Female Leads Who Dominate as Responsible Empresses 女主称霸，当女帝的，要有责任心的女帝

1. 51 公 The Princess Returns to Claim the Throne, and Chancellor Yun Is Forced into Servitude 公主回国登基，云相被迫为奴 Silent Cuttlefish乌鱼无语Ancient Romance313k WordsCompleted [Female lead dominates and torments the men | All male leads are devoted only to her | Emotional and physical angst | Mutual unrequited love | Groveling to win her back | Political power games] Cangshu Guanlan was once an overlooked illegitimate princess in the imperial palace. Lonely and wretched in her youth, she had only the gentle scholar Yun Baizhou, who sincerely protected her. When Beidi invaded and demanded a hostage from the imperial family, Yun Baizhou pleaded with the emperor until h 936Reads—Score106Shelves
2. 52 薄 The Coldhearted Empress: Her Royal Husbands Marry Her, but Don’t Love Her 薄情女帝，皇夫们只娶不爱 Meng Ai Yuqi梦爱宇琦Ancient Romance604k WordsCompleted [Strong female emperor]+ [Ancient-style political intrigue]+ [Palace intrigue with twists]+ [An entire cast of unhinged beauties]+ [Male leads are virgins] She is Xiao Jingli, the female emperor of Great Zhao, with the realm in her hands and the power of life and death at her command. Her harem is a chessboard. The three thousand beautiful men are not the emperor's prisoners, but living pieces on her political game board. The refined and gentle young nobleman; The proud, untamed son of a militar 1.1kReads9.3Score100Shelves

   Reader note

   Hidden within the deep palace walls, murderous schemes lurk; the rivalry between handsome men conceals hidden secrets. Each promotion reshapes the court's power structure, while the Empress remains steadfast in her position.

3. 53 综 Wuxia Crossover: The Thrilling Life of Murong Fu, the Irresistible Heartthrob 综武侠：万人迷慕容复的爽文人生 Swallowtail in the Rain a尾尖雨燕aFemale-Channel Fanfiction675k WordsOngoing (Female-oriented power fantasy + gender-swapped Murong Fu from Demi-Gods and Semi-Devils + a wuxia crossover: Butterfly and Sword + The Legend of Lu Xiaofeng) Murong Fu was an ordinary female university student in the twenty-first century. Then, one day, she transmigrated. When she opened her eyes again, she had arrived in Northern Song times, at Swallow Island. The era, place, and surname all matched, but when she felt around below, she nearly cried. Good heavens, didn't you notice you'd gotten 230Reads8.5Score116Shelves

   Reader note

   Both of these are good; they both feature female emperors.

4. 54 快 Quick Transmigration: The Frail Darling Everyone Adores Is Caught in a Ruthless Struggle 快穿：病弱万人迷在疯狂内卷中 Biology Nerds Never Give Up生物狗永不认输Ancient Romance385k WordsOngoing [Quick transmigration + sickly beauty heroine adored by all + unconventional strong heroine + both 1v1 and 1vN romances + men competing in a battlefield of love + the heroine does not compete with other women!!!] Currently updating: Princess Anding Ruan Rouqi is a perennial bottom-ranker in the Rules Department. Without fail, her missions always end with the male lead imprisoning her yet again. Her System can't stand it anymore and requests her transfer from the Rules Department to the Supportin 4.4kReads8.6Score203Shelves

   Reader note

   Hello, my darlings! Fengfeng is here [Please follow]. The first book is about Liu Yi, a medical student who transmigrates to a chaotic world with an all-powerful doctor system. She creates deworming medicine to help soldiers expel parasites, provides free medical care to the common people, performs surgery on her superior who has been wounded by multiple arrows, and successfully becomes the leader. The second book features a female protagonist who transmigrates into Princess Pingyuan Yi. From birth, her father, Cao Rui, can hear her thoughts, and he believes she is the reincarnation of his mother. To protect her, Cao Rui personally cares for her, takes her to court, and eventually makes her the crown prince.

5. 55 我 After Reaching Max Level in the Wasteland, I Transmigrated to a Famine Year and Became Empress 我在废土满级后，穿越荒年当女帝 Zhuye竹野Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted A satisfying infrastructure-building power fantasy, not a matriarchal-world story. Ruan Xiang, ruler of the largest base in the wasteland, transmigrated into one of the refugees fleeing famine in ancient times. Finding water, irrigating fields, building filtration ponds, making bricks and building kilns, teaching people to read, pressing oil… To survive better, Ruan Xiang gathered every worker she could. Until she discovered that the imperial court was growing weak, the ministers were afraid 9.4kReads9.1Score1.1kShelves
6. 56 带 I Became the Founding Empress in Ancient Times with a System 带着系统在古代做开国女帝 Carrot Corn 11胡萝卜玉米11Ancient Romance415k WordsOngoing Strong female lead + fictional setting + farming + stockpiling supplies + infrastructure + claiming kingship in a chaotic age (Contains many original worldbuilding details.) [The male lead is mostly in the background. I'm not very good at writing romance, so this story focuses almost entirely on the female lead's career.] Transmigrated as a county magistrate, she faces starving people in front of her and Japanese pirates lurking behind. With a dilapidated county office, an emperor who exploits t 12Reads—Score—Shelves
7. 57 逃 The Famine-Fleeing Grandmother: From Exile to Empress 逃荒祖母，从流放到女帝 Great Prajna大般若Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Synopsis: [No romance + golden finger + carving out territory in a chaotic age] Mu Wanqing, who was useless and only knew how to eat, transmigrates into the body of an elderly woman in exile. Not only does a golden finger bind itself to her like a bandit, it also ties itself to her lifespan, making it hard even to die. She takes on disciples and earns points, but inflation in the points shop is downright outrageous. All she wants is to keep her head down until she dies of old age, but the wicked 1.1kReads9.3Score103Shelves

