Is Xu Yue the Only Legend of Imperial Exam Fiction? 科举文的神话只有许玥了吗？

1. 1 开 My Ancestors’ Graves Started Smoking from the Start: Disguised as a Man, I Take the Imperial Exams 开局祖坟冒青烟，女扮男装科举忙 Jiang Suiwan江岁晚Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted Xie Yuheng transmigrates from the Apocalypse to a farming household, where a tyrant rules the land. With no other choice, she disguises herself as a boy. As she grows older, everyone in the surrounding villages comes to know that the Xie family's prodigy has an exceptionally clever mind. Too bad he's a sickly weakling who can't lift a finger or carry a load. Bystander: “You're so noble, so impressive! Your sickly family member just kicked someone through a wall!” The Xie family: “Does the head o 12kReads9.2Score1.7kShelves

   Reader note

   Aside from Xu Yue, I only recognize Xie Yuheng right now. He truly deserves the title of "Bright Moon Gentleman" and "Jade Balance Immortal." [Kissing emojis]

2. 2 手 With the Notable Ministers System in Hand, I Disguise Myself as a Man in Ancient Times 手拿名臣系统，我在古代女扮男装 Tianyang Peak, Who Loves Handmade Wheat Dumplings爱吃手工麦饺的天阳峰Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Xu Yue transmigrates into a book. She becomes the delicate, vulnerable cousin of the male lead in an examination-themed novel: her mother died young, she has no brothers and no one to rely on, and her family won't take her in, so she is awkwardly forced to live in the male lead's home. In her previous life, Xu Yue rose from being an orphan to earning a doctorate. She never believed in fate, and even though it was hard for women to get by in ancient times, she never stopped thinking about how to 115.9kReads9.6Score11.3kShelves

   Reader note

   Imperial Examination Essays: 1. Xu Yue 2. Cui Xian 3. Lu Yang

3. 3 书 Master Calligrapher? Poet Immortal? Chief Minister? That's Right, I'm All of Them 书圣？诗仙？首辅？没错，都是我 Sunlight on the River日照前川Historical834k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Cui Xian was a PhD in Chinese Language and Literature at a top-tier university. In this life, he transmigrated to ancient times, into a poor family with no connections: A destitute home, a pregnant mother, young siblings, an uncle who had failed the exams six times and was hopeless at studying, a grandmother so obsessed with imagining her son placing high in the imperial examinations that she had become delusional, and Cui Xian, who was only eight years old. Cui Xian: This 28.3kReads9.4Score2.7kShelves
4. 4 努 I Strive for the Imperial Exams, But My Slacker Dreams Never Change 努力考科举，咸鱼梦想从未改变 A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.8M WordsCompleted [Imperial exams + everyday life + lighthearted] Lu Yang, a rich second-generation heir, wakes up one day as the youngest and most cherished son of the Lu family. This youngest son is a scholar, yet selfish and self-centered, turning a blind eye to his family's sacrifices and caring only about his own future. Lu Yang may be a slacker with little conscience, but he knows who's good to him. He keeps his dream of being a slacker tucked away and works hard to pass the imperial exams, hoping to become 17.9kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves
5. 5 女 A Woman in a Man’s Body: Lord Fuguang Goes on a Killing Spree 女穿男：扶光君他杀疯了 Shi Yi蒔宜Ancient Romance814k WordsOngoing [Female-to-Male Transmigration + No Romance + Literary Plagiarism + Jinx + Aristocratic Scion’s Exam Success Story] Also known as: The Azure Luan Chronicles Song Hezhen was a brilliant academic in the 22nd century, a top student who graduated from Cambridge with two doctorates. After completing her studies, she was just about to return home and contribute to her country’s development. But life is unpredictable: the plane she was on crashed, and just like that, Song Hezhen kicked the bucket! When 4.7kReads7.4Score525Shelves

   Reader note

   The first book is about Xu Yue, the second one is even more heartwarming, and in the third one, Lord Xie only reveals his true gender in the last chapter, fighting for his country and people [crying]. All of them are good.

