family’s lot? Absolutely!” From the county exam to the p 425Reads6.1Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   This looks good. [Thinking]

8. 108 魔 The Demon Venerable Is Reborn as a Baby and Helps His Father Pass the Imperial Exams 魔尊胎穿崽，陪爹考科举 Show-Off with the Hazard Lights On显眼包开双闪Ancient Romance663k WordsOngoing [Reborn and reincarnated from infancy; farming in the early stages; imperial exams in the middle; officialdom later on; warm family bonds; no romance; adored by everyone] The Demon Lord Shen Yan got a fresh start one day, only to be reborn by mistake as a child born to a cuckold. His cheap father had been cuckolded so badly that his head was practically green-black. So what? At least he had a father now! His father was in poor health? No problem. Three-year-old Shen Yan dragged over a big stool, 1.3kReads9.0Score104Shelves

   Reader note

   The Demon Lord died during his tribulation and was reborn in ancient times, where he became his father's cuckold [facepalm].

9. 109 全 The Whole Village Supports Me, a Seven-Year-Old, in the Imperial Exams 全村供七岁的我考状元 Taro Balls Milk Tea Extra Pearls芋圆奶茶多珍珠Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [The rating is low because the book just came out. It’ll rise.] Modern engineer Chen Liyan transmigrates into the body of a seven-year-old boy in Shanghe Village, the poorest place in the Great Xia Dynasty. Here, getting an education is an unreachable dream. Then a sudden natural disaster nearly wipes out the village’s last hope. At this desperate moment, Chen Liyan draws on knowledge far ahead of its time to propose a way to fight the disaster and turn the tide. He also improves the tea-making 544Reads7.4Score106Shelves

   Reader note

   This book is excellent; I've finished reading it. The classical Chinese text is also very easy to read. The later development of the prosperous era and the relationship between the emperor and his ministers, including the use of strategies, is very well done. Highly recommended!

10. 110 百 A Top Scholar Hailed by a Hundred Sages! And You Call Him a Sour Confucian Scholar? 百圣齐鸣的状元郎！你管这叫酸儒秀才？ Pretending to Be a Fish, Playing in the Water扮鱼戏水Eastern Fantasy2.7M WordsCompleted Also known as: I Became a Sage Through Reading [Transmigration] [Feel-Good Wish Fulfillment] [The Way of Literature] A masterpiece of Confucian cultivation: [Takes off at Chapter 89, explodes at Chapter 93] “If you, Lin Yi, had not been born, the literary path would have languished in darkness for ten thousand years!” This is a world where reading grants literary talent. Lin Yi reads Earth’s Classic of Poetry, Songs of Chu, Han fu poetry, Tang poetry, and Song ci poetry, cultivating a noble spir 822Reads8.8Score143Shelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended! Highly recommended! Highly recommended! I can't stress this enough! [Laughs][laughs][laughs]

11. 111 侯 The Marquis's Estate Honors Class 侯府重点班 Passion Fruit百香果果Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted The print edition of The Marquis’s Elite Class is now available [adorable children + parenting + doting in-laws + lighthearted + healing] Xu Wan becomes a widow the moment she marries into the family. All she wants is to keep her head down and enjoy the freedom of being a marquis’s wife. But on the very day she arrives, her stepson, a notorious little menace throughout the capital, gives her two nasty surprises in a row. Xu Wan grabs a knife and charges out, making a name for herself across the 60.3kReads9.6Score8.5kShelves

    Reader note

    🌿🌿🌿An ancient version of a claw machine game. The female lead is a widow upon marriage and has a stepson. Initially, they don't get along, but after the female lead's guidance, the unruly child transforms into an adorable little devil. As a result, rebellious sons from various official families flock to the Marquis's mansion, making the number of students in the Marquis's elite class increasingly larger. Three years later, the Vice Minister of Rites, responsible for the imperial examinations, lamented to the heavens: "We can't select them all! We simply can't select them all! They're all top-tier candidates!"

