Looking for Ancient-era Imperial Exam Novels. No Effortless Top Scores in Every Exam, Please! 求古代科举文，不要动不动就是连中三元！

1. 51 大 Great Ming: The Village's Little Top Scholar, Whom Old Zhu Absolutely Adores 大明：乡村小状元，老朱贼稀罕我 Scholar Who Wins a Marquisate封侯书生Historical2.0M WordsCompleted During the Hongwu era of the Ming dynasty, Zhu Qiniu, an ordinary four-year-old farm boy, accidentally comes across a silver bell. From then on, he dreams every night of entering a room filled with books: the Thousand Character Classic, the Hundred Family Surnames, the Four Books and Five Classics, collections of successful candidates’ exam essays from every dynasty, and more. With his golden finger and relentless effort, he becomes the top scholar before the age of ten. Beloved by Old Zhu, Litt 18.8kReads8.9Score1.5kShelves

   Reader note

   A small part of Qiniu's success in the imperial examinations was due to his "golden touch" (a powerful advantage over others).

2. 52 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 14.7kReads8.7Score1.4kShelves

   Reader note

   🌵The male protagonist is reborn as a farmer's son, unable to carry heavy loads or even lift water. To change his family's situation, he chooses the path of the imperial examination, using his existing knowledge to offer advice and strategies to the emperor.

3. 53 老 I, Fan Jin, Am Retiring in Great Ming 老夫范进，在大明退休养老 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical223k WordsCompleted (Already published under the title Madcap in the World of Scholars) (Third Prize in the “Reviving Ancient Books, Passing Down a Love of Reading” writing contest) Good heavens! I passed! Fan Jin from The Scholars is traveling through the Ming Dynasty. “Would you like to live a different life? Want to avoid thirty years of detours? Step out of The Scholars and begin your own journey.” At seventeen, Fan Jin opened his eyes and found himself fifty-four. The next time he opened them, he was thirty. H 5.1kReads9.5Score511Shelves

   Reader note

   This book is quite good; the writing is excellent, and it's a breath of fresh air in Tomato's writing style.

4. 54 朱 A Scholar from a Humble Family in the Zhu Household 朱门寒士 Catch Turtles and Embrace the Moon捉鳖揽月Historical317k WordsCompleted A family of scholars, but who deserves a bowl of chicken soup? Climbing out of poverty: how many can fit on that narrow path? During the Jiajing reign of the Great Ming, the Zhu family hall in Zhuhe Village hosted a silent contest every night. The chicken soup's oily sheen floated only in the bowl of the eldest grandson, Zhu Yawen. The whole family tightened their belts to support a promising young scholar who had struggled for more than a decade without even passing the county-level examinatio 215Reads6.0Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   You can't go wrong with these books.

5. 55 瓦 The Legend of Wagang Stronghold 瓦岗寨演义 Anonymous佚名Historical74k WordsCompleted The Romance of Wagang Fortress recounts the rise and fall of the Wagang rebel forces, painting a sweeping picture of the chaos and competing warlords at the end of the Sui dynasty. Outraged by the Sui dynasty’s tyranny, the heroes launched a major rebellion in Shandong and gathered at Wagang Fortress. Among them were righteous champions such as Qin Qiong and Cheng Yaojin, as well as the resourceful Xu Maogong. Together with the eighteen rebel kings, they matched wits and strength against Emperor 1.2kReads9.6Score116Shelves
6. 56 寒 The Scholar from a Poor Family: Pear Blossoms Bloom Again 寒门状元：梨花又开 Huanghuali's Books黄花梨的书Ancient Romance54k WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the son of a wrongly executed general, Zhao Chengyu falls from newly appointed top scholar to prisoner. In Liang, a kingdom that favors scholars over warriors, he bears the false accusation of treason and flees to the enemy state of Li. Using modern knowledge, he builds the “Pear Blossom” intelligence network. Three years later, he returns as Li’s Grand Marshal. The capital is rife with undercurrents. He joins forces with Yue Chan, the commander of the Secret Surveillan 3Reads—Score—Shelves
7. 57 咱 Our Family Has Been Bandits for Generations, and You Went and Passed the Top Scholar Exam 咱家世代贼寇，你小子考上状元了 Over Ten Thousand Words a Day日更过万Historical2.1M WordsCompleted The short drama adaptation, Our Family Has Been Bandits for Generations, and You Went and Passed the Imperial Exams, premieres on November 21 at 9:00. Reservations are open now! Qin Yu transmigrated to ancient times. His father was the chief of Blackwind Stronghold, with wanted posters plastered all over the city gates. His mother was the Holy Maiden of the Black Lotus Sect, a notorious female fiend in the martial world. His grandfather had once attempted a rebellion... His grandmother was a pri 31.7kReads8.6Score3.7kShelves
8. 58 侯 The Noble Young Lord of a Marquis's House 侯门贵公子 Beneath the Full Moon圆月之下Historical976k WordsCompleted Su Shi transmigrates into the prosperous Great Qian dynasty and becomes the second young master of a marquis's household! The young master may have a handsome face, but he's a useless wastrel, a notorious playboy in the capital. His engagement is broken off right from the start, and everyone waits to see him make a fool of himself. Su Shi couldn't care less. He casually recites a poem, never expecting to shake the entire capital. Su Shi smiles. Writing poetry and essays? Is that all? I can do a 3.2kReads8.4Score230Shelves
9. 59 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 47.9kReads8.8Score3.2kShelves

