I’ve Read Blossoms in Adversity Three Times. Will There Ever Be a Novel That Can Match It? 惜花芷三遍了，到底能不能有一本可媲美的小说了

1. 1 幺 The Youngest Daughter, Changle 幺女长乐 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted Miss Zhu Si’s rough fighting skills have always made her the laughingstock of the capital’s noble families. In everyone else’s eyes, that’s the sort of work meant for household guards. Zhu Changle, who considers herself invincible, isn’t ashamed of it. She’s proud. Not everyone can protect their own home, but she can! And then some! She’d even turn the whole capital upside down to protect it! Don’t believe her? Try her! 18.7kReads9.5Score3.1kShelves

   Reader note

   This is by the same author as Xi Hua Zhi, and it's so well-written! The first time I read it, I didn't get into it much at first, but then I read it again, and oh my god, I'm hooked! The author writes exceptionally well; it completely captivates my emotions.

2. 2 缚 Bound by Spring 缚春情 Ren Huanyou任欢游Ancient Romance603k WordsCompleted [The print edition is available on the homepage; film and television rights have been sold] The Jiang and Song families have been close for generations, and Song Wan was betrothed to Jiang Xingjian before she was even born. They grew up together, but she was confined to the inner quarters, where everything she learned was meant to prepare her to become a Jiang family wife. The young man was dashing and ambitious. Before he had even turned twenty, he went off to the frontier to make his name. Bef 92kReads9.6Score12.3kShelves

   Reader note

   A highly recommended read! 🌸 The Jiang and Song families have been close allies for generations, and Song Wan was betrothed to Jiang Xingjian even before she was born. They were childhood sweethearts, but she was confined to the inner quarters, her entire education solely geared towards becoming a wife in the Jiang family. The young man, dashing and ambitious, set off for the frontier before reaching adulthood to establish his career. Before his departure, Jiang Xingjian personally placed a white jade hairpin in her hair. His words, "Wait for me," touched Song Wan's heart. Even after his death on the battlefield, she insisted on marrying into the Chengyang Marquis's household, carrying his memorial tablet with her.

3. 3 惜 Cherishing Flowers 惜花芷 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [The original novel behind the TV adaptation starring Hu Yitian and Zhang Jingyi] After keeping her talents hidden for fifteen years, Hua Zhi thought she could spend her life as a proper aristocratic young lady, living in peace. But when the Hua family’s fortunes collapse, she has no choice but to reveal her sharp edge and hold the storm-tossed household together. Being out in public becomes the norm, and so does galloping through the streets. When all else fails, she even carries a coffin on he 18.6kReads9.6Score4.2kShelves
4. 4 山 Beauty and Strategy in a Land of Rivers and Mountains 山河美人谋 Moonset月落Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [Proud young lady who always gets even vs. frail, scheming Ninth Prince] Her fiancé was a total jerk, and he was planning to kill her to keep her quiet. Ye Jiao decided to strike first and find a scapegoat while she was at it. She thought the scapegoat would be a transparent, sickly “living corpse,” but rumors were misleading. He was clearly a two-faced, deeply cunning Ninth Prince. After Ye Jiao used the Ninth Prince’s name to punish her scumbag fiancé, Li Ce, the real Ninth Prince: “Miss, I be 18.3kReads9.5Score2.5kShelves
5. 5 惹 Offending the Imperial Daughter 惹金枝 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted (Film and television rights have been sold. The physical book will be available for preorder on July 10 at 19:00.) Shi Buyu was born smiling. At that moment, lightning flashed and thunder roared, collapsing a row of outbuildings in the Shi family compound. Days of torrential rain brought devastating floods and countless victims. Rumors soon spread through the capital that she was a disaster star sent into the world. But she was as precocious as a demon, with a photographic memory, and learned bo 257.8kReads9.7Score30.2kShelves
6. 6 谢 The Xie Family's Short-Lived Son Has Lived to a Hundred 谢家的短命鬼长命百岁了 Yi Ran怡然Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Screen adaptation rights sold] The lid of a dead person's coffin won't lie flat because they had an unresolved longing in life. Given time, that longing turns into a demonic obsession, and unless it is resolved, their descendants will suffer. Yan Sanhe's job is to release the dead from their obsessions. One day, she gets hounded by Third Master Xie, who claims to have one. Yan Sanhe says she doesn't deal with the living. Third Master Xie replies, “Everyone says I won't live long. Just think of 125.4kReads9.6Score17kShelves

   Reader note

   I personally feel this one is comparable to Xihua Zhi, and Re Jinzhi is also super beautiful.