12. 112 穿 Reborn as a Farmer’s Son, I’m Doted on by an Apocalypse Tycoon 穿成农家子，末世大佬宠夫郎 Milk Mochi奶麻薯Two Male Leads919k WordsOngoing After two years in the apocalypse, Ji Zhenli had finally built a base of his own, only to be ambushed by an ordinary zombie and transmigrate into the body of a child in the Hua Dynasty. Fine! If he'd transmigrated, then so be it. But… to make life better, Ji Zhenli decided to show the people of the Hua Dynasty the power of an overachiever. With the mindset that if he wasn't worked to death, he could work even harder, Ji Zhenli passed all four imperial examinations in a row. In the capital, he me 1.6kReads9.2Score132Shelves

    Reader note

    Having survived two years of the apocalypse, Ji Zhenli transmigrated into the body of a nine-year-old child, giving the ancients a taste of the intense competition of life. The themes of family and friendship are beautifully portrayed. She falls in love with her husband at first sight, and upon seeing him again, she is completely devoted to him, declaring, "He is the only one for me." She even kneels before her master, asking, "How can I be worthy of Qing-ge'er?"

13. 113 开 My Ancestors’ Graves Started Smoking from the Start: Disguised as a Man, I Take the Imperial Exams 开局祖坟冒青烟，女扮男装科举忙 Jiang Suiwan江岁晚Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Xie Yuheng transmigrates from the Apocalypse to a farming household, where a tyrant rules the land. With no other choice, she disguises herself as a boy. As she grows older, everyone in the surrounding villages comes to know that the Xie family's prodigy has an exceptionally clever mind. Too bad he's a sickly weakling who can't lift a finger or carry a load. Bystander: “You're so noble, so impressive! Your sickly family member just kicked someone through a wall!” The Xie family: “Does the head o 12.1kReads9.2Score1.7kShelves

    Reader note

    I can't believe there isn't a novel about the imperial examination system with the handsome Xu family's "Bright Moon Prince" and the ethereal Xie family's "Fairy Princess"! It's incredibly good, no romance, female lead disguised as a man, calm, rational, and shrewd, a pure and aloof genius with unparalleled beauty—a true white moonlight! 🔥🔥

14. 114 六 Top Scholar in All Six Exams, but I Just Want to Slack Off 六元及第，只想摆烂 Youlong莜茏Historical167k WordsCompleted Su Yan transmigrated and became a frail farmer’s son, sickly since birth. Faced with a poor family and a body that seemed ready to collapse at the slightest breeze, he planned to pass the imperial examinations, secure an easy official post, and live comfortably on his salary. Instead, after placing first in all six rounds of the examinations, he found himself busier than ever. 24Reads—Score—Shelves
15. 115 科 The Imperial Examination: Starting by Talking My Parents into Splitting Up the Family 科举，从忽悠爹娘分家开始 Clear Blossoms Reflect a Cool Face清花照凉颜Historical1.0M WordsCompleted Li Yunzhi was born in a province known for its fierce competition in the civil service exams. Millions of people sat the exams every year, and under his parents' urging, he kept taking them year after year. At last, he stood out from the crowd and secured a civil service post. But before he could tell his parents, he was in a car accident and transmigrated to a dynasty called Great Wei. Looking at his family of impoverished peasants, their bare cupboards, and several downright awful relatives, L 3.3kReads7.9Score229Shelves
16. 116 从 Starting with Ying Zheng: Emperors of Every Dynasty Arrive One After Another 从嬴政开始：历代君王陆续降临 A Bowl of Hot Dry Noodles来碗热干面Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [Lighthearted + humorous + adventure] History buffs, enter at your own risk After Qin Shi Huang died, he was transported to a walled city. One day inside equaled one year in the outside world. Each time the city gates opened, the setting was different, bringing all kinds of fantastical adventures. On the third day, Hu Hai arrived. “Father, you have to get justice for me!” Twelve days later, Liu Bang arrived. “Brother Zheng, don't tell me you still don't know your Qin has fallen!” Wang Mang arriv 136.4kReads9.6Score21.6kShelves

    Reader note

    😁😁Watch as the system master stirs up the ancient clan strife!

