Palace Intrigue with a Heroine Who Never Falls in Love, from Beginning to End 宫斗女主不动心的（前期后期都不动心）

1. 1 皇 The Empress Leaped to Her Death, and the Mad Tyrant Wept Until His Eyes Were Red 皇后纵身一跃，疯批暴君哭红了眼 Huang Dandan黄蛋蛋Ancient Romance635k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance, devoted couple + palace intrigue + regretful pursuit, clear-headed heroine, everyone's unattainable ideal] Meng Tang is a gracious, gentle empress who never competes for favor. Everyone thinks she is a true white lotus standing tall in the harem, and even the tyrant believes it. He takes a new concubine, and she smiles, congratulates him, and arranges for the newcomer to spend the night with him. He sends her restorative medicine, and she obediently takes it, knowing full we 21.5kReads9.3Score2k14d adds

   Reader note

   It's so good! I've recently become obsessed with novels where the female lead doesn't love the male lead. There's one that's currently being serialized.

2. 2 娇 So Pure and Innocent as a White Lotus, How Could She Be Scheming to Seduce Him? 娇娇纯净似白莲，怎会心机引诱？ Melon Egg瓜蛋Ancient Romance536k WordsCompleted [A femme fatale schemes for power, leading the hero step by step into ruin.] Jiang Yueyao is ruthless and destined to become empress. She first meets the emperor at a palace banquet. She is the most favored concubine of a minister, and after a palace consort publicly humiliates her, she drops to her knees and pleads for mercy, looking heartbreakingly beautiful beneath the dazzling palace lanterns. She meets the emperor for the second time in the study at her residence. Frantically fleeing her hu 3.9kReads9.0Score42514d adds
3. 3 妃 A Consort's Scheme for the Emperor's Heart 妃谋帝心 Falling Ashes坠落的灰Ancient Romance527k WordsCompleted With her father turning a blind eye and her stepmother throwing her weight around, Mu Li is ordered to marry an old prince as a concubine. They tell her this is her fate. Mu Li refuses to believe it. She has never believed in fate… Just then, the imperial household holds its selection of consorts. Daughters of officials of rank eight or above who are of suitable age may participate. Mu Li thinks: Since I’m to be a concubine, why not become the concubine of the most powerful person in the realm? 9.1kReads8.9Score1k14d adds
4. 4 白 The White Moonlight Noble Consort’s Daily Life in the Harem 白月光贵妃的后宫日常 Yuanzi Eats Mulberries元子吃桑葚Ancient Romance434k WordsCompleted (Cover used with permission) With an illustrious family background, breathtaking beauty, and the distinction of being the emperor’s moonlight, Jiang Hui should have found life as a Noble Consort effortlessly easy. Unfortunately, the sisters in all but name in the Eastern Palace, wave after wave of beautiful candidates from the provinces, and the supposed substitutes who resemble her in looks and bearing all tell her the same thing: no one can walk unscathed through the imperial harem. [Alternate 25.1kReads9.3Score2k14d adds

   Reader note

   The female lead enters the scene in a high position with a strategy, but genuine feelings are few and far between; she's a clear-headed, pure, and unwavering heroine.

5. 5 谁 Can You Believe It? The Empress Wrote a Hundred Palace Rules 谁懂啊，娘娘写了一百条宫规 Strawberry Xi草莓汐Ancient Romance602k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue + Ancient-Era Heroine + Reborn Supporting Female Character + Transmigrated Supporting Female Character + Everyone Is Clever + Clear-Eyed Heroine] From ordinary palace candidate to empress. Everyone believes the emperor is devoted to Ning Wanyin. Only Ning Wanyin knows how treacherous and perilous the journey has been. She has survived every step through sheer caution. Lady Tang, reborn: “She killed me in my last life. This time, of course I’ll… make her my friend! Do I really th 41.2kReads9.6Score5.9k14d adds

   Reader note

   🍃Prudent self-preservation and foresight—what can I say! The female lead is incredibly cautious, having multiple plans for every trip, fearing trouble and getting into trouble.🍃These books are all quite good; at least the characters are intelligent, not overly naive, and follow their hearts to climb the social ladder.

