Male Protagonist Reborn Into Ancient Times! Imperial Exams! No Romance! Rich Enough to Study! Rich Enough to Study! 男胎穿!古代科举!无cp!有钱读书!有钱读书!

1. 1 大 The Great Zhou’s Number One Villain Raises a Top Scholar 大周第一奸臣，养出了个状元郎 Little Cow Goes Online小母牛上网Historical1.3M WordsOngoing [Transmigration] [Imperial Examinations] [Court Politics] [No Golden Finger] The short drama is now streaming on Fanqie under the title The Playboy Takes Up His Brush to Protect the Realm (Season 1). After transmigrating to Great Zhou, Gu Chang'an finds himself the son of a treacherous minister, reviled by everyone. His father, Gu Mingyuan, wields immense power at court. He purges the court and suppresses the scholars, earning the condemnation of the realm's literati as a traitor to the nation 109.7kReads8.6Score12.4k14d adds

   Reader note

   This book fits the bill perfectly, how come no one has recommended it? The family isn't poor, the conditions are good, and the protagonist is able to endure the hardships of studying. It even covers the imperial examinations, becoming an official, and a career in government. [Kissing emoji]

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 47.9kReads8.8Score3.2k14d adds

   Reader note

   I recommend these two books; I've been following them closely, and they're basically flawless. In the first one, the Wang family is adorable, and Wang himself is full of unexpected and interesting methods. The pacing is brisk and fast-paced, the characters are vividly portrayed, and the writing is engaging. The biggest problem with the second book is its excessive padding—it's incredibly padded. However, it's rare to find something so engaging that it's still so enjoyable. It's very slice-of-life, with almost no dramatic events, and the local customs and culture of Guangdong are very vividly depicted. Unlike most imperial examination novels, the protagonist is a low-ranking scholar who only achieves the highest rank, and he initially only serves as a county magistrate, not an official in the capital, which is quite unique.

3. 3 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—Score11014d adds

   Reader note

   That's not just ordinary wealth.

4. 4 科 Imperial Exams: Nine Generations of Butchers, and Then One Scholar 科举：九代屠户，出了个读书人 I'm Braised Pork Ribs with Potatoes我是土豆焖排骨Historical1.9M WordsOngoing [Imperial Exams + Farming + Ancient History + History + No System + Alternate History + Transmigration] The Lin clan was a family of butchers. For nine generations, every man had slaughtered pigs. They were all so fearsome-looking that they could stop children from crying at night. The Lin family tombs must have had smoke curling up from them, because somehow they produced a delicate little scholar with a head full of knowledge. At first, the villagers all said the murderous aura around Butcher 7.7kReads7.9Score58814d adds

   Reader note

   This book is rich in content and captivating. Its rigorous logic, unique perspectives, and thought-provoking insights make it a worthwhile read.

5. 5 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 1.1kReads8.4Score10214d adds

   Reader note

   He transmigrated at the age of three and a half and began his formal education, later entering the top academy in Jiangnan. He focused on the imperial examinations and building his career. There is no romantic partner; the male lead is not short of money, but he is very good at making it. He is a scion of a noble family.

6. 6 全 An Illiterate Clan Takes the Imperial Exams, While a Science Whiz Is Terrifyingly Good 全族文盲科举，理科学霸强的可怕 Icebound Gentleman冰封君子Historical535k WordsCompleted [Male POV + Reincarnated as a Baby + Imperial Exams and Farming + Court Politics + No Romance] The entire Xu clan was illiterate, a family of uneducated peasants that hadn’t produced a scholar in a hundred years. Third Uncle Xu was a drunk who beat his family, while Han was disabled and lame. They were often mocked and looked down on in the village, and even their own family didn’t care for them. Yet these two dirt-poor farmers somehow gave birth to a genius scholar? Xu Jinyuan had been the t 25.9kReads7.6Score2k14d adds

   Reader note

   I think all of these books are good, and I've already finished them! The first one doesn't have a romantic pairing. The later ones do have romantic pairings (though not many).

7. 7 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 28.6kReads8.7Score2.7k14d adds
8. 8 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 50.9kReads8.9Score6.3k14d adds
9. 9 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 13.8kReads8.5Score1.1k14d adds
10. 10 从 From Little Kid to Top Scholar, I Cheat My Way to the Top 从幼童到状元，我一路开挂 Dreaming Back to Childhood Songs梦回童歌Historical2.1M WordsOngoing [Alternate-history fiction + imperial examinations + slice of life + no golden finger] Here, clan ties are more important than life itself, and clan rules take precedence over the law. When Qin Haoran was three, his father was killed in a bloody fight over water rights. According to clan rules, the entire clan was supposed to raise the family that had lost its breadwinner. But fate's cruelty was far from over. Three years later, his young mother, unable to bear a life of loneliness and widowhood 58.5kReads8.6Score4.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    Both books are excellent. The first one is still ongoing, but the author's literary skill is quite high. The second one is lighthearted and fun; after reading so much about the intrigue and backstabbing of the imperial examination system, this is truly a refreshing change.