17. 117 当 When the Clan Got a Cheat 当宗族开了外挂 Bagui Clan八桂门阀Historical821k WordsCompleted In 1841, the twenty-two-year-old scholar Mo Wenhua of Ning Tan Town in Lingnan accidentally binds himself to the Doubao System. The Taiping Rebellion is already brewing in the shadows, and the small Mo clan is in grave danger. Tailored to the realities of mid-to-late Qing-era Lingnan, the System provides plans for agricultural improvements, resource management, military training, and anticipating crises. With its help, Mo Wenhua begins by resolving the clan’s struggle to survive, then gradually 61Reads—Score—Shelves
18. 118 烽 The Mo Clan Rises Amid the Tumult of the Late Qing 烽起清末莫氏崛起 Bagui Clan八桂门阀Historical253k WordsOngoing In the twenty-ninth year of the Daoguang reign, a severe drought struck Guangxi. The land was strewn with the dead, and the flames of rebellion were already spreading in secret at Jintian. Mo Zhenbang, a modern graduate student of Qing history, opens his eyes to find himself a scholar of the Mo clan in Beiliu County, Wuzhou Prefecture. He inherits a complete mess: “eight hundred mu of poor fields with falling yields, a thousand clansmen waiting to be fed, and a fifty-tael loan shark pounding on 6Reads—Score—Shelves
19. 119 八 The Eight-Gui Clan 八桂世家 Bagui Clan八桂门阀Historical908k WordsOngoing In the early years of the Xianfeng Emperor's reign, the fires of war spread across Guangxi as the Mo clan beneath Mount Zijin was swept into the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom movement. To preserve the ancestral shrine and keep the family rites alive, clan leader Mo Wenhua maneuvers between Qing forces demanding provisions and Taiping troops recruiting soldiers. Some young men in the clan join the Taiping army in search of a way forward, while others stay behind to guard the ancestral home and protect —Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 120 害 Afraid of Bug Bites, I Transmigrate to Take the Imperial Exams 害怕虫子咬，穿越考科举 Wind Tugs at the Clouds风挽云Ancient Romance414k WordsCompleted [Woman transmigrates into a man + imperial examinations + farming + family life] Song An’an was a brilliant lawyer who had worked hard through years of study and finally established herself in Shanghai. Before she could enjoy her apartment and luxury car, a sudden car accident sent her transmigrating back to an unknown dynasty. Given a second life in a poor farming family, she is lucky that her parents are young and capable, and her four older sisters dote on him. Song Anshun decides to settle i 537Reads6.9Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These are imperial examination novels, very good. There are a few where the female protagonist transmigrates into the male's body; I've read them all. They tell the story of a peasant boy struggling to study and gradually rising to a high position.

21. 121 女 A Woman Reborn as a Man: I'm a Farmer's Son, and I'm Taking the Imperial Exams 女穿男：穿成农家子，我要考科举 Xi Liuer西流尔Ancient Romance406k WordsCompleted [No CP, no heroine + woman transmigrates into a man's body + born into a new body + farming + imperial exams + a little business + fictional setting] Song Huaiyu dozed off for a moment and transmigrated into the body of someone from a poor family. Fortunately, she grew up in the countryside in her previous life, so farming and foraging in the mountains came naturally to her. Song Huaiyu sold goods from the mountains and raised livestock, but the money she earned went only toward improving her 126Reads5.6Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A female protagonist transmigrates into a male imperial examination novel; she is reborn into the womb and begins her early education at the age of three.

22. 122 红 An Ordinary Person’s Daily Life Taking the Imperial Exams in the World of Dream of the Red Chamber 红楼背景下路人科举日常 The Studious and Ambitious Prince An好学上进的安亲王Female-Channel Fanfiction1.1M WordsCompleted A second transmigrator appears because the plot requires it, but he'll be written out soon. If you don't like that, don't read! Wang Xin, a mediocre university student, transmigrates to an unknown ancient world. His family owns only a few acres of good farmland. His father, Wang Cheng, is a former playboy who doesn't know how to run a household, while his mother, Madam Zhang, is cheerful and outgoing. His grandfather spends every day reminiscing about the time their family was affiliated with a 6.4kReads8.3Score574Shelves

    Reader note

    They are all super beautiful.