6. 6 换 After a Marriage Swap, I Became Empress Dowager at Eighteen 换亲后，我十八就当上了太后 Xue Da雪大Ancient Romance359k WordsCompleted [The Empress Who Comes After Tears Apart a Transmigrator and Takes Her Time Setting the Harem Straight] Shen Shuhua and her younger sister were reborn together. In her previous life, she married a penniless top scholar, while her younger sister entered the palace and became empress, living in splendor. But life is unpredictable. The top scholar, once penniless, rose to the pinnacle of power and became prime minister, securing a first-rank noble title for his wife, Shen Shuhua. Her younger sister 1.4kReads9.1Score23014d adds
7. 7 宫 A Palace Maid’s Daily Struggles 宫女奋斗日常 Phantom Beneath the Moon月下幻影Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Ling Huan has skin as smooth as ice and looks like a goddess, yet she has no interest in power and thinks only of leaving the palace. In the end, neither she nor her child meets a good end. Given another chance, her goal is to raise her child well and become Empress Dowager herself. A palace-intrigue story with a strong female lead. The heroine is ruthless and clever. A thoroughly satisfying read. 5.9kReads9.2Score84614d adds
8. 8 入 A Stand-In in the Palace? The Noble Consort Goes on a Killing Spree 入宫当替身？贵妃娘娘她杀疯了 Chiyo千代Ancient Romance221k WordsCompleted [Alternate-History Palace Intrigue + Fertility and Many Children + Scheming, Unhinged Villainess + Ensemble Cast in the Harem] Wan Yunsi had had enough of being a lowly concubine-born daughter whom anyone could bully and who never had enough to eat. So she took the initiative to scheme against the Wan family and her father, becoming the twin sister of her infertile legitimate-born elder sister and entering the palace as a consort. From the moment she stepped through the palace gates, Wan Yunsi k 48Reads8.4Score—14d adds
9. 9 宫 A Heart Caged Behind Palace Walls: Consort Yuan Is Promoted Again 宫墙锁心宠，元妃娘娘又晋位了 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance320k WordsCompleted No one is completely devoted to one person in the early part of the story, so don’t read if that’s a dealbreaker. The emperor is a scoundrel at first, but utterly doting later. More sweet than angsty. [Palace intrigue and rising to power + many children + absolute favor + climbing to the top one step at a time] Su Zhitang, the daughter of a general, enters the palace as a beauty after the selection. Her father is already a second-rank official, so she only wants to heed her mother’s advice, keep 610Reads9.0Score10114d adds
10. 10 你 Didn't You Say She Was Old and Out of Favor? 你不是说她年纪大，不得宠吗？ I'm Xingxing Da我是星星大Ancient Romance590k WordsCompleted [Palace and household intrigue + raising children + food + everyday life + not chaste, but doted on] Su Tang transmigrated into the body of a concubine of Xiao Jingrong, Heir of the Prince of Zhaonan, with a two-year-old toddler in tow. The original owner had let herself go, behaved crudely, and was even older than the heir. He had long since forgotten her, leaving her to languish in a corner. Su Tang figured that was just fine. She wouldn’t compete for his favor or make the first move. But then 21.2kReads8.8Score2.1k14d adds
11. 11 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Bewitching, and the Emperor Gives In to Pleasure 娘娘撩人魅惑，帝王纵情堕落 You Gongyu尤宫羽Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The Tomato short drama Kun Yi is now streaming~ [Transmigrate into a book, male lead is not a virgin but female lead is, palace intrigue, psychological games, happy ending] The Crown Prince, Jun Zechen, has seen his fair share of calculating women, and loves only those who are pure and kind. While campaigning beyond the frontier, he meets Ling Yue and is captivated by her free-spirited kindness. He promises to spend his life with her alone. But two years pass, and the Crown Princess has yet to c 120.1kReads9.5Score11.3k14d adds
12. 12 成 On Our Wedding Night, the Obsessive Crown Prince Took Me to the Eastern Palace 成亲当晚，偏执太子夺我入东宫 Jiang Xiaoshi江小十Ancient Romance504k WordsCompleted The aloof, possessive Crown Prince × the dazzling beauty who loves money Everyone in the Eastern Palace knows that the Crown Princess was snatched away from someone else by the Crown Prince. Once the Crown Prince, as elegant as jade and as clear as moonlight, fell into the sea of love, there was no climbing back out. He Yue transmigrated to ancient times and became the owner of a rouge shop. She wasn’t rich or powerful, but her life was peaceful and carefree. Then one day, the woman she liv 34.7kReads9.0Score2.7k14d adds
13. 13 哑 The Mute Palace Maid’s Daily Life 哑巴宫女日常 Pearl Pu'er Tea珍珠普洱茶Ancient Romance524k WordsCompleted Maids! Maids! No Romance Bai Zhi was sold into the palace by her family when she was five. At ten, she was assigned to serve the Fifth Prince, who was the same age as her. At fifteen, she saved his life during the spring hunt. The Fifth Prince eventually ascended the throne and became Emperor Zhaoxuan, while Bai Zhi became the head auntie of the Imperial Tea Room in the Hall of Mental Cultivation. Because Bai Zhi was quiet and had once saved Emperor Zhaoxuan's life, she became a famous mute m 8.3kReads8.9Score47414d adds

    Reader note

    I want to find this too!