7. 7 念 Spring Tide of Longing 念念春潮 Zhi Yun支云Ancient Romance754k WordsCompleted [Print edition under contract] [Sweet romance and comeuppance, a seemingly gentle but calculating male lead, a fierce and adorable heroine, and intense push-and-pull between the leads] The Marquis of Wuning's daughter is to be married, but the bride hangs herself. The groom is Prince Danshuo, a handsome man who enjoys the emperor's deep trust, and the emperor himself personally arranged the marriage. In their panic, the marquis's household can only find someone to take the bride's place. Cheng 73.8kReads9.4Score10.6kShelves

   Reader note

   Bump it up, bump it up, bump it up!

8. 8 继 The Second Empress 继后 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted The Noble Consort was favored, the Worthy Consort bore a son, the Bright Etiquette was the emperor’s white moonlight, and the Beautiful Consort was his cinnabar mole. Every other concubine had her own talents and charms. It was a whole garden in full bloom. So who was our protagonist? The unfavored empress, with no children and no powerful family backing. Great. Why did this plot feel so familiar? Never mind. On the first day Zhao Wumian transmigrated here, she decided to lie flat. Compete for t 81.1kReads9.5Score9.1kShelves
9. 9 陪 The Lady’s Maid 陪房丫鬟 March Chirp三月啾Ancient Romance516k WordsCompleted [A Tale of Taking by Force] Unluckily transmigrated into the body of a maid who serves as a dowry, Yun Xiang knows she will eventually be chosen to become Second Master Lu’s bedchamber maid. Second Master Lu is refined and gentle, the man of many maids’ dreams. But she doesn’t want that. She struggles and resists, openly and in secret, doing everything she can to avoid it. Yet, by a twist of fate, she unexpectedly catches Second Master Lu’s eye. She has no right to refuse. Just as it seems the m 69kReads9.1Score11.1kShelves
10. 10 侯 The Marquess's Wife Wants to Die of Old Age in Peace 侯府主母要寿终正寝 Winter Melon Eats Pears冬瓜吃梨Ancient Romance553k WordsCompleted A history major pulls an all-nighter and dies suddenly, only to become Chen Yuhu, the matriarch of an ancient household, with no golden finger whatsoever. But you have to learn to be content. As a modern, clear-eyed college student, Chen Yuhu wants to tell the original matriarch: don't be such a lovesick fool. Treasure your life of immense wealth and status. She certainly does. She sends her biased mother-in-law away to cultivate in seclusion, keeps the obedient and pretty concubine around to pl 34.1kReads9.2Score3.3kShelves
11. 11 何 Why Not Sail Together 何不同舟渡 Xian Yuke羡鱼珂Ancient Romance483k WordsCompleted "The print edition under the same title is available to buy online" [No golden finger, no transmigration, no rebirth. A pure historical romance about family and country, with high-IQ espionage and political intrigue] [A double agent undercover + a petty thief who grows: a lone wolf plays a game of raising a rabbit, gives her fangs, then insists they run away together] In a chaotic age, she is a thief worth less than a blade of grass, willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive. She steals ten 142kReads9.7Score108kShelves

    Reader note

    Both of these are excellent. The first is about political intrigue, and the second is about domestic power struggles. Although the female lead is married, she doesn't have a romantic partner. It has a grand scope and is suitable for girls—a real cure for romance-obsessed readers!

12. 12 主 The Mistress's Daily Life 主母日常 Zhou Dabai周大白Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [An Aristocratic Lady Tears Apart a Transmigrator + Reborn + An Idyllic, Leisurely Life as the Mistress of an Ancient Estate] Lu Lingjun and her legitimate younger sister, Lu Hanyi, were both reborn. In their previous lives, Lu Lingjun married the second son of a sixth-rank civil official, while her younger sister married the heir to a marquis’s estate. Everyone said her sister had made the better match. But who could have guessed that Lu Lingjun’s husband would become the prime minister and sec 23.5kReads9.0Score3.2kShelves
13. 13 将 The Bride-to-Be 将嫁 Echoes Linger for Three Days绕梁三日Ancient Romance287k WordsCompleted Three years ago, to pacify the western frontier, he married the daughter of the Governor-General of Yongzhou as his empress. But during his lifetime, he met Huo Shiying, the one and only woman of her kind, and the sole female general in the Great Yan dynasty. She doesn't know, and no one else does either, that he has followed her life for twenty whole years. When he was six, he first heard his mother and eldest sister mention her name, and wondered how a two-year-old girl could have been taken t 25kReads9.6Score3.3kShelves

    Reader note

    You can read any of the books that are currently available; they're all good. Also, the "June's Favored Concubine" series is super good.