23. 123 女 A Woman Transmigrates as a Man: An Unwed Father’s Journey to the Imperial Exams 女穿男，未婚成爹我要科举考状元 Good Little Sea Bream鲷鱼乖乖Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted She was a bona fide college student, and transmigrating into another body was one thing, but becoming a woman in a man's body and suddenly a father was another. And as if that weren't enough, they expected her to find them wives. She was utterly speechless. She didn't even have a wife herself. “I... Your dad's chest hurts. Help me to my room so I can lie down.” On the first day, her eldest son, Li Qingzhou, asked her that night, “Dad, why do you take a lamp to the latrine?” “...Can’t I go look 1kReads8.8Score104Shelves
24. 124 我 I'm a Seven-Year-Old Prodigy, and I'll Earn Six Honors in the Imperial Exams 我七岁神童，科举路上六元及第 Heaven-Defying Abstract Meow Meow Lord逆天抽象喵喵君Historical731k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Su Mingli was a genius with a photographic memory. In this life, he was born into a poor family in the Great Zhou Dynasty and awakened the wisdom of his past life at age seven! Just look at this family: bran porridge every day, an honest older brother and sister-in-law working themselves to the bone, a good-for-nothing cousin, Su Mingzhi, who has failed the children's imperial exam six times, and parents nearly driven mad by the imperial examinations! Su Mingli: ...I can't 34Reads8.8Score—Shelves
25. 125 穿 Transmigrating to Ancient Times, I Lead My Entire Clan to Success Through the Imperial Exams 穿越古代我靠科举带飞全族 Blueberry Sauce Pancake蓝莓酱香饼Ancient Romance534k WordsCompleted [Imperial examinations + Female transmigrates into a male body + Farming] [There is a romantic pairing, and the male lead is devoted to one person.] In the modern world, she was an overworked 996 employee with a degree from a top-tier university. In ancient times, she became a man! Born to a farming family, he doesn’t want to spend his whole life farming, nor become a low-ranking merchant’s apprentice. With no particular skill to rely on, the only path to changing his fate and his family’s fate 805Reads7.1Score120Shelves
26. 126 古 A Young Master's Daily Life as a Scholar in Ancient Times 古代少爷读书日常 Linlin Loves You for Ten Thousand Years琳琳爱你一万年Ancient Romance327k WordsCompleted Also known as Back to the Days of Youth at Yuzhang and The Eldest Legitimate Grandson’s Code The everyday life of a young nobleman in ancient times, a favored son of heaven (school + family life, etc.) Yuzhang’s spirited yet chaotic student life at the Imperial Academy! P.S. He transmigrates into a book, with no golden finger and no CP, though he does have a wife who serves as a tool and whom he feels no affection for. The male lead will take the imperial examinations and become an official. The 5.5kReads6.9Score493Shelves
27. 127 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

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    🌸Civil Service Examination Novels, Check This Out!👇🏻👇🏻👇🏻 🌸The male protagonist studies diligently for sixteen years, finally graduating from university, only to be struck by a falling object and transmigrated into the body of a seven-year-old boy in ancient times. To survive in ancient times, he begins his arduous journey to pass the imperial examinations. 🌸The male protagonist transmigrates into the body of Wen Huaize, the illegitimate son of a civil official. Originally hoping to settle down and enjoy a peaceful life within his family, he finds himself in an era of strict "collective punishment," where the fate of the family is inextricably linked, making it difficult to remain unaffected. Through his wisdom and relentless efforts, Wen Huaize gradually rises in status within the family, integrating himself and influencing family decisions.

28. 128 科 The Road to Success Through the Imperial Examinations 科举之青云路 A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.2M WordsCompleted In his previous life, Lu Sheng was a spoiled rich kid. After being born into a farming family, he regains his memories at the age of three when his cousin pushes him to the ground over two pieces of pork crackling. Among the four paths of scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants, working for someone else is out of the question. With his poor knowledge of farming, he couldn't even support himself, so it looks like the imperial examinations are his only way to change his fate. From then on, Lu S 1.8kReads7.7Score130Shelves
29. 129 重 Reborn as a Young Scholar in a Farming Family 重生之农家小书生 Smiling Dove笑白鸽Historical1.5M WordsCompleted Xiao Han transmigrated to ancient times as a little boy. He had planned to coast through life, eating his fill and waiting to die, but the System, desperate to meet its performance targets, tried every trick to tempt him, from sweet-talking him to feeding him poisonous motivational slogans. Xiao Han gradually veered onto a path no one had planned for. He had only wanted to help his family achieve a comfortable life, but he aimed too high and accidentally reached the pinnacle of success. Xiao San 2kReads8.7Score138Shelves

    Reader note

    See, see, except for the last book which updates too slowly, all the others are finished.

