Looking for Palace-Intrigue Novels Focused Entirely on Palace Intrigue: No Transmigration, No Rebirth, and the Leads Don’t Have to Be Each Other’s Only Ones 求宫斗文纯宫斗不穿越不重生不双洁

1. 101 替 After Entering the Palace in Her Sister's Place, the Young Mistress Rises Through the Ranks 替姐入宫后，小主她一路高升 Zhizhi Rice Loves Zhizhi吱吱米喜欢吱吱Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Strong Male Lead and Strong Female Lead + Favored Consort + Palace Intrigue + Adorable Baby + Sole Devotion + Childbirth] (The early story leans toward palace intrigue, with the heroine putting on an act and scheming against the hero. Later, their feelings erupt, and he devotes himself to her alone.) After transmigrating, she becomes an illegitimate daughter of the Su family. Her birth mother died young, her father shows her no affection, and her stepmother is cruel. A complete nobody at home, 3kReads9.0Score331Shelves

   Reader note

   No time travel, no reincarnation, just palace intrigue—especially the first and third books, they're so good!

2. 102 非 An Unconventional Palace Intrigue 非传统宫斗 Known in the Jianghu as the Thorny Rose江湖人称带刺玫瑰Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted Imperial selection from the start / Pure palace intrigue with a touch of household intrigue / Ensemble cast / Realistic style [Pure palace intrigue begins after chapter 20] Not the emperor’s sole favorite / Not a virgin couple / No romance pairing [The emperor is a scumbag with the power of life and death. The first few chapters establish his character and contain potentially uncomfortable scenes. If that bothers you, skip to chapter 20.] Everyone is caught up in palace intrigue. The consorts an 2kReads8.3Score223Shelves

   Reader note

   This is a pure palace intrigue ensemble piece! No time travel or anything, just a high-IQ free-for-all.

3. 103 丞 The Prime Minister’s Eldest Daughter 丞相府首千金 Mo Ta墨梌Ancient Romance84k WordsOngoing The eldest daughter of the Lu family was accomplished in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting. She married the man she loved, and they trusted and cherished each other. Her husband passed the civil service examination and became a low-ranking official. Though the couple trusted one another and accepted each other's flaws, he grew greedy for status and wealth. To curry favor with the powerful, he saw her as an obstacle between himself and the commandery princess, and killed his wife to win the —Reads—Score—Shelves
4. 104 离 Li Huang (Complete in Three Volumes) 离凰（全三册） Yi Lan Ni Chang猗兰霓裳Ancient Romance777k WordsCompleted The pinnacle of harem fiction by the beautiful author Yi Lan Nishang! A match for Empresses in the Palace and Scarlet Heart A tale of tumultuous love and hatred within the palace walls Liu Lianzi, author of Empresses in the Palace, has written a heartfelt foreword He is a young emperor who ascended the throne as a child, a master of both letters and arms, revered by all beneath heaven. Caught in court intrigues, he is forced into marriage. She is the daughter of a powerful prime minister, blesse 6.2kReads9.3Score1kShelves

   Reader note

   Comparable to "Empresses in the Palace" and "Scarlet Heart," he is a young emperor who ascends the throne at a young age, possessing both literary and military prowess, and reigning supreme over the world. Court intrigue forces him into a forced marriage. She is the daughter of a powerful prime minister, beautiful and talented, hidden away in seclusion. After becoming empress, she suffers cold treatment. He is the refined and elegant Prince Yu, exceptionally handsome and known for his assistance in governing the country. One day, they meet, and he falls deeply in love. A belated encounter leads her to become a fairy, and they achieve harmony; from then on, the emperor is devoted to her, and all the other beauties in the palace pale in comparison. A sudden confession reveals her identity, and they become strangers; from then on, they are estranged, and he is a stranger to her. The concubines in the harem, each with their own unique charm, covet the empress's position, using every trick in the book. Even her trusted confidante, gentle and kind, loves the emperor and desires to become his concubine. When the devastating news arrived, she was shocked to find herself completely alone...