14. 14 卿 My Beloved, Through Every Dawn and Dusk 卿是朝朝暮暮 Sugar-Roasted Little Deer糖炒小鹿Ancient Romance332k WordsCompleted Shen Yunshu studied archaeology and had been working for just two years. She loved history, and her favorite dynasty was the Rong Dynasty. A few days ago, she had read an unofficial history of the Rong Dynasty's royal family. Little did she expect that after falling asleep, she would wake up in the Rong Dynasty, sent there by the heavens, as Shen Yunshu, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family of Prince Zhenbei's residence. She had transmigrated to her favorite dynasty and become a descendant 24.4kReads9.4Score3kShelves
15. 15 簪 The Flower-Pinned Young Man 簪花少年郎 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted When they first met, Qiao Yanan mistook the young man's sex, taking the breathtakingly beautiful youth for a girl. Thinking they were both fellow sufferers in this world, she treated “her” with great warmth, stirring the young man's heart. Once his identity was revealed, Qiao Yanan asked him to pose as her fake fiancé for her own safety. Having fallen for a beautiful young woman, the boy's heart beat faster and faster. He gladly accepted his new fiancée and did everything he could to turn their 10.4kReads9.6Score1.6kShelves
16. 16 最 The Best Lyricist 最佳词作 Kong Liu空留Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Film and TV rights sold] One is a heroine, the other a pampered youngest son who’s always smiling. They work together seamlessly to resolve an unexpected crisis the first time they meet. The second time, she warns her younger cousin not to fall for someone like him. Then comes the Nth meeting, and with it, a lifetime together. 24.4kReads9.6Score3.3kShelves
17. 17 与 Joy with You 与君欢 Moonset月落Ancient Romance657k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue and Political Scheming + Marriage Before Love + Mutual Devotion] A young king and queen join hands to bring peace to the realm, brimming with ambition! A sinister, calculating ruler versus a clever, decisive queen: evenly matched, they win the world together! Jiang He, daughter of an envoy from Qi, was forced to enter the palace as a servant after her mother died and her father disappeared. Then, just before the marriage alliance, the princess of Qi died a tragic death, leaving 27kReads9.5Score3.5kShelves
18. 18 与 With Jin Chang’an (Based on the Screen Adaptation Starring Song Yi and Cheng Lei) 与晋长安（宋轶、丞磊主演影视原著） Jiu Lu Feixiang九鹭非香Ancient Romance155k WordsCompleted The hit drama starring Song Yi and Cheng Lei is now airing! A beloved historical romance by Jiu Lu Fei Xiang! Female general vs. puppy-like boy. The child she casually picked up turns out to have two sides? A cold little gentleman by day, a loyal black knight by night. Is he a puppy turning into a wolf, and which side is the real him? A tale of love and hate between a female general and the heir of an enemy state! Li Shuang, the adopted daughter of a great general, guards the borders of the Grea 5.8kReads9.6Score929Shelves
19. 19 权 The Power of the Imperial Favorite 权宠天下 June六月Ancient Romance4.1M WordsCompleted Live-action short-form drama: The Power and Privilege 4: Ruling the World is now streaming on Hongguo. A brilliant medical PhD transmigrates into the body of the Chu Prince’s discarded consort. As soon as she arrives, she encounters a critically injured patient. Guided by her medical ethics, she treats him, only to nearly be thrown into prison on false charges. When the Retired Emperor falls gravely ill, she finds a way to treat him, but that hateful Poison King misunderstands and berates her. I 10.3kReads9.4Score3.9kShelves
20. 20 权 Power and Favor in the Capital 权宠京华 June六月Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted The short drama adaptation of the novel of the same name, The Glory of Power in the Capital: The Glory of Power 3: The Glory of Power in the Capital, is now open for reservations on the Hongguo app. It premieres on April 30. Everyone says Yuwen Xiao, heir to Prince Su, is a cold-faced military commander with ruthless methods, and that he was born under a lonely star, destined never to find love. Everyone in the prince's residence was left dumbfounded. Wasn't he supposed to have no romantic ent 9.4kReads9.3Score1.1kShelves
21. 21 权 The Dragon Empress Dowager's Favorite 权宠龙太后 June六月Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted The comic drama of the same name, Empress Dowager of Unparalleled Beauty, is now streaming on the Hongguo Short Drama app. She transmigrates and is immediately expected to marry an emperor who is on the brink of death? Who knew that by the next day, Long Zhanyan would be promoted to empress dowager, with her scumbag father and wretched mother kneeling to pay their respects, and the emperor bowing to greet her. There's only one word for it: satisfying! But why is the regent looking at her so stra 5kReads8.4Score505Shelves
22. 22 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 162.8kReads9.6Score22.7kShelves