30. 130 农 A Farm Boy’s Journey to the Imperial Exams 农家娃的科举生涯 Cai Xincheng蔡欣程Historical434k WordsCompleted Li Shan is born into ancient times with memories from before, but he has amnesia. Even so, the belief that he must study, despite growing up poor, is etched into his bones. In the end, this impoverished family, mocked by everyone, really does produce an official. He brings prosperity to the community and grows into a great figure renowned throughout the history books... A heads-up: The author came up with many of the settings, systems, and so on on the spur of the moment. Readers who care about 233Reads6.5Score—Shelves
31. 131 穿 The Moment After I Reincarnated as the Dowry Bride 穿成陪嫁下一秒 Solving Worries in Dreams梦里解忧Two Male Leads1.9M WordsCompleted Two men + mutually faithful + domestic life + dual career struggles + imperial examinations and court politics After a fire, Meng Wan transmigrated to a dynasty he had never heard of and became a male companion to a young lady from a duke's household. Before he could figure out where he was, the next moment he was bound hand and foot and sold off by the young lady. Meng Wan: “? ... Mmmph!!!!!!!” Song Tingzhou lost his father as a child, and his mother raised him alone. Defying everyone's obje 30.5kReads9.5Score4.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Super good! ① Dual male leads: Meng Wan, after surviving a fire, transmigrates to a dynasty she's never heard of, only to be tied up and sold off by a young lady the next second. Song Tingzhou lost his father at a young age, and his mother raised him single-handedly. After he failed the imperial examination for the third time, she finally agreed to let him get married first. However, his fiancée eloped with someone else, and his mother, fearing he would be depressed, actually bought him someone else from the street! Song Tingzhou: "I've studied the classics since childhood; I absolutely cannot marry a wife without a betrothal!" Then he suddenly fell in love. ② Shen Yu'an studied with his elders for several months, wanting to take the imperial examination, only to discover that his ancestors, exiled for three generations, were ineligible to take it. What a disastrous start! Seeing her grandson's utter dismay, Wang Shi quickly comforted him: "It's true that three generations are ineligible for the imperial examination, but don't worry, grandson, you're the fourth generation; you can take it, you can take it." Early on, it's a story of wits and courage against the village chief, a satisfying read; later, he becomes an official and even kills a prince.

32. 132 穿 A Transmigrator’s Guide to Supporting a Family in Ancient Times 穿越古代养家实录 The Pigeon in the Dove Cote鸽子窝里的鸽子Ancient Romance450k WordsCompleted Transmigration + face-slapping + putting scumbags in their place + making money Ning Fan, a modern IT professional, dies from overwork and transmigrates to ancient times. He becomes the eldest son of the second branch of the Ning family, which has just been split off and thrown out. The moment he wakes, his wicked grandmother shows up to cause trouble. Ning Fan boldly stands up for his family and face-slaps her. Then he turns around and sees a leaky roof, bowls cleaner than their faces, and a wh 1.2kReads8.8Score101Shelves
33. 133 重 Reborn in Dream of the Red Chamber as Jia Huan, the Concubine’s Son 重生红楼之庶子贾环 A Fisherman's Son Who Can't Swim不会游泳的渔民子弟Historical2.6M WordsOngoing A doctor transmigrates into the Jia household of the Jia family in Dream of the Red Chamber, becoming Jia Huan, the most useless son born to a concubine. Follow his efforts as he rises step by step, blooms like a lotus, escapes his predicament, and makes up for the story's many regrets. 69.3kReads9.1Score4.9kShelves
34. 134 徐 Xu Erlang's Road to the Imperial Exams 徐家二郎的科举之路 Youqin Yan'ai有琴烟霭Ancient Romance463k WordsOngoing After an accident, Xu Xu, a modern university student majoring in traditional Chinese medicine, transmigrated to an ancient farming family. To give himself and his family a better life and keep them safe, he embarked on the long road of the imperial examinations. He passed and became a county magistrate in a remote region, eventually rising to the highest ranks of government. 39Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This person changed their social standing through the imperial examination.