5. 105 太 The Crown Prince’s One and Only: The Bewitching Consort Captures His Heart and Claims Her Place 太子独宠，尤物娘娘缚心上位 YQ Lazy Little CatYQ小懒猫Ancient Romance736k WordsOngoing [Unhinged, Ruthless Heroine + Cold, Scheming, Obsessive Crown Prince + Palace Intrigue] [Before the heroine entered the palace, the hero already had wives and concubines, but the emperor had forced them on him for political reasons. He only went through the motions with them, and their relationships were in name only.] [Readers who mind this should proceed with caution] She was the legitimate daughter of the Luo family, breathtakingly beautiful. But when her father demoted her mother to a concub 2.4kReads—Score170Shelves

   Reader note

   A pure palace intrigue thriller. The female protagonist enters the Eastern Palace through the imperial concubine selection. She is unassuming and good at pretending to be weak, but in reality, she is very skilled. She tests the Crown Prince and wins his exclusive favor. She is cautious and scheming at every step. The plot is fast-paced and very enjoyable to read. I stayed up all night to watch it!

6. 106 精 The Refined Self-Serving Life of the Imperial Harem 精致利己的后宫生活 Extra Extra Extra Spicy微微微微辣Ancient Romance906k WordsCompleted Content warning: Good and evil are relative, human nature is complicated, and the heroine is an unapologetic self-interested pragmatist. As a low-ranking palace maid, she has hundreds, even thousands, of mountains bearing down on her. Life is truly miserable... Rather than toil away her whole life, become a eunuch's bedmate, and be cremated after death, with her ashes scattered into the Rebirth Well so that they become one with his... Ji Hansu decides to find herself a better place to end up. As 1.2kReads7.2Score117Shelves

   Reader note

   The first one is really good; I've read it several times. If you've read a lot of palace intrigue novels, you might want to check out these.

7. 107 都 If I’m Going to Be a Concubine, I Might as Well Choose the Future Emperor 都是当妾，当然选未来皇帝了 It's Qian Jinjin Duck是钱金金鸭Ancient Romance569k WordsCompleted Jiang Wanyue was reborn. As the daughter of a convicted official, Jiang Wanyue entered Prince Jing's residence and became one of the many women by his side. There was the cold, inscrutable princess consort, the kind and flawless moonlight of his heart, and the secondary consort who had once saved his life... Among these women, Jiang Wanyue fought her way to the top, climbing from Prince Jing's favored concubine to his beloved consort, and ultimately to Empress Dowager. Everyone said she was ungr 1.1kReads8.2Score105Shelves
8. 108 开 From the Start, I Smacked Fourth Master on the Forehead, and the Noble Consort Rose to Glory 开局狂拍四爷脑门，娘娘一路荣华 Fang Xiaoshu方晓书Ancient Romance4.6M WordsCompleted Completed [Old-fashioned, secretly passionate eighteen-year-old Fourth Master Yinzhen X bold, experienced, fake Li Gege] [Not a power fantasy!] The handsome young man she met during the day becomes the leading man in her dreams that very night. Weizhen is so delighted she’s practically bubbling over, and she enthusiastically gets down to business. Only, the handsome young man goes from flowing long hair to a bald head. What a startling transformation, though somehow it makes things even more exc 5.9kReads8.8Score611Shelves
9. 109 另 Seeking a Better Match: I Won’t Be the Madam of This Marquis’s Manor! 另谋高嫁：这侯府夫人我不做了！ Egret Under Clear Skies晴天白鹭Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Original title: Finding a Better Match: I’m Done Being the Marquess’s Wife! Regarding plagiarism, don’t make baseless accusations. The publication dates are there for all to see. [Traditional historical romance and household intrigue + strong heroine and hero + mutual devotion + a prince who cherishes his wife] A merchant’s daughter marries into a marquess’s household, becoming the laughingstock of the capital. For six years, Jiang Shu lives alone and supports the entire household without compla 24.1kReads9.2Score4.8kShelves

   Reader note

   Jiang Shu, the daughter of a merchant, married into a noble family, only to be humiliated and ridiculed in the capital when her husband, Shen Changze, brought back a wife and two children from the border. After supporting the noble family alone for six years, Jiang Shu decided to cut off their support and divorce Shen Changze. However, her resolute attitude did not make Shen Changze realize her value; instead, he assumed she was unwanted. Yet, Jiang Shu's resilience and wisdom attracted suitors from noble families, and she was eventually betrothed to Prince Jing. When they met again, Shen Changze knelt in reverence, watching her and Prince Jing in perfect harmony, and it was too late for him to regret his actions.