6. 6 开 From the Start, Disguised as a Man, I Rose to First Rank Through the Imperial Exams 开局女扮男装，我靠科举官居一品 I Want to Make Money爷要赚钱Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Disguised as a man + imperial examinations and court intrigue + rises to the highest office + one heroine, focused on her career] When Xie Qingfeng opens her eyes, she's handed a nightmare of a life: a house with bare walls, and a woman forced to disguise herself as a man. In an age when everything is considered inferior to scholarship, if she doesn't fight for her place, she'll be crushed to pieces. Since she's here, she'll give it everything she's got! As a woman, she enters the imperial cour 50.3kReads9.3Score6.1kShelves
7. 7 寒 The Imperial Exam Routine of a Poor Butcher's Son 寒门屠户之子的科举日常 Diki DaddyDiki粑粑Historical3.3M WordsOngoing The Wang butcher family is full of burly men, all tall, broad, and muscular, like a whole den of reincarnated black bears! But their youngest son, Wang Sanniu, is the odd one out: frail, delicate, and liable to fall over in a breeze. Standing beside his family, he looks like a little fox that wandered into a bear’s den. Butchering pigs? The moment pig’s blood splashes over him, he faints! Farming? The hoe is taller than he is! With the family fearing he’ll become a good-for-nothing, his mother m 187.4kReads9.0Score24kShelves

   Reader note

   This one has clear logic, gets better as it goes on, and there aren't any malicious characters.

8. 8 魏EN The Wei Clan's Cursed Son Becomes Grand Secretary—Now They Beg Me to Return 魏家孽种成首辅，全族跪求我认祖 A Salted Fish in Everyday Life生活中的咸鱼Historical1.6M WordsOngoing (Also known as The Wei Fox) [Political Schemes][One Female Lead][Ensemble Cast][The Wei Faction] Condemned from birth, I was given the name Niesheng. On the day I was born, my mother died in childbirth, and my grandfather mourned before the ancestral hall. The whole household looked at me askance, all calling me a disaster star who had stolen another's fate. My biological father hated me like an enemy, my elder half-brother regarded me as an omen of bad luck, and my stepmother hid a knife behind 645kReads9.2Score90.3kShelves

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   This is amazing, really! The writing is incredibly eloquent! And it's not just filler; it's truly impressive!! Highly recommended!!

9. 9 全 My Clan Raised Me to Greatness, So I Gifted Them Purple Robes 全族扶我青云志，我赠族人朱紫袍 Uncle Jianghe江河大爷Historical2.2M WordsOngoing After dying suddenly from overwork, workaholic Chen Yan is reborn as the only son of a newly born provincial graduate in the Great Liang Dynasty. His father is successful, so Chen Yan promptly decides to lie flat and enjoy the good life, with food brought to him and clothes laid out for him. But when he learns at the age of six that he was switched at birth with a farmer's child, his life takes a turn. The day the fake young master returns to the Chen family, he goes out to work in the fields an 213.5kReads9.3Score21kShelves

   Reader note

   Personally, I think these two books are much better than Xu Yue's! Especially the second one, it's incredibly good, the best imperial examination novel I've ever read! 👍🏻

10. 10 全 My Entire Clan! Supports My Imperial Exams 全族！供我科举 Yang Chan Who Loves Braised Yellow Mutton爱吃焖黄羊肉的杨婵Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Imperial exams + transmigration + imperial exams + no golden finger, no System. The story draws on the privileges enjoyed by scholars in the Ming dynasty! The clan elder was a licentiate, and that was the only reason Baihu Village was protected. Now the elder is gone, and no new licentiate has appeared. The entire clan can only pool its strength to support one child. Just one licentiate can improve life in the village, give the children a future, boost the village economy, and make officials thi 13.6kReads8.5Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    All three books are exceptionally good, especially the first one, which so far has no romantic subplot and is exceptionally well-written and exciting. Whether it's the journey to the exam or the court, it's all very engaging. The second book focuses more on the characters' childhood. The third book does have a female lead, and while I think the romance isn't very well-written, the part about the journey to the exam is exceptionally well-written and incredibly satisfying.

11. 11 这 This Top Scholar Plays by His Own Rules 这个状元路子有点野 The Foundation of One's Life立身之本Historical2.3M WordsCompleted [Farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + lighthearted] My Parents Flipped the Table and Quit, So I Want to Take the Imperial Exams Too Just as Wang Xuezhou was about to reach the peak of his life, he transmigrated. The good news: in this life, his parents were loving, and his siblings got along. The bad news: the whole family was pinching pennies to fund his eldest uncle's studies. They had next to nothing and were living on coarse grain and wild greens. But before he could flip t 52.4kReads8.9Score6.5kShelves
12. 12 穿 Transmigrated to the Countryside: A Young Farmer's Road to the Imperial Exams 穿越之农家独苗苗的科举之路 Zhang Rubai张如白Ancient Romance2.5M WordsCompleted [Born into the Past + Farming + Imperial Exams + Fleeing Famine + Warfare] The slow-paced everyday life of a boy from a rural family in ancient times! Zhang Ping'an gets a new lease on life when he transmigrates to an ancient farming family. Fortunately, they are fairly well-off, so no one has to go hungry. He has six older sisters, and he is the only boy his parents had long hoped for. His parents favor sons over daughters, and all six sisters are fierce. He thought he was in for a story about 29.5kReads8.7Score2.8kShelves