   Reader note

   This book is incredibly moving, and it doesn't just offer empty thrills. It depicts the Shao family army's efforts to avenge the hundreds of thousands of innocent souls at Tianmen Mountain, and the grand themes of family and country. The female protagonist builds a peaceful and prosperous Qin state, travels overseas, and becomes the ruler of the world. No character is forgotten; everyone has their own story. This book is truly heartbreaking. It evokes sympathy for the Shao family's loyal ministers who were wronged and killed by a foolish emperor, and also for the hardships endured by the Shao family's daughters. In short, this book is deeply touching and well worth reading.

8. 58 手 Armed with a Golden Finger, I Become the Chosen One in the Three Kingdoms 手握金手指，在三国当天命之女 Cynthia158辛西娅158Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [A female emperor’s rise in the Three Kingdoms + sign-in power fantasy + a chaotic battlefield of romance] Wang Jing transmigrates to the late Eastern Han Dynasty and starts in hell mode: Dong Zhuo burns the capital and moves the court, while the chaos leaves bones strewn across the land. And she is a noblewoman from the capital, about to be crushed beneath the hooves of the Western Liang army. Ding! Sign-in System activated! “Ding! First day signing in: Reward, miraculous healing hands!” “Ding! 561Reads8.8Score103Shelves

   Reader note

   A female empress reigns supreme! The female protagonist is intelligent and rational, ambitious, shrewd, and full of schemes. Her core theme is revenge, her hobby is infrastructure development, her true love is the dragon throne, and her destiny is the imperial throne. She possesses maximum personal charm! She's incredibly popular, with everyone having a one-sided crush on her, and there are frequent love triangles – it's truly amazing!

9. 59 开 The Founding Empress: Summoning the Heroes of China 开国女帝，从召唤华夏群英开始 Silver Moon, Who Loves Liling Stir-Fried Pork爱吃醴陵小炒肉的银月Ancient Romance173k WordsOngoing [Empress] [Card-Drawing System] [Nation-Building] [Struggle for Supremacy] [No Romance] [Feel-Good Power Fantasy] [Transmigration] She transmigrated into an otome game as the villainous eldest princess, surrounded by enemies on all sides. But Shen Qinghe stared at the card-drawing screen before her and fell into thought. If this was an otome game, why was she bound to a System for conquest and nation-building?! "System, these are the legendary ministers you promised me?" [Zhang Juzheng: A minist 61Reads—Score103Shelves
10. 60 郡 The Commandery Princess Returns to the Capital, So Why Is the Entire Marquis’s Household Dead? 郡主一回京，侯府怎么死光了？ Dancing Sunflower跳舞的向日葵Ancient Romance607k WordsCompleted [Satisfying family-intrigue story + ruthless heroine + face-slapping the villains] Qu Ling was framed by her stepmother and left the Marquis's residence for six years. When she returned to the capital, happiness wasn't waiting for her. Instead, she was driven step by step to the brink of madness. In the end, she went mad and killed everyone in the marquis's household, paying for it with her own life. After coming back to life, Qu Ling took up her knife. She no longer needed to go mad to slaughte 33.3kReads9.2Score4.4kShelves

    Reader note

    ①②The female protagonist becomes empress ③The female protagonist's aunt eventually becomes empress, and the female protagonist, her aunt, and her cousin, the crown prince, promote the imperial examination for women.

11. 61 乱 A Lone Woman in Troubled Times, Plotting an Age of Prosperity 乱世孤女，谋千古盛世 Lingering Fragrance and Faded Powder旧香残粉Ancient Romance2.2M WordsOngoing [Strong Female Lead + No CP + Empress + Ensemble Cast + Political Scheming + War + Power Struggles in a Chaotic Era + Nation-Building and Farming + No Spatial Storage or System + Slow-Burn Growth + Epic Length] Yun Huaijin suddenly became a "corpse" in a world torn apart by chaos. She crawled out of a pile of bodies, with only a child on the verge of starving to death beside her. In this world, nobles lived in drunken indulgence, powerful clans monopolized knowledge, bandits slaughtered withou 24.2kReads8.9Score3kShelves

    Reader note

    I'll give this one to the author. There's no spatial system, no power, no background; the protagonist starts in a chaotic world, rises from nothing, and is very powerful.

12. 62 婉 No Tortured Romance for Me. This Heroine Cultivates the Path of Ruthlessness! 婉拒虐恋，女主我修无情道的！ Ran Qiqi冉七柒Ancient Romance531k WordsCompleted In pursuit of the Great Dao, Shi Ran accepted a trial involving endless cycles of tragic romance. They said that those who followed the ruthless path must first experience love, then be hurt to the depths of their hearts. Only after suffering the utmost torment could they see through love and passion, undergo life and death, and achieve true enlightenment! But Shi Ran thought, if he dies and I live, haven't we both experienced life and death? If I torment the male lead to the limit, can't I see 2.9kReads9.2Score357Shelves

    Reader note

    This isn't just about stories where only the female lead is strong. A truly perfect world should make every woman a unique heroine. Why should only the heroine we're reading about be emperor? Of course, other women should also be emperors! Even if they can't be emperors, they should be the most important women in society. Women should hold up the sky! May we all strive forward and reclaim the world that belongs to us women.

