A Top Student Transmigrates to Ancient Times, Passes the Imperial Exams, and Becomes a Great Statesman 学霸穿越古代，通过科举考试成为一代名臣

1. 1 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

   Reader note

   These are undoubtedly top-tier, okay. The first one is on the Tomato Peak Ranking, no need to elaborate. The second one, if you don't recognize him in this ancient imperial examination series, you're doomed. The third one is also good, okay. The fourth one, which I highly recommend, is very good, uh, it's also about a farmer. The fifth one is also quite authoritative; if you don't recognize Sun Shan and Xu Yue in your aunt's class, you're doomed. The sixth and seventh ones, uh, I won't go into details, see the descriptions. The eighth one requires a lot of patience. Yeah, it's also very good, hahaha.

2. 2 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
3. 3 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? 47.9kReads8.6Score5.1kShelves
4. 4 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 10.2kReads8.3Score877Shelves
5. 5 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 118.2kReads9.6Score11.4kShelves
6. 6 种 Farming Didn’t Work Out, So I Made My Fortune Through the Imperial Examinations 种田不成，只好科举发家 Artemisia蒿菜Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After being transmigrated into a womb, Song Yingzhi was reborn too. In his previous life, Song Yingzhi had been born into the body of a child in a dirt-poor farming family. During the day, he worked in the fields with the men of the household. At night, he slept in the pigsty. When he was sixteen, his grandmother decided to sell the family’s pigs so Song Yingzhi could marry a wife, then cleaned out the pigsty and turned it into his bridal chamber… After getting married, Song Yingzhi became even 3.9kReads7.4Score455Shelves
7. 7 农 A Farmer's Son, the Imperial Exams, and Officialdom 农家子，科举，做官 Jiang He姜禾Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Born into the womb + imperial examinations + farming + daily life + public works and infrastructure, with a couple, little romance] [No pocket dimension, no System, no golden finger] [He starts looking for a teacher in Chapter 38. If you’re short on patience, you can start reading there.] Shen Huai is born into an ancient world and becomes the only boy in his family. The good news: he can take the imperial examinations. The bad news: they’re poor, very poor, desperately poor. Born into a 5.1kReads8.5Score390Shelves
8. 8 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 214.1kReads9.3Score21.3kShelves
9. 9 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

   I must recommend it

10. 10 名 A Name in the Unofficial Histories: The Young Prince's Unorthodox Path to Office 名留野史，小世子的另类为官路 Born on April Fools' Day四月一号生辰日Historical292k WordsOngoing An unconventional farming-and-imperial-exams story: transmigration and rebirth, with no pocket dimension, no System, and no golden finger. He's simply absurdly lucky. In his previous life, Jiang Ruyan was bedridden and paralyzed for fifteen years. He never imagined that after closing his eyes and opening them again, he would transmigrate. He spent twelve years wandering the world with his parents, who were always chasing poetry and distant horizons, before they finally sent him off to school. 893Reads—Score110Shelves

    Reader note

    In her previous life, she had only a kindergarten diploma and was paralyzed for fifteen years due to a car accident, but she was knowledgeable and learned a lot. After being reborn, she was educated into a top student by the father of a prince consort and the mother of a princess.

11. 11 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 25.7kReads8.6Score2.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommended! A brand new, incredibly captivating historical fantasy novel: ① In the second year of the Xing'an era of the Da Yong dynasty, Li Yu, courtesy name Zixuan, originally named Shen Da Kui, was from Shunqing Prefecture, Sichuan, with ancestral roots in Huangzhou Prefecture, Huguang. He ranked 49th in the second class of the imperial examinations. The protagonist, Li Yu, lost his father at a young age and moved with his mother to remarry Li Gang, the patrol inspector of Yingshan County. Diligent and studious, he passed the county-level examination in the 24th year of the Qian'an era, but failed the metropolitan examination on his first attempt. He married a woman surnamed Ning. After passing the imperial examinations in the second year of the Xing'an era, he became the magistrate of Zhangqiu County, where his service earned him the praise of the Prince of Lu. This was only the beginning of his life as a renowned official in his thirties; the latter half of his life would then begin to write the most glorious chapter in the history of the Da Yong dynasty.