    Reader note

    It's so good! Every stage, from childhood to youth to adulthood, is very detailed. I especially love the protagonist's son, Xiaoyuer. The family bonds are incredibly touching; it truly captures the meaning of "when one person achieves success, even their relatives and friends benefit." I never used to read this type of novel before, but after reading this, I've fallen in love with imperial examination novels! [Admiration]

13. 13 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 8.5kReads9.5Score1.3kShelves
14. 14 败 Spoiler System: Complete the Task and Get a Furnace Physique as a Bonus? 败家系统：完成后附赠炉鼎体质？ If It Were a Love Song若情歌Fantastical Romance188k WordsOngoing [Adored by Everyone, Sweet and Soft Girl | Male Rivals Competing | 1vN] Yang Wan transmigrates into a book and becomes bound to a Spendthrift System. With no choice in the matter, she squanders her fortune just to stay alive and protect the people she loves. But she is born with a bewitching beauty that leaves everyone around her spellbound. The refined, noble chancellor longs to share her bed, the wandering physician gives her all his tenderness, the obsessive assassin drags her into his arms, 9.9kReads—Score897Shelves

    Reader note

    In their struggle to win back their daughter-in-law, the third wife sent the second wife to prison and forced the first wife to leave. The fourth wife, unaware that she had fallen for her daughter-in-law, was still gossiping about the family. By the time the fifth wife met her daughter-in-law, she had already given birth. [Eating melon emoji]

15. 15 红 Dream of the Red Chamber: A Chancellor of Unmatched Grace 红楼：风华首辅 Painted Bridge by the Willow Smoke烟柳画桥Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [No System + intellectual battles + political intrigue + everyday life] Every line is stained with bitter tears, every page filled with absurdity. You might think this is merely a tale of infatuated, indulged young men and women behind closed doors, but who could know that the rise and fall of the world are all intertwined? Are the fortunes of the four great families destined to change? Is the dynasty beset by internal and external threats destined to fall? Must the path to a noble title and hig 44.1kReads9.2Score3.6kShelves

    Reader note

    Although it's a time-travel story set in *Dream of the Red Chamber*, it's still quite good. The protagonist is an ordinary person... Uh... I don't remember when the protagonist became Lin Ruhai's apprentice. The main character is Lin Daiyu, it's a single female lead, and there's a slight connection to the Xue family from the original novel. It's career-oriented, but there are also heartwarming moments with Daiyu. It's extremely unfriendly to the Jia family!! And so is Lin Daiyu!!

16. 16 为 To Avoid Planting Rice, I Work Hard to Pass the Imperial Exams 为了不插秧，努力考科举 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [The short drama adaptation is now streaming] A modern SSS-rank researcher dies suddenly and transmigrates to the Great Xing Dynasty. His health is so poor that he's not allowed to pick rice in the fields until he's six. Sunstruck and light-headed, Li Jing decides that farming with this body is a risky business, so he immediately resolves to study for the imperial examinations. That's what he's good at; the transplanting can be left to the professionals! The following year, now named Li Yiqing, 23kReads9.3Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    And this one too, before the Emperor Emeritus died, to ensure his safety, he sent him a certificate of merit and a will. I was absolutely heartbroken.

17. 17 科 The Imperial Exams: A Bookish Son in a Clan of Illiterates 科举：九族文盲出了个读书郎 I'm a Pighead我是猪头Historical1.3M WordsCompleted [Complete] [Imperial Examinations] [Transmigration + No System] [No heroine in the early story; there may or may not be one later, and if there is, she won't get much page time] Not a single person in the Gu clan, spanning nine generations, could read or write. Even the family genealogy had been written by the clan chief through a mixture of guesswork and asking around. Then, all of a sudden, this family produced a scholar. At first, the villagers and the Gu clan relatives had little faith in Gu 81.7kReads8.7Score9.3kShelves

    Reader note

    I feel like this guy is the same type as Xu Yue! He's a guy, but I don't find him strange at all.

