Palace Intrigue, with the Female Lead Rising Step by Step, Not Romance-Obsessed 宫斗，女主一步步往上爬，不是恋爱脑

1. 51 庶 The Concubine-Born Daughter Holds Power 庶女权相 A Pot of Joys and Sorrows一壶悲欢Ancient Romance664k WordsCompleted (Scheming concubine-born daughter x loyal guard) After being forced to bear a child for her sister and having the baby cut from her body, she dies full of hatred and is reborn. She takes one careful step after another, becoming a prince’s strategist. When her evil father and poisonous mother are executed, she plays celebratory music at the execution ground. When someone tries to poison her, she has them tortured with four thousand cuts. Everyone calls her a vicious demoness, yet she alone cannot 182Reads8.8Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   A scheming concubine's daughter and a loyal bodyguard. I've watched it many times and highly recommend it. It's really good. She is known as a wicked woman, but she can't get the words out of her insecure bodyguard.

2. 52 卿 My Beloved, Through Every Dawn and Dusk 卿是朝朝暮暮 Sugar-Roasted Little Deer糖炒小鹿Ancient Romance332k WordsCompleted Shen Yunshu studied archaeology and had been working for just two years. She loved history, and her favorite dynasty was the Rong Dynasty. A few days ago, she had read an unofficial history of the Rong Dynasty's royal family. Little did she expect that after falling asleep, she would wake up in the Rong Dynasty, sent there by the heavens, as Shen Yunshu, the legitimate daughter of the Shen family of Prince Zhenbei's residence. She had transmigrated to her favorite dynasty and become a descendant 24.2kReads9.5Score3kShelves

   Reader note

   It's a palace intrigue story, but there aren't any melodramatic plot twists between the female and male leads, so it's quite enjoyable.

3. 53 咸 The Laid-Back Consort: Rising Step by Step 咸鱼娘娘：步步高升 Melancholy Cantaloupe忧伤的哈密瓜Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + palace and household intrigue + childbirth + doted on exclusively later] Jiang Wan transmigrates into the body of a low-ranking palace consort of an emperor with no children. To protect the people around her, she has no choice but to compete for a little favor. Who knew she’d end up giving the emperor a chubby baby boy! Emperor: “She’s the birth mother of my only son. Of course I have to protect her.” Who knew that all that protection would turn into affection? As Jiang Wan ris 19.1kReads8.9Score1.7kShelves
4. 54 清 Qing Transmigration: Stay Calm, Princess Consort! The Fourth Prince Will Win You the Empress's Throne 清穿：福晋稳住！四爷给你挣后位 Willow Bank杨柳岸Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [An alternate Qing dynasty, unlike the historical one.] After transmigrating, Yun Qu swallowed nervously as she faced her complicated new circumstances. She had become the Fourth Prince's primary consort. What was she supposed to do? Could she ever go back? Once she learned that returning was impossible, Yun Qu accepted her fate. She decided to raise her son well and treat the Fourth Prince like her boss, serving him diligently. If he pointed east, she wouldn't go west. If he wanted to take a co 19.1kReads9.1Score1.5kShelves

   Reader note

   Palace intrigue plot.

5. 55 都 Since I've Transmigrated into the Qing Dynasty, Why Not Boldly Choose Kangxi? 都清穿了，不妨大胆点选康熙啊！ Midnight Stars深夜星辰Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted On the first day Shi Nanxi transmigrates into the Qing Dynasty, she learns that her elder legitimate sister, Shi Rongyue, is also a transmigrator. Shi Rongyue wants to escape her future as the Crown Princess, so she approaches Nanxi and offers to let her marry the Crown Prince while she marries the Fourth Prince. Anyone who transmigrates into the Qing Dynasty knows the history. The Crown Prince’s later years are miserable. Though the Fourth Prince eventually wins, he is only thirteen now and wil 18.3kReads9.2Score2.2kShelves
6. 56 为 The Concubine's Guide to Self-Cultivation 为妾的自我修养 Yu Jian郁见Ancient Romance429k WordsOngoing Zhu Yan transmigrates as a merchant's daughter and becomes a pawn her family uses to avoid disaster. Her father sends her to Changning Marquis Xie An as a concubine. As a concubine, Zhu Yan stays true to herself. She doesn't compete, make a fuss, or draw attention. Who could have guessed that the Marquis of Changning would be so fortunate? When something happens to the royal family's only two heirs, the emperor chooses Xie An, a member of the imperial clan, to inherit the throne. If a concubine 6.3kReads9.2Score450Shelves

   Reader note

   The female protagonist is clear-headed and rational.