12. 12 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 53.8kReads8.6Score2.2kShelves

    Reader note

    ②"Your Majesty, do you not believe what I said?" Zhao Ao couldn't quite describe his state of mind, as if he had returned to a thousand years ago. He moved his lips, "No, I believe you." He had always believed. Although he had ascended the throne back then, many in the court were the Empress Dowager's people, and he could hardly move an inch. He was suppressed by the Empress Dowager. He had gone to Jingxin Temple with the Empress Dowager. That year, Abbot Jingming was not yet the abbot. He was punished by the Empress Dowager to kneel before the Buddha statue. Abbot Jingming was watching from the side. Perhaps he saw that he was not sincere, so he said a few words to him. He had never believed in these things. Otherwise, why hadn't any of the things he prayed for when he was a child come true? But under Abbot Jingming's constant chanting, he made a wish in his heart. If it were true, he hoped to have someone who could support him as always, instead of a fence-sitter. How could the wish he made back then, seemingly with resentment, have actually come true...? Zhao Ao thought, perhaps, his life was not so unfortunate after all.

13. 13 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
14. 14 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 17.8kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    These are all absolutely gorgeous!!! Highly recommend them! [Angry][angry][angry]

15. 15 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
16. 16 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 88.6kReads8.9Score8.7kShelves
17. 17 全 My Clan Funded My Exams, So I Won My Dog an Imperial Title 全族供我科举路，我赠族犬诰命身 Househusband煮夫Historical2.9M WordsOngoing In her previous life, Fang Ziqi was a PhD in science at one of China’s top five universities. In this life, she transmigrates into a farming family in the Great Liang dynasty! A poor household, a father who secretly studies, a biased grandfather, and an uncle who has failed the exams ten times… In an age when everything is inferior to studying, Fang Ziqi has no choice but to tighten her belt and embark on the imperial examination path! She begins her studies at six! Takes the exams at eight! Pas 22.3kReads7.8Score2.2kShelves
18. 18 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 13.8kReads8.5Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    A top student from a prestigious 985 university is reborn into the imperial examination system! No cheat codes! Purely relying on brains and hard work! The male protagonist is intelligent, resilient, hardworking, righteous, determined, principled, and dares to stand out and compete. He steadily climbs the ranks of the "scholar" class, with his clan providing unwavering support, turning adversity into triumph—very inspiring! The writing is excellent, demonstrating a deep understanding of the subject matter and extensive research. The plot flows smoothly, the characters are well-developed, and the depiction of the realities of the lower classes in ancient society is particularly detailed. The struggle for survival against fate and human conflict reveals the wisdom of even the most ordinary people—it's truly powerful and a super enjoyable book!

19. 19 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 47kReads8.9Score5kShelves

    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…?

20. 20 胎 Born into a Farmer's Family as Their Late-Born Son, I Change Our Fortunes Through the Imperial Exams 胎穿农家老来子，靠科举改换门庭 Tu Yi凃扆Historical1.1M WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Daily Life + No Golden Finger] Just after passing the civil service exam, Song Xi was sent by a cement truck trying to meet its quota to an ancient dynasty called Great Qi. He was reborn as a farmer's son, and his mother gave birth to him at an advanced age, drawing plenty of ridicule from those around them. His family owned nothing but four bare walls, and they could afford meat only once or twice a year. Fortunately, his family loved him, and he had something to look f 19.7kReads8.3Score1.8kShelves
21. 21 害 Afraid of Bug Bites, I Transmigrate to Take the Imperial Exams 害怕虫子咬，穿越考科举 Wind Tugs at the Clouds风挽云Ancient Romance414k WordsCompleted [Woman transmigrates into a man + imperial examinations + farming + family life] Song An’an was a brilliant lawyer who had worked hard through years of study and finally established herself in Shanghai. Before she could enjoy her apartment and luxury car, a sudden car accident sent her transmigrating back to an unknown dynasty. Given a second life in a poor farming family, she is lucky that her parents are young and capable, and her four older sisters dote on him. Song Anshun decides to settle i 537Reads6.9Score—Shelves
22. 22 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
23. 23 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 51.6kReads8.9Score6.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These two are the imperial examination novels that I read word for word.