   Reader note

   I'm also voting for Sun Shan. Five yuan down, that's the best result! Hahaha!

10. 60 诸 Among the Myriad Worlds: Kong Yiji Begins by Marrying a Young Widow 诸天，从孔乙己娶小寡妇开始 Fucheng Dong父城东Male-Channel Fanfiction509k WordsCompleted Introduction: This book is also known as The Single Chinese Teacher with Women in Every Realm and The Homeroom Teacher Travels Across the Heavens, and His Methods for Completing Missions Are a Little Sinister! Yang Ziling, a small-town exam grinder, spent more than a decade studying just to trade it for decades more of hardship, becoming a wage-slave of a teacher. His work is going badly, and he's terminally ill, leaving him helpless. Then he gets a System that lets him transmigrate across the h 895Reads8.1Score118Shelves

    Reader note

    Kong Yiji takes the county-level imperial examination

11. 61 随 After My Mother Remarried, I Made Three Rules with My Stepfather 随母改嫁，我跟继父约法三章 Early Spring in March晓春三月Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted I was born into this family, and before I was two, my father had an accident on his way to take the prefectural exams. No one ever saw him again, alive or dead. My grandfather died of grief that very month, and my grandmother was bedridden for two years before leaving us with a mountain of debt and passing away. A few years later, my mother could no longer shoulder the burden of making ends meet and decided to remarry. Fine, she could marry again. I wasn't going to do anything foolish, but I had 69.8kReads9.2Score8.9kShelves
12. 62 穿 I Became a Marquis's Illegitimate Son, and the Imperial Exams Won Me a Wife and Glory for My Descendants 穿成侯府庶子，我靠科举封妻荫子 Zhuang Sheng Mi庄生迷Ancient Romance530k WordsCompleted A sickly modern-day man transmigrates overnight into Su Yiheng, the illegitimate eldest son of the Marquis of Ningyuan's household. Born prematurely and frail, he lost his mother young, leaving his little sister without a protector. Their stepmother is sweet-tongued but wicked at heart. If he wants a peaceful life, the military path is out of reach, so he'll pursue a career as a civil official through the imperial examinations! After two lifetimes of being weak, Su Yiheng looks at the graceful y 13.3kReads8.8Score1.6kShelves
13. 63 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, 23kReads9.3Score2.2kShelves

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    [Learned it][Learned it][Learned it][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Sparrow's Masterpiece][I also highly recommend it][I also highly recommend it][I also highly recommend it][Added to my bookshelf][Added to my bookshelf][Added to my bookshelf][Bump][Bump][Bump]

