Looking for Palace-Intrigue Stories Where the Heroine Climbs to the Top by Any Means, and the Male Lead Knows What She’s Like 有没有女主不择手段向上爬的宫斗文，男主知道女主

1. 1 攀 Marrying Up 攀高枝 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance424k WordsCompleted [Film and TV rights sold] [Print edition published] Zhang Zhixu had everything from birth. A family with a century of prestige, enviable talent, and a career that kept rising step by step. But he found life terribly dull. Then, one day, an accident struck, and his soul entered a woman's body. A woman who couldn't read a single character, yet dreamed of marrying into a powerful family and becoming a phoenix. · Chen Baoxiang had traveled a thousand miles from the countryside to the capital, hoping 162.8kReads9.6Score22.7kShelves

   Reader note

   There's nothing more suitable than this after searching the entire bookshelf.

2. 2 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 21.5kReads9.3Score2kShelves

   Reader note

   This book is very good; you can buy it without worry.

3. 3 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 87.1kReads9.5Score9.7kShelves
4. 4 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
5. 5 清 Qing Dynasty: Concubine Nian Has Given Birth Again 清穿年侧福晋又生了 Shi Gong and Mu Zi十工和木子Ancient Romance244k WordsCompleted [Warning: This is a mutually faithful couple! Read at your own risk!] In her previous life, she gave her heart to the wrong man, bringing ruin upon herself and others and destroying her family, all for a man who had no place for her in his heart or eyes. If time turned back and she returned to the beginning, what would she choose? 123Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   In this book, Nian Shilan finally learns Yongzheng's true feelings—that he doesn't genuinely love her but only acts out of a desire for power. Reborn, Nian Shilan borrows a child from the Crown Prince to have another—😳 Anyway, it's a very good book! [Add to bookshelf]

6. 6 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 120.1kReads9.5Score11.3kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book is complete. The emperor once swore to his white moonlight that he would only love her. The female lead, still lucid, seduced the emperor, only to become empress. She made the man slap her face countless times, finally becoming empress. In the end, the emperor discovered her true colors and knew that she did not love him, but still doted on her alone (also known as: The Empress's Dog Training Daily Life/Palace Intrigue Master). The male lead is possessive and extremely doting. The second book is ongoing. The female lead is a pure villain, 1vN (no male lead yet). She only pretends in front of those she wants to be. She only wants to be empress. Knowing that she is a villain in the prophecy, she directly goes on a killing spree, becoming even more wicked. But this time, everyone loves her (also known as: The Bad Woman's Dog Selection Contest/Dogs All Love to Clench the Princess).

7. 7 京 The Capital's Most Notorious Beauty 京城第一祸水 Stars Fill My Eyes满眼星宸Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Currently being published [rival suitors in a dramatic love triangle + top-tier schemer + supporting villainess fights back + everyone comes around] [Historical romance + told entirely from the wicked supporting female character’s perspective] ❣️Blurb One Qiao Wanyan learned from a storybook that she was nothing but a wicked supporting character who abandoned her childhood sweetheart and chased after wealth and status. She sowed discord, poisoned her elder sister, and committed every imaginable 58.2kReads9.3Score7.7kShelves
8. 8 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

   Reader note

   In versions 1 and 2, the female lead is slightly weaker, but she's wise beyond her years. She decides to have children based on circumstances and stays in the courtyard, mainly to provide the male lead with a relaxing environment. Gradually, she becomes his sole favorite. The atmosphere is great for the male lead educating the children. In version 2, she's climbing the ranks like a KPI, quite humorous and witty. Especially since the female lead becomes Empress Dowager and retires, she doesn't need to serve the retired emperor anymore—her son is now the emperor, so they can't divorce, she'll just make do. The retired emperor then starts pursuing her. In version 3, the female lead is a seductive beauty, playing hard to get, arrogant like a fox yet pitiful. She'll even seduce the emperor. I haven't finished reading the rest yet… it seems like the female lead seduces the male lead in the early stages, and later the male lead pursues her. She's arrogant like a fox and beautiful like a mermaid.