24. 24 科 A Zhuangyuan Emerges from a Farming Family Through the Imperial Exams 科举农门出了个状元郎 September Jojo九月玖玖Historical608k WordsCompleted After finally making something of himself as an orphan, he opened his eyes in the darkness and found himself a five-year-old idiot in ancient times. From the start, the Husky System tricked him into going deep into the mountains, telling him to be independent and figure out how to survive there alone. To hell with that! I have a home and a family. There’s just one problem: this family is dirt poor! No worries. Getting rich and passing the imperial exams are well within his abilities! This is a s 365Reads6.9Score—Shelves
25. 25 穿 I Was Reborn in a Farming Novel, but I Don't Want to Pass the Imperial Exams on Talent 穿进种田文里，我不想靠才华科举 Autumn Has Always Been Here丛来是秋Historical1.6M WordsCompleted Su Congli transmigrated. To stay alive, he studied day and night and threw himself into the imperial examinations. Who could have guessed? At the provincial exam: “What are you staring at, chief examiner?” At the metropolitan exam: “Why do these examiners all seem so strange?” At the palace exam: “Oh! Isn’t that guy sitting in the throne hall the one who stares at me every night?” Emperor Qiyuan prided himself on being a wise ruler of his age, blessed with extraordinary fortune. Who knew he’d ru 11.3kReads8.9Score949Shelves
26. 26 科 My Imperial Exams Went Poorly, and Grandma Blames the Family Grave 科举不顺，我奶说是祖坟出了问题 Corn Breakdance玉米扒舞Historical504k WordsOngoing Chen Bufan repeated his senior year three times, winning the provincial top-scorer title for his alma mater each time and making himself a tidy three million yuan in the process. He was one tough guy. But fate had other plans. A sudden accident, and that was the end of him! When he opened his eyes again, he had become Yaozu, a young man in a poor, remote village in the Great Xia Dynasty. The place was so wretched it made him want to stay up all night writing "A Humble Thatched Cottage". Even bei 42.7kReads7.3Score6.3kShelves
27. 27 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 188.1kReads9.0Score24.1kShelves
28. 28 官 Raising Daiyu as a High-Ranking Official 官居一品养黛玉 Xiao Yuanning笑苑宁Female-Channel Fanfiction2.3M WordsCompleted I transmigrated into Dream of the Red Chamber as someone never mentioned in the original novel. My only golden finger is the ability to choose one person to visit in a dream every ten years. After years of diligent study, Lin Dan, a humanities student, finally saves Daiyu and rises from a commoner to the highest rank of official. P.S. The male lead is Lin Dan, and the female lead is my adorable little Daiyu. But they are not a couple!!!! He’s just an uncle raising his niece!! The male lead will 12.4kReads8.5Score835Shelves
29. 29 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
30. 30 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 2.1kReads8.7Score145Shelves
31. 31 科 The Top Scholar and Grand Secretary Keep Carrying Me in the Imperial Exams 科举：状元首辅又带飞朕了 Silly Chicken Feather鸡毛呆Historical624k WordsOngoing (The rating just came out, so it will rise later) In his previous life, Shen Zhiyan was an engineering PhD at one of China's top five universities. In this life, he transmigrated to a peasant family in the Great Sheng dynasty. A poor household, a grandmother who played favorites, a taciturn father, and a third uncle who failed the imperial exams time and again... In an era when everything was inferior save for studying, Shen Zhiyan edged out his third uncle and set out on the path of the imperia 163.9kReads8.7Score14.2kShelves

    Reader note

    I'm currently only reading these two books. The first one hasn't had many chapters updated yet, but they're all quite good. The second one has many more updates, but I haven't finished it yet. However, a short drama adaptation of the second book has been released, so I can watch the drama first as a transition. [Got it][Got it][Got it]

32. 32 科 Imperial Exam Comeback: From Farmer’s Son to First-Rank Grand Secretary 科举逆袭：从农家子到一品阁老 Jing Le璟乐Historical576k WordsCompleted A modern young man transmigrates overnight and becomes a farm boy, descended from generations of farmers. Other people who transmigrate get a golden finger or a System. But when he takes a look at himself, he has nothing at all and is one of the lowest-ranking people of this era. He wants to invent things and change the age, but he's hopeless with his hands. He wants to master Neo-Confucianism and stand above the world, but, well, he knows nothing... Sigh, he'd better face reality. After thinkin 4.7kReads8.8Score357Shelves

    Reader note

    The male protagonist studies diligently, rises through the ranks to become an official, and eventually becomes a renowned minister.