14. 64 拜 I Took a Master, Then Rose to the Highest Office Through the Imperial Exams 拜了个师父，我靠科举位极人臣 Flying Cow 98会飞的牛98Historical645k WordsCompleted Ma Chengli was born into the Ma family, a clan of veterinarians, and grew up in the womb before being born into this world. Then, one day, the newly founded Great Ying dynasty suddenly announced that it would resume the imperial examinations, just eight years after its founding. His father, Ma Dawei, suddenly discovered: “Could my son really have the makings of a child prodigy?” His mother, Lady Zhang, declared with confidence: “My son has been clever and bright since he was little. He should ta 428Reads7.5Score—Shelves
15. 65 哈 Hahaha, Great Ming 哈哈哈，大明 Weiwei's Wei微微的薇Historical3.2M WordsCompleted In an age when everyone is rebelling, to survive, you have to be more ruthless than every rebel king. You have to become the greatest rebel king of all. Take down Gao Yingxiang first, then Zhang Xianzhong, then Li Zicheng, and after that, go straight for the Eight Banners. You Manchus, your emperor is back. 461.2kReads9.4Score64.9kShelves
16. 66 科 The Imperial Exams Are No Easy Feat, So I’ll Take My Whole Family to the Azure Sky 科举不易，我携全家共青云 Ye Jizi of Cangmang City苍忙城的叶姬子Historical870k WordsCompleted Lin Shu opened his eyes and found himself reborn as a newborn in a farming family in Xiaolin Village, Great Yong. In his previous life, he was alone, bedridden and sick. In this life, his family gathered around him, their home warm with lamplight. His frail mother embroidered money for books by lamplight. His silent father used his own back to open the way for him to study. His gentle older sister poured her girlhood into the soup she made for him. Even the eggs his grandparents secretly slipped 16.9kReads8.8Score1.5kShelves

    Reader note

    An honest scholar, not a mindless wish-fulfillment novelist.

17. 67 农 The Clever Country Doctor's Wife: He Farms and Studies, I Weave Brocade 农门巧医妻：夫君耕读我织锦 Autumn Grows Deeper 24秋意渐浓24Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Transmigrated woman and native man, ancient-era farming, imperial exams, medicine, court politics, with children] Su Yanzhou had been clever from a young age, and his teacher saw him as a promising candidate for the imperial exams. His father died when he was fifteen. Then he broke his leg in an accident and became lame. Just before their wedding, his fiancée's family came to break off the engagement, and she married his cousin instead. Su Yanzhou went from being everyone's favorite and a sour 5.3kReads7.7Score567Shelves

    Reader note

    The story combines farming and the imperial examination system, and is generally quite heartwarming.

18. 68 科 The Imperial Exams? Just Another Way to Take the Civil Service Exam! 科举？不过是换个地方考公罢了！ Braised Braised Pork红烧红烧肉Historical196k WordsOngoing [Civil Service + Imperial Exams + Humble Origins + Transmigration + Slow-Paced + Historical + No System + Not Brain-Dead] Lin Shuheng spent years grinding away at an entry-level civil service job. He had just passed his evaluation and was about to be promoted to deputy section chief. While imagining how he’d climb the ranks step by step, he died suddenly from overwork and transmigrated into the body of a poor scholar in ancient times. With the imperial exams looming, the original owner had been —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I tried these books; they all seemed pretty good.

19. 69 红 An Ordinary Person’s Daily Life Taking the Imperial Exams in the World of Dream of the Red Chamber 红楼背景下路人科举日常 The Studious and Ambitious Prince An好学上进的安亲王Female-Channel Fanfiction1.1M WordsCompleted A second transmigrator appears because the plot requires it, but he'll be written out soon. If you don't like that, don't read! Wang Xin, a mediocre university student, transmigrates to an unknown ancient world. His family owns only a few acres of good farmland. His father, Wang Cheng, is a former playboy who doesn't know how to run a household, while his mother, Madam Zhang, is cheerful and outgoing. His grandfather spends every day reminiscing about the time their family was affiliated with a 6.4kReads8.3Score574Shelves

    Reader note

    He wasn't number one, and he didn't have any special abilities; if he did, it was his grandfather and his keen intuition.