9. 9 不 No More Slacking: The Prince’s Favorite Concubine’s Daily Grind 不当咸鱼，王府宠妾的内卷日常 Four Crescent Moons四弯月Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + cutthroat household competition + no slacking off + ambitious heroine] Shen Wei, a die-hard rat-race fanatic, transmigrated into the lowest-ranking maid in a prince’s manor. Prince Yan held a position of great prestige, but all his wives and concubines had given up trying. The princess consort, born to a prestigious family, was as aloof as a chrysanthemum. The secondary consort wanted lifelong monogamy. The reborn woman had lost all hope in Prince Yan and was content to lie fla 69kReads9.4Score8.7kShelves
10. 10 帝 The Emperor Has No Heart, Yet His Cool and Elegant Noble Consort Has Her Ways 帝本无心，怎奈清冷贵妃手段高 My Cat Is Called Huabei我的猫叫花呗Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Cool, seductive fox beauty vs. a carefree, womanizing emperor] [The heroine is the true daughter, driven by revenge and ambition: a scheming beauty, sweet on the outside but ruthless within, and far from virtuous. This is an unconventional palace-intrigue story focused on winning hearts. The hero is not chaste. Later, he desperately tries to win her back. The overall tone is sweet, and the romance becomes one-on-one in the latter half.] Until the age of five, Changyu Jiao was the legitimate da 8.8kReads9.4Score1kShelves
11. 11 重 Reborn: Grand Tutor, Wake Up! The Princess Is Really Dead 重生之太傅醒醒吧，公主真的死了 Nine Snowy Branches九枝雪Ancient Romance302k WordsCompleted [Both reborn, pampered legitimate princess × obsessive Grand Tutor × groveling pursuit of his wife × the chaste man falls] Qin Shu could never come to terms with the fact that the person who killed her in her previous life was Song Xun. Back then, she was Princess Jingyuan, and she called him Grand Tutor. She died on a snowy day during the Jing era. She said, “If there is another life, then I hope never to meet you again, Grand Tutor...” But she didn’t know that from then on, Song Xun came to ha 4.5kReads8.9Score395Shelves
12. 12 先 Love After Marriage: The Crown Princess Keeps Pretending to Be Good Again and Again 先婚后爱，太子妃又又又又在装乖 I Want to Be a Rich Lady我想当富婆Ancient Romance278k WordsCompleted [Sweet Romance] Song Yao, who was born into this world, got married to Nangong Yi, the notoriously violent crown prince. After their wedding, they acted like a proper couple, treating each other with courtesy and respect. Gradually, Song Yao discovered that the crown prince was nothing like the violent man of the rumors. He was gentle, considerate, and easy to get along with. So she let her true nature out and started doing as she pleased. - At first, when facing the crown prince: Song Yao: gent 21.7kReads9.2Score2.3kShelves
13. 13 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

    Reader note

    ⓵ The characters are all intelligent, even the supporting ones. Even the villains have brains, but it's still very enjoyable to read. The sense of accomplishment from seeing your mind working at high speed is quite good; a rare gem. ⓶ This is also a career-oriented novel featuring a scheming female lead. She constantly strives for what she wants and remains clear-headed throughout. While her methods aren't particularly sophisticated, the male lead is willing to pamper her. If you're looking for something less intellectually demanding and not too naive, this is a good choice. ⓷ Domestic intrigue. The female lead pretends to be weak but is actually quite strong. She's intelligent and capable, and is reborn as a half-sister. The story progresses quickly without any filler, and the romance develops rapidly. Perhaps the author isn't particularly skilled at this, but the power struggle between the female lead and her half-sister is quite well done.