18. 18 此 This Road Leads Straight to the Azure Clouds 此去直上青云路 Qing Suisui卿岁岁Historical603k WordsCompleted Li Yu, courtesy name Zixuan, originally named Shen Dakui, was from Shunqing Prefecture, Sichuan, and his ancestral home was Huangzhou Prefecture, Huguang. He ranked twenty-sixth in the second-tier examination in the second year of Xing'an. A politician, financier, firearms expert, hydraulic engineer, military strategist, educator, and more in the early years of the Dayong dynasty... Li Yu lost his father at an early age and followed his mother when she remarried Li Gang, the patrol inspector of 24.8kReads8.6Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    This is alright. The male protagonist transmigrates to ancient times. His father died early, his mother was widowed young, and he has a younger brother. Later, his mother planned to remarry with both brothers, but the protagonist's grandparents stopped her, so she could only remarry with the protagonist, leaving the younger brother at home. His stepfather's first wife died early, leaving behind a daughter a few years older than the protagonist. The protagonist studied and took the imperial examinations at his stepfather's house. The younger brother stayed in their hometown, but because of his stepfather's connections, he could also attend the village school and take the imperial examinations. Later, the stepfather and mother had a younger son, who also passed the imperial examinations. The protagonist, the younger brother, and the younger son all passed the imperial examinations.

19. 19 你 You’re a Civil Service Exam Tutor, So How Did You Become the Imperial Preceptor? 你一个公考讲师，咋成国师了？ Know a Woman by Her Scent闻香识女Historical2.1M WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations] + [Mentor-and-student ensemble] + [Political maneuvering] Chen Wen, a top civil-service exam instructor, transmigrates to Great Xia and becomes a teacher. From the start, he has a dilapidated academy and three troublesome students. Chen Wen says, “No problem. This is what I do.” He uses logic to deconstruct the eight-legged essay, policy-analysis techniques to write policy papers, and interview skills to ace the palace exam. From topping the county exams to earning top ho 35.9kReads8.9Score3.1kShelves

    Reader note

    The first two books are from a male perspective, and the last one is about a woman disguised as a man. I highly recommend the first one, Benju Wen; it's practically impossible to find a substitute for the first two, and they're both unfinished, which is infuriating.

20. 20 我 Writing Romance Stories in a Matriarchal World 我在女尊世界写话本 Cynthia158辛西娅158Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Female-Dominated World + Strong Heroine's Career-Rising Power Fantasy + Literary Plagiarism + Multiple Male Leads, All Devoted] Zhao Yanyu opened her eyes to find herself in the Moon Dynasty, where women held all the power. The original owner was a penniless scholar, living in a house with nothing but bare walls. She was about to turn twenty-five and be hit with the “single tax”! With no other choice, she “picked up” a disfigured male slave from a trafficker to temporarily fill the role of her 41.3kReads9.0Score11.5kShelves

    Reader note

    I think everyone should watch it to appreciate its quality. It retains some of my favorite female-dominated elements, such as women bearing children. In this story, the emperor trusts you, the ministers respect you, and you have teachers, ensuring a smooth career path.

21. 21 病 The Sickly Weakling Who Became the Ming Emperor's Mentor 病秧子，竟成了大明帝师 Strong as an Ox力大如牛Historical472k WordsCompleted Su Ce transmigrates to the Ming Dynasty, only to find himself in the body of a sickly scholar. Along the way, he happens to meet a like-minded young man, and the two travel to the capital together. After arriving in the capital, the young man keeps coming to visit Su Ce. “Brother Su, do you know how to fill the imperial treasury?” “Why don't the common people want to use Ming paper currency?” “Brother Su, did you come up with this refined salt?” “Brother Su, this cement, this sugar...” The young 2.5kReads8.8Score254Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all novels about the imperial examination system, and they are all very good. They are not about women disguised as men, and the characters are very well-developed. They are not novels that forcefully reduce the intelligence of the protagonist to highlight him, nor are they the kind of novels where the male protagonist will rebel and become emperor in the end.

22. 22 科 The Imperial Exams: Soaring Ninety Thousand Miles 科举之扶摇直上九万里 Yi San Du一三渡Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Li Yanqing transmigrated to the Great Qi, a fictional dynasty. He told himself, “No need to worry. I’m a doctor of traditional Chinese medicine. I can make a good life for myself anywhere.” But his father died, leaving behind a final wish: Li Yanqing should study, take the imperial exams, become an official, and make something of himself. To fulfill his father’s wish, Li Yanqing embarked on a decade of arduous study. Li Yanqing thought that since fate had brought him here, he ought to make use o 2.1kReads8.7Score150Shelves
23. 23 寒 Poor-Born Child Prodigy: At Five and a Half, I Face-Slap My Entire Clan in the Imperial Exams 寒门神童：五岁半科举打脸全族 Feast 3盛宴3Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [Genius child from the start, satisfying comeback, putting every skeptic in their place!] Xu Fei is a five-and-a-half-year-old farm boy who was born into an ancient era, yet is treated as a “nobody” by his family. His biased grandmother makes him work and feed the chickens, while every egg goes to his thirty-year-old uncle, a licentiate who has yet to pass the imperial exams, and his “child prodigy” cousin! Xu Fei is furious: Pretend to be a prodigy? I can do that, too! He recites poetry in publ 4.8kReads8.0Score350Shelves

    Reader note

    My god, these two books are truly divine, so good, incredibly good!