7. 57 缚 Bound by Spring 缚春情 Ren Huanyou任欢游Ancient Romance603k WordsCompleted [The print edition is available on the homepage; film and television rights have been sold] The Jiang and Song families have been close for generations, and Song Wan was betrothed to Jiang Xingjian before she was even born. They grew up together, but she was confined to the inner quarters, where everything she learned was meant to prepare her to become a Jiang family wife. The young man was dashing and ambitious. Before he had even turned twenty, he went off to the frontier to make his name. Bef 90.9kReads9.6Score12.1kShelves

   Reader note

   It's really beautiful!

8. 58 嫡 The Eldest Daughter's Long Hairpin 嫡女簪长缨 Shi Siyan十四晏Ancient Romance4.5M WordsOngoing [Strong heroine + national hatred and family vengeance + reborn male lead] “Report! On the fourteenth day of the eighth month, eighty thousand soldiers of Dongling were trapped on Yin Mountain and completely wiped out!” A bloodstained letter from home. Every one of the eleven Bai family men is dead. That day, Bai Mingwei, eldest daughter of the Bai family, removed her hairpins and jewelry, wiped off her bridal makeup, donned armor, and set out with a coffin on her back. The battlefield ahead off 9.2kReads9.2Score896Shelves
9. 59 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 24.6kReads9.3Score1.9kShelves
10. 60 帝 The Emperor Is a Madman, and His Seductive Palace Maid Has Had Enough 帝王太疯批，娇媚宫女她不干了 Day Mountain Moon昼山月Ancient Romance302k WordsCompleted [Harem intrigue + fleeing while pregnant] [Scheming palace maid x unhinged emperor. Both leads are calculating and morally gray. He treats her badly at first, then chases her and devotes himself to her alone. They scheme and spar against each other.] After her family was destroyed and their home confiscated, Jiang Chu, once a noblewoman from a prestigious clan, entered the palace as a maid. She carefully plotted her revenge, waiting for the chance to escape and regain her freedom once she had se 1.7kReads8.9Score184Shelves

    Reader note

    At first, you might be a little impatient watching it, but if you persevere and finish it, it's really good. Trust me, honey.