20. 70 大 The Great Qi Marquis of One Step 大齐一步侯 A Single Thought of Nothingness一念无Historical846k WordsCompleted [Alternate history, airtight logic, a treat to listen to, multiple heroines, lighthearted daily life, the jianghu and court politics, love and hate, national and family vendettas...] A modern-day criminal investigator transmigrates into the body of a minor official in the State of Qi. At first, his only dream is to stay alive. But when foreign barbarians invade the Central Plains, slaughtering and pillaging until the kingdom falls and families are torn apart, he has no choice but to enter the fr 16.3kReads8.2Score984Shelves

    Reader note

    A niche, alternate history novel, exceptionally high quality, a gem for both audio and reading. Clear logic, well-developed characters, rich plot, and tight writing. Not a formulaic, fast-paced read. Please enjoy! [Add to bookshelf]

21. 71 侯 The Marquis's Son Fails at Lying Flat 侯府郎君躺平失败记 Pi Xiaobai皮小白Historical791k WordsOngoing Just after Feng Yanchu transmigrates, he hears a series of smacks before feeling a stinging pain on his butt. How embarrassing! His pants have been pulled down and he’s being spanked! Then he hears several children wailing. Three other kids are getting beaten nearby, too. Looks like they got into trouble. At least he isn’t the only one being punished, which makes it a little less embarrassing. The male lead transmigrates into the body of an illegitimate son in a marquis’s household. He expects t 70.7kReads8.5Score5.5kShelves

    Reader note

    This doesn't mean they were all number one in the imperial examinations.

22. 72 宋 The Struggles of a Poor Family in the Song Dynasty 宋代寒门的奋斗史 De Boerba德波尔巴Historical1.1M WordsCompleted In the blink of an eye, a history PhD from the 21st century becomes the second son of a farming family outside Bianliang City. His family is dirt poor, the elders are shortsighted, and they even have a “precious heir” whom the whole family must support. As the second son of a branch family whom no one takes seriously, watch how Chen He works his way up, crosses class boundaries, and leaps from the farm into a new life. 1.9kReads7.6Score145Shelves

    Reader note

    Not bad! Very realistic. While watching, I felt a sense of awe at how many talented people there were, and how the imperial examinations weren't just about having knowledge. It's quite true that in ancient times, scions of powerful families were often the pillars of the court, and most resources flowed to them! But the protagonist is already quite good.

23. 73 农 A Farmer's Son Places First in All Six Exams 农家子六元及第了 Li Datou李大头啊Historical341k WordsCompleted Father and son, both top scholars; imperial exams; transmigration; an alternate world; satisfying wish fulfillment; one-on-one romance; sixfold top honors. After a car accident, Shen Ce, Henan’s top college entrance exam scorer, transmigrated into the Great Yan Dynasty. Unwilling to take up farming, he used the imperial exams to steadily climb the road to success… 226Reads—Score102Shelves

    Reader note

    This is very beautiful.

24. 74 科 The Imperial Exams: From a Duke’s Bastard Son to a Powerful Official 科举！从公府庶子到权臣的青云路 Zhou Shusen周树森Historical4.2M WordsOngoing [Not a BL novel! Not a male-male romance! One male lead, little to no romance, and a plot-focused story.] [Transmigration + Illegitimate Son of a Duke’s Estate + No System + Imperial Exams + Political Intrigue] He transmigrates, and the good news is that he’s now an illegitimate son of the Duke of Wei’s household, with food and clothes taken care of and no need to worry about making a living. The bad news is that he’s not only unloved, but also mocked and looked down upon. Heh. Never look down o 48kReads8.9Score4.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Both are acceptable.