14. 14 拽 The Feisty Consort Climbs to Power Through Palace Intrigue, Everyone Else Back Off 拽妃宫斗上位，闲杂人等退退退 Pine Blossom Candy松花糖Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The short drama is out now. Search for it on Fanqie to watch. [Palace Intrigue Power Fantasy + Not a Clean Romance + Being the Emperor’s Mother Is Better Than Being His Consort] Every woman in the harem hopes to win Emperor Jingrong’s favor, but Yuan Yuntang sees the emperor only as a tool for having children. Women in ancient times had to marry sooner or later anyway, so she might as well marry the most powerful man of all. After all, Emperor Jingrong has a great figure, a handsome face, and a 16.4kReads9.1Score1.8k14d adds

    Reader note

    In this story, the male lead is a bot, and the female lead relentlessly tries to rise to power.

15. 15 快 Quick Transmigration: The Sweet, Gentle Wife Is a Brilliant Actress 快穿：娇软正妻她演技超群 Sisi Shiliu四四什榴Modern Romance814k WordsCompleted (Content warning: The heroine is focused solely on winning people over, with no fixed love interest.) To avoid going hungry and avenge her young lady, Yun Su rose step by step from palace maid to empress. But she was stabbed to death during her coronation ceremony. After dying, she was bound to a "A Good Wife Never Leaves" System and forced to start working. She was tasked with helping the discarded wives in novels, abandoned for all sorts of reasons, secure their positions as legitimate wives. 688Reads8.7Score10814d adds

    Reader note

    When the female lead is doing missions, all the male leads in the smaller worlds are just tools in her eyes. She's practically the ultimate white lotus, the epitome of a green tea b*tch. In short, it's satisfying.

16. 16 快 Quick Transmigration: The Peerless White Lotus 快穿之倾世白莲 Little Bai Isn't White at All小白不白白Ancient Romance691k WordsOngoing Gentle and ethereal, breathtakingly beautiful. Nothing could describe her better. (The female lead is not a good person.) 1.1kReads8.4Score10214d adds

    Reader note

    The first book features the original female lead from the world of the Imperial Concubine, who is reborn to shield the male lead from harm. The female lead feigns shock, and the man, upon learning of the original female lead's illness, gives her the medicine he bought. The female lead remains unmoved throughout. The second book features a female lead who refuses to sleep with the Emperor (before meeting the female lead) because of his supposed impurity, instead having an affair with the Prime Minister's son. The third book features a female lead who feigns unrequited love to seduce the Emperor, getting him to remove all obstacles in her path.

17. 17 快 Quick Transmigration: No Getting Involved with the Handsome Passerby 快穿：禁止纠缠漂亮路人甲 Moon Over Xizhou西洲月Ancient Romance373k WordsOngoing Immersive Quick Transmigration (1vN, most worlds feature delicate, pampered beauties; everyone is smitten with her, she’s an original-story background character, and every admirer loves her one-sidedly) Each world follows its own original course. The background characters are mere passersby on the protagonists’ paths to success, so insignificant that some barely appear and are never even mentioned... But why aren’t these protagonists following the plot? Stop pestering that pretty background char 432Reads8.5Score—14d adds
18. 18 综 A Journey Through Film and TV: The Cannon Fodder’s Road to a Comeback 综影视之炮灰逆袭路 Lush Purple Asters紫苑青青Female-Channel Fanfiction2.4M WordsOngoing Even a cannon-fodder character can turn the tables and become the protagonist 30kReads8.6Score67814d adds
19. 19 让 You Asked Me to Be a Concubine, So I Killed the Lord? 让你当小妾，你把主君杀了？ Jiang Yu Is Very Lazy江鱼很懒Ancient Romance685k WordsCompleted (A full-cast audio drama has been produced) (The short drama adaptation, A Kiss Beneath the Spring Moon, is now online) [Quick transmigration + femme fatale + palace and household intrigue + revenge for every grudge + villainess fiction + no fixed male lead + growth-focused heroine] As a newly created System, Erdan only wanted to choose a gentle, charming Host who knew how to humble herself, so they could complete the concubine survival missions. But it turned out Erdan had misjudged her. A low- 17.2kReads9.6Score2.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    This is pure palace intrigue! In the early stages, the men use each other to kill the women; later, the men retaliate in kind, a quid pro quo of revenge. It was incredibly satisfying to watch! Highly recommended!