    Reader note

    Major discovery‼️ I've unearthed a treasure trove of ancient Chinese romance novels—"Climbing the Social ladder"—you'd be missing out if you didn't read it! The protagonist, Chen Baoxiang, is an ambitious woman from the countryside, obsessed with marrying into wealth. To advance her career in the capital, she employs every trick in the book, her every move a master of deception and cunning! The male lead, Zhang Zhixu, a noble young master, should be enjoying a carefree life in the capital. But a bizarre accident causes his soul to be transported into Chen Baoxiang's body! Forced to share a body, their strange and hilarious cohabitation begins, filled with chaotic and laugh-out-loud moments that have me laughing so hard my abs are about to bulge. The best part of this novel is the plot—the twists and turns are like a whirlwind, one after another, the climaxes are nonstop, keeping your adrenaline pumping. Those with heart conditions should definitely have some nitroglycerin on hand. The female lead's incredibly compelling revenge plan is logically sound, with each step seamlessly connected to the next, keeping readers on the edge of their seats and making them want to shout "Well done!" The romance between the male and female leads is also captivating, evolving from initial mutual dislike and constant bickering to a blossoming of affection, brimming with ambiguity, a bittersweet blend that precisely targets the hearts of young women on every page. Fans of historical romance novels should just jump right in! Once you start reading, you won't be able to put it down; you'll be willing to stay up all night to finish it!

23. 23 虎 The Tiger Wife 虎妻 Lotus Flower藕花Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted The Great Qi Dynasty’s foremost God of War, the ruthless, hideous common-born general Yuchi Gui, was granted a marriage by the emperor to the capital’s greatest beauty, Princess Xu Xiyan. Then his high-born fiancée looked down on him, and the wedding was called off. Three years later, after suppressing a rebellion, the handsome and dashing general returned to the capital, becoming the hero every noblewoman in Great Qi wanted to marry. Then his former fiancée clung to him and forced him into marr 8.2kReads9.3Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    📍These books all feature heroines who shoulder the burden of their families after their decline. They break through desperate situations with their extraordinary courage and resourcefulness. They overcome difficulties step by step, using their resilience and wisdom to continue the legend of their family's revival.

24. 24 庶 The Concubine-Born Daughter Keeps the Family Afloat 庶女养家 Nan Feiyan南飞彦Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After transmigrating as a humble concubine-born daughter, Ning Jiayin plans to adapt to local customs and live a quiet, stable life in the inner household. But a spy stirs up trouble, her father is swept off to the front lines, and the Ning family is arrested and has its property confiscated. To keep her family afloat, Ning Jiayin has no choice but to step up. She goes into business and shows off her medical skills. Though the Ning family faces enormous upheaval, they still manage to live in pea 4.6kReads9.0Score526Shelves
25. 25 桃 Ride Out to Battle, Peach Blossoms in My Wake 桃花马上请长缨 June六月Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted The short drama adaptation of June's novel, Power and Favor 3: Power and Favor in the Capital, is now available on Hongguo App. She cared for her in-laws and used her dowry to support the General's household, only for him to use his hard-won military achievements to ask for the female general's hand as his equal wife. Zhan Beiwang mocked her. “Song Xixie, do you know that your fine clothes, rich food, and glittering jewels all come from General Yi Fang and me fighting bloody battles to hold back 15kReads9.5Score5.5kShelves
26. 26 岁 Spring's Joy, Year After Year 岁岁春欢 I Really Love Little Crabs超爱小螃蟹Ancient Romance669k WordsCompleted [The print edition of Years of Spring Joy is now available on all platforms] [Heroine and scumbag reborn + male lead transmigrates + mutual salvation + play the pig to eat the tiger] At seventeen, Shen Jiasui married Lu Yunzheng. The Shen and Lu families were both military dynasties, making them a formidable match. Two years into their marriage, Lu Yunzheng defeated the enemy kingdom and won renown across the land. But the Shen family was condemned for treason and executed to the last member. On 266.6kReads9.6Score31.2kShelves

    Reader note

    You can check out this one, it's quite good.