24. 24 大 On My Wedding Night: My Concubine-Born Husband Is a Transmigrator 大婚夜：庶子夫君是穿越的 Beer Egg Fried Rice啤酒蛋炒饭Ancient Romance725k WordsCompleted [Female-audience novel + Male Lead’s Perspective + One-on-One Romance] [The female lead is extremely possessive, spoiled, and willful. Please don’t read if that bothers you.] After a stroke of luck, Wen Zongji transmigrated into the body of a marquis’s illegitimate son. The story opened on his wedding night with a county princess. The original owner had married Anhe, the princess and daughter of the eldest princess, despite being only an illegitimate son of a marquis, entirely thanks to an incre 96.7kReads8.3Score10.7kShelves

    Reader note

    The male lead (who doesn't show his emotions and is highly intelligent) transmigrates into the body of a concubine's son in a marquis's mansion, and his first step is to marry Princess Anhe, the daughter of the princess who showers him with affection. The female lead is extremely possessive, spoiled, willful, and petty. —The two complement each other.

25. 25 科 Imperial Examinations: Reborn, She Took Her Ex-Husband's Steady Job 科举：重生后她抢了前夫的铁饭碗 Rabbit Lord's Chitchat兔君闲谈Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [Heroine Does Not Disguise Herself as a Man | Civil Service Exams and Government Career | A Name in the History Books | A Strong Heroine Who Grows] In her previous life, Jiang Ruchu was a fallen noblewoman. Her father was faithless, her mother weak. Carrying a keepsake, she married into the prominent local Huo family to repay a debt of gratitude. When her husband entered school, Jiang Ruchu quietly supported him through his studies... She kept a low profile and fulfilled her duties, hoping only 7.3kReads9.1Score1kShelves

    Reader note

    If you like Xu Yue, you absolutely have to watch this, okay?! Highly recommended!! If you don't like it, I'll give you my head.

26. 26 神 Divine Detective, Stop Hiding! The Capital Has Sent Someone to Fetch You 神探别苟了！京师亲自派人来请了 A Lovely Person in a Tree木上可人Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Complete] Also known as "Getting By as a Detective in Ancient Times": She transmigrates to ancient times, where the heroine solves cases with the help of a System in this thrilling story, with romance and a touch of farming. Zhang Ruxi accidentally transmigrates into an ancient Taoist temple. When she wakes up, she finds herself an unregistered nobody who cannot show her face. To make matters worse, she is immediately caught up in the murder of a powerful court official and becomes a suspect. 5.5kReads9.2Score816Shelves

    Reader note

    It wasn't the imperial examination, but everyone climbed to a high position step by step. One option was to wholeheartedly assist the emperor, and the other was to become emperor themselves.

27. 27 权 The Alluring Powerful Minister 权臣妖娆 Minced Meat and Fried Egg肉沫跑蛋Ancient Romance960k WordsCompleted Also known as The Female Top Scorer and The Female Imperial Tutor. He was a celebrated, charmingly elegant top scorer, showered with every favor under the heavens. Only after the Du family was destroyed and he hanged himself in prison did the world learn that “he” was a woman! After her father's death, the family's good name was ruined. Dozens of loyal servants starved to death. The beautiful women of the household were either made into servants or reduced to playthings for officials. Reborn, Du 3.3kReads9.1Score426Shelves

    Reader note

    I haven't finished reading Xu Yue's other books, but I've finished this one.

28. 28 青 A Floating Life in Blue Robes [Female-to-Male Transmigration] 青衣浮生【女穿男】 Twin Jade Island双玉岛Ancient Romance314k WordsCompleted Reader’s note: A woman transmigrates into a man, marries, and there is one couple throughout. The story is low-key, with no major twists, no inner-courtyard scheming, and only basic political machinations. Please read only if you’re okay with all that. I was a modern-day overworked teacher who suddenly died and transmigrated into the lowly illegitimate son of the Marquis of Daqi’s household. The moment I opened my eyes, I was faced with the terrifying reality of having the wrong gender, and I’d 10.2kReads9.3Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    The story revolves around a woman who transmigrates into a man's body to take the imperial examinations, gets married, and has a good writing style. The protagonist initially faces difficulties studying in ancient times, but later becomes an official. The content is very solid; while reading, it felt like I had read a lot, but I'm only on chapter 9, with each chapter exceeding 4000 words.