14. 14 宫 Palace Intrigue Begins Before the Selection 宫斗从选秀前开始 A Cluster of Flowers一丛花令Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted In her previous life, she endured a life of hardship and instability. From the legitimate daughter of the Marquis of Wu’an to a government courtesan available to any man, she finally escaped a life of being passed from one man to another, only to jump from the tiger’s jaws into the wolf’s den. She walked on eggshells at every step until she finally became the real power behind the prefect’s household. But the misery of her first half of life had already left her body broken beyond repair. Only o 7.8kReads9.0Score784Shelves
15. 15 纵 So What If You’re Reborn? 纵你重生又如何 Yao Yaoya妖幺芽Ancient Romance169k WordsCompleted [The main story is complete] [Two powerful leads + no point in being reborn as a concubine’s daughter + face-slapping and punishing scoundrels + the male lead has a secret crush] [A cool, composed beauty with overwhelming combat prowess vs. a mysterious, bewitching prince] [One-on-one romance + happy ending + single and chaste] Her mother was the most favored legitimate princess, her uncle was the reigning emperor, her maternal grandmother was empress dowager of the realm, and her older brother 2.3kReads8.9Score296Shelves
16. 16 祸 Turmoil in the Six Palaces: The Mad Demon Consort's Daily Meltdowns 祸乱六宫：疯批妖妃发癫日常 Bing Xiayun冰夏云Ancient Romance677k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + male lead has had other women, heroine is chaste + doted on exclusively later + heroine is sweet on the outside but dark within, wicked and a good actress, occasionally goes off the rails, happy ending] With skin as pure as ice and bones as fine as jade, her beauty could topple a city, stunning all who saw her… That year, she entered the palace by imperial decree to keep her pregnant elder sister company. She never expected to be trapped there for good, reduced to a fish on he 8.2kReads9.0Score858Shelves
17. 17 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
18. 18 娇 The Spoiled Consort's Road to Glory 娇气包娘娘的荣华路 Qingxi Hexi清兮禾兮Ancient Romance385k WordsCompleted Sweet romance! Undivided love! She’s doted on to the max! [The heroine is cunning, a little black lotus hidden beneath a rabbit’s skin] [The hero has a harem and isn’t chaste, but once he meets the heroine, he devotes himself to her alone in a one-on-one romance] The third young lady of the Sheng’an Marquis’s household, born to his secondary wife, was as beautiful as a celestial maiden. Sweet and clever, she knew how to win favor. Her grandmother and father favored her, and even her legitimate 13.3kReads9.2Score1.3kShelves
19. 19 帝 The Emperor and Empress Joined Forces and Purged the Court 帝后联手后，肃清了朝纲 Piggy Piggy Piggy Yao猪猪猪猪瑶Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Empress from the start! They love each other for a lifetime, and when the empress passes away, the emperor dies for love! They don't ask to be born together, only to die together! Marriage first, love later + not both virgins + not exclusively doting + completely fictional setting What? The emperor has made a concubine's daughter empress? The powerful ministers are so furious their beards are practically standing on end. Su He, the woman struck by this incredible stroke of fortune, is relieved i 1.8kReads9.0Score188Shelves
20. 20 皇 The Royal Family’s Cherished Daughter-in-Law: The Emperor and Empress Are Shipping Themselves 皇家宠媳：帝后嗑CP啦 Sheng Qian笙浅Ancient Romance296k WordsCompleted [Traditional historical romance + palace and household intrigue + no transmigration or rebirth + alternate history + one-on-one romance + sweet and doting + childhood sweethearts] [Gentle, resilient beauty VS cool, composed Crown Prince] Just three months after Mu Shuangyin's birth mother passed away, Chancellor Mu took a second wife. The new madam brought a son and a daughter into the household. They were said to be the Chancellor's children, and even more remarkably, the twins had been born ab 18kReads9.2Score1.9kShelves
21. 21 病 After the Sickly Beauty Is Reborn, Everyone Gets Their Comeuppance 病美人重生后全员火葬场 Flying Eggplant会飞的茄子Two Male Leads315k WordsCompleted [Love Rival Showdown, Devoted Couples, Everyone's Favorite] Cool, aloof, black-lotus sickly beauty x snarky, two-faced, mad-dog green tea Lu Xueyong, son of the prime minister, was the untouchable beauty everyone in the capital knew. Fragile and sickly, yet possessing unparalleled elegance, he should have inspired countless heroes to fall at his feet. Everything changed after he took pity on a young boy and adopted him. His fiance, his childhood friend, and his confidant all told him the boy wa 9.9kReads9.3Score995Shelves

    Reader note

    They're all very beautiful.

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 36.9kReads9.4Score4.3kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist, a psychology PhD, transmigrates to the imperial harem. From being out of favor to regaining it, from a lowly concubine to an imperial consort, she focuses solely on becoming a favored consort, aiming to deplete the emperor's health as the ultimate boss. The emperor, as expected, steps into the web woven by the female protagonist. Later, he abolishes the harem for her sake, but the emperor always feels she isn't his true love, and he's content with the second most favored concubine.