13. 63 蛊 Gu Master Quick Transmigration: Scumbags, Be Sacrificed to Heaven! 蛊师快穿，渣男祭天！ Han Bai憨白Modern Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Quick transmigration + no CP + Gu master + an absolutely powerful female lead!] A domineering CEO? He's a scumbag who belongs behind bars. Use Gu to kill him! A master? He's a dirty old man preying on an innocent young woman and playing out a substitute romance. Use Gu to kill him! A crown prince? He's a heartless ingrate reincarnated. Use Gu to kill him! A war god? He's a poor-born man who marries for money, takes everything from his wife's family, then repays kindness with treachery. Use 16.7kReads9.5Score2.6kShelves
14. 64 从 From Peasant to Founding Empress 从泥腿子到开国女帝 Cherry Berry樱桃莓莓Ancient Romance171k WordsOngoing The rating is low because it just came out. (Chaotic times + war for supremacy + ensemble cast + matriarchal world + one female lead, many male partners) Ming Shuhuang, a mechanical engineering PhD, dies and wakes up in Mingjia Village, a remote backwater. Her five older brothers are notorious for being the last men in their family line. Their grandfather, Jun, declares that if they can't have a daughter next time, he'll divorce their grandmother and marry someone else. Ming Shuhuang is born ami 23Reads7.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist rises from a peasant girl to a deputy general, and then leads an army of tens of thousands in a rebellion; the male protagonists are merely there to balance the various factions.

15. 65 本 I Only Wanted to Pass the Civil Service Exams, but They Forced Her to Seize the Throne 本想科举做官，非逼她谋朝篡位 Autumn Farewell and the Lantern's Song秋辞与灯鸣Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted (The comic adaptation is now available) [No CP] [Strong Female Lead] [Female Empowerment] [Imperial Exams, No Disguise as a Man] [Political Scheming] [Reincarnated in the Womb] [A Light Ensemble Cast] Yu Zhao transmigrates. In her previous life, she grew up in an orphanage and worked herself to the bone, finally graduating at twenty with a bachelor's, master's, and doctorate. Just as she joined a research institute and was on the verge of a bright future, a sudden pebble struck her dead. When sh 7.6kReads8.9Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    This novel initially features a female protagonist who enters officialdom through the imperial examinations, and later, after becoming an official, she plots to usurp the throne.

16. 66 一 A Moment’s Impulse Made Me the Founding Empress 一时手痒后，我成了开国女帝 The Moon and the Stars月与繁星Fantastical Romance779k WordsOngoing [Strong female lead + warlord hegemony in troubled times + nation-building + ensemble cast] A prophecy descends from the heavens: a time of chaos is coming. Lu Zhao had only wanted to find a Beggars' Gang and get by. But someone said she was destined to become the Human Emperor. So Lu Zhao embarked on her path to conquer the realm amid the chaos. Strategist 1: “It's just a lord. We can replace her whenever we want.” Later: “I would gladly become the lord's sword, and die without regret.” Strateg 8kReads8.2Score919Shelves

    Reader note

    Look at this!

17. 67 封 Investiture of the Gods: It’s Hard Being Reborn as King Zhou’s Daughter 封神：转生成纣王之女的我太难了 Zui Jun醉珺Female-Channel Fanfiction425k WordsCompleted [No romance + no System + villain’s golden finger + Primordial World and Investiture of the Gods] Good heavens, she’s been reincarnated as Di Gui, daughter of the Human King! She’d planned to lie flat and enjoy life, but her hopes hit a wall as soon as she was born. All sorts of unspeakable horrors befall her. Her bones are dug out? Her blood is drained? She’s teetering on the edge of life and death every day. But compared to those little things, the biggest problem is that her hapless father wa 513Reads7.0Score111Shelves

    Reader note

    Our Emperor Gui is incredibly responsible; everyone is doing their utmost to protect us. It's truly a wonderful show! [Thumbs up][A masterpiece by Sparrow Eater]

18. 68 驸 My Consort Took a Concubine, So I Cast Him Off; He Rebelled, So I Became Emperor 驸马纳妾我休弃，驸马造反我称帝 Paper Tiger纸老虎Ancient Romance541k WordsCompleted [Signed for publication] [A noblewoman and a transmigrated woman join forces to contend for the throne. Strong female lead, ensemble cast, political intrigue, no romance] Yuan Xuan was born to be a pawn. For the sake of the realm, she lived as a man and served as crown prince for over a decade. When her younger brother was born, Yuan Xuan returned to living as a woman and became a discarded pawn. Abandoned by everyone, she had no one left who didn’t want her dead. Less than a year into her marri 15.7kReads9.5Score3kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is amazing! The female lead is decisive, straightforward, and not a saint. There are no scumbags; she's strong, aloof, but also compassionate. The only downside is the slow updates. The second book is fantastic! Highly recommended! I really love Yuan Xuan and Lin Du, both characters created by Azhi. They share a common trait: a unique resilience characteristic of female characters, free from the stereotypes often associated with traditional female protagonists. This is the kind of truly strong female lead novel I admire.