27. 27 逢 The Lantern-Bearing Chronicles 逢灯纪 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance982k WordsCompleted (Signed for publication, with screen adaptation rights sold) You're the daughter of a marquis. You want to take your mother's dowry and remains with you? Done. I'll take the dowry and remains, and bring you your mother's divorce papers as well as your own severance papers cutting ties with your family. You were declared dead and became an invisible person behind your brothers. You want to live like a normal person again? Done. I'll restore your name and identity, and make sure you receive the en 87kReads9.3Score12.7kShelves

    Reader note

    A masterpiece! The author's writing remains as fluid and lively as ever! [Added to bookshelf][Already added to wishlist][A masterpiece by Que Shi]

28. 28 我 I Saved the Entire Sect by Giving Up 我靠摆烂拯救了全宗门 The Princess Isn't Going Home公主不回家Ancient Romance1.9M WordsCompleted (The second physical volume is out) Ye Qiao woke up one day to find she had become the second senior sister, a tool character in a novel about a girl adored by everyone. In the novel, whenever the junior sister was in trouble, the second senior sister stepped in. If the junior sister wanted a divine artifact, the second senior sister fetched it. If the junior sister lacked a spiritual root, hers had to be dug out. Ye Qiao was at her breaking point. She fled the mountain in the middle of the nigh 217.1kReads9.6Score24.3kShelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend these books; I've read "Floating Light" several times.

29. 29 纨 The Pampered Life of a Spoiled Commandery Princess 纨绔郡主得宠日常 Zhao Pian赵骗Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Signed for publication. The print edition is expected to be available by the end of the year. No! This! Is! Not! A! Romance! No CP! No rebirth, no transmigration, a thoroughly evil heroine, a power-struggle story A truly wicked heroine, vying for power over the realm, genuinely unhinged, ruthless, and rotten to the core Questions that come up while reading can only be answered by reading on. The willful, overbearing young princess of the Prince of Zhenbei’s household takes a fancy to Pei Jinnian 49.7kReads9.4Score6.3kShelves
30. 30 斩 Cutting Spring 斩春 Chinese Loropetalum in the South南有檵木Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted ༆ Original title: "Slaying Spring", courtesy title: "Three Thousand Miles of Floating Light", also known as "A Little Bookshop in Chang'an" . "The audiobook is now available. Give it a listen!" . [Historical fantasy, farming, ancient romance, healing, opening a bookshop, romance, with a strong focus on the love story.] · [Heroine: Xu Jiang ★ Hero: Lou Yunchun] · [Other characters: Hu Xu ★ Song Li, Zeng Zhui ★ Lin Hongchu, Lin Qinnian ★ Madam Lin, Lou Jing ★ Madam Lou. Du Hui, Yuan Zuzu, Wu Zhi, 19.8kReads9.5Score3kShelves
31. 31 通 After His Bedchamber Maid Faked Her Death, the Chaste Heir Searched for Her for Three Years 通房假死后，禁欲世子苦寻三年 Return Feast Wine归宴酒Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Powerful Man Bows His Head] [The Regret-and-Redemption Arc] [Both Leads Are Inexperienced] At first, in Zhao Xuanyou’s eyes, Yu Ying was nothing more than an ordinary bedchamber maid. She was pretty, she knew how to flatter him, and she was just a plaything. Watching Yu Ying scheme her way up the ranks and bask in her success, he treated it all as a diversion. It wasn’t until she faked her death and ran away that Zhao Xuanyou realized he didn’t just covet her charms. He wanted all of her, inclu 15.6kReads8.6Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    This is just as beautiful as the one from the "Xi Hua Zhi" series.

32. 32 大EN The Tang Dynasty's Pearl-Dispelling Record (Original Novel of the TV Adaptation Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong) 大唐辟珠记（田曦薇、宋威龙主演同名影视原著） Meal Card饭卡Martial Arts810k WordsCompleted [All-New Bonus Edition] [A Screen Adaptation with the Same Title Has Been Officially Announced, Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong] [Beloved Princess Reborn: Looks Like a Delicate Crybaby, Actually a Well-Rounded Warrior] ✖ [Defiant, Doomed, Devoted, Pure-Hearted Top Jianghu Big Shot] [Their Romance Is So Sweet It Makes You Cry] Princess Wanshou, blessed with the Tang emperor's favor and love, died of an illness at just seventeen. A thief secretly opened the eerie underground palace, only to d 203.8kReads9.7Score25.2kShelves

    Reader note

    I completely understand the difficulty of finding suitable books, so I'm recommending a few more.