11. 61 桃 Ride Out to Battle, Peach Blossoms in My Wake 桃花马上请长缨 June六月Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted The short drama adaptation of June's novel, Power and Favor 3: Power and Favor in the Capital, is now available on Hongguo App. She cared for her in-laws and used her dowry to support the General's household, only for him to use his hard-won military achievements to ask for the female general's hand as his equal wife. Zhan Beiwang mocked her. “Song Xixie, do you know that your fine clothes, rich food, and glittering jewels all come from General Yi Fang and me fighting bloody battles to hold back 15kReads9.5Score5.5kShelves
12. 62 庶 After the Illegitimate Daughter Is Reborn, Her Brothers Kneel and Beg for Forgiveness 庶女重生后，哥哥们下跪求原谅 The Bear Who Bumps into Everything乱撞的小熊Ancient Romance643k WordsCompleted [A devoted couple, with no romantic rivals] [He'll have to win her back the hard way] Yun Niannian is the illegitimate daughter of the Grand Tutor's household, with five older brothers and a younger sister. Her sister was spoiled from childhood and cherished above all else, while Yun Niannian was treated like mud beneath their feet, scorned and ignored. In her previous life, she did everything she could to please her family, but never received the affection she had hoped for. Her sister framed h 1.6kReads9.1Score259Shelves
13. 63 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 16.6kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves
14. 64 勾 Flirt with the Crown Prince, Become His Favorite Consort? A Piece of Cake 勾太子，宠妃？顺手的事儿 Snowy Dudu雪之嘟嘟Ancient Romance418k WordsCompleted [Sweet romance, sweet romance, sweet romance! We’ll say it three times because it’s important] She transmigrated? And became a favored concubine to the Crown Prince of the Jun Kingdom? After waking up one day, Mu Wantang finds herself inside a wish-fulfillment novel she had read recently, as the Crown Prince’s beloved concubine. Jun Chengyan, the Crown Prince of the Jun Kingdom and The Outcast, is breathtakingly handsome, elegant, and incomparably noble. The original owner was beautiful, but not 24.6kReads9.1Score2.5kShelves
15. 65 重 Reborn in the Dragon Bed, the Beloved Consort Cries in the Emperor's Arms 重生在龙塌，宠妃抱着陛下哭 Staggering Along蹒跚行Ancient Romance461k WordsCompleted [A spoiled, sweetly obedient favorite consort VS a gentle, jade-like emperor who's sweet on the outside and ruthless within (they are not each other's first, but he dotes on her exclusively from the beginning to the end)] Jiang Shuyi's life as a favorite consort went smoothly for fifteen years. The emperor was gentle and benevolent, doting on her without restraint, and not a single woman in the harem dared challenge her. But she was blind to her own sister's treachery. In the end, her closest 101.2kReads9.2Score11.2kShelves
16. 66 娇 The Sweetheart Deliberately Seduces the Cold Emperor, and He Falls for Her 娇娇蓄意勾引，清冷帝王沦陷了 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance651k WordsCompleted Palace intrigue + push and pull + seduction and rising to power + falling deeper at every step + devotion to one woman in the later story Loving her and knowing it + a man in power bowing his head for love * The short drama is out now. Search for “The Sweetheart Deliberately Seduces Him, and the Cold Emperor Falls” on Fanqie or Hongguo to watch the full series. * Pei Tingyue transmigrated into a book. She became a disposable consort in The Palace in Power. In the original story, she was simple-m 37.8kReads9.3Score4.4kShelves
17. 67 帝 The Emperor's Cherished Consort 帝王娇宠 Three Days in the Capital三日京Ancient Romance417k WordsCompleted [Not a pure-love couple / not a strong heroine / weak heroine / little palace intrigue / slight angst early on, exclusive devotion later] Shu Li began having frequent dreams after she was transferred from the Hall of Sacred Books to serve the emperor. In them, a tall man stood not far from her. The first time their eyes met, she woke with a start. The second time she saw his face, he grabbed her by the throat and frightened her. The day after waking from the dream, she suddenly realized that 8.1kReads9.2Score869Shelves
18. 68 朱 Beauty Behind the Vermilion Walls: The Fourth Prince's Beloved Fox 朱墙艳骨，四爷的心尖狐 Yan Ruxu嫣如许Ancient Romance708k WordsCompleted I became the most alluring young concubine in the Fourth Prince's household. With red lips, seductive eyes, and a voluptuous figure, I insisted on playing the timid, delicate flower. “My lord, I'm afraid of the dark... afraid of pain... and even more afraid you'll grow tired of me...” The Fourth Prince always kept me behind him, afraid this vicious household would tear me to pieces. He didn't know I was secretly calculating the right moment. Shattering the Crown Princess's glass cup was a setup; 29Reads6.5Score—Shelves
19. 69 宫 Palace Beauty 宫姝 Clear Summer Xixi清夏兮兮Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted She dared not love too deeply, afraid it would all turn out to be nothing but a dream. She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, scheming every day to win the emperor's favor; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, with invisible blood staining her hands; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts. In the end, it was only what she had imagined. 8.3kReads9.2Score953Shelves
20. 70 美 Starting Out with Good Looks, I Became an Emperor for the Ages 美貌开局，达成千古一帝 Fox Talk, Fish Nonsense狐言乱鱼Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Beloved by Everyone heroine + multiple men competing for her + all the men are chaste + not a cold, romance-free heroine!! Lots of romance!!] [From country girl to princess to empress] Shen Lianqi transmigrated into a novel. In this novel, the country had no princes, only one precious princess. So the emperor chose four young noblemen from the descendants of the four kings with different surnames to raise as heirs. Anyone who wanted to inherit the throne had to marry the princess. The good news 935Reads8.4Score153Shelves

    Reader note

    That's good, not love-struck.