23. 23 心 Clever and Sweet, She Keeps the Chaste and Powerful Begging for Her Night After Night 心机乖媚，撩的禁欲权贵夜夜缠 MuziS木子SAncient Romance501k WordsCompleted [An alternate setting: A devoted couple, a clever and charming, flirtatious heroine, and a seemingly innocent but secretly ruthless hero with overwhelming possessiveness. The hero is utterly devoted to the heroine, and his love knows no bounds.] Wen Shuxiao, a concubine-born daughter of the Wen family and the most beautiful woman in Yongzhou, is dumped by her childhood sweetheart and fiancé on the eve of their wedding. He has fallen for a noblewoman from a prestigious family! Being gentle and ob 2.9kReads8.8Score277Shelves
24. 24 强 Claiming His Elder Brother's Widow, the Ruthless Power Broker Plots Every Move 强娶长嫂，疯批权臣步步为营 Nan Youyu南又予Ancient Romance315k WordsCompleted My new work is out! Come read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support inspires me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! 1kReads7.7Score106Shelves
25. 25 春 Spring Robes in Disarray: Only to Unravel the Chancellor's Desires 春衫乱：只为奸臣解风情 Fish in the South City南城有鱼Ancient Romance463k WordsCompleted [Traditional historical romance + reborn to change fate + devoted husband + political intrigue and revenge. The heroine is gentle yet resilient, kind and perceptive. The hero is a noble, powerful minister, beautiful and tragic. Many foreshadowed clues and twists.] Lin Shu was a noble young lady from the capital, raised without ever having to lift a finger. When disaster struck the Lin family, Lin Shu became a government slave. She was put to washing and dyeing cloth in the Imperial Household Dep 12kReads9.4Score1.4kShelves
26. 26 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 14.7kReads9.4Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    That bag belongs to this book. The female protagonist is a palace maid who strives to climb the social ladder and is very clear-headed. [Sparrow's Divine Work][Sparrow's Divine Work][Sparrow's Divine Work][Sparrow's Divine Work]

27. 27 皇 Your Majesty, I Think Your Palace Maid Is Cursing You Again 皇上，你家宫女好像又在骂你 Six Yuan六元钱Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [The irresistible appeal of what you once rejected + powerful men bowing their heads + a double-standard male lead + raising her before a story of power and statecraft + romantic push and pull + he truly doesn’t love her at first, but gives his all once he does] Su Nanchu is unruly. Shen Jingzhi has always known that. But life in the palace is dull, and he doesn’t mind having a little plaything who can kick and scream. She becomes his daily amusement: reading memorials, practicing calligraphy, a 11.6kReads9.2Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is still being updated, but it's really good! For those of you who are tired of ordinary novels, you should give the second one a try.

28. 28 穿 After Becoming a Foot-Washing Maid, I Made the Tyrant Wash My Feet 穿成洗脚婢后，我让暴君给我洗脚 Buddha Fish Shattered Light佛鱼碎光Ancient Romance563k WordsCompleted [A sweet, healing romance, 1v1 and devoted to each other, effortless wins, gossip, and exclusive affection: a carefree sweet girl versus a mad tyrant] Office worker Yu Xinyao dies suddenly from overwork and transmigrates into the lowliest foot-washing maid in the Great Liang imperial palace. She thinks she might as well make the best of it, but the emperor is a tyrant. Every time someone washes his feet, someone dies, and the bathhouse duty roster has become a countdown to death. With only a mon 467Reads8.8Score101Shelves
29. 29 为 The Professional Ethics of a Concubine 为妾的职业操守 Lin Wanzi林丸子Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Main Story Complete] Ye Qingzhi, an overworked office drone, transmigrates into the body of a concubine in the Jiangyang Marquis’s household. Since she’s here, she might as well go crazy. Being a concubine is just changing workplaces. She doesn’t need to get emotionally involved. She can simply treat herself like a tool. Ye Qingzhi’s career goal: convince both the marquis and the principal wife to take responsibility for her and protect her. Ye Qingzhi’s workplace motto: Life is short. We’re al 31.5kReads9.4Score3.7kShelves

    Reader note

    The female lead is clear-headed about her career, haha, and resolutely refuses to work overtime.

