Career Novels About a Male Lead Passing the Imperial Exams, Becoming an Official, and Helping the People 男主科举入朝为官，然后造福百姓的事业文

1. 51 老 My Dad Is Su Dongpo, My Wife Is Li Qingzhao, and My Bro Is Emperor Huizong 老爹苏东坡老婆李清照老铁宋徽宗 Wen Qingru文卿如Historical1.4M WordsOngoing Tags: No System, not a mindless power fantasy, meticulous historical research, slow burn, personal growth, one heroine An utterly ordinary art student transmigrates as Su Dun, the prematurely deceased youngest son of the legendary Su Dongpo. A quick calculation tells him When his father goes to Huizhou to eat lychees, he’ll be eleven. When his father goes to Hainan Island to eat clams, he’ll be fourteen. When his father is pardoned and dies in Changzhou, he’ll be seventeen. When Cai Jing erects 11.3kReads8.5Score1k14d adds

   Reader note

   The idea originated from reading Li Yibing's biography of Su Dongpo, where I discovered that Su Dongpo's youngest son, Su Dun, who died young, was the same age as Li Qingzhao and Emperor Huizong of Song. In 1084, a 21-year-old youth transmigrated into Su Dun, Su Dongpo's youngest son who died young. At this time—there were still 9 years before his father Su Dongpo was exiled to the ends of the earth; 17 years before the marriage of the talented Li Qingzhao; and 33 years before the fall of Bianjing and the devastation of the Jingkang Incident. He had to follow his father through exile, organize trade groups, turn Hainan Island into a maritime trade and military base, subdue three of the "Six Traitors" and bring them to his service, honestly work and train Emperor Huizong, prevent the Jingkang Incident by eliminating Zhao Mingcheng, and marry the talented Li Qingzhao.

2. 52 农 A Farmer's Son's Road to the Imperial Exams: Defying Fate to Become a Hanlin Scholar 农家子弟科举路：逆袭命运翰林郎 Leather Makes Me Happy皮使我快乐Historical712k WordsCompleted [Alternate History + Imperial Examinations + Transmigration + Farming + Exams + Pocket-Space System] There's a romance, and the male and female leads are childhood sweethearts. The story mainly focuses on the imperial examinations. A simple, honest father, a mother who won't put up with being mistreated, a henpecked grandfather, and a difficult grandmother make for all kinds of everyday family drama. Through hard work and good luck, the male lead gradually rises through the ranks. The pocket-spa 408Reads7.5Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   Imperial Examination Novels! (•̀⌄•́) 1. [Note] The male lead transmigrates into a peasant family and chooses the path of the imperial examinations! He has a super memory and a cheat code, so although his "path" has some minor bumps, it's smooth sailing! I recommend this one mainly because the writing is excellent, and the everyday tropes are handled cleverly [you'll appreciate the details]! 3. [Note] The male lead transmigrates to an ancient rural area, where both his parents are taking the imperial examinations! To solve his financial difficulties, he gets himself an older brother! This directly solves his own education problem! He's a sure thing; the male lead is a literary genius [you'll appreciate the details]!

3. 53 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 4.7kReads8.6Score34414d adds
4. 54 穿 Transmigrated as the Fake Young Master in an Imperial Exam Novel 穿成科举文里的假少爷 Years of Rivers and Mountains江山岁月Ancient Romance127k WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + fake and real young masters + alternate dynasty + transmigrate + transmigrate into a book + everyday life] [Male protagonist's perspective, no CP, no female lead, and the true heiress has little page time] Yuan Kunyu transmigrated after a celebration banquet for getting into a 985 university's gifted youth program. The good news: he had become a young master from a prestigious family. The not-so-bad news: he was the fake one. So, at the age of ten, Yuan Kunyu returned to 54Reads—Score—14d adds

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   The male protagonist is reborn into the imperial examination system! He brings blessings to the people! "Who wouldn't like the young master..." A melancholy voice drifted over, and turning around, they saw it was Fang Erlang. Countless people agreed, nodding silently. They would never encounter someone like the young master again in their lives. Like wheat in the field, he carried hope and the joy of harvest, bringing them a good life. The light in his eyes was brighter and more radiant than the golden ears of wheat. Tiewa suddenly remembered the young master's gaze when he looked at him directly; he was truly kind-hearted. Si Gouzi and Old Man Hei suddenly shed a few tears. It was like working tirelessly at the docks, unloading cargo in the wind and rain, their lives seemingly coming to an end, when suddenly an umbrella appeared overhead, providing shade and shelter from the rain, making their hearts tremble.