33. 33 那 That Village, Those People, That Fool 那村那人那傻瓜 Lucky Treasure福宝Ancient Romance174k WordsCompleted One field, one home, and two people: a simple life shared for a long time is what really matters! A hardworking, kindhearted country girl vs. a devoted, doting husband who treats her like a loyal puppy. A warm and simple story of everyday family life! This story takes place in a small village. Hehua, the eldest daughter of the Li family in the west of the village, married Changsheng, who lived in the east... Changsheng never spoke to anyone and couldn't recognize his neighbors. He didn't even kn 31.6kReads9.6Score3.7kShelves
34. 34 宫 A Rhapsody of Palace Flowers 宫花赋 Six-Eared Yuanyuan六耳圆圆Ancient Romance681k WordsCompleted [A no-nonsense, trope-defying palace-intrigue drama + no love for the emperor + ensemble of women] Everyone has their own ambitions. I have no interest in fighting other women over a man. She was little Qing Luo, a girl who valued her life above all else. Abandoned by her parents as a child, she had wandered through hardship until she entered the Forbidden City, where she met the beautiful, gracious Yue Ren and the clever, perceptive Lü Zhu. At last, her wandering heart found a home. The three s 30.1kReads9.6Score4kShelves
35. 35 西 Random Notes from the Western Capital 西京杂记 Liu Xin刘歆Historical17k WordsCompleted The Miscellaneous Records of the Western Capital is an ancient collection of anecdotes about Chang'an, the capital of the Western Han dynasty. It was traditionally attributed to Liu Xin of the Western Han, though later accounts generally credited Ge Hong of the Jin dynasty with compiling it. In six volumes, it gathers court lore, stories about famous figures, local customs and traditions, ingenious crafts, and folk legends from the Han dynasty. Its contents are wide-ranging, and its prose is sim 42Reads7.9Score—Shelves
36. 36 纨 The Spoiled Couple’s Mutual Admiration 纨绔夫妻互捧日常 Aconite on the Snow雪上一枝蒿Ancient Romance2.1M WordsCompleted Su Yu'an is forced to marry Jiang Qiyun, the eldest son of the Marquis of Rongyang and the leader of Kyoto's four notorious young lords. Everyone in Kyoto waits for the two of them to make fools of themselves, but instead, they see a couple constantly praising each other. Jiang Qiyun: My wife is clever and brilliant. She brings good fortune to her husband and keeps our home safe! Su Yu'an: My husband is as handsome as a jade tree, shielding me from wind and rain! Kyoto's nobles: Are you talking 18.3kReads9.1Score2.2kShelves
37. 37 锁 The Cage of Captive Beauty 锁娇笼 Ren Huanyou任欢游Ancient Romance500k WordsCompleted [The print edition is out and available across all platforms] In the capital lives a charitable family named Yun. Their youngest daughter is called Yun Xian. The young woman is lovely, with a sweet smile. Matchmakers in the capital were green with envy, but everyone knew she had been betrothed to a young man from the Li family since childhood. Li Jingtang was as refined as bamboo and gifted in serving the people, but he was the only son of a widowed mother, and his family was poor. Fortunately, 3kReads9.2Score597Shelves

    Reader note

    Both of these books feature heroines who are incredibly gentle yet resilient, courageous yet resourceful. The authors' writing is excellent, never jarring, and the vocabulary is refined. The plots go beyond domestic power struggles, focusing on matters of national importance. They are my top historical romance novels and definitely worth reading.

38. 38 鬓 Hairpins and Beauty 鬓花颜 Peach Who Doesn't Slack Off桃子不摸鱼Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Main story complete] [Maid + sisters in the inner palace + ensemble-focused story] [The heroine is a native of this world, with no transmigration, rebirth, or hidden identity] After her mother dies of illness, Meng Shu’s father takes a new wife almost at once. She endures years under her stepmother’s hand, but in the end, she cannot escape being sold. A trafficker’s rope drags her away from her homeland and casts her into the fabulously wealthy Tang household. Her exceptiona 34.9kReads9.2Score4.5kShelves

    Reader note

    I recommend this book, it's very good.

39. 39 全 The Whole Family Transmigrates: 18 Ways to Survive in Ancient Times 全家穿越：古代生存十八法 The Butterfly Doesn't Want To蝴蝶不愿意Ancient Romance3.1M WordsCompleted The whole family transmigrates to ancient times after an accident. Whether that counts as good luck or bad luck is anyone’s guess. They’ve barely woken up when they find out the family has no money, no land, and a mountain of debt to repay. Not one of them has a golden finger, either. But the dog that came along with them is rather interesting. Could it be some kind of divine hound? This big family has to put food on the table, keep the household harmonious, and make progress in their studies. W 49.5kReads9.5Score5.3kShelves

    Reader note

    These books offer an exceptional reading experience! The plots are intricately woven, keeping you glued to the screen for a moment. The writing is witty and humorous, always managing to elicit laughter unexpectedly. The narrative pace is smooth and natural, the story development is full of twists and turns, and there's not a single dull moment. They avoid clichéd system settings, relying entirely on their captivating plots and charming characters to win readers over. They are truly worth reading!