21. 71 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. 5.9kReads9.2Score846Shelves
22. 72 皇 The Emperor Regrets It? The Original Owner Is Dead, and I’m Finally Awake 皇上后悔了？原主已死，本宫清醒 Flowers After the Rain雨后繁花Ancient Romance500k WordsCompleted [Raising children + palace intrigue + transmigration + everyday life + clear-eyed heroine + a transmigrated woman takes on a woman who transmigrated into a book, a reborn woman, a woman who was reincarnated before birth, and a native woman] Lin Anran, a government employee, transmigrates. She ends up in the body of a despised, wicked empress with a powerful family behind her. The empress was notorious for causing miscarriages, leaving the imperial harem short of heirs. The empress dowager dislik 2kReads8.4Score207Shelves
23. 73 借 Surrogate Motherhood? The Second-Time Bride and Beloved Consort Insists on Rising to the Top 借腹生子？二嫁宠妃偏要步步高升 Silver Terrace and Golden Palace银台金阙Ancient Romance626k WordsCompleted [A gentle, kind widow and an arrogant, biased emperor. Sweet, doting everyday romance, with little palace intrigue (the emphasis is on little).] The Yu family had three daughters, all beautiful. The eldest became a countess, the youngest became a consort in the palace, and only the second daughter returned home a widow less than five years after her marriage, with a little girl in tow. One day, the palace consort suffered a miscarriage and was told she would have difficulty bearing children in t 21.5kReads9.3Score3.2kShelves
24. 74 太 The Crown Prince Steals His Friend's Wife! The Sweetheart Is Trapped in a Jealousy Showdown 太子夺友妻！娇娇深陷争宠修罗场 I Love Sugarcane我爱吃甘蔗Ancient Romance508k WordsCompleted [Rebirth + Rivals Fighting for Her + Sweet-Talk Face-Slapping + Forced Marriage and Possession + Faking Her Death + Devoted to Each Other + Female Lead in Control] After a tragic death, Meng Jinyue is given a chance and sent back three years. If she successfully wins over the Crown Prince within those three years, she will be allowed to keep living afterward. Meng Jinyue accepts without hesitation. After all, a man's no substitute for her life. But her status is too low, and she can barely get a 9.4kReads8.9Score895Shelves
25. 75 蠢 The Adorably Clumsy Imperial Consort Is the Emperor's Sole Favorite 蠢萌帝妃，陛下独宠 Fish in the Sea海里鱼Ancient Romance2.3M WordsOngoing Not faithful to each other! Sweet and angsty! No rebirth, transmigration, golden finger, or wish fulfillment! [Palace Intrigue + Political Scheming + Age Gap + Ensemble Cast + Healing + Family and Country + Slow-Burning Romance + A seemingly silly, adorable, pitiful heroine who's actually wise and perceptive vs. a clear-headed, rational emperor who dotes on her] Su Chao is sent into the palace as the family's “little pebble,” and things go disastrously from the start. Her paternal aunt is the em 4.5kReads8.7Score229Shelves
26. 76 娇 The Pretty Palace Maid's Step-by-Step Rise to Empress 娇娇宫女，步步为后 Three Days in the Capital三日京Ancient Romance574k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue / not both partners’ first time / devoted love in the later story / not a strong heroine; the female lead cries easily and isn’t particularly clever, so don’t expect too much!] After three years in the palace, Yue Li has worked carefully and waited for a chance at promotion. Just before she is promoted, a palace maid sharing her room is sentenced to death for offending a consort. Thunder crashes and rain pours that night as blood spatters everywhere. Terrified, Yue Li cannot sle 25.1kReads9.3Score12.4kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist focuses on her career, especially in the second book. She is single-mindedly focused on revenge, climbing the ranks step by step without getting caught up in romance, becoming the strong female lead in her own life.