5. 55 正 A Proper Exam Candidate, and You Want Me to Have More Children, More Blessings? 正经科举人，你让我多子多福？ Little Cabbage Treasure小白菜宝Historical126k WordsOngoing Imperial exams + System + Brother Cao + Comedy + Court politics + Struggle for supremacy Gu Zhengchuan had it rough. He was a delivery driver who got hit while rushing to finish his orders, and transmigrated to ancient times. He soon discovered that this was a society that valued civil officials far more than military ones, and the imperial exams were the only way for an ordinary person to rise in the world. But how was a vocational-school graduate like him supposed to pass the imperial exams? T 60Reads—Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   This one is good, it's great!!

6. 56 穿 I Transmigrated Into Li Shangyin: Call Me the Late Tang Firefighter 穿越成李商隐，叫我晚唐救火队长 Meow Comes and Goes喵去喵来Historical201k WordsOngoing Not a wish-fulfillment novel. No System. Slow-paced. Important things bear repeating three times. Good news: I transmigrated. Bad news: It’s the late Tang. Good news: I’m a poet of the highest historical caliber, second only to Li Bai and Du Fu. Bad news: That’s useful, but not very. Good news: There’s sweet romance. Bad news: A life of unrecognized talent is the main theme. I came, I saw, I conquered. Since I’m here, the crumbling Tang dynasty can count on Li Yishan to patch it up. 6Reads—Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   This isn't a wish-fulfillment story; I'm just promoting my own book.

7. 57 我 I Turn My Life Around Through the Imperial Exams 我靠科举逆袭人生 Corn Breakdance玉米扒舞Historical808k WordsCompleted When Li Jingxing wakes up, he finds himself in an unfamiliar place. Around him are crude huts and shabby furniture, and the air carries a faint smell of straw. Looking down, he sees that he is wearing ragged clothes and a pair of straw sandals. All of it leaves him utterly confused. “How did I end up here?” Li Jingxing wonders. Just then, a burst of noise breaks through his thoughts. 2.9kReads8.8Score21914d adds

   Reader note

   [Making a face][Making a face] This is my first time reading a book, one without any conspiracies or intrigues, yet it's incredibly captivating. The emotions of ordinary people are deeply moving, especially the love and care of elders and the support of siblings. The author's writing is elegant and rich in cultural nuances, conveying a sense of unity and shared purpose. The section where the protagonist helps solve cases is particularly well-written; even children committing crimes in real life could learn something from this book.

8. 58 为 A Career in Public Service 为民官路 At Ease and Unrestrained安心无忌Urban1.8M WordsOngoing [A gritty, realistic tale of ambition and struggle in the government ranks] In 1990, top student Zhen Weimin offends the wrong people and gets kicked down to a poor rural township. Everyone thinks his life is over. But he is determined to make flowers bloom among the thorns. He breaks through obstacles with his knowledge and grounds himself in his conscience, with every step in sync with the pulse of the times. Starting in the township, he moves forward one step at a time. This is a true chronic 26.9kReads9.2Score2.7k14d adds

   Reader note

   A realistic novel about the wit and humor of officials, highly immersive.

9. 59 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 3.5kReads8.9Score22014d adds

   Reader note

   These are all good.

10. 60 科 Imperial Exam Triumph: The Strongest Female Grand Secretary 科举逆袭：最强女首辅 Dressed in Splendor宝妆成Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted After finally becoming the first female heir in her family, she opens her eyes and finds herself back before the revolution. Her father is dead from the start, leaving her with a frail mother and three beautiful older sisters. She is the only son who can carry on the Cheng family line... Cheng Qing looks down at her slightly developed chest, wondering what on earth went wrong. Surrounded by scheming wolves, Cheng Qing, now with a new soul in her body, sets herself two small goals: First, keep pr 8.2kReads9.5Score1.3k14d adds
11. 61 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! 4.9kReads8.8Score35614d adds

    Reader note

    The most historically accurate Ming Dynasty imperial examination novel on the entire internet! My novel boasts excellent writing, a realistic historical background, vivid character descriptions, and a plot driven entirely by real historical events! You won't be able to put it down!