25. 75 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
26. 76 出 Born to Humble Beginnings, I Defy Heaven Itself 出身皆微末我自逆苍天 Heavenly Venerable tianzun天尊tianzunHistorical243k WordsOngoing This is a comeback full of cracks. It is not about conquering social classes or currying favor with the powerful, but about holding on to your truest self as you are crushed at every turn. When he finally reaches the top, he still dares to look back into the abyss and softly tell the twelve-year-old kiln worker’s son: “I got you out, but I didn’t become one of them.” Welcome to A Humble Birth, Yet I Defy Heaven. Discover how someone born into obscurity learns to become his own light through wind 1Reads—Score—Shelves
27. 77 继 My Stepfather Set Me on the Road to Success 继父扶我青云路 Ban Jieyu班婕妤Historical1.0M WordsCompleted His scholar father died when Xie Qingshan was three. His widowed mother took him and remarried that very night, and he thought a hard life under someone else’s roof lay ahead. But his stepfather was kindhearted, his step-grandmother warm and caring, and they even gave him the sweet little name Xu Chengzong. The whole family doted on him! With a modern soul in his body, he helps his family eat well and stay warm, then returns to his studies, hoping to pass the exams and become a minor official. 26.1kReads8.1Score1.9kShelves
28. 78 世 Young Lord, Don't Run! Your Wife Says Come Home and Get Married 世子，别跑！夫人让您回家成亲 Art of Pure White素白之艺Ancient Romance666k WordsCompleted [A little guide to taming your husband: Is he a brat? No problem, no problem~~] “Your Highness! Your wedding is tomorrow. Shouldn’t we head back?” At that moment, Xiao Yichen is having the time of his life at the gambling house. Hearing his attendant, he grumbles, “No, I’m not going! Just thinking about Su Qianyue’s icy face gives me a headache. I’m going to enjoy myself tonight!” On the wedding day, the dignified heir of Prince Su is actually tied up to get married. When he’s supposed to be enj 87Reads6.9Score158Shelves
29. 79 熊 My Bear of a Son Escaped the Village, Revealing My Identity as the Heavenly Emperor 熊儿子逃出村，我天帝身份曝光了 Come Eat a Big Banana来吃大香蕉Eastern Fantasy235k WordsCompleted Wang Ping'an transmigrates to a village and becomes an invincible Heavenly Emperor thanks to the Invincible Sign-In System of the Myriad Worlds. But a few years ago, he had a son with a fairy. When she left, she told him not to go looking for her unless he became invincible. Wang Ping'an decides to stay in the village until he breaks through to the legendary Chaos Immortal Realm of time immemorial. But just then, his son can't take it anymore and insists on going out to find his mother. So the t 418Reads7.0Score109Shelves
30. 80 臣 I Was Born a Commoner 臣本布衣 Wu Liang Ye武梁耶Historical1.2M WordsCompleted [Adapted into a comic-drama: Cast aside despite my great achievements, I build my own royal court] [Adapted into a short drama of the same name + I was once a commoner] [The emperor’s jealousy + never looking back + heading south to capture the dragon + immensely satisfying] Li Zhen transmigrates to an ancient continent! He assists the newly enthroned emperor of Dayu in bringing order to the court. But before his great undertaking is even halfway done, the emperor grows suspicious of him out of 22.5kReads8.1Score3.8kShelves
31. 81 科 The Imperial Exam Grind King: I Paved a Road to Success Through Hard Work 科举卷王，卷出一条青云路 First Rain in Lin'an临安初雨Historical1.6M WordsOngoing Tang Yin, a modern-day overachiever, transmigrates to the ancient Great Qian Dynasty and finds himself caught up in the miserable tale of three generations of one family taking the imperial examinations together. The mockery around me is deafening, but I have no time to pay it any mind. I just keep my head down and study. County, prefectural, and academy exams: I take them on one by one! Provincial, metropolitan, and palace exams: I break through every stage! I study my tutor bald, drive my riva 15.2kReads7.6Score1.2kShelves
32. 82 开 From the Start, I Cut Down My Kin, Top the Imperial Exams, and Slay My Way Through the Court 开局先灭亲，科举中状元杀穿朝堂 Yun Huang云凰Historical578k WordsOngoing [Historical fantasy + imperial examinations + transmigration + rebirth + court politics + power struggles] Zhao Jingyu, a screenwriter with a modest reputation in the entertainment industry, watched a video about ancient male entertainers and had the misfortune of transmigrating into the body of one. He has no intention of becoming a helpless victim for others to bully. Anyone who picks on him gets wiped out! His shameless grandfather covets his body? Wiped out! His corrupt second uncle aids and 343Reads8.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Let's take a look at this book. The protagonist has the nickname "Little God of Wealth." While others are frowning and worrying about taking the imperial examinations, he manages to make a small fortune after finishing. Does that make sense? [Admiration][Laughs]

33. 83 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 11.4kReads8.5Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    It wasn't that the protagonist passed all three levels of the imperial examinations in a row; his first exam was a separate examination because he was the son of an official.