20. 20 太 The Crown Prince’s White Moonlight Can’t Compare: The Soft, Sweet Girl Is His True Love 太子白月光不香，软娇娇才是真爱 October Brocade Deer十月锦鹿Ancient Romance602k WordsCompleted Sweet romance! Palace and household intrigue + reborn heroine + transmigrated rival + face-slapping the beloved white moonlight The Crown Prince has a beloved woman. She's beautiful and talented, forthright by nature, and the orphaned daughter of a loyal martyr. She and the Crown Prince grew up together, yet she claims to see him as an older brother and refuses to enter the Eastern Palace and share a husband with the other women. The Crown Prince is utterly devoted to her and has turned down th 5.7kReads8.5Score54214d adds
21. 21 演 I Played the Emperor My Whole Life, and After Being Reborn, He Still Wants the Crown Prince 演了皇上一辈子，重生他还要太子 One Little Sweet Fish一口小甜鱼Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Original title: Only After His Death Did He Learn That the Empress Did Not Want to Be Buried With Him [The heroine transmigrates, the hero is reborn] As he lay dying, Emperor Tianhe looked back on his eventful life. He had risen from humble beginnings to become the founding emperor, and the world praised his achievements. In his fading consciousness, he saw his virtuous empress, his beautiful consorts, and his weeping children. He felt that his life had been complete. But after he died, his soul 31.6kReads8.9Score2.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    On his deathbed, Emperor Tianhe recalled his life, from humble beginnings to becoming the founding emperor, his achievements celebrated by the world. After his death, his spirit remained in the palace, witnessing his own funeral, the new emperor's ascension, and the empress's true thoughts. The empress wished to have her ashes scattered at sea after her death, pursuing freedom. Shen Zhishuang, originally a film star and entertainment company president, was transported to another world in a car accident, becoming a baby girl. Forced to marry Li Yuan, she endured, was virtuous, and submissive for survival, bearing him children, taking concubines, and enduring a lifetime of hardship. After death, she wished to return to her homeland. The reborn Li Yuan did not want to have any further involvement with Shen Zhishuang, but since her children were the most successful, he was forced to continue his entanglement with her. He never expected to become so deeply entangled in her feigned affections.

22. 22 栖 Bough of the Phoenix Perch 栖凰枝 Lu Shiqi鹿时七Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Short drama now available. Search "A Sigh for Youth". Starring Mi Qi and Wang Kang] Also known as "I'm a Psychology PhD, and I'll Slaughter My Way Through the Palace" Palace intrigue + sweet romance + not both leads' first relationship + heroine focused on her career On her first day after transmigrating into the harem, Jiang Xinyue fell out of favor. Everyone said she was nothing but a pretty face, a vase. On her second day after transmigrating into the harem, Jiang Xinyue regained the emperor 37.3kReads9.4Score4.3k14d adds
23. 23 小 The Little Palace Maid's Thoughts Were Read 小宫女被读心了 Jiang Xiaoshi江小十Ancient Romance254k WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the palace as a maid, Qin Jianjian works diligently, flatters those above her, and deceives those below her. In the end, she becomes the top-ranked maid serving the Empress Dowager. She has undoubtedly reached the pinnacle of her profession. Money she’s openly entitled to, along with money she shouldn’t have, keeps flowing into Qin Jianjian’s pockets. Delighted, she just has to wait until she’s old enough to leave the palace and retire early. Who could have guessed the 14.7kReads9.4Score1.2k14d adds

    Reader note

    This book isn't a palace intrigue story at all, but it's much more interesting than any palace intrigue book.

24. 24 穿 After I Transmigrated, I Became the Frail Moonlight of the Entire Imperial Harem 穿越后我成了全后宫的病弱白月光 Si Qian and Porridge司千和粥Ancient Romance379k WordsCompleted Rising star Wan Lai'er transmigrates overnight and becomes Wan Jiaojiao, a palace lady who died just after entering the imperial palace of the Great Jin dynasty. With her “bounce back from the brink, refill the mana bar” skill, Wan Jiaojiao isn't afraid of a thing. As long as she's still breathing, she can't die. What?! The horse beside the Empress Dowager has bolted? Wan Jiaojiao says, “Leave it to me!” The Empress Dowager declares, “Jiaojiao saved my life. I want to see who in the harem dares 2.7kReads9.3Score40314d adds
25. 25 王 The Prince Panics After His Princess Consort Gives Up on Him 王妃收心后王爷急了 A Tuo阿拖Ancient Romance245k WordsCompleted [Angsty Romance + The Husband’s Road to Regret] Gu Nanjin had loved Prince Yi since childhood. Later, the emperor arranged their marriage, and she vowed to cherish her husband for life. Yet she ended up dying of sorrow. Reborn, she has no way to change the fact that they’re married, but she decides to live differently and stop giving her husband her whole heart. She discovers that life is actually wonderful. Then her husband, as cold as ice, suddenly seems like a different person and starts clin 1.3kReads8.3Score10014d adds

    Reader note

    (Abusive romance + "wife-chasing" plot) The reborn heroine, wanting only a peaceful life after her rebirth, finds herself caught in a dilemma. Through the combined efforts of the male lead and a scheming woman, she angrily leaves the mansion and begins her own glorious life. The male lead, relying on the adage "belated affection is cheap as grass," is utterly scorned and ultimately dies...