33. 33 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 647.6kReads9.2Score91kShelves

    Reader note

    It's good, although the conflicts are the same old stuff, but it's still entertaining and doesn't make you stupid.

34. 34 寒 The Poor Scholar's Rise 寒门贵子 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical2.1M WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the body of a penniless scholar, Jiang Feng thought about how his computer science degree from his previous life was utterly useless here… Then it occurred to him: “Of all pursuits, studying is the noblest. I’ll just have to grit my teeth and take the imperial exams!” He kept going, and when he suddenly looked back, he had risen to the highest offices, expanded the empire’s borders, and built an unprecedented legacy! P.S. The new book, A Poor Scholar of the First Rank, 34.2kReads9.1Score3.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These belong to the best of the series, and there are different kinds.

35. 35 布 A Commoner Conquers the Nine Provinces 布衣镇九州 Cai Bibi菜比比Historical2.3M WordsCompleted Zhao Ce transmigrates to the Ming Dynasty, becoming an impoverished scholar with a terrible reputation. He also discovers that he borrowed money to get married, then squandered it all, and ended up buying a pitiful little cripple on the way back to make up the numbers. The little cripple has mismatched eyes and is treated like a monster. Zhao Ce: What kind of miserable life is this? A disastrous start? But when he takes another look at the little cripple, so tiny and thin, blinking those big eye 26.2kReads9.2Score2.7kShelves
36. 36 穿 I Became a Farm Girl, and My Son Is a Top Imperial Exam Scholar 穿成农家小娘子，儿子是科举大佬 Better to Step Back and Cast a Net不如退而结网Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (Dual transmigration, farming, the imperial examinations, family life, building wealth, and a warm, happy life) (No System, no pocket dimension, no golden finger. Both the female lead and her son have transmigrated.) (The female lead is hardworking, clever, beautiful, and capable. The male lead seems honest on the surface, but is actually hopelessly devoted to her, fiercely protective of his family, and scrupulously faithful. Their son is a prodigy who never forgets anything he reads, and he’s r 14.6kReads8.5Score1.6kShelves
37. 37 穿 Reborn as a Marquis's Bastard Son? Then I'll Take the Imperial Exams! 穿成侯门庶子？科举！科举！科举 Jin Rizhuhui晋日灼晖Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [Imperial Exams + Feel-Good Story + Business + Child Prodigy + Everyday Life + Political Intrigue] Song Mingyuan dies in a car accident and wakes up as an illegitimate son in the Marquis of Great Zhou's household. The good news: he has plenty to eat and wear, and maids to look after him. The bad news: his adoptive mother is his father's principal wife. Now that she has a son of her own, she sees Song Mingyuan as a thorn in her side and wants him dead! Song Mingyuan, who has transmigrated into t 17.8kReads8.2Score1.8kShelves
38. 38 科 Rising Through the Imperial Exams: Changing My Family's Fate 科举兴家：带着全家改换门庭 Fei Tu斐涂Ancient Romance2.4M WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + transmigration + farming + no golden finger] [Romance included. The male lead is devoted to one woman. The heroine appears less often, and romance is not the main plot.] [The male lead is talented, but he still has to work hard. He climbs the ranks one step at a time.] A top student who had just graduated suddenly transmigrates into the body of a farmer’s son in ancient times. Determined not to spend his whole life farming, he embarks on the long road to the imperial exa 10kReads6.9Score757Shelves
39. 39 迎 After Marrying a Sweet Young Wife, I Worked Hard and Took the Imperial Exam 迎娶小娇妻后，我奋发图强考科举 Flying Cow 98会飞的牛98Historical1.1M WordsCompleted One heroine + no System + lighthearted pacing A thorough understanding of the world is knowledge, and social savvy is good writing. Ren Junjie, a history graduate, suddenly finds himself in an unfamiliar world as the eldest legitimate son of the richest family in Xinchang County. A former wastrel, he turns over a new leaf and marries a lovely young wife. He rests every other day and works on the days in between, studying harder and striving to improve. With his deep knowledge of history, he purs 8.9kReads8.8Score715Shelves
40. 40 穿 The Long Road to the Imperial Exams as a Farmer's Son 穿成农家子的漫漫科举路 Yuedi月棣Ancient Romance3.7M WordsOngoing He dies unexpectedly, but by Heaven's grace, Zhang Ze is given a new life and born into the womb of a peasant woman. At just five years old, Zhang Ze solemnly tells his parents, “Father, Mother, your little Ze wants to go to school...” Living a decent life in ancient times is incredibly difficult. A simple chill can take your life, not to mention the crushing taxes and forced labor. Zhang Ze understands better than anyone that only earning an official degree can improve his family's life. Even t 2.6kReads7.3Score143Shelves
41. 41 阿 Sister, I Passed the Imperial Examination! 阿姐，我中举了！ The Mantis Loves to Dance螳螂爱跳舞Historical647k WordsCompleted Scholar Chen studied hard all his life but never passed the provincial examination. Before he died, he told his eldest daughter, “You must make sure your younger brother studies and earns an official title. Otherwise, I won’t be able to rest in peace!” An elder brother is like a father, and an elder sister is like a mother. Bearing her father’s final wish, Chen Zhaodi resolutely laid down her terms: “If you want to marry me, you must send my little brother to school.” While everyone else in the 4.7kReads8.6Score350Shelves
42. 42 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... 21.3kReads9.2Score2kShelves