40. 40 穿EN After Becoming the Villainess, I Clear My Name Every Day 穿成恶女后每天都在洗白 Gathering Vetch, Gathering Vetch采薇采薇Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Everyone’s Darling + Adorable Kids + Laugh-Out-Loud Comedy]: Transmigrating into a lovesick woman, Tang Zhuyun wakes up in the middle of a scene where she’s climbing into a man’s bed. She turns around and runs. Forget this bed, she’s not getting in! Who needs a man when her father is the top scholar, her brother is the top scholar, and even her son will be the top scholar? They’ll protect her, so she can do whatever she wants! As a master physician, she’ll focus on her career, save lives, and k 33.8kReads9.3Score4.7kShelves

    Reader note

    These are all good.

41. 41 逼 You’re Forcing Me to the Countryside? This Scientist’s Wife Will Empty Your Whole House 逼我下乡？科研军嫂搬空你全家 Huihui Cat茴茴猫Modern Romance7.6M WordsOngoing [Military Marriage + Period Setting + Powerful Lead + Face-Slapping + One-on-One Romance] Xia Li, a powerful wielder of both thunder and space abilities, had just come through the apocalypse. She became the founding general entrusted with the New World's Omniscient Eye System, ready to enjoy a quiet retirement. She only took a short nap, but transmigrated instead. After transmigrating, she faced two choices: Either marry a self-important mama's boy who expected her to put up with his mistress af 124.1kReads9.4Score10.1kShelves

    Reader note

    Xi Hua Zhi Hahaha, the Tang Dynasty forced me to go to the countryside? Research-oriented military wife empties your whole family's pockets! These three books are all good.

42. 42 新 Jilted on My Wedding Night, I Bond with the Grand Agricultural Official System 新婚夜被鸽后我绑定了大司农系统 Zucchini Is on the Pumpkin Team西葫芦是南瓜派Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Women in government + farming and infrastructure + satisfying revenge with light comedy + career-focused with a little romance + male lead in a supporting role + beloved by everyone + romance after an arranged marriage] Lin Ran transmigrates to a fictional dynasty and gains a grandmother obsessed with chanting sutras, a father who brings bad luck to his wives, a bookish second younger brother, a wastrel third younger brother, an influential family by marriage, and a misfit System that hounds he 9.4kReads9.4Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    📚 **Highly Recommend "The Grand Minister of Agriculture"!** A time-traveling farming + court intrigue story where the female protagonist's career advancement is incredibly satisfying! **If you enjoy the combination of **time-traveling farming**, **strong female protagonist with political intrigue**, and **infrastructure-based wealth creation**, you absolutely must read "The Grand Minister of Agriculture"! The female protagonist, a modern agricultural science PhD, transmigrates into the body of a poor peasant girl in ancient times. Her start is hellish—impoverished, troublesome relatives, and burdened by taxes. But she perseveres through farming, business, and inventions, rising to become the "Grand Minister of Agriculture," controlling the nation's economic lifeline. The satisfying moments are non-stop! 🌾 **Realistic Farming Details:** The female protagonist improves farming tools, cultivates high-yield grains, and builds irrigation systems. Her solid professional knowledge makes for a highly immersive reading experience. 💡 **High-Energy Political Intrigue:** From village battles to the imperial court, the female protagonist outwits corrupt officials, reforms grain policies, and even influences the change of imperial power—her career path is both thrilling and satisfying! 🔥 **Restrained Romance**: The male lead's presence is just right, not overshadowing his career, and the mutually supportive relationship is very appealing. The author's writing style is humorous, the supporting characters are vivid, and the story is both exciting and heartwarming! Sisters, go for it! **(PS: Available for free on Tomato Novels, super cost-effective!)**

43. 43 穿 Transmigrated as a Treacherous Minister's Legitimate Daughter, She Plays the Part to Perfection 穿成奸臣嫡女，她本色出演 Garlic Bamboo Shoots蒜香竹笋Ancient Romance565k WordsCompleted [Transmigrate into a book + Career-focused early on + Sweet romance + One-on-one romance + Both leads are devoted to each other] [Two-faced, ruthless minister's daughter × Wild, formidable iron-faced general] The ruler of the business world transmigrates into a book overnight, becoming the daughter of the treacherous chancellor. She throws her weight around and commits every kind of evil, with the label “vicious supporting female character” practically branded onto her. She's madly pursuing the 86.4kReads9.6Score11.3kShelves

    Reader note

    The older generation in this book is just as fascinating as the old fox in "The Young Man with the Hairpin Flower," it's super good!