26. 26 疯 Mad Empress: I’ll Be the Harem’s Number One White Lotus 疯批皇后，争做后宫第一白莲花 Luo Zhi洛枝Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [Transmigration into a fictional setting + highly intelligent heroine in palace intrigue + face-slapping + a volatile, multifaceted personality + not a clean romance] Lin Junxue transmigrated to the Xie Dynasty, an era that had never existed in history, and ended up as an unloved empress who had no idea how she died. She’d thought she was a powerless, unloved empress, but it turned out the original owner’s father was a first-rank military marquis, a loyal servant of the court for three generatio 24.4kReads9.1Score2.8k14d adds

    Reader note

    The female protagonist transmigrates into the body of an unfavored empress. The original owner's father was a first-rank military marquis, her brother a young general, and she had a sister-in-law with unimaginable wealth. The female protagonist doesn't understand why the original owner could squander such a favorable situation—it turns out it was due to her damned love-struck mind! Watch how the female protagonist, like a cunning scheming woman, secures her position as empress! In this book, the emperor is genuinely suspicious and not easy to win over. The female protagonist faces his tests at every turn—truly formidable! However, the female protagonist remains clear-headed and will never fall for that scoundrel emperor!

27. 27 惑 Ensnaring the Eastern Palace: Tying the Mad Crown Prince to My Skirts 惑东宫，把疯批太子拴在裙带上 Ninefold Thousand Towers九方千阙Ancient Romance476k WordsCompleted Originally titled Eastern Palace Erotic Picture. A madman and a madwoman, both clear-eyed about the world. [A delicate beauty with a ruthless streak × a deranged crown prince who takes what he wants, 1v1, both leads pure and Alpha] From the age of fourteen, when Ruan Qing arrived in the capital, she was hailed as the most beautiful woman in the city. Three years later, the unruly Sixth Prince had become the Crown Prince, while Ruan Qing had become a widow burdened with a monument to her chastity 34.3kReads9.3Score4.9k14d adds

    Reader note

    Does "half-hearted" count? It's like the female lead's heart is 70% herself and her parents, and 30% the male lead. Because I think people aren't plants or trees; after spending a lot of time together, they'll all develop some feelings, but the female lead is very clear-headed. For the first dozen or so chapters, the female lead is subservient because her parents are exiled. But after her first murder, she realizes that the powerful groups could crush her like ants, so she wants to become empress (the pinnacle of female power in ancient times), and then she works tirelessly towards that goal. It's really good.

28. 28 快 Quick Transmigration: The Alluring Concubine Captivates Hearts and Rises to Principal Wife 快穿：妾室妖媚，撩欲惑心晋主母 Song Shilu宋时鹿Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Quick transmigration through palace and household intrigue, a wholly ancient-world heroine, a villainess focused solely on her mission, the Matriarch System, breathtaking beauty, a naturally seductive allure, a scheming green-tea vixen, not a sweet romance] Everyone says, “Beauty is a sin.” Liu Fuyin, daughter of a wealthy merchant, is stunningly beautiful and enchantingly seductive. Before she even comes of age, she’s a beauty capable of bringing kingdoms to their knees, and everyone wants to 12kReads8.8Score73514d adds

    Reader note

    It's basically about how a villainous woman rises to power in various ways, and there are many, many typical examples. It's like an episodic story, and it's particularly good. There's bound to be one you'll like.