12. 62 大 Great Ming: The Empire’s Glory Shines Across the Globe 大明：帝国光辉照耀全球 One Moment of Foolishness, a Lifetime of Regret糊涂一时误终身Historical73k WordsOngoing Historical what-if + no System + dual souls + hilarious wish-fulfillment. Close my eyes, and I see a crooked old locust tree. Open them, and I'm on the imperial bed in the Forbidden City, clad in the dragon robe and seated at the very pinnacle of power. But another voice rings in my ears, filled with grief and despair: it belongs to the original Chongzhen, Zhu Youjian. One imperial body, two souls. One is the doomed ruler of a fallen dynasty, destined to hang himself at Coal Hill as his country —Reads—Score—14d adds
13. 63 张 Zhang Juzheng's Unusual Life 张居正的别样人生 One Moment of Foolishness, a Lifetime of Regret糊涂一时误终身Historical444k WordsOngoing Imperial examinations, a soul transmigration, and saving the Ming from collapse. Zhang Juzheng, the six-time examination laureate, will no longer keep his head down in this life. I’ll beat Yan Shifan to a pulp. I’ll raise Longqing well, so the Jiajing Emperor can devote himself to cultivating in peace. 20Reads—Score—14d adds
14. 64 女 A Woman in a Man's Body: The Concubine-Born Heir's Rise to Power 女穿男，庶房嫡子的逆袭 Liu Jilian刘忌廉Ancient Romance1.3M WordsOngoing Now available as an audiobook with a full cast. [Alternate history] + [Woman transmigrates as a man] + [Born into this world] + [Imperial exams and business in the early story] + [Court politics later on] + [One female lead, with a relatively small role] + [A touch of ensemble cast] + [No golden finger] Xie Chengxi was born into another world as the sixth son of the Xie family, a minor family in Bianjing's Grain Transport Guild. His father was the clan's rejected son, kept under pressure for yea 33.5kReads8.3Score3.6k14d adds
15. 65 科 The Road to Power Begins in the Red-Light District 科举，从勾栏开始的权臣之路 Remember to Add Plenty of Chili Peppers记得多放辣椒Historical859k WordsOngoing [Traditional imperial examinations + nation-building and court intrigue + technical-progression power fantasy] [An engineering-school punk transmigrates into a dim-witted child at a brothel, then shakes up the court with his blueprints!] Lin Fan, a modern civil engineer, gets smacked in the face with a brick at a construction site. When he opens his eyes, he's become a six-year-old, mentally disabled boy at the Yihong Courtyard in the state of Qi! Frail and beautiful, he's despised by everyone a 4Reads6.7Score114d adds

    Reader note

    The first one is quite interesting, with a satisfying leveling-up pace! He crushes everyone in the county, prefectural, and provincial examinations, but the protagonist insists on "just getting 60 points," much to the delight of players who prefer a low-key development strategy!

16. 66 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 14.7kReads8.7Score1.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    🔥🍉Just as the male protagonist was about to reach the pinnacle of his life, he unexpectedly transmigrated into the body of a peasant boy in ancient times. His family was destitute, his grandparents favored him, and he had a pair of lovable, unruly parents. Education! He had to study! What future awaited him without education? 🍀Looking at this family of three—throwing tantrums, being unreasonable, and making empty promises—Old Man Wang had no choice but to agree and send the protagonist to school as well.

17. 67 朝 A Farmer's Son at Dawn, an Emperor's Courtier by Dusk 朝为农家郎，暮登天子堂 Lantern Festival Revelry闹花灯Historical2.6M WordsOngoing (There's family drama, petty squabbles, rural life, outrageous oddballs, life in government, and much more.) After spending nearly ten years in a daze as an idiot, Tang Wenfeng fell into the water one day and finally came to his senses, now with a modern mind inside him. To avoid taxes, make a fortune, lie flat and enjoy himself, and secure a carefree life for the future, Tang Wenfeng decided to sit the imperial examinations. Who knew that an unexpected turn of events would put him on the 6.2kReads8.4Score41514d adds
18. 68 买 I Bought a Bookboy to Take the Imperial Exam for Me. Now I'm Accused of Stealing His Honors? 买书童替本少科举，告我偷功名？ Stray Bullet流弹Historical1.6M WordsCompleted [Transmigrated into a Book as a Cannon-Fodder + Embroidered Uniform Guard + Imperial Exams + Officialdom + Rooting Out Treacherous Ministers + Fighting the Tartars + Empress] Also known as: The Young Master Strikes Back Against His Fated Bookish Servant, Passes the Imperial Exams, and Saves China After transmigrating into the book as Lin Zhi, a young master destined to be cannon fodder, he finds himself caught in a ridiculous plot where his servant uses the young master as a stepping-stone in th 1.1kReads7.6Score13914d adds

    Reader note

    Young Master defeats the Heavenly Son of Heaven, becomes the top scholar in the imperial examination, and assists the Empress in saving China.