10. 110 侧 The Side Consort Is Winning Without Lifting a Finger 侧妃她躺赢了 The Queen Returns女王归来Ancient Romance444k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Sweet Romance + Adorable Baby + Household Intrigue] It seems people who transmigrate never have to worry about getting married. She arrived and the problem was already taken care of. She had been a modern-day office drone, working nine to five and staying up late for five years until she had finally saved enough for a down payment on a house. But before she could settle on a place, she got caught up in a wave of transmigration and wound up in the unfamiliar Great Xia Kingdom. H 2.5kReads9.2Score253Shelves
11. 111 清 Qing Transmigration: The Frail Noble Consort’s Road to Favor 清穿：病弱贵妃的荣宠路 Peach Blossom Eyes桃花眼Ancient Romance573k WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the Qing dynasty, Tong Ruoxue, a woman from the apocalypse, takes the place of the original Empress Xiaoyiren and becomes Kangxi’s Imperial Noble Consort. To ensure she’ll have enough to eat and drink, she plays sweet and naive, pretending to be weak and innocent to win the emperor’s sympathy. In the end, she triumphs in the harem’s battles and enjoys a life of honor and privilege. 1.9kReads8.5Score121Shelves
12. 112 清 Qing Transmigration: The Noble Consort Takes Down Consort De and Becomes Empress Dowager 清穿：贵妃娘娘她灭了德妃成太后 My Feelings for You卿我意Ancient Romance873k WordsCompleted [Child-rearing (not self-sacrificing; willing to go after her mother, but never schemes against children) + Harem intrigue] After transmigrating into the Qing Dynasty as Noble Consort Tongjia during the reign of Kangxi, Ruirui's first thought was to go find that poor child... Ruirui didn't like the Qing Dynasty. But if she had to choose one person in all of Great Qing, it would be the Fourth Prince, later the Yongzheng Emperor. Not because she liked him, but because she felt for him. She felt fo 14.6kReads9.4Score1.2kShelves
13. 113 摆 I Slacked Off Until the End and Became Empress 摆烂到最后，侧妃封后了 Mei Yi Si瑂忆覗Ancient Romance506k WordsCompleted In the first year of her marriage to Fu Mingyuan, she was the side consort of a prince. In the second year of her marriage to Fu Mingyuan, she was the side consort of the Crown Prince. In the sixth year of her marriage to Fu Mingyuan, she was an imperial consort. … … After who knew how many years of marriage to Fu Mingyuan, she became empress. Looking back on her life many years later, she had once felt the stirrings of love, once been melancholy and sentimental, and once tried to fight back… S 1.7kReads8.8Score105Shelves
14. 114 伯 The Earl’s Household Turns Its Fortune Around 伯府翻身记事 Cai Yun采云Ancient Romance758k WordsCompleted Lin Yunzhu lands in a novel written for male readers as the second-born illegitimate daughter of the villainous Yongning Earl’s household. Her legitimate elder sister is a snobbish woman who broke off her engagement when the male lead was down on his luck. The original character is a scheming woman who seduces the female lead’s fiancé. Her younger half-sister is a little white lotus. Her eldest brother is bad at business, and the family is so poor they’re about to run out of food. Her second bro 30.7kReads9.2Score4kShelves

    Reader note

    Nice...

15. 115 清 Qing Dynasty Crown Princess: I Swapped Bodies with the Deposed Crown Prince 清穿太子妃：和废太子互换身体 Endless Journey迢迢不休Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [The male and female leads swap souls + Alternate Qing Dynasty] Reader’s guide: If you like a mature heroine, start from the chapters charting her growth! A heroine who grows over time! She’s not a strong heroine at the start, but she’ll grow! Please be patient with her! Shi Jingxian transmigrates to the Qing dynasty. She isn’t Fourth Brother’s beloved from a romance novel, nor Kangxi’s cherished darling, nor a spoiled, pampered wife of an idle prince. She is the Crown Princess of the Crown Prin 3.9kReads9.3Score486Shelves
16. 116 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

    Reader note

    I personally quite like these books. The female lead isn't the naive and innocent type, and the male lead isn't brainless either. Plus, the author's writing style is witty and humorous, making them worth reading.