44. 44 红 Dream of the Red Chamber: Peichun Marries a Rising Star, and the Four Springs Are Blessed! 红楼：沛春勇嫁新贵，五春有福！ Elegant Breeze优雅微风Female-Channel Fanfiction347k WordsCompleted [A full ensemble cast from Dream of the Red Chamber · Multiple sweet couples · Multiple protagonists · Light domestic intrigue · Household drama · Warmth · Sweet romance · Women in the spotlight · Deep affection · Heartfelt · Immersive · Happy families · Everyone gets their moment · Growth · Family · Expansive worldbuilding · Rich emotions] [Pei Chun is a woman blessed with good fortune!] Jia Peichun, the eldest legitimate daughter of the Jia family and the full elder sister of the four Jia sist 50Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    That's so interesting!! So interesting!

45. 45 红 Dream of the Red Chamber: Miss Lin Takes Them Down with One Arrow! 红楼：林姑娘她一箭制敌！红箭袖 Elegant Breeze优雅微风Ancient Romance458k WordsCompleted [Alternate Red Chamber setting · Daiyu’s comeback · Sweet romance and destiny · Mutual salvation · Across lifetimes · Healing · Divine and mortal realms · Mythology · Lighthearted scheming · A love that sweeps you off your feet] The year Lin Ruhai took his wife and daughter into seclusion in the mountains, no one could have imagined that the delicate Crimson Pearl Grass would roll up her red archer’s sleeves and devote all her immortal power to practicing archery. She was no longer the sickly 16Reads6.6Score—Shelves
46. 46 被 Forced to Divorce, Her Five Brothers Go on a Rampage 被迫休夫后，五个哥哥杀疯了 A Lifetime of Splendor一世风华Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Shen Ning gave up her beloved spear to cook for the man she loved. She broke with her father, a veteran general of Great Yan, and didn’t speak to him for three years. Her husband, the victorious General Who Guards the Nation, returned in triumph with a woman who was a master of the spear. After three years of hard work, all she got was: “A Ning, I want to marry her.” Shen Ning, who had become the laughingstock of the capital after her husband favored his concubine and cast aside his wife, picked 7.2kReads9.4Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend these two books, they're absolutely amazing!

47. 47 误 Lost in the Exquisite Bedchamber 误入玲珑帐 A Cat, A Dog, and a Glass of Wine一猫一狗一杯酒Ancient Romance678k WordsCompleted The print edition is available on major platforms. [Pure historical romance + devoted couple + strong female lead + marriage before love + political intrigue + household rivalry] [Long-suffering princess of a fallen kingdom] X [scheming, rough-hewn prince] [Original title: The Enigma of Linglong] “A historical-romance version of Mr. and Mrs. Smith: outwardly united, secretly plotting against each other.” To seize power, Linglong spent sixteen years disguised as a young master named Ling, studyin 8.7kReads9.3Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This one is definitely the one! The plot is reasonable, there's no protagonist halo, and the male and female leads grow together and become strong.

48. 48 春 Spring Banquet 春日宴 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance664k WordsCompleted She kept male favorites and toyed with powerful ministers! For eight years, the arrogant and tyrannical Princess Danyang, Li Huaiyu, wreaked havoc across the court and country. She died on the day the new emperor ascended the throne, bleeding from every orifice in a truly gruesome death. The officials celebrated and the people rejoiced: Evil gets what it deserves! Good riddance! Yet on the seventh day after her death, Princess Danyang returned to life in the body of the Bai family’s Fourth Mis 13.6kReads9.4Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    A spring banquet!

49. 49 她 She Just Wants to Lie Low, but They Keep Forcing Her to Rebel 她想咸鱼躺，非逼她造反 Warfires Stain All烽火尽染Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Screen adaptation rights sold] Lu Songli transmigrated into a book and became the cannon-fodder first wife of Xie Zhan, the male lead of The Powerful Minister's Beautiful Young Second Wife. In the book, her friend Zhao Yutan, who returned in glory from a place of exile, would steal her husband. The two of them carried on behind her back while she was gravely ill, and their affair literally angered her to death. Lu Songli was about to roll up her sleeves and tear into the cheating scumbag and 107.4kReads9.5Score12.4kShelves

    Reader note

    I would also like to recommend another book, *Tai Shi Lan Rong Chu*.

50. 50 重 Reborn as the General's Legitimate Daughter: So What If I Overturn the Throne? 重生之将门嫡女：颠覆皇权又如何 Clear Spring Dewdrop清泉露珠Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted Historical, Rebirth, Revenge, Political Intrigue, Satisfying Read In her past life, the Xiao family’s generations of loyal service ended with the classic fate of a bow discarded once its birds were gone. In this life, she will command the world from behind the scenes and make this rotten dynasty pay in blood! Xiao Jinli is reborn on the eve of her family’s downfall. In her previous life, her grandfather and father and brothers died fighting on the frontier. Though the entire Xiao clan had served 13.5kReads9.1Score1.6kShelves

    Reader note

    This one looks incredibly similar, and it's absolutely gorgeous.

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