34. 84 大 Ming Dynasty Imperial Exams: From the Start, I Became the Father of Five Children 大明科举，开局成了五个孩子的爹 Little Zhang Under the Night Lamp夜灯下的小张Historical393k WordsCompleted (Farming + daily life in ancient times + imperial examinations) A reassuring read. Shen Lin'an inexplicably finds himself reborn in ancient times in the body of a widower, with four sons and a daughter to care for, as well as a mother in her fifties. The original owner was a scholar, but he had never even earned the title of licentiate. He was too weak to shoulder a load or lift a hand, knew nothing of farming, and spent every day in drunken stupors, letting the years slip by. Let's see how Shen 2.1kReads7.0Score160Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a good book; it's a heartwarming slice-of-life story about the imperial examination system.

35. 85 惊 What?! I Transmigrated into a Farmer's Son from the Start, and Now He Wants to Take the Imperial Exams 惊了！开局穿成农家子，他要科举 Luo Yi落矣Historical802k WordsCompleted [Famine + transmigration + System + farming + imperial examinations + daily life] Shen Yu woke up one morning to find that he had transmigrated. It was bad enough for a science student to end up in ancient times, but he’d arrived in the middle of a famine, with his family having nothing to their name. Luckily, he unlocked a red packet group. Without it, how could he possibly survive in this strange world? The Shen family had one daughter after another. At last, the third son’s family had a bo 1.4kReads8.3Score107Shelves
36. 86 大 The Ming Dynasty’s Talented Scholar, Jie Jin 大明才子解缙 Heaven's Way Is Strong6729天行健6729Historical170k WordsCompleted Jie Jin, a gifted scholar of the Ming Dynasty, lived a turbulent and legendary life. Brilliant from childhood and endowed with extraordinary talent, he was hailed as a “child prodigy.” He made his mark at a young age, sailed through the imperial examinations on the strength of his vast learning, passed the highest-level exam, and embarked on an official career. Quick-witted and inspired in his writing, Jie Jin oversaw the compilation of the "Yongle Encyclopedia", bringing books from across the 6Reads7.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Three Jinshi from One Family