27. 77 宫 The Palace Maid’s Rise! 宫女扶摇录！ Zhou Ting, Hard as Nails很石更的周挺Ancient Romance146k WordsOngoing In a fictional dynasty, the palace is rife with power struggles, schemes, and complicated relationships. Fu Yao, a palace maid, relies on her intelligence, courage, and kindness to survive in this challenging environment and pursue her dreams, while also seeking revenge for her mother. • By chance, Fu Yao gets the opportunity to show her talent and quick wit, earning the emperor’s favor. He begins to take an interest in this unusual palace maid and gradually develops feelings for her. • The empr 41Reads—Score—Shelves
28. 78 娘 The Empress Is Otherworldly and Alluring: The Emperor's Exclusive Favorite 娘娘又仙又撩：陛下椒房独宠 Clouds Rise to the Ninth Heaven云出九霄Ancient Romance519k WordsCompleted [Not a first-love-only pairing; the heroine is no saint; the emperor favors her exclusively in the middle and later stages; fluffy, brainless sweet romance; silly and lighthearted, read with caution] Everyone says that a highborn legitimate daughter who enters the palace is doomed to a bad end, but Pei Jinyan refuses to believe it. Besides, she was once the emperor’s favorite consort in her previous life. She simply ruined a winning hand through her own arrogance and capriciousness. She gave bir 7.5kReads9.2Score867Shelves

    Reader note

    [Learned it]

29. 79 重 Reborn Palace Maid: She Only Wants to Fight for the Emperor's Favor 重生宫女之她只想宫斗 Lady Yejiu夜九娘Ancient Romance444k WordsCompleted In her previous life, Jiaoyun spent years confined in the Cold Palace before finally being released. What she got in return was a useless husband and a wicked mother-in-law. This time, she decisively betrayed her mistress and climbed into someone else’s bed, successfully rising in status. And then she became the lowest-ranking palace maid… When Emperor Jingheng first saw Jiaoyun, he was merely captivated by her looks. “How can this palace maid have fairer skin than the Noble Consort?” Jiaoy 710Reads9.1Score102Shelves
30. 80 挽 Seeking My Beloved Beneath the Moon in the Mirror 挽镜月，觅佳人 Lin Pingze琳平仄Ancient Romance96k WordsOngoing In Jinggong City, the former wives of three prominent clans die under mysterious circumstances, one after another. The three factions secretly investigate, uncovering an old case involving the extermination of the Lin clan. With family bloodlines and marriages tangled together, is tragedy destined to repeat itself? As the mystery deepens, can the truth behind the old case finally be revealed? To strengthen its influence at court, the Xie clan has forced a marriage alliance with the Mu clan in r 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Hello, the book "Looking for the Moon in the Mirror, Seeking a Beauty" perfectly matches your requirements! It's a purely classical Chinese story, and the writing is quite good. Although he is a new author, he is still updating continuously. [Currently working on a draft][Currently working on a draft][Currently working on a draft] But the novel's plot is coherent, the story is engaging, and it avoids clichés. I hope you can check it out! 😘😘😘

31. 81 娇 The Sweet, Seductive Palace Maid Flirts with the Crown Prince, Then Runs Away 娇娇宫女媚又软，撩完太子她就跑 Picking Green for the Consort取青妃白Ancient Romance231k WordsCompleted [Clear-headed, calculating palace maid vs. obsessive, lovesick emperor; reborn revenge + palace intrigue + satisfying revenge + romantic rivalry + running away while pregnant + sugary romance + the emperor chases his wife] In her previous life, Yun Xuesu was a low-ranking palace maid. Her fiancé served in the palace as a guard, and she gave him her monthly wages and did whatever he told her. In the end, he handed her over to a wicked concubine to be used as a blood beauty treatment. Locked in a 92Reads6.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A clear-headed female protagonist rises through the ranks in the palace intrigue ❤️