11. 11 名 You Abandoned Me When I Failed the Imperial Exam, So Who Are You Now That I’ve Swept the Boards? 名落孙山你不陪，连中六元你是谁 Dragon in the Wind龙行风Historical1.3M WordsCompleted [The short drama is now available, and the print edition is in publication.][Slow-burn, warm, and humorous][Alternate history + business + imperial examinations + one female lead + no System] Su Run transmigrates into the body of a disgraced scholar who has lost both his parents, failed the imperial exams, and earned a notorious reputation as a lovesick doormat. When he opens his eyes, his fiancée is publicly putting him down and emotionally manipulating him, even threatening to break off their 18kReads8.8Score1.6k14d adds
12. 12 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 186.1kReads9.0Score23.8k14d adds

    Reader note

    These three books are all excellent reads; both the writing style and the plot are great, highly recommended!! They all depict the imperial examination process, from a student to a xiucai (a lower-level scholar), then to a juren (a higher-level scholar), and finally to a jinshi (a higher-level scholar). [Cool]

13. 13 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 216.4kReads9.3Score21.7k14d adds
14. 14 西 The Everyday Life of a Northwest Military Household’s Son Preparing for the Imperial Exams 西北军户子的古代科举日常 Zuiwu zq罪鹜zqHistorical104k WordsOngoing Introduction… —Reads—Score31614d adds

    Reader note

    His family is very supportive; he's an only child, the apple of their eye, and he's focused solely on the imperial examinations. His first book is still relatively new.

15. 15 拼 I Worked My Way to the Top Scholar in the Imperial Exams, and Now You Say I Have a Powerful Identity 拼命科举成状元，你才说我有身份 This Fish Wants to Eat Cats Now这鱼想吃猫了Historical1.6M WordsCompleted (A cathartic power fantasy: the protagonist never takes anything lying down, and never lets a grudge wait until tomorrow!) No romance + nation-building + imperial examinations + farming + alternate history + court intrigue A no-holds-barred power fantasy, with a decisive, ruthless protagonist!! If there's no justice in this world, then I'll carve it out with blood! If the great clans leave everyone with nowhere to turn, then I'll cut a path through them. The county magistrate's son toys with peo 33.1kReads9.0Score4k14d adds

    Reader note

    No romantic pairings or ambiguous relationships; the protagonist is decisive and ruthless, and not a saint!

16. 16 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 119.8kReads9.6Score11.5k14d adds

    Reader note

    Both are excellent. ① In the first book, the protagonist comes from a wealthy landowning family with a decent financial situation. The female lead has a system (note: the system is not a cheat code, no cheating! The only function of the system is to conceal her female identity and pass the body searches during the imperial examinations!). Xu Xu's success in the imperial examinations is based on genuine talent and learning, not on mindless wish-fulfillment stories where knowledge is simply crammed in. The first half focuses on the imperial examinations, and the second half on her official career. Her relationship with the emperor is very touching, and she makes significant contributions to the country's development (I won't spoil the details, but it's very exciting), creating a golden age of international tribute. At the same time, she also improved the living conditions of women at that time to some extent. When the emperor died and the crown prince died young, she supported the young crown prince and single-handedly dealt with internal and external troubles, saving the dynasty from collapse and extending its life for hundreds of years. Xu Xu is the white moonlight of the entire dynasty. Highly recommended! I personally think it's top-tier among female-oriented imperial examination novels 🥺 ② The second book features a male protagonist who transmigrates from modern times. He comes from a poor family, lost his father at three, and his mother remarried when he was six. He was raised by his uncle, and his entire family gambles everything on him. Some parts depict the family's struggle for survival, gradually rising under his leadership. It's not a wish-fulfillment novel; it's very realistic. The author has real talent, and the exam questions are detailed and realistic. I also recommend reading it, although the first half might be a bit dry for some readers. The exciting parts begin in the early and middle stages and become more frequent in the later stages.

17. 17 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? 45.5kReads8.6Score4.8k14d adds

    Reader note

    Um, it's really good-looking, hahaha [laughing][laughing][laughing][laughing][laughing][laughing]

18. 18 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 86.2kReads8.9Score8.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    The imperial examination series on my bookshelf is awesome! Highly recommended!