37. 87 大 Wen Tianxiang, the Great Song’s Lone Loyalist 大宋孤忠文天祥 Heaven's Way Is Strong6729天行健6729Historical342k WordsCompleted As the Southern Song teeters on the brink, its lands lie shattered beneath the ravages of the Yuan army. The Loyal Son of the Great Song: Wen Tianxiang tells the tumultuous story of Wen Tianxiang’s life. He excelled in the imperial examinations at a young age and was determined to serve his country. Though faced with corruption at court, he never wavered from his original ideals. When the Yuan army advanced, he stepped forward, gave away his entire fortune to recruit volunteer troops, and went t 17Reads—Score—Shelves
38. 88 秦 Qin's Replacement: A Bricklayer Rewrites Three Hundred Years of Qin History 秦替：泥水匠改写了三百年秦史 Heaven's Way Is Strong6729天行健6729Historical1.4M WordsOngoing Qin's Substitute In 1991, Zhang Daode, a boy from a small town in southwestern Hunan, studied hard and earned excellent results on his high school entrance exam. But someone with power took his place, crushing his hopes of continuing his education and forcing him into a life at the bottom of society as a bricklayer who knew nothing but hardship. Then a sudden fall at a construction site turned his life upside down. When he opened his eyes, he had transmigrated to the end of the Warring States p 1.6kReads9.2Score174Shelves
39. 89 四 Siheyuan: Starting at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, I Crush the Courtyard’s Troublemakers 四合院：从供销社开始，横推众禽 Heaven's Way Is Strong6729天行健6729Male-Channel Fanfiction290k WordsOngoing Synopsis of "Siheyuan: Starting at the Supply and Marketing Cooperative, I Crush the Whole Courtyard" Business whiz Lin Xiangyang transmigrates to 1962 by chance, taking over his father’s job as a procurement officer at the Red Star Supply and Marketing Cooperative. He also activates the Super Supply and Marketing Cooperative System, gaining abilities such as spatial storage, accelerated production, and trade with the future. These powers help him carefully navigate an era of scarcity. As soon a —Reads8.4Score—Shelves
40. 90 四 Siheyuan: Reborn, I Settle Every Score 四合院：重生后，我一一清算 Heaven's Way Is Strong6729天行健6729Male-Channel Fanfiction307k WordsCompleted Synopsis of "Siheyuan: After Being Reborn, I Settle Every Score" In 1958, in a Beijing siheyuan on Longxugou, Chen Feng goes from a vengeful ghost in a freezing prison to a young man in his prime after being reborn. In his previous life, he watched his parents get framed through the collusion of the Third Master, Niu Degui, the Second Master, Li Mengcang, and the First Master, Yan Daomao. Their property was seized, and they died with their names unjustly stained. The Jia and Xu families took adv 5Reads7.4Score—Shelves
41. 91 游 After Games Invade, I Settle the Score with Campus Loan Sharks 游戏入侵后，我清算了校园贷 Heaven's Way Is Strong6729天行健6729Urban240k WordsOngoing Set in a modern city, with Sun Yat-sen University’s three campuses and five schools as its central setting, an immersive game called "Era Invasion" suddenly overlays reality without distinction. Its rules become deeply entwined with the real world: completing missions can awaken supernatural abilities and grant supplies, while failure triggers real-world penalties such as ruined credit, physical injuries, or doubled debts. The campus loan platforms that once operated as usual mutate into the rea —Reads—Score—Shelves
42. 92 农 A Farmer's Rise: From Gathering Rice to Becoming Prime Minister 农家逆袭：从捡稻谷到当宰辅 Phoenix Dance, Thunder Blade凤舞雷刃Historical139k WordsOngoing Shen Yanzhi, a postgraduate history student, opens his eyes to find himself in the body of a country boy in ancient times named Goudan, the only child the Li family had waited ten years for. His great-grandfather once held high office, but so what? After being exiled to Lingnan, the whole family still had to rely on farming to survive. Just as he gets used to life in an ancient village, he’s bound to a bizarre System. Other transmigrators get Systems that help them conquer the world, but his tas —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I'm reluctantly recommending this book; feedback is welcome for my new book [almost crying].

43. 93 三 Awakening the Learning System at Three: Study, Take the Imperial Exams, and Become an Official 三岁觉醒学习系统，读书科举做官 Zhong Wangwangwangwang中旺旺旺旺Historical676k WordsCompleted [Imperial exams + study System + farm boy + one heroine] (The ratings have only just come in, and the book is still growing. Don’t let them fool you! It’s good, really good, really, really good.) Wang Yuan had just passed the entrance exam for a master’s program at a top university, but before he could bask in the admiration of his whole village, an accident sent him into the womb of a peasant family in ancient times. Fortunately, an earlier transmigrator had established a new dynasty and encour 4.5kReads7.5Score338Shelves
44. 94 反 The Villainous Minister's Remarkable Elder Brother 反派权臣的极品长兄 Shang Xinghe裳星河Ancient Romance305k WordsOngoing [Transmigrate into a book + raising children + farming] Zhao Deshan transmigrates into a book. In his previous life, he worked himself to the bone raising children and became known as the hapless “brother-supporting” and “sister-supporting” type. One careless mistake later, he transmigrates into a romance novel as the eldest brother of a powerful villainous minister, a hopelessly awful man. A poor family, a father who drinks himself senseless, a wayward mother, an eldest brother who belongs behi 270Reads8.8Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    🌱🌱The protagonist of this book transmigrates into the body of the eldest brother of a powerful minister. His daily life consists of raising children, building wealth, and, in terms of the imperial examinations, succeeding the villainous powerful minister. This villain is reborn; the protagonist is at the beginning, but he hasn't been reborn yet.