19. 69 被 Wrongfully Married, I Stabbed My Husband to Death and Became Famous 被错嫁后，我捅死夫君名扬天下了 Bright Blue灿蓝Ancient Romance646k WordsCompleted [No Romance] + [Pocket Dimension] + [Taking Down Scumbags] + [Villainess] After transmigrating, Li Shu became a pitiful woman who had been married off to the wrong man. Her deranged husband had just beaten her to death. Her mother-in-law said, “My son has no flaws except that he hits people. Can’t you just put up with it?!” The man said, “I wanted to marry A Ning, but I’m not good enough for her, so let’s just settle down and live our lives together!” Even her own father kept his head down and i 16.2kReads9.3Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist transmigrates and immediately kills her scumbag husband, then lives an upright life. She orchestrates her father's downfall and her entire family's demise. It's a satisfying but not mindless story; the characters aren't perfect, but they're still very charming. Her schemes are ingenious, and the pacing towards her becoming empress is a bit too fast.

20. 70 异 The Gifted Empress Reigns Above, Her Ministers Kneel Below 异能女皇在上，众臣在下 Good Days, Safe Home良辰安宅Ancient Romance806k WordsCompleted The State of Mu enjoys favorable weather and bountiful harvests, while its old emperor indulges in wine and women, lives a life of excess, and has few heirs. The court is controlled by powerful factions. By the 327th year of Mu, the kingdom has been divided among four of them. The foolish Princess Mu Nanzhi is pushed onto the throne as an easily controlled pawn. But on the first morning court, the one who opens her eyes is an empress from another world. 1.9kReads8.9Score168Shelves

    Reader note

    [Strong Female Lead + Political Intrigue + Chaotic Era + Hegemony + Ensemble Cast] The story begins with her fleeing, a female ruler in a chaotic world. The heroine battles against numerous powerful figures as they vie for supremacy.

21. 71 帝 The Emperor's Hegemony in Great Ming 帝霸大明 Loves Beef on a Hot Plate爱吃铁板牛Historical620k WordsCompleted In the late Ming Dynasty, natural disasters struck one after another and the government was corrupt. After waking up as Zhu Youxiao during the final years of the Wanli Emperor's reign, he faced the Three Major Cases of the late Ming and the disastrous defeat at Sarhu. Faced with such a complicated situation, how will this young emperor turn things around? 18.4kReads8.9Score841Shelves

    Reader note

    Reincarnated as a stepping stone in the chaotic world of the Great Xia Dynasty, An Jinrou aspires to conquer the world. Just as she is about to realize her ambitions, a strange phenomenon suddenly appears in the sky, which is broadcast live in the future, causing everyone in the imperial family to focus their attention on her! An Jinrou: What are you looking at!

22. 72 做 Being an Empress Is All About Having Fun 做女帝嘛，最重要的是开心咯 Happy Frog乐的蛙Ancient Romance277k WordsCompleted [Not a Matriarchal World] [Everyone Regrets It + No Romance + Starts Out Ugly, Fat, and Round, Later Becomes Everyone’s Dream Girl + Focused on Building Her Career + Loves the Empire, Not Handsome Men] She transmigrates into the body of a foolish, tyrannical empress hated by everyone, with three thousand handsome men in her harem: proud, domineering, gentle, scheming, aloof, and sweet-on-the-outside-but-dark-within. She has them all. Yan Zhi was thrilled when she first arrived, but then she real 281Reads9.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Non-female-dominated worldview] [Everyone's a disaster + No romance + Ugly and chubby in the beginning, charming and popular later + Focused on career + Loves the country more than handsome men] Transmigrated into a tyrannical and despised empress, she possesses a harem of three thousand handsome men—arrogant, domineering, gentle, scheming, aloof, and seemingly innocent but actually cunning. Yan Zhi was initially delighted upon arrival, but she discovered that these handsome men all wanted her dead. Her Majesty said: "My heart is small, only able to hold the world. In this life, I ask for little, only that the world be at peace and the people live in prosperity."

23. 73 搞 Kill My Brother-in-Law and Ascend the Throne 搞死姐夫我登基 Niu Gulu Yingying钮钴禄莹莹Ancient Romance11k WordsCompleted Kill My Brother-in-Law, Take the Throne 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a female-centric novel with no romantic pairing; she kills the emperor and ascends the throne herself.

24. 74 女 The Empress Keeps Wanting to Take More Consorts 女帝她又又又想纳妃 Handsome Er You帅气的二油Ancient Romance1.9M WordsCompleted [Matriarchal World + Harem + Everyday Life + Sweet Romance + Satisfying Wish Fulfillment] As the most honored imperial princess in the Great Liang Empire, Xing Lan has had only one ambition since childhood: to marry the man of her dreams, live in loving harmony, and grow old together. She never expected to be ordered to inherit the throne. Well, ruling an empire that stretches for thousands of miles isn't so bad. But why are all the handsome men keeping their distance? Xing Lan: “What do you thi 2.2kReads9.1Score258Shelves
25. 75 我 I’m the Fake Princess Among the Real and Fake Princesses. 我是真假公主中的假公主。 Get Rich, Ah Ah Ah暴富啊啊啊Ancient Romance6k WordsCompleted I'm the fake princess in a story about a real and a fake princess. 3Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Different princesses, real and fake, both are pitiful children, but the heroine will become an empress later on. Both princesses, real and fake, are pitiful people.