19. 19 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 28kReads9.4Score2.7k14d adds
20. 20 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 17.6kReads9.1Score1.8k14d adds
21. 21 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 17.7kReads8.2Score1.7k14d adds
22. 22 农 An Ambitious Country Boy's Life in Ancient Times 农家小子的古代上进日常 The Hibernating Donkey冬眠中的驴Historical6.2M WordsOngoing After transmigrating into the body of a farmer's son in ancient times, a poor student had no choice but to embark on the long road of the imperial examinations to improve his family's life. He sought neither wealth and status nor a high salary or lofty office in this life. All he wanted was to protect his family and give them a peaceful life. 40.2kReads9.2Score3k14d adds

    Reader note

    It's good, but unfortunately the outline is too long; few people have the patience to read it all.

23. 23 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 79.4kReads8.7Score8.8k14d adds
24. 24 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 11.3kReads8.9Score94914d adds

    Reader note

    This is so beautiful!

25. 25 朝 A Farmer's Son at Dawn, an Emperor's Courtier by Dusk 朝为农家郎，暮登天子堂 Lantern Festival Revelry闹花灯Historical2.6M WordsOngoing (There's family drama, petty squabbles, rural life, outrageous oddballs, life in government, and much more.) After spending nearly ten years in a daze as an idiot, Tang Wenfeng fell into the water one day and finally came to his senses, now with a modern mind inside him. To avoid taxes, make a fortune, lie flat and enjoy himself, and secure a carefree life for the future, Tang Wenfeng decided to sit the imperial examinations. Who knew that an unexpected turn of events would put him on the 6.2kReads8.4Score41514d adds

    Reader note

    I forgot if there's no romantic pairing or if it's a reincarnation story; there are so many books on my bookshelf, it's hard to find.

26. 26 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—14d adds

    Reader note

    Imperial examination essays? Just arrange it!

27. 27 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... 21.8kReads9.2Score2k14d adds
28. 28 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 8.5kReads9.5Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    Although there are some female characters dressed as men, they are never exposed or overly emphasized, and I personally think they look quite good.

29. 29 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 48kReads9.3Score5.9k14d adds
30. 30 吃 Trying to Inherit My Family's Wealth? I Disguised Myself as a Man and Took the Imperial Exams, Winning All Six Honors 吃绝户？我女扮男装科举六元及第 Jiang Suiwan江岁晚Ancient Romance605k WordsOngoing [Imperial Examinations + No CP + A Woman Disguised as a Man (She Reveals Her Identity Once She Holds Great Power) + Political Intrigue + Ensemble Cast] Reborn into an ancient farming family as its only “son,” she is so despised by her entire clan that they wish she would die soon so they can seize the Lu family's estate. Lu Ming: That's no problem. So what if they try to trip her up and stop her from taking a master? She'll walk the road to success no matter what! After observing mourning for t 1.2kReads8.6Score24414d adds
31. 31 穿 Transmigrate to a Farming Family, Aim for the Imperial Exams 穿越农家，科举为上 Tang Qinghan唐轻寒Ancient Romance305k WordsCompleted Wang Xi had a heart condition as a child and was abandoned at an orphanage. He worked odd jobs to put himself through college and finally landed a pretty good job. After three years of working diligently, just as he was finally able to give something back to the orphanage where he grew up, he suddenly died while working overtime one night. Reborn into a farming family, Wang Xi is now a little boy named Li Shuanzi. He knows all too well that if he wants a better life, passing the imperial exams i 3.5kReads8.9Score22014d adds

    Reader note

    The first book features a male protagonist without any cheat codes, and his family has strong moral values, working together towards a better life. The second book features a female protagonist who transmigrates into a male character, has a system, and receives unconditional support and love from her parents; the entire story is heartwarming. The third book features a down-to-earth male protagonist, characters who aren't unintelligent, no powerful cheat codes, and whose earning money is gradual and without any extreme characters; the author's writing is also excellent. The fourth book focuses on reason rather than romance.

32. 32 穿 Reborn as an Exiled Prince, I Take the Imperial Exam in an Enemy Kingdom 穿成流浪皇子，在敌国考科举 The King Doesn't Like to Study Properly大王不爱好好读书Historical311k WordsOngoing [Light fantasy wuxia + irreverent imperial examinations + political intrigue + decisive killing + princes + golden finger + no romance] Yan Guijin has always been convinced that there's something wrong with him. Yan Shengyong never imagined that the abandoned baby he took in would one day become a radiant beacon in this prison of a world. [One] Taxes and forced labor are fiercer than a tiger, while the yamen runners are as greedy as wolves. How is a landlubber supposed to survive in a sea that s 6Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    The male protagonist transmigrates into the body of an abandoned prince. Living in a small island county with heavy labor and taxes, he decides to take the imperial examinations to escape poverty and to finally see the imperial palace. He has a cheat-like advantage, detective elements, and a wealthy foster brother.