17. 117 锦 A Beauty Adorned with Brocade 锦上娇 Yuan Xi垣溪Ancient Romance825k WordsCompleted The mighty General Dingbei commanded three armies at just twenty and made a name for himself on the battlefield. His enemies were so terrified of him that they kept their distance. Now that he’s married, he often leaves the house with scratch marks on his face and a rueful look. Everyone is stunned, but the general isn’t ashamed. He’s proud of it, declaring, “My wife is adorable no matter what she does. What do you know? You’re nothing...” 841Reads8.2Score100Shelves
18. 118 奸 The Treacherous Minister Is Expecting 奸臣有喜 Gu Xige顾夕歌Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted She is the short-tempered, shameless Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, skilled at embezzlement, bribery, and abusing her power for personal gain. Her hobbies include attacking people from the shadows and sowing discord. She is the dynasty's infamous number-one villain. Then one day, the officials were relieved to discover that she had finally set her sights on someone else: the renowned Imperial Preceptor. To arrange a chance encounter, she starts lurking outside his residence every 2.8kReads9.2Score391Shelves
19. 119 重 Reborn, I Become My Arch-Enemy's Living Widow Sister-in-Law 重生后，我成了死敌的活寡嫂子 Two Times Four Means Prosperity二四得发Ancient Romance517k WordsCompleted [Both leads are reborn + sister-in-law and brother-in-law + an aloof beauty brought down from her pedestal + emotional push and pull + winning her heart and her body + devoted couple] The Eastern Palace has no crown prince, and the princes are locked in a fierce struggle for the throne. Ning Miao and Yan Mobai are the top strategists of their generation, each serving a different master. They cross paths over a map of iron mines and kill each other. Only after her death does Ning Miao learn tha 39kReads9.4Score5.8kShelves
20. 120 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
21. 121 她 She Swapped Bodies with the Tyrant and Went on a Rampage! 她，与暴君互换后，杀疯啦！ Little Chubby, Run!小胖子快跑Ancient Romance371k WordsCompleted [Soul swap + transmigrate into a book + sweet, funny romance + going off the rails + tyrant + wish fulfillment + both leads are each other's first and only] Yun Yaoyao transmigrated into a book, becoming a foolish, timid cannon-fodder character who doesn't even survive the first chapter. No problem. If my family plots against me, I'll assassinate the emperor and wipe out my own clan! But after killing the emperor, Yun Yaoyao was horrified to discover that she and the tyrant had swapped bodies! T 26.7kReads9.5Score4.4kShelves
22. 122 娘 The Empress’s Peerless Beauty: The Cold Emperor’s Beloved Wife 娘娘绝色：冷情帝王的娇娇皇后 Sheng Qian笙浅Ancient Romance288k WordsCompleted [Traditional historical romance + palace and household intrigue + alternate history + exclusive devotion + childhood sweethearts + long-planned love + secret admiration] As the legitimate daughter of a duke’s mansion and the future crown princess, Li Yunshu has been doted on by everyone since birth. Everyone in the capital knows that no one can match Li Yunshu’s radiant beauty, and that her spoiled temperament is just as singular. Then, one day, the Crown Prince dies. The duke’s mansion, whi 12.4kReads9.0Score1.3kShelves
23. 123 出 Born Humble? Made Noble Consort Three Months After Entering the Palace 出身低微？入宫三月封贵妃 Immortal Osmanthus Pudding人仙桂花酪Ancient Romance209k WordsCompleted [A stunningly beautiful heroine + ruthless revenge + palace intrigue + both leads' first love, don't ask me how it works, the emperor has his ways] Ten years ago, the Tang clan was framed by villains and sentenced to execution, their blood flowing for miles. No one knew that beneath the mountain of corpses, the youngest daughter of the Tang family was still alive. Ten years later, Tang Wanhua changed her name to Ning Sitang and entered the imperial harem on the strength of her unparalleled beaut 638Reads8.9Score104Shelves
24. 124 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Delicate, and the Cold, Cruel Emperor Falls for Her at First Sight 娘娘娇娇媚，冷戾帝王一见倾心 The Star Among the Stars in the Sky天上星星的星星Ancient Romance460k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue and revenge, a slow-burn, slow-payoff story + stunning heroine + exceptionally clearheaded heroine with an unwavering goal] [The hero always favors the heroine + dotes on her exclusively in the middle + disbands his harem later] After Shen Qingtang’s aunt is schemed against and killed by Madam Shen, her goal becomes perfectly clear: she will enter the palace, become the most honored woman in the land, and make everyone who plotted against her aunt pay. She is also perfectly clea 5kReads9.1Score564Shelves
25. 125 累 I'm Exhausted! To Fool Him, I Pretend to Be Sweet and Innocent Every Day 累死！为了骗他，本宫日日装娇纯 Deer in the Deep Forest深林的鹿Ancient Romance455k WordsCompleted “If you want to win, you have to learn how to lose first.” Meng Xianxiang lost a life, and learned to struggle, to seize what she wanted, to scheme and plan, and to claw her way up. Looking back on her previous life, she had lived in a stable, eaten pig slop, served tea and emptied chamber pots, enduring abuse and humiliation at every turn. Each memory was a stab to the heart. Given another chance, she wants status and power, and a world where no one dares bully her again. Behind the palace’s re 3.5kReads9.2Score302Shelves
26. 126 贵 The Noble Consort Is Stunning, and Both Emperor and Empress Fight to Spoil Her 贵妃娘娘真绝色，惹得帝后争相宠 Returning South南归Ancient Romance600k WordsCompleted Yao Ying saves a stranger, never expecting him to be Ying Heng, the emperor’s eldest son. After waking, Ying Heng falls for Yao Ying at first sight. He showers her with concern day after day, and eventually wins her heart. Then he comes to the Yao residence to ask for her hand as his principal consort. Her mother tells her he is no good for her, but she ignores the objections and insists on marrying him. Yet just before he is due to marry her, he takes Su Wanrou, the eldest daughter of Chancello 5kReads9.2Score603Shelves
27. 127 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
28. 128 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Charming, and Covets the Empress Dowager's Seat 娘娘娇娆柔媚，觊觎太后宝位 Buddhist-Style Little Salty Fish佛系小咸鱼Ancient Romance570k WordsCompleted [Rebirth + palace intrigue + medical skills + no pairing + doesn't love the emperor] At the age of seven, she was kidnapped in her previous life and became the disciple of a genius physician. But her master coveted the peerless beauty she gradually grew into. After three years of planning, she struck a fatal blow, thinking she was finally free. Then she found the letter her master had left behind... Reborn in a single moment, she changed her fate of being kidnapped and entered the palace. She tr 1.3kReads9.1Score159Shelves
29. 129 宠 He Spoils His Favorite Consort and Destroys the Harem, While the Biased Emperor Decrees Her Empress 宠娇妃灭后宫，偏心皇上下旨封后 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance309k WordsCompleted [The emperor falls in love at first sight + the heroine isn't the only one for him at first, but later receives all his favor + the emperor helps her fight in the harem and makes her empress + the heroine fights in the harem and kills] A low-ranking concubine? I want to be empress. No, no, I want to be Empress Dowager. What? The emperor saw Han Qianning kill someone, and still wants to keep her by his side... Once I'm in the palace, I'll climb my way up to the phoenix throne and kill them all. 1.1kReads9.0Score106Shelves