19. 69 红 The Red-Robed Top Scholar 红袍状元 The Farmer Who Loves Fish爱吃鱼的农夫Historical276k WordsOngoing In remote Xiahe Village, five-year-old “Chuanzhu” Chen Heng makes a name for himself with the memories and keen insight of a scholar from his past life. During a poetry game, he comes up with “spring fever” and “aphrodisiac” to match the prompt. At school, he memorizes the Three Character Classic at an astonishing speed, leaving even the old teacher convinced he's a prodigy. By the banks of Qingxi River, his family's secret-recipe grilled fish wins over his teachers and the noblewoman Su Baoluo. 5Reads—Score—14d adds
20. 70 农 A Farmer's Son's Road to the Imperial Exams in Ming Hongwu's Reign 农家子在大明洪武科举之路 Dragon Battle at the Stone Cauldron龙战石鼎Historical156k WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + transmigration + no System + one heroine] An engineer unexpectedly transmigrates to the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, taking over the body of a farmer's son from the Jiang family in Qingshui Village, De'an County, Jiujiang Prefecture. Looking at his family's dilapidated thatched hut, bare of all furnishings, Jiang Xiangwen quietly considers his options. In an age when "all pursuits are inferior to studying," how can he change his fate through education and achieve the 1Reads—Score—14d adds
21. 71 皇 Ming Dynasty Natives Versus Transmigrators 皇明土著大战穿越众 Would You Dare Say Yes?叫你敢答应吗Historical3.7M WordsOngoing Current plot: A newcomer to officialdom enters the inner circle as a pawn, but refuses to settle for mediocrity and wants to break free of his constraints. By chance, he gets caught up in turmoil on the frontier, where three hundred battered soldiers rout thirty thousand northern invaders. Zheng Zhi, a household retainer of the Zhen Ding Guard under the Ming rear army's Governor's Office, dreams of himself sixty years in the future. From then on, the Ming Dynasty gains a peerless talent in both 170Reads8.2Score—14d adds
22. 72 吾 I Sing the Song of Mortals for You 吾为君吟凡人歌 Six Sons of Qingfeng青峰六子Historical552k WordsCompleted [Male-Oriented, Transmigration, Fictional Setting, Farming, Everyday Life, Imperial Examinations, No System, No Golden Finger, Rural Life, Rustic Setting, One Heroine, Not a Power Fantasy] Lin Zezu, an ordinary nobody from Blue Star, transmigrates to the fictional Wu Kingdom. He arrives just as the original body's father, a scholar, dies of illness. Since the original body's birth mother was a brothel girl, his stepmother and eldest half-brother in the Lin family never treated him well. After Ma 2Reads6.4Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Looks like you're pretty ambitious, buddy. Then check out this one. The author's writing is absolutely fantastic. If you don't get on the exam, come find me.

23. 73 赤 A Pure Heart Climbs the Ranks 赤子登阶 A Youngster Riding the Wind稚子乘风Historical551k WordsOngoing [Alternate World + Reincarnated as a Baby + Imperial Exams + Martial Arts + Everyday Life + No Golden Finger] Yang Yuan never imagined he’d wake up one day as a swaddled baby in ancient times. He never imagined that in this strange world, with no System, no pocket dimension, and no golden finger of any kind, he’d have to rely on himself, one step at a time: rolling over, crawling, standing, then memorizing the Thousand Character Classic. He began his studies at three, learned martial arts at fou 14Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    This is a classic reincarnation story about taking the imperial examination. There are no cheat codes, no system, no talent for reading ten lines at a glance, and no repetitive steps like making salt or cement. The protagonist relies entirely on his hard work day and night to study and practice martial arts, and gradually enters officialdom through the imperial examination.

24. 74 农 Reviving the Farming Village 农门复兴 Icebound Gentleman冰封君子Historical158k WordsOngoing A high-ranking official from a farming family, wielding power over the court, with a cherished wife at home who grows crops and raises chickens. Lin Jingchuan, eldest legitimate son of the Grand Commandant’s household and young lord of the Tiger Warriors of Western Qi’s frontier. After being ambushed and falling off a cliff, he transmigrated into the body of Li Jinye, eldest son of the third branch of the Li family. Little did he know that Li Jinye had been in a vegetative state, completely para —Reads—Score114d adds

    Reader note

    The male protagonist, possessed by the spirit of a second-generation official, revives his peasant family; he's a bit of a repressed romantic.

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