30. 30 女 Dormitory Survival: Coasting to Victory on the Infinite Train 女寝求生，无限列车躺赢 Dongyufang东鱼坊Sci-Fi & Apocalypse2.9M WordsCompleted [Infinite Flow]+ [Four-person ensemble]+ [No romance]+ [Superpowers]+ [Farming and building]+ [Lighthearted comedy] The Apocalypse is here, and you've boarded the last train out... With the end of the world looming over Blue Star, four roommates from Women's Dorm 502 end up aboard the Infinite Train, forced to take part in an Apocalyptic journey with an unknown final stop. After awakening their Superpowers one by one through beginner scenarios, they form an incredible team: assassin + archer + s 35.8kReads8.8Score5.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Novel and beautiful, very interesting, really beautiful \(//∇//)\🥰🥰🥰🥰😘😘

31. 31 公 Highway Survival: I Gain the Upper Hand by Chatting in Group Chats 公路求生：我水群获得先机 Smiling Star微笑星Sports1.2M WordsCompleted Meng Qingyin’s phone got a virus. But aside from being added to a mysterious chat group, her phone worked just fine. The group had an odd name, too: Road Survival Management Group. [Residents can enter the game with whatever they have on hand.] Meng Qingyin immediately put together a wilderness survival kit! [Why won’t these residents take a good look at their surroundings?] Meng Qingyin surveyed the area and spotted a beginner’s gift box hidden in the bushes! [This is driving me crazy. Have the 43.9kReads8.7Score7.1kShelves
32. 32 快 Quick Transmigration: Who Isn't Enchanted by a Beautiful Bad Woman? 快穿：谁不着迷于漂亮坏女人呢 Qia San Chun恰三春Female-Channel Fanfiction1.4M WordsOngoing Sweet-talking heroine who knows how to charm people + irresistible beauty who loves to act cute + emotional push and pull + the hero gets hooked and can’t hide it + Qing-dynasty time travel + doted on exclusively Lin Qingqing studied acting. She’s stunningly beautiful, and after graduating, she didn’t become an actress. Instead, she took a shortcut to becoming the wife of a publicly listed company’s owner. Her acting is just too good at winning over men. She snagged the big boss outright. Why no 5.5kReads8.9Score161Shelves
33. 33 综 Film and TV Crossover: A Guide to Villainesses Swapping Bodies 综影视：恶毒女配互穿指南 Shen Tu神涂Female-Channel Fanfiction689k WordsOngoing [Not a power fantasy, so don't read if that's not your thing. This is mainly a crossover between film and TV dramas, with original content. All the women are villains: they get revenge for every grudge, have their own principles and ideas, and aren't evil without reason. The golden finger isn't very powerful, and this isn't about smashing everything with a golden finger. It's not a power fantasy, not a power fantasy, not a power fantasy. Don't be fooled by the title. Don't be fooled by the title 1.4kReads8.4Score—Shelves
34. 34 这 This Shadow Guard Is a Little Sweet 这个暗卫有点甜 Wu Liyou吴李又Two Male Leads673k WordsCompleted Synopsis: Xiao Qi transmigrates. She was a young woman, but wakes up in a man's body, and not just any man: a shadow guard who can't show his face. What is she supposed to do? Should she just die? She has already died once, and she can't bear to die again. But living like this is no good either. Xiao Qi had made a name for herself at school as a tomboy, but this gender mix-up just feels wrong. When Xiao Qi opens her eyes, the first thing she sees is a handsome man of noble bearing. The two are a 94Reads7.9Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    After chapter 220, the book changes the dual-male characters to a normal yin-yang male-female pair. Can you accept that?

35. 35 跪 Better to Ascend the Throne Than Kneel, Cold-Faced, as the Mistress of the House 跪着冷脸做主母不如登基当皇帝 Three Whimpers嘤三声Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue in the first half + sharing power in government in the second half + female heir to the throne + a cast of lunatics + no romance + System clashes + ruthless heroine + heroine enters the palace with her child and marries again + a grab bag of elements] On the day she entered the palace, a voice appeared in Xie Xuzhen’s mind. It called itself the Comeback Palace Intrigue System, and said it had come to help Xie Xuzhen, who was about to enter the palace, reach the pinnacle of life. 1.9kReads9.1Score267Shelves

    Reader note

    Very beautiful, the female characters are three-dimensional.