29. 29 农 The Imperial Tutor's Road to the Civil Service Exams 农门帝师的科举之路 Ju He雎禾Historical1.0M WordsCompleted Imperial Examination, One-on-One Romance After an accident, a young man from the modern era transmigrated into the Great Qian Dynasty. Looking at his family’s dilapidated brick house, Qi Wenyu wondered how he would make a living from then on... 21kReads9.2Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Lord Qi, a diligent and conscientious man who dedicated his life to the country and its people, possessed a gentle and interesting personality, a harmonious and happy family, and was a scholar of integrity and upright character.

30. 30 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 86.5kReads9.6Score11.3kShelves

    Reader note

    These are also quite nice; the first book I read after getting into the imperial examination genre was "The Female Chief Minister," which I highly recommend.

31. 31 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 34.6kReads8.3Score3.9kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is very good!

32. 32 乱 After Fleeing the Chaotic Era, I Became the Founding Empress 乱世逃亡后，我成了开国女帝 Nan Wanxu南婉徐Ancient Romance4.1M WordsCompleted [Publication rights signed] [Strong heroine + political intrigue + turbulent times + power struggles + ensemble cast] She’s fleeing from the start, a female warlord in a chaotic age. Lin Zhihuang, originally named Lin Zhihuan, transmigrates as a county magistrate’s daughter, only to find tens of thousands of refugees attacking the city from the start! While others transmigrate into palace or household intrigue, she transmigrates straight into a chaotic age and a desperate flight from famine. The 98.2kReads9.4Score13.6kShelves
33. 33 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 108.1kReads9.5Score12.4kShelves
34. 34 理 A Top Science Student Takes the Imperial Exams? His Majesty Is Stunned by His Brilliance 理科状元考科举？强到朕傻眼 Lucky Lin招财林Historical2.2M WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + court politics + farming + alternate history + daily life + lighthearted + no romance] Li Su had barely had time to savor becoming the top scorer in the national college entrance exam when he transmigrated as the youngest son of the Li family. His whole family doted on him, even though they lived on coarse grain and vegetables, and supported his studies. The original owner had been led astray by his classmates. Selfish and only interested in having fun, he had ruined him 91.8kReads8.9Score9.1kShelves

    Reader note

    And this one, *Li Su*. I only read the parts about Xu Yue and Li Su. This one has no romantic pairing, the male lead isn't a saint, he's not a terrible person, he's decisive, has a harmonious family, is goal-oriented, and has strong moral values. The logic is consistent, and the characters are well-developed and three-dimensional. The male lead's relationships with his master and family are very heartwarming, and the writing is natural.

35. 35 大 The Great Song Bandit 大宋悍匪 Utterly Useless Little Rookie很废很小白Historical462k WordsOngoing The seventh year of the Xuanhe era, the thirteenth day of the seventh month. Less than four months remain before the Jurchens march south. The realm is on the brink of ruin, and the Nine Provinces are in turmoil. Liu Shuan, a low-ranking Imperial Guard officer in Daming Prefecture, has no desire to risk his life for the worthless emperor, much less flee south and live as someone’s underling. So he decisively heads for the mountains and becomes a proud bandit. Years later, before Chenqiao Station 87.1kReads8.5Score10kShelves

    Reader note

    Here are a few new books I recommend. They're not mindless or intellectually taxing; they're historically accurate, well-written, and suitable for those who need to think critically.

36. 36 我 I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examinations 我，孙山，科举 Ximen Qizi西门七仔Ancient Romance4.7M WordsOngoing “Imperial exams + transmigration + farming + exams + no space System” “Romance included, devoted male lead. The female lead is his childhood sweetheart, but she appears infrequently. Romance is not the main plot.” “The male lead rises step by step through hard work and good luck.” “The male lead is no good at scheming, but he gets things done and has technical skills.” “The imperial examination system is based on the Ming and Qing dynasties.” After an accident, he is transmigrated into the womb 48.3kReads8.8Score3.2kShelves

    Reader note

    I especially like the first and third ones; they're excellent.