35. 135 经 An Economics PhD Takes the Imperial Exam, Making the Young Masters Cry from the Start 经济博士考科举，开局卷哭众少爷 Time and Boat时与舟Historical501k WordsCompleted Wang Jingchen, an economics PhD, wakes up in ancient times as the youngest son of a tenant farming family of displaced people. His parents rent land from a local gentry family and run a small sundries stall on the side. Making a living is hard, yet the whole family supports his education. His classmates are all from wealthy families, and a local gentryman's son sneers at him: “A displaced tenant farmer's son thinks he deserves to take the imperial exams?” Wang Jingchen smiles calmly. “Just watch 1.8kReads7.7Score197Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book is a completed and excellent read. The second is also a highly rated and popular book, though updates aren't very frequent, but it's already over 600,000 words. The third is a new book I'm currently reading, over 100,000 words, and it's been quite well-written so far; those interested can check it out.

36. 136 寒 The Humble Scholar-Poet 寒门小诗仙 Lin Sier林四儿Historical500k WordsCompleted [Lighthearted + Transmigration + Alternate History + Imperial Examinations + Martial Arts + Detective Work] What do you do when your wife goes missing from the start? Help! Urgent! Waiting for replies online. Chen Rong had spent half his life writing novels, but never imagined that the truck he’d used countless times to send his protagonists transmigrating would send him off too. Couldn’t you at least have given me a System? I don’t know how to do a damn thing… That familiar trope of starting ou 21Reads8.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Perfect fit, also known as: My wife got lost, but I picked up a bunch of beautiful women along the way.

37. 137 穿 Transmigration: The Daily Life of an Ancient Imperial Exam Candidate, Son of a Peddler 穿越：商贩之子的古代科举日常 Bai Qiqi百柒柒Historical1.2M WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Alternate History + Everyday Life in Ancient Times + Building Wealth + Slow-Burn + Coming of Age] In his previous life, Lin Xiang’an lost his parents at a young age and grew up dependent on others. After getting into college, he took a leave of absence to serve as a conscript. When he returned from the military and resumed his studies, he started a few businesses and gradually made his fortune. He achieved success at a young age, and his business kept growing. Then, one 2.5kReads7.9Score182Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book tells the story of a child who transmigrates into a tofu seller, takes the imperial examinations, and learns martial arts. The second book begins with him becoming an orphaned student who leads his entire village to prosperity. The third book tells the story of a scholar who, after passing the county-level imperial examination, finds the world in chaos and leads his family to flee famine.

38. 138 大 The Second Prince of the Hongzhi Era of Great Ming 大明弘治家的二皇子 Tang Dynasty Yanzu大唐彦祖Historical1.1M WordsCompleted [Little one] [Growing up] [Slow-paced] After transmigrating to the Ming dynasty, Zhu Houwei grows from a human pup into a young man, witnessing the grandeur and turmoil of the Hongzhi era. He sees the suffering of the common people and the unfair tax burden, as well as land being consolidated while the wealthy feast behind red gates. Hongzhi Emperor: Houwei, you're steadier and cleverer than your brother, and more learned and capable, too. You must do your best to assist your elder brother in th 14.2kReads8.6Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    The shrimp series on Douyin is pretty good!