26. 76 丞 The Chancellor Made Me a Puppet Emperor, So I'll Wipe Out Your Entire Family 丞相当女帝傀儡，朕抄你全家 Yin Xuejing银雪景Ancient Romance528k WordsOngoing (Not a strong female lead. Read with caution if that bothers you. A woman who bides her time, an empress, and many handsome men.) A princess with practically no advantages becomes empress overnight. With internal and external threats closing in, she is in danger of losing not only her throne but her life. On the night of her coronation, a nation-building System comes to her aid, and the empress immediately stops panicking. . The handsome rulers are all rebellious, while powerful ministers covet 5Reads—Score—Shelves
27. 77 那 Those Years as Empress 那些年当女帝的日子 Sweetened Fruit Tea果茶加糖Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [Strong female lead + court intrigue + mutual devotion + satisfying read] Shen Weiwei transmigrated to the Great Yue Dynasty a thousand years in the past, where she turned out to be the empress. She had planned to be a peaceful ruler and lie flat until old age. But the kingdom she had to govern was impoverished and weak, beset by trouble at home and abroad, and utterly feeble. To enrich the nation, strengthen its military, defend its territory, expand its borders, and create a golden age, Gu Yao 1.9kReads8.7Score275Shelves
28. 78 女 The Empress Reigns, but the State Preceptor Has a Wicked Heart 女皇在上，国师心不良 Red Leaves红叶Modern Romance573k WordsCompleted [Transmigrate into a book + sweet and satisfying one-on-one romance + a decisive, ruthless mercenary heroine + a dark, reserved male lead who’s up for grabs] When a top mercenary transmigrates into a book and becomes an incompetent empress, she gets her hands on the script and starts tormenting the villain from the start. She’s set on taking down the Imperial Preceptor, the big boss, but who could have guessed he’d want to share her bed? Everyone says the Imperial Preceptor is aloof and looks do 380Reads8.9Score100Shelves
29. 79 丞 Stop Flirting, Chancellor: The Empress Only Wants to Build Her Empire 丞相别撩：女帝只想搞事业 Long-Tailed Sparrow长尾雀Ancient Romance407k WordsCompleted Yuan Xin transmigrates into a book as Yuan Xiheng, the early-story villain and the male lead’s doomed older sister. Just who is Yuan Xiheng? The seventh emperor of the Qi Kingdom. The trouble is, this empress… She neglects affairs of state and the people, and lives in extravagant excess. All across the kingdom, people complain, and the common folk can barely survive. The male lead has a miserable time cleaning up her messes later on, leaving him no time for romance. The readers aren’t happy abou 616Reads8.9Score—Shelves
30. 80 穿 Transmigrated as Cao Cao's Daughter: From Farming to Empress 穿成曹操女儿，从种地到女帝 The Classic of Mountain Journeys山游经Female-Channel Fanfiction1.0M WordsCompleted Cao Sui, a graduate student in agricultural science, has just finished slogging through her thesis when she jolts awake and opens her eyes to a woman gazing at her with tender affection. After spending over half a year recovering in bed, she finally gets up and learns that her father has gone off to fight the Yellow Turbans. The Yellow Turbans? What a historically specific term. Cao Sui is devastated. Why on earth did she have to end up in the Three Kingdoms? With disasters and war stacked aga 12kReads9.0Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    She transmigrates into the body of Cao Cao's daughter, living during the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period. She amasss grain and recruits talented individuals. Her strong bond with her parents and her own charisma pave the way for her to become an empress. There is a romantic pairing.

31. 81 小 The Little Daughter Protects Her Crippled Father, Topples the Dynasty, and Crowns Herself Emperor 小小女儿护残爹，改朝换代自称帝 Ten-Leaf Flower十叶花Ancient Romance273k WordsCompleted [Born into the Body + Personal Space + Fleeing Disaster + Growing Stronger + Farming + Female Emperor] The head wife's abuse leaves a broken leg on the Liao family's son born to a concubine. His six-year-old daughter has always protected him. In the residence, father and daughter are bullied. After the war leaves everything in disarray, they support each other through one brush with death after another. The appearance of a personal space brings her countless advantages. She's eager to learn, and 170Reads—Score110Shelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist has a special ability, but she was bullied by her mistress from a young age. Later, due to war, she went from being the daughter of a small merchant to becoming an empress after a change of dynasty.

32. 82 秦 The Qin Dynasty's Last Empress Sweeps Across the Six Realms, Her Ambition Unmatched 秦末女帝扫六合，虎视天下何雄哉 Fish-Skin Pancake鱼皮饼Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [No cheat powers + no romance + female-led battle for supremacy + modern-day sky screen reveal later on] What a horrifying experience: transmigrating as Consort Yu, only to open your eyes and find a hulking man in bed with you! A perfect start, a chaotic world to survive in, and as a concubine, sharing her master’s bed is part of the job. How can she turn her life around? Yu Xi is determined: As long as she keeps striving, she’ll trample everyone who dares to bully her underfoot. Then... the who 3.2kReads8.7Score499Shelves

    Reader note

    This novel about empresses vying for supremacy

33. 83 长 The Grand Princess Was Banished to Her Fief, So I Became Empress 长公主被贬封地，我转身成女帝 Happy Little Crawler幸福的爬爬虫Ancient Romance279k WordsCompleted [Strong Female Lead + Revenge and Regret + Empress + No Romance + War for Supremacy in a Chaotic Era] Chu Ning transmigrates into the Great Chu Dynasty as a princess who has been confined to her fief. Carrying the grudge of her mother’s murder, Chu Ning unexpectedly awakens the strongest Empress System, and begins a fiery journey to become an empress who conquers the realm. With a decisive hand, she takes control of Changle Commandery, her fief, and builds a solid power base. Declaring herself Q 672Reads—Score102Shelves

    Reader note

    These books are highly recommended!!