33. 33 女 A Woman in a Man's Body: The Concubine-Born Heir's Rise to Power 女穿男，庶房嫡子的逆袭 Liu Jilian刘忌廉Ancient Romance1.3M WordsOngoing Now available as an audiobook with a full cast. [Alternate history] + [Woman transmigrates as a man] + [Born into this world] + [Imperial exams and business in the early story] + [Court politics later on] + [One female lead, with a relatively small role] + [A touch of ensemble cast] + [No golden finger] Xie Chengxi was born into another world as the sixth son of the Xie family, a minor family in Bianjing's Grain Transport Guild. His father was the clan's rejected son, kept under pressure for yea 33.5kReads8.3Score3.6k14d adds

    Reader note

    This bag is nice.

34. 34 科 Imperial Exams: The Qilin Son of the Liu Family Shines 科举，柳家的麒麟子发光啦 Hua Lianyu華涟雨Eastern Fantasy294k WordsCompleted Liu Yu was a modern man from the 22nd century. After an accident, he found himself in the Fengliang Dynasty, a kingdom that had never existed in recorded history. Hu Jiu: This great king is in the middle of a heavenly tribulation! Don't come any closer, or I'll blast you to bits!!! Liu Yu: If I don't come, how am I supposed to save you? When are you going to repay my kindness? Hu Jiu: Meow~ What are you talking about? This king doesn't understand. The imperial examination road that followed 41Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Except for not being a rebirth, everything else fits the description. Look at this! [Drooling emoji]

35. 35 寒 A Scholar from a Humble Home 寒窗读书人 Ding Kai, Who Loves Pepper-Salt Rice Dumplings爱吃椒盐豆粽的丁凯Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Bystanders: Xu Sandan’s life is over (watching the drama unfold…) Family: What’s going to become of Sandan? (worrying…) Xu Heng (Xu Sandan): My fate is mine to decide, not Heaven’s (striving…) A story about Xu Heng, who transmigrates into a desperate situation from the start. With a disabled body and a poor family, he fights against a cruel fate step by step through his own efforts, ultimately turning his life around. An uplifting story about farming, cozy everyday life, and hard work. P.S. Ther 4.2kReads8.6Score33114d adds
36. 36 我 I Turned My Superstitious Father into the Chief Councilor 我把神棍老爹卷成首辅 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical1.7M WordsCompleted [Ensemble cast + imperial examinations + daily life + farming + court politics later on] Father and son join forces to build a Ming dynasty on which the sun never sets. Yan Xun transmigrates to the Ming dynasty and discovers that his father can do everything except study. His dad has so many secret identities, like an onion with layer after layer to peel back. Huh! If I push Dad hard enough to make him Grand Secretary, can I become a Junior Grand Secretary? The filial son Yan Xun sells everythin 22.8kReads9.5Score2.8k14d adds
37. 37 重 Reborn as a Young Scholar in a Farming Family 重生之农家小书生 Smiling Dove笑白鸽Historical1.5M WordsCompleted Xiao Han transmigrated to ancient times as a little boy. He had planned to coast through life, eating his fill and waiting to die, but the System, desperate to meet its performance targets, tried every trick to tempt him, from sweet-talking him to feeding him poisonous motivational slogans. Xiao Han gradually veered onto a path no one had planned for. He had only wanted to help his family achieve a comfortable life, but he aimed too high and accidentally reached the pinnacle of success. Xiao San 1.9kReads8.7Score12614d adds
38. 38 皇 Ming Dynasty Natives Versus Transmigrators 皇明土著大战穿越众 Would You Dare Say Yes?叫你敢答应吗Historical3.7M WordsOngoing Current plot: A newcomer to officialdom enters the inner circle as a pawn, but refuses to settle for mediocrity and wants to break free of his constraints. By chance, he gets caught up in turmoil on the frontier, where three hundred battered soldiers rout thirty thousand northern invaders. Zheng Zhi, a household retainer of the Zhen Ding Guard under the Ming rear army's Governor's Office, dreams of himself sixty years in the future. From then on, the Ming Dynasty gains a peerless talent in both 170Reads8.2Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Learn from time travelers, rob time travelers, trample time travelers to death.

39. 39 吾 I Sing the Song of Mortals for You 吾为君吟凡人歌 Six Sons of Qingfeng青峰六子Historical552k WordsCompleted [Male-Oriented, Transmigration, Fictional Setting, Farming, Everyday Life, Imperial Examinations, No System, No Golden Finger, Rural Life, Rustic Setting, One Heroine, Not a Power Fantasy] Lin Zezu, an ordinary nobody from Blue Star, transmigrates to the fictional Wu Kingdom. He arrives just as the original body's father, a scholar, dies of illness. Since the original body's birth mother was a brothel girl, his stepmother and eldest half-brother in the Lin family never treated him well. After Ma 2Reads6.4Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    To be honest, the book I recommended has saved many people. Mainly because of the author's writing style. It's incredibly impressive.

Other lists with The Great Zhou’s Number One Villain Raises a Top Scholar