45. 95 苏 The Su Family's Castoff Tops the Imperial Exams, and the Whole Clan Begs for His Protection 苏家弃子中状元，全祖哭求我庇佑 Sending You a Smile送你一个微笑Historical1.1M WordsOngoing [Historical fiction + humble beginnings + imperial examinations + power plays + satisfying revenge + intellectual duels + high-IQ protagonist + cunning + ruthless] On a snowy night, I, Su Yan, was cast out of the family and expelled from the grand estate, abandoned like a pawn. I was an illegitimate son who should never have been born, a thorn in my legitimate mother’s side and dirt beneath my elder brother’s feet. They thought I would freeze and starve to death that winter. Little did they know 79Reads6.7Score111Shelves

    Reader note

    I recommend gold, but I don't understand why so few people are looking at it.

46. 96 寒 A Humble Scholar's Road to the Exams, Starting with My Sister Beating the Young Master to Tears 寒门科举，从我妹揍哭少爷开始 Late Wind Envying the Fish晚风羡鱼Historical342k WordsCompleted In his previous life, Su Ping’an was battered by hardship and tormented by illness. After struggling for years, he was finally defeated by his disease. He looked up at the sky, ready to curse, but in the blink of an eye, he discovered he had been born into a poor family in ancient times. His new family came with poverty, a domineering mother, a miserly grandmother, young siblings, and a grandfather obsessed with becoming an official. Changing the family’s fate through the imperial exams was ever 236Reads6.3Score103Shelves

    Reader note

    I recommend this one. The plot is original, the story is coherent, and the author's writing is quite good.

47. 97 百 The Centurion's Qilin Son 百夫长的麒麟子 Bamboo Bay Bay竹湾湾Historical599k WordsCompleted Chen Zhan, a newly graduated PhD in chemistry, was enjoying a vacation before starting work at a university when a glass walkway suddenly shattered. He then found himself occupying the body of Chen Zhan, the frail son of a centurion stationed at a border camp. From then on, a military family that could never find the right words and always lost arguments finally had someone who could speak for them. To stop his father from actually punching a civil official's head clean off, Chen Zhan swore: I'l 1.7kReads7.8Score196Shelves
48. 98 五 My Five Sisters Helped Me Reach for the Clouds, So I Won Them Noble Titles 五姐扶我青云志，我送她们诰命身 No Divine Dragon in Sight不见神龙Historical431k WordsCompleted Zhang Xiaozhi, a modern liberal arts student, transmigrates into the ancient world as Zhang Xiaozhu, the son of a butcher. He is too weak to lift a load or even hold a tool, and looks set to starve to death. His mother grits her teeth and decides to send him to school, but his butcher father refuses to hear of it. Studying will never make money as fast as slaughtering pigs. Just then, his eldest sister, Jinhua, speaks up: “Father, Mother, stop arguing. I agree that Zhu'er should study.” His se 705Reads6.7Score107Shelves

    Reader note

    1️⃣💮🍻A liberal arts student transmigrates into the body of a butcher's son after a car accident. Everyone in his family is strong and robust, 🌹 but he's the only one who's physically weak and unable to lift a finger. Desperate, his family supports him in pursuing the imperial examinations. Watch how the butcher's son rises to power! 2️⃣💣🔪Reborn as a farmer's son, he awakens his past life memories at age 6. In his previous life, he studied, took the college entrance exam, and in this life, he didn't want to take the imperial examinations. 🦋However, his father has passed away, his older brother is lame, and the family owns hundreds of acres of fertile land. Without official rank, they can't protect it, so he's forced to take the exams. 🍊He runs a small business to earn money, works hard to pass the imperial examinations, and protects his family's property.

49. 99 替 Taking My Father’s Place in the Imperial Exams, Starting at Six 替父科举！从六岁开始 Dreaming Back to Childhood Songs梦回童歌Historical366k WordsCompleted No corvee labor, no land tax. Crossing the class divide feels amazing! No wonder my father was willing to do anything to pass the imperial exams! The exams broke the aristocratic clans' monopoly on official careers under the Nine-Rank System, which had been in place since the Wei and Jin dynasties. With examinations at their core, they gave ordinary scholars a way to rise above their station. The appeal of the exams went straight to the heart of people's everyday concerns. Once scholars passed t 697Reads7.3Score100Shelves
50. 100 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 33.9kReads8.3Score3.7kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is actually very good.

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