39. 139 冒EN Impostor of the Langya Clan 冒姓琅琊 Eastern Zhou Young Master Nan东周公子南Historical1.6M WordsOngoing (Also known as “The Matter of Me Pretending to Be a Nobleman of the Southern Dynasties”) To transmigrate isn’t a dinner party. It’s a deadly game at every turn. The south is beautiful, yet lofty ambitions often fade away. Since ancient times, the Southern Dynasties have been weak, their heroes short-lived. No golden finger, no System, and no second chance at life. Everything starts from zero! Original owner’s memories: none! Identity: none! Supplies: none! When transmigration becomes reality, ho 493.7kReads9.7Score71.7kShelves
40. 140 别 While Others Take the Official Exam, I Farm: Saving Myself Decades of Detours 别人考官我种田，少走弯路几十年 Chi Zhaozhao池朝朝Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Song Buci transmigrated, but he wasn’t born into a wealthy family or a high-ranking household. Instead, he became Song Fuyu, a nine-year-old farm boy and young scholar from Songjia Village! He thought his journey would take him into the cutthroat world of court politics, full of intrigue and betrayal. But before he could even set out, consumption laid him low, his family was destitute, and he was going hungry. Did all of them want him dead? Thunder boomed beneath a moonless sky, and a wild boar 3.5kReads8.9Score292Shelves
41. 141 我 My Proud and Talented Lady of the Marquis’s Manor 我的侯府傲娇才娘子 When Bai Ze Arrives白泽来时Historical1.8M WordsCompleted Also known as: “I Just Transmigrated and Picked Up a Proud Marquis Household Heiress” and “One Female Lead” Food gives life continuity. Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song give it charm. A little wealth, fame, and success give it grandeur. Gu Zhengyan transmigrated and unexpectedly won first place in a poetry competition. He even married a young lady from a marquis’s household, only for the furious marquis to throw them both out. Gu Zhengyan took his wife back to his impoverish 31.7kReads9.0Score2.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Rebirth and Imperial Examination Counterattack

42. 142 重 Reborn: From Stripped Scholar to High-Ranking Court Official 重生：从除名秀才到位列公卿 Busy Doing Something Worthwhile碌碌有为Ancient Romance806k WordsCompleted [Reborn + imperial examinations + solving cases + farming + daily life + rekindled romance] [An imaginary dynasty] In his previous life, Qin Yunhe angrily divorced his childhood sweetheart and wife. After that, his life took a sharp turn for the worse: his wife and children were gone, his mother died, and his brother passed away. He never recovered. Years later, he finally began to pull himself together with encouragement from an old friend, only to hear that his childhood sweetheart and former 1.6kReads8.8Score174Shelves
43. 143 丁 A Child-Free Couple Transmigrates to Ancient Times and Raises Eight Kids 丁克夫妻穿越古代养了8个娃 Xi Yu犀渔Ancient Romance560k WordsCompleted Chen Xuening and Zhai Kun had been a loving middle-aged couple for over twenty years. Both had grown up in an orphanage, where even having enough to eat was considered a blessing. They struggled through childhood with too little food and clothing, then worked hard to build a comfortable family fortune. But it seemed Heaven had no intention of rewarding their efforts: after twenty years of marriage, they still had no children. Eventually, they accepted their fate. They thought that if Heaven was 5.8kReads9.2Score849Shelves

    Reader note

    This one is also good. It's about a husband and wife who both transmigrate, raising seven children—seven of their own and one adopted—and having a special ability to thrive in ancient times.

44. 144 穿 I Transmigrated into a Debauched Scion Who Had Done Countless Evil Deeds 穿成作恶多端的纨绔子弟 Little Prickly Head小刺头Ancient Romance365k WordsCompleted 40Reads6.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The content of the imperial examination is very detailed!

45. 145 寒 The Poor Scholar 寒门文星 One Stroke Downstream一笔如下游Historical902k WordsOngoing Chen Yan, a six-year-old farmer’s son, beats the powerful minister’s son in the county exam and takes first place. Overnight, he goes from a poor country boy to the literary prodigy everyone in town is talking about. But he knows that being first is a poisoned chalice. The Vice Minister of Personnel’s son hates him to the core, the county magistrate is plotting to ruin him, and even his uncle’s family is eager to take a bite out of him. In his previous life, he was a master of classical studies. 49Reads9.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The author's writing is good, the plot is tight, and the storyline is excellent.

46. 146 穿 Transmigrate, Turn the Imperial Exams Around, and Raise a Wife 穿越，科举逆袭养媳妇 Passerby A Z路人甲ZHistorical340k WordsCompleted [One heroine + imperial examinations + transmigration + alternate history + devoted husband] Zhang Yue feels a sudden wave of dizziness. When he wakes up, he has become the illegitimate son of the Zhang family's second branch. Just thinking about being an illegitimate son gives him a headache, but then he sees his gentle, tender concubine mother and the First Madam, who has always looked after him, and feels like things might just work out after all... Life is hard. Yue sighs!!! 329Reads7.4Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    He transmigrated into the body of an illegitimate son, possessed the golden finger of a library, opened his own restaurant and partnered with merchants to sell handicrafts, his legal mother became pregnant and framed his concubine, he was castrated and his family property was divided, and he even managed to get the emperor to grant his concubine an imperial title by using cement...