37. 37 欢 Celebrating Song 欢宋 Weiwei's Wei微微的薇Historical675k WordsOngoing I, Qi Wu, like to speak the truth. I am a disgraced soldier from the northwest, yet I have served as an honest and upright official. As for my faction, my senior fellow disciples Wang Anshi, Sima Guang, Zhou Dunyi, and my junior fellow disciples Zhang Heng, Su Shi, Lü Huiqing, and others all belong to it. You ask about heroes? My teachers are my heroes: Fan Zhongyan, Ouyang Xiu, Pang Ji, Wen Yanbo, and many others! I’m just a scholar. I don’t know much. If you have a problem, go talk to my 134.4kReads9.4Score16.3kShelves
38. 38 过 With a Photographic Memory, Isn’t It Only Natural I Came First in the Imperial Exam? 过目不忘，我中状元正常吧？ Mountaineer登山客Historical1.3M WordsCompleted Lu Chengan forgot to drink Granny Meng’s soup. One day, he transmigrates to a remote mountain village in the Great Zhou dynasty and becomes the second son of the Lu family’s second son. To take the imperial examinations, Lu Chengan has no choice but to urge his father to better himself. Before he knows it, his father becomes an official. Lu Chengan: Does he still need to work hard? 48.7kReads8.6Score5.3kShelves
39. 39 北 A Northern Song Dynasty Guide to Climbing the Official Ladder 北宋升官手册 Retired Artist 04退役艺术家04Historical507k WordsOngoing The ratings just opened. They'll go up later. [Historical Transmigration] [Imperial Examinations] [Officialdom] [Political Intrigue] [Farming] [No System] What were the regrets of the Northern Song Dynasty? Was it that Liu Yong's lyrics were sung throughout the land, while he himself spent half his life in disappointment? Was it that Fan Zhongyan cared deeply for the realm, yet his Qingli Reforms were abandoned halfway through? Or was it the unfulfilled ambition to pacify the Rong, amid the nort 1.3kReads7.2Score153Shelves
40. 40 女 She Disguised Herself as a Man to Take the Imperial Exam, and the Regent Went Mad 女扮男装考科举，摄政王他疯了 Gathering Mustard Fragrance拾芥末香7k WordsCompleted She Disguised Herself as a Man to Take the Imperial Exam, and the Regent Went Mad —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Super good short story

41. 41 苏 Su Chen'an's Journey Through the Imperial Exams 苏辰安的科举之路 Dream of Nine Hundred Million Girls九亿少女的梦梦Historical1.1M WordsCompleted Su Chen'an, a master of Chinese painting, had finally wrapped up an exhibition. Just as he walked out of the building, a flowerpot full of sunflowers came flying at him. He died on the spot. When he woke up again, he was almost starved to death inside his mother's womb. Every day, he teetered on the brink of starvation. He felt that if he absorbed even a little more nourishment from the amniotic fluid, his mother might die. But if he absorbed even a little less, the embryo that was him would pro 9.8kReads8.3Score838Shelves
42. 42 科 The Imperial Examination: Why Can't My Daughter Become the Top Scholar? 科举：凭什么我女儿不能中状元？ Dear Hua Hua亲爱的画婳Ancient Romance849k WordsOngoing (The manhua adaptation is now available. Feel free to check it out!) [Child-Rearing + Imperial Exams: No CP in the main story, and if there is one, it's one-sided] Su Mingyi grew up in a remote mountain temple until she was three, knowing only that her grandfather loved her dearly and would protect her at all costs. He taught her martial arts and how to recite scriptures. He even kept a close watch whenever she bathed with the other young Taoist disciples, hiding her away as carefully as he coul 9.9kReads8.7Score1.6kShelves

    Reader note

    The story revolves around the imperial examination system and raising a child. The female protagonist, Su Mingyi, is raised by her father, who is a third-ranked scholar. There are no cheat codes such as rebirth, time travel, quick transmigration, or transmigration into a book. The female protagonist relies entirely on her innate intelligence and disguises herself as a man to pass the imperial examination step by step.

43. 43 六 After Placing First in All Six Exams, I Became the Female Chancellor 六元及第后，我成了女相 Gathering Mustard Fragrance拾芥末香7k WordsCompleted After Placing First in All Six Imperial Exams, I Became a Woman Chancellor —Reads—Score—Shelves
44. 44 异 A Different Ming Dynasty: I Became a Saint with a Hundred Lives 异世大明：我用一百条命成圣 Zi Yang紫炀Historical1.5M WordsOngoing Alternate-history Ming Dynasty / Fighting for the People / The Art of Toppling Dragons / Loyal Ministers Who Risk Their Lives to Remonstrate / Rules Horror Lately, the atmosphere at court in the Fengtian Hall has grown rather grim. For several days in a row, officials from one particular residence have been risking their lives to remonstrate, and they really do die on the spot. “I stake my life on this remonstrance!” Here we go again. But Emperor Zhu Chongba has changed his approach, too. “Do yo 9.9kReads9.2Score755Shelves

    Reader note

    It has few viewers and updates slowly (but there are about 400 pages). It's worth reading.