34. 84 重 Reborn as an Empress in a Turbulent Age 重生之乱世巾帼女帝 Whispers of Fate命运的密语Ancient Romance271k WordsCompleted Dark, strong heroine, reborn, no golden finger. This is a fantasy novel set against the backdrop of the Wei, Jin, and Northern and Southern Dynasties. Come on in if you’re interested. In her previous life, she was born into a time of chaos and disguised herself as a man to survive. She won glory and built a legacy to save the common people from misery. All she wanted was to be free once peace returned to the land. But just as the realm was pacified and she returned in triumph, she met her death. 13Reads8.8Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This book is about the chaos of the nation and the struggle for supremacy.

35. 85 废 The Useless Empress Is Slacking Off Online: I Just Want to Lie Flat 废物女帝在线摸鱼：我只想躺平 Snack Cart零食小推车Ancient Romance655k WordsCompleted [Lighthearted comedy + sickly protagonist + food + building national strength through technology + goofy humor + political intrigue and mind games + subverting expectations + conquering the world + farming + no System + mistaken glorification + matriarchy + empress + industrial revolution + myriad realms + villain + unhinged + female protagonist transmigrates into another woman + no male lead + no romance + steampunk + sci-fi + obsessive] The enemy is too powerful and the nation is doomed? What’ 2Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    My initial goal is to conquer Earth. I haven't decided on the second volume yet; maybe it will be an expedition into space? The female lead's cheat ability is immortality, but it's not obvious in the early stages, so I didn't emphasize it.

36. 86 本 How Did I Become an Empress When I’m a Man at Heart? 本人男儿心怎么就成女帝了 Little Cat Many Fish21小猫多鱼21Historical483k WordsOngoing What is it like to have a man's soul in a woman's body? Chen Shuo: Every day, I'm teetering on the brink of a breakdown. He transmigrates into the eldest legitimate princess of the Great Yong imperial family, stranded in the northern frontier. From the start, he's being hunted, with only a band of starving refugees at his side. No System, no golden finger. He can only tough it out with what he learned from his ex-girlfriends. From fighting his way out of Blackstone Gorge to Fengling Garrison, fr 162Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is not a simple story of an empress's rise to power. It is a story about "loss" and "gain," "resistance" and "acceptance." Chen Shuo spent ten years, amidst blood and fire, reconciling with herself, with fate, and with this era.

37. 87 女 The Tyrannical Empress and the Chaste Heir Whose Beauty Bewitches All 女帝暴虐，禁欲世子他美色撩人 Yu of the Three-Tiered Tower三重楼喻Ancient Romance396k WordsCompleted [Completed ❤️] Transmigration + 1v1 + strong female lead and weaker male lead + coercion + woman disguised as a man + decisive and ruthless heroine vs. restrained, reserved, beautiful but tragic hero [Warning: strong female lead and weaker male lead!!!] Feng Jin, an executive at a publicly listed corporation, suddenly died and transmigrated into the body of a tyrannical, cruel, mentally unstable crown prince who was a woman disguised as a man. From the start, a beautiful man offered himself to h 6.3kReads9.3Score691Shelves

    Reader note

    The nice-looking ones are all completed.

38. 88 从 Starting from Scratch in a Primitive Tribe 从零开始穿越原始部落 The Cannon Fodder Has No Memories炮灰没有回忆Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Note: A versatile, strong heroine with extensive knowledge and practical skills + no romance + early story focused on building up a primitive tribe. When Han Zhi wakes up, she finds herself in a primitive matriarchal society. She eats sour, bitter wild fruit, drinks icy stream water, and lives in a dark, damp cave. She doesn't even have clothes to cover herself! Han Zhi weeps into the wind. “Is this any way for a person to live?” Other people transmigrate with pocket dimensions or Systems, s 57.5kReads8.9Score5.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The first two books are about becoming empresses, with power-ups and a reasonable logic—they're all wish-fulfillment stories. However, it seems the author of the first book is going to abandon the project ([crying]). The third book is about a little kid returning to a primitive tribe to become the leader; there are no cheat codes, just overwhelming power through knowledge.

39. 89 暴 The Tyrant Tormented Me? I'll Turn Around, Seduce the Powerful Eunuch, and Seize His Empire 暴君虐我？转身勾搭权宦夺他江山 Green Mountain Has Its Say青山有辞Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted For eight years in the palace, Xiangjun fought to get ahead and tried to please everyone, yet the palace’s noble masters still ground her down, used her, humiliated her, and cast her aside... Those nobles basked in all the wealth of the realm atop heaps of corpses and bones, yet mocked her for trying her hardest and not knowing her place. In the end, the child Xiangjun risked her life to bear called her enemy “Mother,” while Xiangjun was cut open alive so the baby could be taken from her. She di 115.2kReads9.6Score16.6kShelves

    Reader note

    An absolutely brilliant piece of writing!!!