32. 82 贵 The Delicate Noble Consort, the Cold Emperor Can't Get Enough 贵妃娇软，薄情帝王轻点宠 When Fuyao Rises当扶摇上Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [A widowed woman who remarries and becomes a pampered consort VS a dignified emperor (harem intrigue + romantic push and pull + devoted love + slow-blooming romance + raising a child)] At her infant's one-month celebration, news arrived that her husband had died in battle. Sheng Xiyan was plunged into despair. The Prince's manor bullied a helpless widow and orphan, assuming she'd simply accept her fate. But was she supposed to give up? Only the Son of Heaven could help her protect her son. So sh 1.1kReads7.2Score100Shelves
33. 83 我 I Transmigrated 999 Times and Drove the Mad Tyrant Insane 我穿越999次，逼疯了疯批暴君 Mo Mo Is Master Mo墨墨是墨爷Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted With only six months left to live, Tang Wan masters a skill called “Transmigration,” allowing her to travel back and forth between the modern and ancient worlds. On her first transmigration, people mistake her for a ghost… On her ninety-ninth, she nearly dies at the hands of the dog emperor. On her 108th, she “defiles” the emperor’s innocence. After transmigrating time and again, she discovers to her delight that a little dragon energy can extend her life. Tang Wan: “Mooch, mooch, keep mooching 15.9kReads9.5Score2kShelves
34. 84 成 What on Earth Is This? Complete in Two Volumes (The Original Novel Behind the Hit Drama Starring Wang Churan and Cheng Lei) 成何体统：全二册（王楚然、丞磊主演热播影视剧原著） Qi Yingjun七英俊Anime Fanfiction314k WordsCompleted What is it like to transmigrate into a web novel and become the tyrant's bedmate? After a few simple calculations, Yu Wanyin reached a conclusion: she would have to find another way. In this story full of villains, if she wanted to carve out a path to survival, she had to become the biggest villain of all. First, help the tyrant take down Prince Duan, then take down the tyrant and become empress herself. But when she met the tyrant and carefully considered the strange sense of familiarity in his 40.3kReads9.7Score6.3kShelves
35. 85 穿 After Becoming a Vicious Concubine, I Married the Wrong Man 穿成恶毒小妾后，我嫁错人了 Keep One or Two留一二Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After transmigrating into Shen Wanqing, the villainess in the domestic drama "Tales from the Household", she was in a real bind. The heroine of the book was Shen Wanqing's legitimate elder sister, whose marriage to the legitimate son of the Marquis of Zhenyong had been arranged using the whole family's wealth. Meanwhile, the lady of the house was going to marry her off to an old man who had already lost two wives. In the book, while returning from a Buddhist retreat, Shen Wanqing came across the 1.9kReads8.7Score162Shelves

    Reader note

    This coming-of-age novel is highly recommended by seasoned readers. The writing is excellent, the emotions are delicate, the characters are vividly portrayed, and the growth of the ensemble cast, as well as the family, love, and friendship relationships, are all very touching. It's a great read, featuring a strong, emotionally stable, and insightful female protagonist. The male leads are also outstanding, and together they reach the pinnacle of success.