30. 130 娘 The Empress Doesn't Want Palace Intrigue, but the Emperor Keeps Stirring Things Up 娘娘不想宫斗，奈何皇上带节奏 Geng Jiujiu耿啾啾Ancient Romance652k WordsCompleted [Transmigration, Palace Intrigue, Political Scheming, Not Both Pure, Absurd Comedy, Devoted Love Later On] Shen Jinruo transmigrated into the body of a low-ranking concubine who had no favor from the emperor. Having lost her freedom, she’d planned to keep her head down and quietly build up her strength. But she soon discovered that in this harem, even if you don’t go looking for trouble, trouble will find you. To survive, Shen Jinruo worked hard to adapt and officially joined the harem’s struggl 2.2kReads8.9Score220Shelves
31. 131 贵 The Noble Consort Rejects Romance: While Others Fight for Favor, I Seize Power 贵妃不入爱河，别人争宠我夺权 Ran Qiqi冉七柒Ancient Romance460k WordsCompleted [Female-Lead Wish Fulfillment + Unfeeling Persona + Ruthless Revenge and Face-Slapping] Years later, the history books would describe Ming Tang as a master strategist with an iron fist, the ultimate winner of the harem struggles and the vast empire. Only Ming Tang knew she had never wanted to be that winner in the first place. From a young girl to the ruler of the realm, all she had wanted at first was to avenge her elder sister. The harem was full of danger. On one side was Consort Jin, who had 7.3kReads9.4Score869Shelves
32. 132 入 After Entering the Palace, the Obsessive Emperor Dotes on Consort Yuan 入宫后，偏执皇上盛宠元妃娘娘 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance300k WordsCompleted [A violent emperor + a feigning-fool, ruthless concubine-born daughter + not mutually exclusive in the early stages + favored above the entire harem later] An Qingyu was the fourth daughter of the prime minister. Her mother, Concubine Lan Yue, had been brought into the household as the prime minister’s wife’s dowry maid. As a concubine-born daughter, An Qingyu had grown up at the First Madam’s side, keeping her head down and ingratiating herself, just like Concubine Lan. Then a twist of fate rui 1.8kReads9.0Score194Shelves
33. 133 团EN Everyone's Darling, Doted On by Brothers: Global Big Shots Are All Begging to Be My Brother 团宠妹控：全球大佬都求着做我哥 My Branch Basks in Moonlight吾枝晒月光Modern Romance2.0M WordsCompleted In her previous life, she endured endless humiliation, was disfigured and lost a limb for the sake of a single family bond, then died in despair. Reborn, the formidable Ji Chuxing wanted nothing more than to make money, curl up with some snacks, and coast through life. But before she knew it, her identities as a top scholar, a leading scientist, a genius doctor, a business mogul, and more were revealed one after another. The head of the world’s most powerful family hugged her and called her h 8.7kReads9.4Score1.3kShelves
34. 134 真 The Real Heiress Drops the Act! The Unhinged Girl Offends the Whole World! 真千金不装了！疯批得罪全世界！ Endless Sky长空万里Modern Romance2.2M WordsCompleted [Top-Tier Wealthy Family + Sharp-Tongued, Unhinged Heroine + Dark, Powerful Hero + Plenty of Secret Identities + Sweet Romance, One-on-One] Ye Kong grew up an orphan and turned twenty. Then she was suddenly told that she was the real daughter of the wealthy Ye family of Huaichuan. But when she returned home, she was greeted not by a heartwarming reunion, but by a family who doted on their fake heiress and an unwanted, disabled fiancé. Ye Kong had a lot to say. But before she left, the orphanage 49.4kReads9.4Score5.6kShelves
35. 135 他 Wild to the Bone, He Spoils Only His Soft Butterfly 他一身野骨，独宠软蝶 Everything Is About Romance风月都相关Modern Romance402k WordsCompleted Clear-headed, powerful business magnate & stunning damsel in distress [He Canglan x Lan Die] Both are each other’s first and only + Devoted love + Age gap + Sweet romance + Love at first sight In one sentence: A ten-year contract leads to a heartfelt promise. He Canglan, heir to a powerful family, has always known how difficult it is to cross class boundaries. So he cleverly passed off love at first sight as simple lust. What should have been a romantic story of a hero saving a beauty instead en 19.9kReads9.4Score2.9kShelves
36. 136 真 The Real Heiress's Secret Identity Is Exposed, and All of the Capital's Elite Kneel! 真千金马甲被爆，全京圈都跪了！ Ye Shiyi夜十一Modern Romance3.9M WordsCompleted Also known as The Fake Heiress Became the Capital's Crown Prince's Beloved After Her Engagement Was Broken Qin Wan never knew that she was not the Ye family's biological daughter, until her childhood sweetheart grew tired of her, outsiders cursed her, and the Ye family, disgusted with her, drove her out and told her to return to the mountain ravines to find her biological parents... Qin Wan merely smiled, preparing to reveal her secret identity and stun everyone. Unexpectedly, the mountain ravin 75.1kReads9.3Score8.8kShelves
37. 137 婚 Hot Love After Marriage: Lord Chi's Sweetheart Is Too Adorable 婚后热恋：池爷的小棉花她甜爆啦 Qi Jiu柒桕Modern Romance280k WordsCompleted [Mutual healing | Sweet romance | Yandere | Childhood friends | Marriage before love] Everyone knew that the eldest son of the Chi family was irritable, cold, and bad-tempered. No matter how many young women pursued him, he ignored them all, remaining single at twenty-six through sheer force of will. Then one day, the Chi family parents suddenly brought home a girl as soft and warm as a little cotton puff, intending for her to be his wife. Everyone else: Grab some snacks and watch the show. The 3.7kReads9.1Score485Shelves
38. 138 惹 Mess With Her? She’s an SSSSS-Rank Abnormality, the Real Deal 惹她？她SSSSS级异端真祖宗 The Peach Picker摘桃子的人Modern Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [The heroine and hero are both genuinely unhinged and murderous! Read the content warning at the end of Chapter One before starting!] [Fantasy setting, secret identities, wish fulfillment, powerful characters, face-slapping and punishing scum, fantasy and sci-fi, sweet romance] [The heroine is the strongest and unbeatable in this story. Both leads are violent, unhinged hard cases who would rather throw a punch than waste words, and are far from normal.] Ye Sang, the eldest daughter of the Ye fam 19.9kReads9.1Score3.3kShelves
39. 139 重 Reborn as the Beloved of Everyone: The Movie Emperor's Wife Is Poor and Fierce Again 重生团宠：影帝夫人又穷又凶 Not Dim-Witted After Waking Up睡醒不呆Modern Romance2.6M WordsCompleted [Print edition signed for publication] [Insanely outrageous wish-fulfillment + a few secret identities + savage online roasts + devoted romance with both leads’ first love + dazzling the world] In her previous life, she died with regrets. Now she has been reborn in the middle of a massive online hate campaign! If they’re going to hate on her anyway, she might as well stop pretending! Her scumbag fiancé gets shoved into a cold pool, then coughs and blames her? Sheng Wenyin: “What, caught a cold? 137kReads9.6Score14.4kShelves
40. 140 炽 Blazing Wild Tenderness 炽野温柔 Jiu Wan九绾Modern Romance668k WordsCompleted [The print edition under the same title is now available on major platforms / The short drama under the same title is now streaming] [Gentle, resilient geology grad student x roguishly handsome tattoo artist / Age gap / Reunion after years apart / Saving each other] At a gathering, someone asked Xu Xing what she regretted most in her life. After thinking for a moment, she replied, “That I never got to let him hear my voice, never got to tell him I liked him, and never… found him.” - Four years a 34.2kReads9.5Score6.6kShelves
41. 141 九 Ninefold Brocade 九重锦 Evening Breeze Under the Moon月下晚风Ancient Romance715k WordsCompleted Household and palace intrigue, with the leads not both being each other's first. A fictional setting, with all ranks and titles made up. A heroine who grows over time and isn't blinded by love. After being suppressed for more than a decade, a concubine-born daughter has her fate rearranged overnight. Entering the prince's manor only fuels her ambition. Her birth father ignores her, allowing her stepmother to torment her and her mother for half their lives without ever offering them the slightest 35.1kReads9.3Score5.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist, an illegitimate daughter, climbs the social ladder all the way up, all for the sake of power.