29. 29 吾 Which of Us Is More of a Yandere, Me or the Male Lead? 吾与男主孰病娇 How Many Chapters Today, Baobao爆爆今天几更Ancient Romance276k WordsCompleted [Revenge + regret and redemption. Everyone gets hurt except Fuguang] Fuguang is a Void task-taker who specializes in taking on the resentment of people who died unjustly despite being blessed with great fortune. Unlike other task-takers, she uses the original person’s identity, wisdom, and temperament to live their life again and give them the ending they deserved. At the request of the original Lin Yusan, she plays two roles at once. Without her disguise, she is a gentle, pure-hearted young wo 832Reads9.4Score10214d adds
30. 30 纨 The Spoiled Couple Goes Wild in the Capital 纨绔夫妇，京城发癫 Aow Big Meow嗷大喵Ancient Romance491k WordsOngoing (One-on-one romance, married first and falling in love later, chaotic daily life) Sixteen years ago, the favored Qiao family and the newly appointed Hanlin scholar Huo family arranged a marriage. Sixteen years later, the Huo family had risen to the rank of Minister, while the Qiao family had plummeted from trusted imperial confidants to complete paupers. On the eve of the wedding, the Huo family’s second wife couldn’t bear to see her handsome, talented son marry a pauper’s daughter, so she subst 14.9kReads9.2Score1.5k14d adds
31. 31 踹 After Kicking Over the Dragon Throne, the Entire Court Begged Her to Take the Crown 踹翻龙椅后，满朝文武跪求她登基 Fei Xi妃玺Ancient Romance2.5M WordsCompleted (The heroine focuses on her career, with no romantic pairing. She becomes somewhat cold-hearted and ruthless later on.) Born into the world as a princess, Yu Hui thinks that at last, an incredible fortune has fallen into her lap. She has a palace to live in, money to spend, and status to protect her, so she can enjoy a peaceful, happy life. But peace is out of the question. Calamities keep dropping out of the sky, and they’re heavy ones. Happiness? Not really. Someone is always ending up dead, s 8.4kReads8.8Score71814d adds
32. 32 昭 The Chaos of Zhaohua 昭华乱 See Fortune at First Sight, Meow一见生财瞄Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Available in print. Search "Zhaohua Rebellion" on any platform to purchase.] [Strong female lead, satisfying revenge, high-IQ palace intrigue, the heroine schemes against the entire harem, a dangerously unhinged antagonist] Song Zhao has always been a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and she has always seen the world more clearly than anyone else. From the moment she learned that Xiao Jingheng had chosen her to enter the palace as a consort, her goal was crystal clear: "I en 87.1kReads9.5Score9.7k14d adds
33. 33 继 The Second Empress 继后 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted The Noble Consort was favored, the Worthy Consort bore a son, the Bright Etiquette was the emperor’s white moonlight, and the Beautiful Consort was his cinnabar mole. Every other concubine had her own talents and charms. It was a whole garden in full bloom. So who was our protagonist? The unfavored empress, with no children and no powerful family backing. Great. Why did this plot feel so familiar? Never mind. On the first day Zhao Wumian transmigrated here, she decided to lie flat. Compete for t 79.6kReads9.5Score8.9k14d adds

    Reader note

    What if you transmigrate to ancient times and find yourself as an empress? Just relax! Treat being empress as a profession!!! Be a virtuous and magnanimous empress. With more concubines, more children, fewer allies. No need for intrigue; open strategies are enough.

34. 34 宫 The Willow by the Palace Wall 宫墙柳 Dream Doll梦娃Ancient Romance166k WordsCompleted Why must the imperial consorts compete for the emperor’s favor? A smash-hit, heart-wrenching historical romance that burst onto the scene in 2019! Recommended by countless tearful readers, this unconventional palace-intrigue novel will stay with you long after you finish. In the lightest of styles, it captures everyone’s deepest regrets. In May of the year I turned fourteen, with the pagoda trees in fragrant bloom, I sat in Yong’an Palace, propping up my head as I dozed. The man’s laughter held 48.6kReads9.7Score7.1k14d adds

    Reader note

    Why compete for favor?

35. 35 大 The Madam Only Wants to Lie Flat 大娘子只想躺平 Sheng Mian盛眠Ancient Romance721k WordsCompleted [Traditional historical romance + everyday life + transmigrating into a book + the steady, gradual progress of a woman in her thirties living in ancient times] After transmigrating into a book as a marquis’s daughter-in-law, she finds herself middle-aged, with elders to care for and children to raise. Her mother-in-law dislikes her, her cold husband is alive but as good as dead, and she never sees him. His concubine keeps making a fuss to get attention, while her three biological children are cl 11.2kReads9.0Score1.6k14d adds

    Reader note

    A contemporary-to-ancient palace intrigue and domestic power struggle novel. The female protagonist is wealthy, owns land, and is independent and clear-headed after her transmigration. After her divorce, the new emperor wants to marry her, but she refuses to remarry.

36. 36 娘 The Consort Is All Charm and Cunning, Scheming Her Way to the Top 娘娘又茶又媚，一路宫斗上位 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance835k WordsCompleted Signed for print publication In the third year of the Yifeng era, a concubine-born daughter of the Ningyang Marquis’s household enters the palace. The palace is a vast, treacherous place, where the one thing you must never do is give your heart away. Ning Shuyan is clear-eyed: she wants wealth and prestige, along with the emperor’s favor. For three years, she carefully plots each step, wins the emperor’s attention, and rises from Talented Lady to Noble Consort. Rumor has it that the emperor only 56.6kReads9.5Score7k14d adds

    Reader note

    The female lead remained lucid throughout the entire story and never loved anyone.