    Reader note

    Highly recommend "The Imperial Examination: The Poor Scholar's Success!" Modern orphan Qi Wenyu unexpectedly transmigrates to the Great Qian Dynasty, becoming a frail seven-year-old scholar. His family is destitute; his father has abandoned his path to the imperial examinations, and his mother supports the family by hunting. Fortunately, he possesses the original owner's academic talent, and the imperial examinations are his only way out in the new dynasty. So, starting with memorizing the "Standards for Being a Good Student and Child," he progresses step by step through the examinations, from the lowest level to the highest, striving for the highest rank! Watch him use his cleverness in the ancient classroom, beg for meat from his fierce mother, solve the challenges of the imperial examinations with modern wisdom, and ultimately rise to become the top scholar, rewriting his family's destiny. Packed with exciting moments, it's a super easy read!

43. 43 不 If I Don’t Take the Imperial Exams, Should I Just Farm? 不科举，难道种地？ You Suo有所Historical1.5M WordsCompleted The new novel Sequence: Creator is currently being serialized. Give it a read! It's a story about surviving the apocalypse. Thank you 🙏. [Alternate History] [Imperial Examinations] [Plagiarist] [Political Scheming] [Farming] [No System] The barbarians on all four frontiers: anyone who dares invade will see their nation destroyed, their people wiped out, and their descendants cut off. I want this golden age to be exactly as I envision it. History is long, but I need only make the slightest effort 5.5kReads8.6Score398Shelves

    Reader note

    It looks good and makes sense.

44. 44 科 The Imperial Exams: I Conquered the World with Poetry 科举，我靠诗文名动天下 Whose Great Sage Is This?谁家大圣Historical674k WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + no romance + alternate world + poetry and prose + fortune-telling by characters + sixfold honors in the imperial examinations + infrastructure + political intrigue] An imperial-examination story. Sheng Yu transmigrates to ancient times as a three-and-a-half-year-old child. He begins his studies right away, enters the finest academy in Jiangnan, then advances through the prefectural school and a tribute recommendation to the Imperial Academy. Step by step, he grows up and 1.2kReads8.4Score106Shelves

    Reader note

    A top student transmigrates into the body of a three-and-a-half-year-old child in ancient times. After starting his education, he is admitted to the top academy in Jiangnan. It's a political intrigue and imperial examination novel, not very long, so you can enjoy it for a while.