42. 142 皇 Has the Noble Consort Left Qirong Palace Today? 皇贵妃今天出栖容宫了吗？ Xiaoman Crisp小满酥Ancient Romance528k WordsCompleted [☆No transmigration, no rebirth, and no pristine couples] [☆The romance develops gradually] Everyone in the palace knew that the person they must never offend was neither the pampered and fiery Noble Consort Hui nor the peerlessly beautiful Consort Cen, but Noble Consort Zhe of Qirong Palace, Lady Fucha. A consort's guide to survival: If you want to get ahead, never provoke the lady of Qirong Palace. She was the emperor's first woman, his companion and confidante since their youth; the mother 15.3kReads9.3Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Recommended if you like good-looking

43. 143 入 I Entered the Palace to Help My Sister Keep the Emperor’s Favor, but Became His Cherished Favorite 入宫替嫡姐固宠，却成皇上掌心宠 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance504k WordsCompleted In her previous life, she entered the palace and devoted herself to helping her legitimate elder sister keep the emperor’s favor. In the end, she died without a body to bury, abandoned by her family. Returning to the year of the imperial selection, Luo Shuran calculates her every move. Her breathtaking beauty is her only weapon. She sheds her youthful timidity and blossoms into a woman of captivating charm. One fleeting glimpse, like a fairy fallen from the heavens, catches the emperor’s eye. 6.1kReads9.3Score878Shelves