37. 37 智 Wise Men Avoid Love, and the Noble Consort Wants No Responsibility 智者不入爱河，贵妃不想负责 Uncle Luo洛叔叔Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Being a beggar would be better than being in the harem. Shen Qing is despairing over her current identity. The female lead won't appear for another two years, and Shen Qing is the lowest-ranking consort in the male lead's harem. Her father is useless, and she has neither money nor power. It seems her only option is to wait for the emperor's favor. To make matters worse, she has a face that attracts trouble. If she fights for influence, she has no leverage; if she doesn't, she'll just get bullied 47.7kReads9.5Score6.1k14d adds
38. 38 被 The Dog Emperor Threw Me into the Cold Palace, and I Just Went, “666” 被狗皇帝打入冷宫，我直呼666 Xiao Xin, Sparkling Bright小昕亮晶晶Ancient Romance402k WordsCompleted [Both leads’ first love + one-on-one romance + sole devotion + a little palace intrigue + transmigration + System] Ji Qingsui is rather unlucky. On her first transmigration, she becomes an abandoned consort in the Cold Palace. The System tells her to win over a puppy-like tyrant, but once his affection reaches 99%, the damn emperor turns around and pins her beneath him. Ji Qingsui slaps him right back. “You think you can seduce me? No way!” And so the tyrant begins his long journey to win her ba 191Reads8.2Score—14d adds
39. 39 贵 The Noble Consort Rejects Love, Yet the Emperor Dotes on Her and Decrees Her Empress 贵妃不入爱河，皇上盛宠下旨封后 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance288k WordsCompleted [The leads aren't both chaste at first + he pampers her devotedly later + the emperor secretly helps her navigate palace intrigue + the heroine has no interest in loving the emperor and focuses on climbing the ranks.] Alternate-era setting [The emperor personally raises his future empress, then claims her in the night] The Yun family has a legitimate daughter, a peerless beauty hidden away in the general's manor. The prime minister's son came to propose, but didn't even get to see her. “I don't 1.5kReads9.1Score20914d adds
40. 40 侯 A Cousin Miss Arrives at the Marquis's Residence 侯府来了个表姑娘 Gu Su Xian姑苏羡Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted A young lady from another branch of the family has arrived at the Changning Marquis household. Her skin is as smooth as jade, and her beauty could topple a kingdom. Everyone sees her as a celestial maiden, with the gentlest, most compassionate heart and disposition. Only Wang Xiyue knows the truth: she's nothing of the sort. Ten years were but a dream, a dream of fleeting splendor. She never imagined that waking from sleep would bring her back to where it all began. In the past, she curried favo 9kReads6.4Score70914d adds

    Reader note

    ①💕🍉Her voice was muffled, choked with sobs. Chunyun responded, "Yes, Miss, about Aunt Lin..." She had barely begun to mention Aunt Lin when a flash of disgust crossed Wang Xiyue's eyes. "Cousin Xiyue!" Before Chunyun could finish her sentence, a sudden... ②💕🍉The palace maids' desire to return home grew stronger, and the eunuch in charge of the investigation moved quickly. By the time it was almost Yue's turn, it was still not dawn. She handed the official document to the eunuch sitting at the door, who, while transcribing it, asked as usual: "Why did you leave the palace?" "The Empress Dowager left the palace for seclusion, and this servant..."

41. 41 表 The Young Lady Can't Stop Throwing Up, and the Heir Pampers Her Day and Night 表姑娘孕吐不止，世子他日宠夜哄 Longevity Bell长生铃Ancient Romance432k WordsCompleted [No Rebirth or Transmigration, Pure Historical Romance + Both Pure + One-Night Stand + Adorable Baby] Jiang Jinyue, a down-on-her-luck cousin, was staying at the Duke’s residence. She was always proper and cautious, and never dared get involved with Lu Yanting, the most distinguished young lord, for fear of displeasing her elders. For some reason, however, the young lord always went out of his way to look after her. Jiang Jinyue simply took it for the ordinary care an older cousin would show a 11.5kReads8.7Score1.3k14d adds
42. 42 折 Startling Heron 折惊鹭 Flying Grass会飞的草Ancient Romance206k WordsCompleted Zuo Yi thinks that if Ming Li were a white egret, then he would be the eagle that broke her wings. Ming Li saves a sick, domineering man, only to see her life plunge into its darkest days. Zuo Yi: “I've seen all kinds of wild women. I refuse to believe I can't tame you.” Ming Li: “Ha! You're good at daydreaming. Let me make this clear: in this life, there will only ever be one outcome for me, Ming Li, and you, Zuo Yi. We won't stop until one of us is dead.” She defies him, he forces her. She run 684Reads8.9Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    They all don't love the male lead.

43. 43 一 Part Ways in Peace, General, Let Me Be Beautiful on My Own 一别两宽，将军自重，妾身想独美 Lu Li路鲤Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted 67.6kReads8.9Score15.6k14d adds

    Reader note

    The female lead is really clear-headed.