47. 147 让 You Were Supposed to Take the Imperial Exam, Not Read the Examiners’ Minds 让你考科举，没让你透视考官心思 Full Moon of the Eighth Month仲商八月望Historical2.3M WordsCompleted [Mind Reading + Antiques Appraisal + Imperial Exams + Power Over the Court] From the start, he is just five years old, with a destitute family and a wicked grandmother who forces his mother, on the verge of giving birth, to die, all to repay his uncle's ten-tael gambling debt? Lin Zhao waves his little hand, and his head smacks into an overpowered golden finger! With a single glance, he sees through people's hidden schemes. He hears every greedy thought, and can even see through all things to id 663Reads7.5Score100Shelves

    Reader note

    Check out this book. The male protagonist transmigrates into the body of a five-year-old farm boy. The early chapters focus on everyday family life, while the middle chapters explore his studies and the imperial examinations. All the characters feel very realistic; it's not a mindless wish-fulfillment novel.

48. 148 重 Reborn in the 1960s: The Old Woman's Rise 重生六零：老太太的崛起 Sweet and Sour Orange Fish糖醋橙子鱼Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Reborn in the late 1960s, an imperfect heroine who grows over time, then a fiery old lady; explosive gossip; family squabbles early on, then the heroine builds a career; ensemble cast] In her previous life, Grandma Xia gave everything she had to her family. She raised her three sons to adulthood and helped them start families and careers. She should have been able to enjoy her golden years, but her sons kicked her out, and she died on a rainy winter night. When she opened her eyes, Grandma Xia 7.5kReads9.0Score768Shelves

    Reader note

    Women are slowly awakening; this is worth watching!

49. 149 中 A Traditional Chinese Medicine Doctor in Ancient Times: My Frail Husband Works His Way Up to Grand Secretary 中医穿古代：病弱夫君卷成首辅了 Crispy Broccoli脆脆西蓝花Ancient Romance491k WordsCompleted [A romance-averse, emotionally steady physician of traditional Chinese medicine x an unlucky, beautiful, fragile scholar] [Transmigration + System + Medicine + Imperial Examinations + Heartwarming + No awful characters] Li Nanxing transmigrated as an ancient girl with the same name as her own, and even got bound to a medical System. Thanks for asking. I'm in ancient times, just transmigrated, and from the start I've been given a “skinny dog” of a fiancé. His father died young, his mother died of 2kReads8.8Score281Shelves

    Reader note

    The first book features Li Nanxing, who transmigrates into the body of a girl with the same name in ancient times, and also becomes bound to a medical system. (Thanks for the invitation.) She's in ancient times, and right after transmigrating, she's given a fiancé, nicknamed "Little Dog," as her starting point. Her father died young, her mother died of illness, and she herself is broken. Pei Xueshen, the male protagonist of a poor scholar's examination novel, is a notorious unlucky guy from Datian Village, rumored to be the embodiment of bad luck. His father died when he was ten, his leg was broken at thirteen, and his mother died when he was sixteen, leaving him truly alone… On the verge of death, someone grabs his hand and tells him not to die, to live on. From a poor, unlucky guy to the top minister, she never lets go of his hand.

50. 150 摆 After I Gave Up and Married a Poor Scholar, I Became the Empress of All Under Heaven 摆烂嫁给穷举子后，我母仪天下了 Vast Misty Waters烟水阔阔Ancient Romance479k WordsCompleted [Both are reborn + a seemingly gentle but secretly ruthless hero has been plotting for years + in their past life, the emperor stole his subject’s wife + in this life, they marry young] In her previous life, Jiang Yanhuai was set up and accidentally lost her virtue to a down-on-his-luck scholar. He was taciturn and aloof, and Jiang Yanhuai didn’t want to marry him. Fortunately, her cousin took pity on her, and she married into the Cheng’an Earl’s household. But her cousin was greedy and faithles 3kReads8.2Score389Shelves

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