    Reader note

    From the moment I entered the palace, my goal was crystal clear: "I'm going to be the Empress. What else am I supposed to do? Cook for others? [What?]" So, upon entering the palace, I used my beauty and wisdom to carefully plan my moves, winning the Emperor's heart and manipulating the six palaces at will. After all, no woman in the harem is immune to competition for the sake of her family or her own favor. Therefore, what I needed to do was strike first, become the villain, defeat everyone, and successfully ascend to the throne…

44. 144 表 The Young Lady No Longer Loves the Prince 表小姐不爱王爷了 He Du禾度Ancient Romance227k WordsCompleted [Delusional Girl + Upright Heir + Palace Intrigue + Political Scheming + Second Male Lead Takes the Lead] Si Nian: Before things went wrong, Si Nian was a spy by Shangguan Zun’s side, loving him cautiously. But he had never once considered giving her a proper place at his side... Shangguan Zun: He hoped Si Nian would love him, yet kept hurting her without meaning to. He always believed she loved him, until the day she ran off with someone else... 5Reads—Score—Shelves
45. 145 谢 Empress of the Xie Family 谢家皇后 Song of the Yue People越人歌Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted In her first year in the palace, she is a Talented Lady. In her fifth, she is a Jieyu. In her tenth, she wants to become empress. As empress, she can hold on to everything she treasures and keep it from being taken away. She can protect herself and her child, and she can... stay by his side. This is a road with only one direction: take a single step back, and all will be lost. The bright yellow ceremonial parasol moves forward, and the emperor's procession slowly enters the city gate. A yellow p 8.8kReads9.2Score1.1kShelves
46. 146 娘 The Bewitching Consort Goes Mad, Scheming Ruthlessly to Seize the Empress’s Throne 娘娘疯诱娇媚，狠毒宫斗疯夺后位 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance202k WordsCompleted [Doesn't love the emperor + single-mindedly plays palace politics + not mutually chaste + favored exclusively in the later stages + no idiotic palace scheming + the empress's throne! The empress's throne!] Lin Zhi Ruan concealed her looks until she entered the palace, only then revealing her true appearance. Before she died, Concubine Meng clutched her hand tightly and warned her never to show her real face before leaving the estate. Given the chance to enter the palace, Lin Zhi Ruan understood 300Reads7.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It's so beautiful, absolutely gorgeous!