44. 44 招 After Provoking the Villain, the Mad Tyrant Carried Me Off in My Bridal Sedan 招惹反派，疯批暴君掳我花轿洞房 Summer Dream Plucks Stars夏梦摘星Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Over-the-top doting + mad tyrant + farming + building wealth + food + everyday life] After transmigrating into a book as a cannon-fodder supporting actress, how can she extend her family's lives when they have only three months left? The killer is powerful and influential, and ordinary people like us can't afford to offend him. Find a random man and make him take the fall. Three years later, that scapegoat turns out to be a mad tyrant. Thousands of imperial guards clear the way, and on the day 62.9kReads8.8Score7.6k14d adds
45. 45 帝 The Imperial Terrace's Charm: The Noble Consort Is Beautiful and Well-Behaved 帝台娇：贵妃娘娘她又美又乖 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance501k WordsCompleted [Harem intrigue + climbing the ranks and crushing the villains + doting romance. The male lead knows his own heart. He'll devote himself to her alone later on.] [The heroine rises through the ranks quickly at first, then more slowly later on.] [The heroine comes from a noble family, is the most beautiful woman in the harem, and already has two adorable children. The Emperor falls for her first and favors her from early on, before devoting himself to her alone in the middle and later parts.] By a 20.2kReads9.4Score2k14d adds
46. 46 东 The Eastern Palace's Beauty: This Favorite Consort Is Mine! 东宫姝色：这宠妃我当定了！ Sheng Qian笙浅Ancient Romance520k WordsCompleted [The heroine is doted on from the very beginning. The story focuses on sweet romance, not scheming palace intrigue. The hero adores the heroine and is even a little lovesick. If that's not your thing, please move along, and don't leave a bad review over it. The heroine rises from a junior consort to a favored consort, Crown Princess, and Empress. The hero is a crown prince at first and becomes emperor later.] Su Niannian has landed in a male-lead-centric novel! Her new identity is Su Ling, the 30.3kReads9.4Score2.9k14d adds
47. 47 惊 Shocking! The Noble Consort Wins the Favor of All Six Palaces by Gossiping 惊！贵妃娘娘靠吃瓜宠冠六宫 Day Mountain Moon昼山月Ancient Romance620k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + substitute + fleeing while pregnant + secret identity] [The leads are not each other’s first; she becomes his sole favorite later. The heroine stays clearheaded and never falls for him. A silly, fluffy story; the heroine is no saint.] Jing Shumei was born with stunning beauty. She used her looks to seduce the Emperor, never giving him her heart, only scheming for her own gain. Using her mind-reading ability to listen in on palace gossip and navigate the harem, she climbed step 4kReads9.3Score55614d adds
48. 48 贵 The Delicate, Soft-Bodied Imperial Consort Turns Her Obsessive Emperor into a Devoted Puppy 贵妃身娇体软，偏执帝王变身忠犬 Tang Ling sally棠泠sallyAncient Romance385k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue + Unreasonable, Exclusive Devotion + Scheming Green-Tea Heroine + Obsessive, Love-Struck Hero] In the first year of Yongzhao, the new emperor ascended the throne and issued an edict summoning the former crown prince's betrothed concubine to serve in the palace. The world could not understand it, and the court historian condemned him, but Xiao Yu remained determined. * Yun Miao had seen the harshness of the world from a young age. All she wanted was wealth, status, and supreme po 2kReads8.8Score21414d adds
49. 49 想 I Just Want to Lie Flat, but the Emperor Pushes Me into the Harem Battles 想躺平，皇上却push我宫斗 Wooden Raisin木提子Ancient Romance328k WordsCompleted [An unconventional palace-intrigue story + 1v1 later on + a love-triangle free-for-all] The emperor falls first, then turns dark later [A beautiful, easygoing sloth consort who just wants to lie flat x a hard-working emperor who is secretly scheming and potentially unhinged] “Me, Just Looking for a Basic Salary and Slacking Off, Got Promoted Thanks to the Emperor’s Help” / “The Emperor Fights Palace Battles for Me Behind My Back” / “Consort Yao Doesn’t Want His Favor or Love, She Just Wants to R 8.4kReads9.3Score73414d adds
50. 50 娘 Her Majesty Is Bewitchingly Beautiful, Reigns over the Six Palaces, and Takes the Empress's Throne! 娘娘千娇百媚，宠冠六宫坐后位！ It's Bing'er是冰儿啊Ancient Romance632k WordsCompleted [Harem intrigue + clear-headed heroine + not the emperor’s sole favorite at first, but his only favorite later] Su Mei never imagined she would transmigrate into a harem-intrigue novel, let alone as the lowest-ranking palace concubine. If she wants a better life, she has to cling tightly to the emperor’s coattails. At first, the emperor is interested in her only because of her alluring face. Later, he summons her more often because she is delicate and soft, and somehow he develops feelings for t 391Reads7.5Score—14d adds

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