36. 86 咸 The Lazy Noble Consort Is Forced into Palace Intrigue 咸鱼贵妃被迫宫斗 Jun Zhenmian君枕眠Ancient Romance615k WordsCompleted Lu Jiu does everything to become a lazy, carefree fish: she volunteers for the Cold Palace, gives up on herself, and makes it on her own! Yet somehow, she still earns the title of the harem's number-one scheming green tea! The Empress Dowager says, “This girl is alluring. You can tell at a glance she won't stay chaste!” The consorts say, “Little sister, your methods are impressive. We admit defeat!” Her father says, “Well done! Keep it up! Great success is just around the corner!” The Emperor sa 142Reads8.8Score—Shelves
37. 87 宫 Palace Intrigue System: I Become the Emperor’s Favorite 宫斗系统：我成了陛下心尖宠 Long Moon Crossing the Bright长月渡明Ancient Romance306k WordsCompleted [Both Pure + Sweet Romance + System + Devoted Love + Transmigration] Easygoing Qin Zhaozhao transmigrates into the body of a newly arrived imperial consort. She plans to lie flat, but then a palace-intrigue System activates, and somehow she catches the new emperor’s attention. The System says that completing missions earns her rewards, including the chance to become empress. It sounds simple, but it’s incredibly difficult. A noble consort has her eye on the throne, while the emperor’s former fla 350Reads8.2Score—Shelves
38. 88 如 Palace Intrigue and Beauty: The Makeup System Helps Me Outshine Them All 如此宫斗之美妆系统助我艳压群芳 Moon So Cool, So Cool, So Cool月凉凉凉凉Ancient Romance310k WordsCompleted [Scheming Green-Tea Girl + No Romance + Palace-Intrigue Wish-Fulfillment + Slow Pace + Light System] Liu Yaoyao transmigrates. A beauty influencer, she falls asleep and wakes up in a feudal dynasty, where she has become an overlooked concubine-in-waiting. She also gets the makeup counter every girl dreams of, fully stocked with top-brand cosmetics and skincare products! Later, it can even be upgraded into a palace-intrigue System! This is the story of a woman who combines makeup skills with cunn 206Reads8.6Score—Shelves
39. 89 开 A Low-Ranking Palace Lady from the Start, with Maxed-Out Harem Warfare Skills 开局小秀女，娘娘宫斗技能满点 Lucky Fish招财鱼Ancient Romance601k WordsCompleted [No CP, devoted to palace intrigue for a hundred years!] Ning Yuzhen was sixteen the year she entered the palace, and twenty-eight the year she became Empress Dowager. Framing, miscarriage, poisoning, betrayal... After twelve years of ups and downs in the inner palace, the principles she once hoped to uphold had long since vanished. The people who had once stood by her had long since turned to dust. Ning Yuzhen walked the paths she'd taken in the past, leaving behind only a sigh. When she turned 312Reads5.9Score—Shelves
40. 90 签 Sign-In System: I Don’t Want Palace Intrigue, I Want to Retire 签到系统：不想宫斗想养老 Ju Qiuci橘秋辞Ancient Romance243k WordsCompleted No romance. Short story, not a traditional power fantasy, and pure palace intrigue with no love story. Huaixi was an overworked office drone who never expected to die suddenly and transmigrate into the body of a consort who had been married into the palace in someone else’s place. Fortunately, she had a System to help her. Otherwise, she feared she wouldn’t have survived the first chapter. 75Reads6.5Score—Shelves
41. 91 我 I’m Sweet and Well-Behaved, So Why Am I the Harem’s Only Favorite? 我又乖又美，独宠后宫怎么了？ Yi Jiu Lu宜久录Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Sweet Romance + Harem + No Angst] A lively, stunning beauty + a devastatingly handsome, love-struck good emperor. (He’s love-struck but knows right from wrong) (No cutthroat palace intrigue) (Not a devoted couple) (Fast-paced) (Heroine’s halo) Ji Wanqing transmigrates into the harem of the Emperor of Yan and becomes a low-ranking concubine. The moment she arrives, the arrogant Consort slaps her. The Consort is bad enough, and the Empress is no better, using her to stoke the Consort’s anger. Wit 4.1kReads9.2Score467Shelves
42. 92 带 Days in a Palace Drama with a System 带着系统在宫斗剧里的日子 Love Purple Rice Yogurt爱吃紫米酸奶Female-Channel Fanfiction1.1M WordsCompleted With a reincarnation System from the underworld, Shu Ning has no choice but to fight to survive through each mission. P.S. Everyone has their own writing style. This story is based on TV dramas, and the author’s writing may not suit everyone’s tastes. I hope every reader finds a story they love! This is the everyday life of a wage worker in a palace-intrigue novel. Primarily set in Ruyi’s Royal Love in the Palace and Empresses in the Palace... (It’s a slow transmigration story.) 3.2kReads8.5Score139Shelves
43. 93 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 30.3kReads9.4Score2.9kShelves