47. 147 嫡 The Legitimate Daughter's Allure 嫡女媚 Restless Slumber怅眠Ancient Romance986k WordsCompleted Her birth mother was murdered, and her younger brother died a tragic death. She had swallowed her pride and become another’s plaything, only to be tortured and abused to death in the end. Her heart had screamed in anguish, but she’d been powerless to fight back. Now reborn, Wu Yue swore she would carve out a bright future for herself. Those who had bullied and humiliated her would pay back every last debt, with interest. There was a beauty whose face I’ll never forget; a single day apart, and I 1.7kReads9.0Score215Shelves
48. 148 探 So What If He's the Top Scholar? She Turns Around and Marries the Number One Scholar 探花了不起？她转身高嫁状元郎 The Flying Old Cabbage会飞的老帮菜Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [One-on-One Romance + Reborn in the Womb + Face-Slapping + Everyone's Favorite + Female General + Light Political Intrigue] She paid for her husband to sit the imperial exams, cared for his gravely ill mother, and supported his entire family. After two years of hard work, she was rewarded with his triumphant return as the third-place palace graduate, along with his new wife: supposedly the most talented woman and the highest-ranking female official in the dynasty, with a slight swell to her bell 1.2kReads9.2Score125Shelves

    Reader note

    I really like it, highly recommend it.

49. 149 她 After She Ascends the Throne, She Takes a New Husband, Leaving Her Ex to Weep 她登基后换了夫，新夫不见旧夫哭 Rabbit Purple Moonrise兔紫月上Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted (Power! It's a woman's second face! She loves it!) (1V2 + advancing the nation through technology + two men competing for her, only to end up regretting it) Lu Jichen: He is an ill-omened man. On the day his elder brother got married, they smeared dog blood all over his face and locked him in a cellar. Later, she brought him out, washed his hands, let him sit at the table, fed him, and paid for his education. Wei Chiyuan: He is the young lord of an aristocratic clan; she is a young widow. One sc 17.1kReads9.3Score2.1kShelves

    Reader note

    🙋The first book leans towards political intrigue, with the female lead having a grand vision and forging her own path. 🤣 She has a kind and honest husband, but he's gone, and then a noble hermit, but their paths diverge. Next, she has a stunningly handsome younger brother-in-law who supports two families and is incredibly caring! The female lead is determined to conquer the world, but things are still ongoing… 🙋The second book features a female lead who is abandoned and used by her family, marrying a second daughter in the procession. It's more of a sweet romance! 🙋The third book features a bullied legitimate daughter who enters the palace and rises through the ranks, relying entirely on palace intrigue and the cunning of beautiful women.

50. 150 撕 Tear Apart the Harem! Win Favor! She's a Lunatic, Who Dares Cross Her? 撕后宫！得恩宠！她是疯批谁敢惹 Cats Are Extra Sweet猫猫特别甜Ancient Romance683k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue Only + Concubine-born Daughter + Reborn + Revenge + Everyone Is Evil + Wish-Fulfillment] [The story begins before the heroine enters the palace] [The emperor favors no one at first, and the heroine doesn’t fall in love] Jiang Shiying had died once. She died in childbirth, after her own elder sister had her killed to keep the baby. Reborn, she had made up her mind: she would enter the palace and get revenge, but she wouldn’t suffer! Not her stepmother or her elder sister, not eve 7.5kReads9.3Score952Shelves

    Reader note

    Sisters, these are all completed novels that focus purely on palace intrigue, without time travel or systems. The first one features a female protagonist who is an illegitimate daughter but eventually becomes empress. The second one is also a palace intrigue novel with no romantic pairing.

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