45. 45 女 After Disguising Myself as a Man and Becoming the Top Scholar, I Empowered Women Across the Land 女扮男装中状元后，我让全天下女子都站起来了 Gathering Mustard Fragrance拾芥末香7k WordsCompleted After Disguising Myself as a Man and Becoming the Top Scholar, I Got Women Everywhere to Stand Up for Themselves —Reads—Score—Shelves
46. 46 她 She Held a Reunion Feast, and the Entire Court Showed Up? 她办个同窗宴，满朝文武都来了？ Little Su Mehmeh小素咩咩Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Group transmigration + ensemble cast + no System + imperial examinations + everyday academy life in the early story + political intrigue in the middle and later story] (Everyone is highly intelligent and career-driven; the heroine has no romance) An earthquake sent Zhu Lan and her entire class of top students into a book, where they became a notorious group of failures! How could they turn things around? Oh, apparently all they had to do was pass the highest-level imperial exam. What a relief! 10.5kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    After finishing Xu Yue, I read all the female-oriented imperial examination novels. My favorite is Jiang Ruchu, and the second one is also okay (both are female-led imperial examination worlds without women disguised as men). I'm currently reading the third one, over a hundred chapters in, and so far I think it's pretty good. The female lead is a bit playful, but she's still quite reserved in front of others.

47. 47 本 I'm a Fake Official, Yet I've Won the Crown Prince's Heart 本官是假货，却哄得太子倾心了 Wen Lang文朤Ancient Romance293k WordsOngoing [Transmigration and nation-building | Woman disguised as a man | Court intrigue | Farming and famine relief | Feel-good rise to power] Li Yanhe takes over another person's identity and becomes magistrate of Pingwu County. Disaster is everywhere, refugees are on the move, and the treasury is empty... At the grand court assembly, officials from every prefecture report disasters, leaving the entire court at its wit's end. One report from the Commissioner of Administration sends shock waves through 5.7kReads6.5Score626Shelves

    Reader note

    Pure imperial examinations aren't interesting, this kind is better.

48. 48 女 The Female Chancellor Who Ruled the Court: Three Powerhouses Love Me, but I Only Want to Build My Career 女相倾朝：三个大佬都爱我，我只想搞事业 Gathering Mustard Fragrance拾芥末香9k WordsCompleted A Woman Chancellor Who Captivated the Court: Three Powerful Men Love Me, but I Only Want to Build My Career —Reads—Score—Shelves
49. 49 被 The Fake Heir Was Cast Out of the Marquis's Estate, Then Rose to Power Through the Imperial Exams 被赶出侯府假世子靠科举逆袭权臣 Fuyu Ya浮玉呀Historical1.1M WordsCompleted Chen Yan worked himself to the bone as an office drone. After finally paying off his mortgage and car loan, he had 400,000 yuan in savings and was ready to lie flat in a small county town. Little did he know that disaster can strike at any moment. He transmigrated! The good news: he was still a man in this life, so he wouldn't have to experience period pain. He was born into a wealthy marquis's household, surrounded by fine clothes, delicious food, and his family's boundless affection. The bad n 54.6kReads8.6Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Although there are many imperial examination novels, Xu Yue is the most memorable. These novels about imperial examinations are all good and have many exciting moments.

50. 50 陛 Your Majesty! The Duke's Uncle Passed the Palace Exam in Third Place! 陛下！国舅爷他中了探花！ The Pig Who Hates Hiking不爱爬山的猪Historical1.2M WordsCompleted [Civil Service Exams and Officialdom] [Court Intrigue] [Plenty of Romance] [A Slice-of-Life Leaning] People in the capital say that after taking a thorough beating, the young imperial uncle has finally gotten his old self back, and even passed the exam as a third-place laureate. But no one knows that he has lived two lives, or that he once had a miraculous encounter across time and witnessed the flourishing civilization of a thousand years in the future. Jiang Yan has never understood how he los 47.2kReads8.9Score5kShelves

    Reader note

    [Rebirth][Imperial Examination][Daily Life][Political Intrigue][Single Female Lead] Everyone in the capital says that the young imperial uncle, who was thoroughly beaten, has finally changed his ways again. But no one knows that he not only lived two lives, but also experienced a miraculous time-travel encounter, witnessing a prosperous civilization a thousand years later. Jiang Yan still can't understand how he could have been so foolish as to plot against the crown prince, his own nephew, only to be sent to his death by his sister's poisoned wine. In this life, he only wants to protect his family, have a loving marriage, and incidentally, cling to his nephew's coattails. But how did he end up as a high-ranking official…?

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