40. 90 厉 Impressive, My Princess! 厉害啊，我的公主殿下！ Eggplant Laughs茄子笑Ancient Romance235k WordsOngoing [Female Emperor] [Political Intrigue] [Strong Female Lead] [No CP] When enemy troops surrounded the city, Xia Mingda, a princess, was abandoned inside it. With savage enemy soldiers outside the city and innocent civilians within, Xia Mingda put aside her resentment and led the soldiers and citizens of the entire city in a vow to defend Shengjing to the death! If no family member held a place for her in their heart, then she would let go of the little affection she had left for her family. From t 14Reads—Score—Shelves
41. 91 亡 A Princess of a Fallen Kingdom? I Won This Empire with the Plow 亡国公主？朕的江山是犁出来的 Big Orange, Only the Masses大橘唯众Ancient Romance231k WordsCompleted [Transmigration | Empress | Nation-building | System golden finger | A chaotic era | A touch of ensemble cast] Lin Xi transmigrates into an age of warring lords and becomes Zhao Lingxi, a princess of a fallen kingdom. The knowledge provided by the System is her greatest golden finger. Think "curved-plow design" and she gets the plans; think "blast furnace ironmaking" and she gets the formula... A chaotic age doesn't need a princess who wants to restore her fallen kingdom. It needs a new emperor 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is not a princess's revenge story; it is an imperial foundation history forged by plowing with a curved plow, tempered steel, and the "Lingdi Canon."

42. 92 要 You Want Me to Be a Tribute Maiden? I Choose to Rule as Empress 要我当贡女？我选女帝当政 Opaque Glaze琉璃不透明Ancient Romance293k WordsCompleted [Power! It's the best tonic for women! She can't do without it!] [A native heroine + a transmigrated woman who willingly submits to her + a rivalry between men + no romance] Three years ago, Emperor Zhaoping of the Great Yong personally bestowed the title of Commandery Princess upon Wu Zhao. She was forced to lead twenty thousand respectable women north as tribute to Beihuang, to relieve the siege at the gates of Bianjing. After leaving the capital, Wu Zhao led her private army of women in a fie 3Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    No romance, the Empress reigns supreme, technology revitalizes the nation, and the country's fortunes soar! [Admiration][Admiration][Admiration]

43. 93 孤 An Orphan Reborn as a Princess, Gorging on Gossip Every Day 孤女胎穿长公主，每天都在吃瓜 Opaque Glaze琉璃不透明Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted The only Grand Princess of Great Xia awakens a System for overhearing gossip. From then on, the three-month-old baby has her hands full. What? The Fifth Prince's biological father is a “woman”? Consort Wu likes picking her feet, then doesn't wash her hands before making food for the emperor? Emperor Mingde... The empress watched as the ridiculously handsome emperor was betrayed by his own mother, younger brother, and trusted aides. She realized that not only did he love being cheated on, he also 288Reads6.6Score113Shelves
44. 94 和 After Getting Together with a Eunuch, the Real Princess Was Reborn 和阉贼在一起后，真公主重生了 You Lu由鹿Ancient Romance571k WordsCompleted When Rong Yao was six, she was poisoned and her mind was damaged, leaving her an idiot. Everyone said she had the wits of a six-year-old. To survive, Rong Yao sneaked into the palace and became Princess Shengping's personal maid. She washed the princess's feet and rubbed her back every day, doing light chores. Grateful to Princess Shengping for not despising her as an idiot, Rong Yao secretly climbed into the bed of the powerful eunuch Qi Shen when the princess asked her to become his companio 214kReads9.2Score38.3kShelves
45. 95 我 Rebuilding the Mountains and Rivers in the Three Kingdoms 我在三国再造山河 Li Hou黎侯Ancient Romance317k WordsOngoing [Set from the late Eastern Han through the Three Kingdoms era + female emperor + charismatic heroine (or perhaps a Mary Sue) + no System, but the heroine has mastered all kinds of essential skills] [The heroine marries twice, though other romantic interests may be hinted at; her daughter Li Xian inherits the throne] [Blurb] Li Shu, courtesy name Jiguang, childhood name A Shou, comes from the Yingchuan Li clan. Her family background is respectable enough for a reclusive scholar and distinguished 680Reads8.5Score107Shelves

    Reader note

    Congratulations, my sister can become empress! No romance, but there's a one-sided crush. [Set in the late Eastern Han Dynasty to the Three Kingdoms period + Empress + Strong female lead personality + No system, but the female lead is proficient in various essential skills] [The female lead marries young (meaning the male lead wants to take advantage of the female lead's family, but can't beat her: Your family fortune is gone in a second; the marriage partner only appears in about 5 chapters). This is the Eastern Han Dynasty, so we can be carefree (not really)] [Synopsis] Li Shu, courtesy name Jiguang, nickname Ashou, comes from the Yingchuan Li clan. She could be a scholar or an official. Bad news: This is the late Eastern Han Dynasty. Good news: Li Shu is a time traveler. As a fan of history, Li Shu has learned a lot about the Three Kingdoms period, one of the paradises for fan fiction. But here's the problem—her Three Kingdoms Online starting time seems a bit early, and the location isn't quite right either. As the bride, Li Shu, along with Cao Cao and Yuan Shao who came to steal the bride for fun, sit in front of the fire and fall into thought. Li Shu, seventeen years old this year, while Yuan Shao is eighteen, Cao Cao seventeen, Liu Bei eleven, and Sun Quan… his brother isn't even here yet, let alone him. Li Shu (slapping his thigh in anguish): Born at the wrong time! Now I'm an elder! As the saying goes, since I'm already here, Li Shu certainly can't leave empty-handed, so he begins his plan. Li Shu: Sun Jian, I'll gladly accept him; Cai Yan, I'll gladly accept him; Yizhou, I'll gladly accept him; Jingzhou, I'll gladly accept him; the entire south, I'll gladly accept him… I'll accept everything! Cao Cao, currently at war, sends a letter: Isn't this a bit strange? Li Shu: Don't worry, I'll gladly accept your two sons too! Cao Cao: …You don't even spare the children! (It's really good, but few people are reading it. I'm worried the author might abandon it. Everyone should read it!)