44. 94 穿 Transmigrated as a Bedclimbing Palace Maid in a Palace-Intrigue Novel 穿成宫斗文里的爬床宫女 Red Wolf Doesn't Eat Meat红太狼不吃肉Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted No prestigious family background, no peerless beauty. After transmigrating, film queen Li Songyue finds herself cast as the most expendable bed-climbing maid in a palace intrigue novel. The transmigrated heroine is ahead of her, the reborn supporting female lead is behind her, and there’s also a demanding emperor to contend with. From bed-climbing maid to empress dowager of the realm. She won’t know how cold it is at the top until she climbs there. 228Reads—Score—Shelves
45. 95 穿 The Daily Life of a Laid-Back Concubine After Transmigrating 穿越之闲鱼妾室的日常 Tian Nanxing Nan天南星南Ancient Romance480k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + household and palace intrigue + no golden finger + devoted love later on] Zhang Xinian transmigrated into the body of a concubine in Prince Jing’s household. Above her was the princess consort, backed by powerful connections and ruthless in her methods. Beside her was a brainless side consort with overwhelming fighting prowess. Below her, a reborn woman and a transmigrated woman were locked in fierce competition. Zhang Xinian trembled with fear. She had no golden finger and did 104.7kReads9.4Score12.2kShelves
46. 96 清 In the Qing Dynasty, I Won the Harem's Favor by Raising Babies 清穿，本宫靠养崽宠冠六宫 Jin Chengzi锦橙子Ancient Romance273k WordsCompleted [Real and Fake Heiresses + Raising Kids + Adorable Children + Palace Intrigue + Eventually Dotes on Her Alone] Yun Mei transmigrates into the Qing Dynasty as an unfavored imperial princess. Her father is Tong Guowei, her paternal aunt is Kangxi's birth mother, and her elder sister is an imperial noble consort... Since Imperial Noble Consort Tongjia cannot bear a son, Yun Mei is sent into the palace and made a First Class Female Attendant. Yun Mei's purpose is crystal clear: care for Imperial Nob 1.1kReads8.2Score120Shelves
47. 97 她 She Just Wants to Lie Low, but They Keep Forcing Her to Rebel 她想咸鱼躺，非逼她造反 Warfires Stain All烽火尽染Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Screen adaptation rights sold] Lu Songli transmigrated into a book and became the cannon-fodder first wife of Xie Zhan, the male lead of The Powerful Minister's Beautiful Young Second Wife. In the book, her friend Zhao Yutan, who returned in glory from a place of exile, would steal her husband. The two of them carried on behind her back while she was gravely ill, and their affair literally angered her to death. Lu Songli was about to roll up her sleeves and tear into the cheating scumbag and 106.8kReads9.5Score12.4kShelves
48. 98 少 The Young Master's Maid Tops the Imperial Exams 少爷的小丫鬟金榜题名了 September Wind S九月的风SAncient Romance428k WordsCompleted [The story of a clever, unassuming maid and several young masters: one humble woman's road to a comeback] “Good news! Someone from the Qi family has made the imperial honor roll!” “Are you sure there's no mistake? No one from our household took the imperial exams this year.” “No mistake! It's that maid of yours, Liu Shi. She disguised herself as a man, took the exams, and came out top! The Qi household really does deserve its reputation as a family of scholars. Even one of its maids is so brilli 959Reads9.2Score134Shelves

    Reader note

    These are all incredibly good!!! The female leads are all very clear-headed and super attractive!

49. 99 惜 Cherishing Flowers 惜花芷 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [The original novel behind the TV adaptation starring Hu Yitian and Zhang Jingyi] After keeping her talents hidden for fifteen years, Hua Zhi thought she could spend her life as a proper aristocratic young lady, living in peace. But when the Hua family’s fortunes collapse, she has no choice but to reveal her sharp edge and hold the storm-tossed household together. Being out in public becomes the norm, and so does galloping through the streets. When all else fails, she even carries a coffin on he 18.6kReads9.6Score4.2kShelves
50. 100 长 The Eldest Daughter’s Dazzling Rise 长女惊华 Get Rich Overnight一夜暴富Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Satisfying revenge + political intrigue + mutual salvation + miracle doctor + two powerful leads] The Ji family was a century-old military clan, revered by everyone in the imperial capital of Yulin. And yet the eldest Ji daughter was known throughout Yulin as a useless coward. Then, in a single night, the Ji family fell, and every man in the family died on the battlefield. It was the supposedly useless eldest daughter who held the entire family together. She divorced a prince! She made an enemy 3.1kReads8.8Score501Shelves

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