45. 45 布 The Commoner Chancellor, Xia Ren 布衣宰相虾仁 Floating Life Returns to the Void浮生归墟Historical920k WordsOngoing After a sudden car accident, Xia Ren, a double PhD in history and literature, transmigrated as a dying seven-year-old peasant child in the Great Jing Dynasty, a realm never recorded in history. His family had nothing, but that couldn't diminish the knowledge and experience he had accumulated over two lifetimes. His memories of poring over ancient texts in his previous life remained crystal clear. The classics, historical records, institutions, and lessons of dynastic rise and decline were all at 336Reads—Score—Shelves
46. 46 科 The Imperial Examination: Starting by Talking My Parents into Splitting Up the Family 科举，从忽悠爹娘分家开始 Clear Blossoms Reflect a Cool Face清花照凉颜Historical1.0M WordsCompleted Li Yunzhi was born in a province known for its fierce competition in the civil service exams. Millions of people sat the exams every year, and under his parents' urging, he kept taking them year after year. At last, he stood out from the crowd and secured a civil service post. But before he could tell his parents, he was in a car accident and transmigrated to a dynasty called Great Wei. Looking at his family of impoverished peasants, their bare cupboards, and several downright awful relatives, L 3.3kReads7.9Score229Shelves

    Reader note

    🎒✅Just passed the civil service exam, he got into a car accident and transmigrated into the body of a farmer's son. His grandparents favored his uncle's family, and his parents were too honest; the whole family was always hungry and cold, yet they had to work. The protagonist realized that continuing under his grandparents' control would likely lead to a miserable life, so he plotted to cause his father to distance himself from his grandparents and separate the family. The family moved out, started their own lives, earned some money, and tried to take the imperial examinations.

47. 47 让 You Were Supposed to Take the Imperial Exam, Not Read the Examiners’ Minds 让你考科举，没让你透视考官心思 Full Moon of the Eighth Month仲商八月望Historical2.3M WordsCompleted [Mind Reading + Antiques Appraisal + Imperial Exams + Power Over the Court] From the start, he is just five years old, with a destitute family and a wicked grandmother who forces his mother, on the verge of giving birth, to die, all to repay his uncle's ten-tael gambling debt? Lin Zhao waves his little hand, and his head smacks into an overpowered golden finger! With a single glance, he sees through people's hidden schemes. He hears every greedy thought, and can even see through all things to id 663Reads7.5Score100Shelves

    Reader note

    The male protagonist transmigrates to the Great Jin Dynasty and becomes a five-year-old peasant boy. He starts out penniless, earns money, studies, and takes the imperial examinations. There's no harem, the plot isn't exaggerated, and even the minor characters have their own schemes. It's not a mindless wish-fulfillment novel.

48. 48 我 I Was Already Eight When Grandpa Finally Passed the Provincial Exam 我都八岁了爷爷才中举 The Sixth of Madam Six六夫人的老六Historical1.5M WordsCompleted The transmigrator has a smaller role in the early chapters. The protagonists are Liu Lin and the transmigrator Liu An. I, Liu An, have been transmigrated for eight years, and only now has Grandpa passed the provincial civil service examination! In the thirteenth year of the Wanli era of the Great Ming, forty-two-year-old Liu Lin passes the provincial examination. Years later, Liu Lin gazes at the plaque reading “Four Jinshi from One Family” and falls into deep thought. Follow the protagonist’s g 2.8kReads6.9Score221Shelves

    Reader note

    My novel tells the story of three generations of a family who took the imperial examinations and eventually became officials.

49. 49 被 The Abandoned Heir Places First in the Imperial Exam, and Ten Thousand Riders Storm the Marquis’s Mansion 被弃世子中状元，万骑踏平侯府门 Jun Moyu君陌玉Historical1.8M WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Reborn in the Womb + Court Politics + Revenge + System] Shen Shufan was reborn in the womb as the heir to a marquis’s estate, only to be knocked unconscious and thrown into a river. No problem: ever heard of the Proficiency System? The impoverished Shen family, a humble family of scholars, found a poor child in a freezing river. Little did they know he was an imperial-examination genius! Other families considered it a blessing from their ancestors if even one person pass 22.6kReads8.7Score2.6kShelves

    Reader note

    Recommended super good imperial examination novels

50. 50 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 29kReads8.7Score2.8kShelves

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