46. 96 帝 War Smoke Over the Imperial Palace: The Phoenix Descends Upon the World 帝阙烽烟：凤临天下 Reading by the Pillow, Watching the Sun and Moon枕书观日月Ancient Romance290k WordsOngoing #FemaleLead #NoRomance #FemaleDominance #Empress #PoliticalIntrigue #PalaceIntrigue #LegitimateEldestPrincess #CourtIntrigue #StrongWoman #PowerStruggle In the Great Yong Dynasty, women rule, and the throne passes only to women, never men. She is Xiao Lingran, the legitimate eldest princess and crown heir, born to rule. Named heir at one month old, she is despised by her mother, the empress, who sees her as a burden and a shackle. Alone in the inner palace, she has only her iron-willed grandmoth 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    From birth, she was disliked by her mother, the Crown Princess, but she rose step by step to become the Empress of the Great Yong Dynasty. She was a slow-burning character.

47. 97 快 Quick Transmigration: The Demon King Wrecks the Plot 快穿之大魔王崩坏剧情 Mist Rising Through the Long Forest雾起长林Modern Romance428k WordsCompleted (No romance, brainless wish-fulfillment.) The heroine is an overbearing, chuuni, unhinged supervillain. She isn't human! She has no human morality and is rotten to the core. Anyone seeking justice or a saintly heroine should stay away. She takes the scumbag's path and leaves scumbags nowhere to go. If she can solve something with violence, she won't waste a word. She's a master of every kind of scheming green tea and black lotus trick: if you can imagine it, she can do it. A mama's boy ends up w 29.4kReads9.5Score2.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 121: Transmigrated into the body of Abbess Miejue from "The Heaven Sword and Dragon Saber". Overthrew the Yuan Dynasty and became Empress. And every subsequent Empress was a woman. [Thumbs up] Empress's Rules: "First, shamelessness." "Second, ruthlessness; better to kill three thousand innocent people than let one guilty person escape." "Third… Fourth…"

48. 98 攀 Marrying Up 攀高枝 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance424k WordsCompleted [Film and TV rights sold] [Print edition published] Zhang Zhixu had everything from birth. A family with a century of prestige, enviable talent, and a career that kept rising step by step. But he found life terribly dull. Then, one day, an accident struck, and his soul entered a woman's body. A woman who couldn't read a single character, yet dreamed of marrying into a powerful family and becoming a phoenix. · Chen Baoxiang had traveled a thousand miles from the countryside to the capital, hoping 163.8kReads9.6Score22.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is a female empress novel with a medical system and an alternate world setting. The female protagonist, Liu Yi, is very strong, possessing excellent physical and mental abilities. The second book doesn't feature an empress; it's a pure ancient Chinese novel, not a time-travel story, but the empress is portrayed well. The world-building is based on a dynasty that once had an empress, and the female protagonist assists this empress who, while serving as crown princess, is unexpectedly dethroned by a man within her clan. This empress restores order, unlike typical founding empresses. The third book isn't a female empress novel. Although Sister Ruan is indeed a leader, she's not an emperor under a feudal system. Perhaps due to her background, she leans more towards developing productivity and establishing a modern social system. Female officials are heavily employed in various positions, and the narrative focuses more on the stories of ordinary people.

49. 99 开 A Hundred Million from the Start, Then I Transmigrated into a Marquis’s Maid 开局一亿巨款，穿成侯府丫鬟 Xi Han习含Ancient Romance404k WordsCompleted Jiang Yunrong is rich, with a hundred million from her previous life; beautiful, the most beautiful woman under heaven; and blessed with a golden finger that lets her enjoy Pinduoduo anytime, anywhere. There’s just one problem: she’s become the personal maid in the study of the illegitimate eldest son of the Marquis of Yongyi in the Great Wei dynasty. She has no property rights and no right to life, and in this grand mansion, any of her masters might drag her into a room and force themselves on 3.5kReads8.8Score388Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a very well-written book, quite humorous and lighthearted. The overall reading experience is comfortable, without major dramatic ups and downs. The structure and logic are also very smooth. The theme is an empress, but unlike some other mindless stories that just focus on pure enjoyment, this one feels like a story being told. It's worth reading, and its relatively short length makes it quite good. I also think the ending is quite open-ended; although it specifies who the male lead is, readers can choose their own interpretation, which I think is excellent. It's really good!

50. 100 魂 Reborn in a Chaotic Age: From Maid to Empress 魂穿乱世，从丫鬟逆袭成为女帝 Dreaming Pleasure-Seeker贪欢梦客Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted (Just finished) [Strong Female Lead + Ensemble Cast + Eastern Jin-Inspired Setting + Political Intrigue, War, and Nation-Building] [Content Warning] First, the protagonist grows over time, and the story is a slow burn, not a wish-fulfillment romp. Second... This is a story about an empress! The female lead is the savior of the world! If you think the female lead is “meddling” when she stands up for others despite being powerless, if you think a maid like her has no right to “overstep her station 363Reads8.1Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    [Crying emoji] I've almost single-player mode and still managed to get to the base-building war storyline where the warlords vie for supremacy [Laughing emoji] The female protagonist's life has many different stages, each with its own unique story features, but it always revolves around herself and the world at large. The author also wants to focus on her growth and the interpersonal relationships she forms along the way, a very heartfelt and delicate writing style [Sending heart emoji]

Other lists with The Princess Returns to Claim the Throne, and Chancellor Yun Is Forced into Servitude