36. 36 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 41.2kReads9.6Score5.9kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is really good! The female lead is incredibly resourceful and adept at handling any situation, her palace intrigue defenses are flawless, and she's super clear-headed and not love-struck at all 🤭🤭 It also has a high rating.

37. 37 太 The Crown Prince Dotes on His Concubine and Neglects His Wife: The Empress's Daily Life After Bearing Twins 太子宠妾灭妻，娘娘双胎上位日常 Han Qingxue寒清雪Ancient Romance554k WordsCompleted [There are a few typos, so please skip this if that bothers you.] A deranged, ruthless heroine and an obsessive Crown Prince, with exclusive devotion later on, clear-headed palace intrigue, and multiple births. Jiang Shiruo is stunningly beautiful, but only a concubine’s daughter. Still, even a concubine’s daughter deserves to live. Jiang Shiruo has no interest in the other princes. She only wants to enter the Eastern Palace, because that’s the only way she can reach the highest position. After 7.7kReads8.9Score663Shelves
38. 38 上 Spring Affairs in the Capital 上京春事 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance400k WordsCompleted Ning Chaoyang rises to become a fourth-rank female official, yet still can’t escape the fate of being traded into a political marriage. She decides to take in a lover to fight back. He must be lowborn, handsome, and preferably too frail to look after himself. She glances to the side and spots a charming young doctor in white. 5.5kReads9.3Score855Shelves
39. 39 娇 The Clever Palace Maid and the Cold, Cruel Emperor Who Can't Resist Her 娇娇宫女手段高，冷戾帝王不经撩 Clashing Gold and Flying Jade铿金霏玉Ancient Romance502k WordsCompleted [Reborn / palace intrigue, not both virgins / delicate heroine / hero is a bit of a jerk early on, loses his mind midway, and dotes on her alone in the end] Yuan Qing was just a low-ranking palace maid. But she was born alluring and beautiful. In her previous life, the Empress Dowager gave her to Prince Jing as a concubine. Who could have guessed she would become the princess consort's thorn in the side, and that a bowl of poisoned soup would end her life? Reborn, Yuan Qing set her sights on the 5.8kReads9.2Score570Shelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist is scheming and ambitious, striving to climb the social ladder and achieve a better life.

40. 40 穿 Changing the Ending of Ancient Qin 穿古秦之易其终局 Nan Xiang Jiegeng婻湘桔梗Ancient Romance141k WordsOngoing Tang Yunmu, the top science-track student in the national college entrance exam, transmigrates to the frontier of the State of Yan during the Qin Shi Huang era. Using her agricultural knowledge, she improves farming methods and introduces irrigation techniques to make a living. After meeting Fusu and getting to know Qin Shi Huang himself, she learns that treacherous officials have allied with alchemists to sow chaos at court and harm the common people. Using her chemistry knowledge, she investig —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Beautiful, beautiful, very good

41. 41 神 Tycoon System: Cash Back 神豪系统之金钱返现 I'm So Wealthy我太财Modern Romance27k WordsOngoing [Female top] [Tycoon System] [Multiple handsome men] [Money] Su Jiu is reborn, returning to her twenties, when she was free from illness and pain. Most importantly, she gets a System: a tycoon System! She starts roaming from one livestream to another, showering them with tips and living the life of a big spender. —Reads—Score—Shelves
42. 42 帝 The Emperor's Beloved: His Bewitching Consort Knows How to Tempt Him 帝王心尖宠：妖娆妃子太撩人 West Wind Moon西风月Ancient Romance1.3M WordsOngoing The rating has just been posted. [Max-level, sweet-faced-but-black-hearted Daddy emperor with life-and-death power + secretly delicate and lovesick lotus] [Palace intrigue + household battles + exclusive favor from the start + sweet romance + age gap] [An old house catching fire + a seductive little beauty] When the transmigrated heroine and the reborn heroine fought over the book’s future male lead, the Fourth Prince, even her fake elder sister competed to marry the Third Prince. Chu Yaoyao, th 624Reads7.5Score100Shelves
43. 43 重 Reborn, the Villainess Refuses to Follow the Script 重生后，恶毒女配她不按剧本走 Autumn Farewell and the Lantern's Song秋辞与灯鸣Ancient Romance526k WordsCompleted [Brilliant, clever marquis’s legitimate daughter x elegant, sickly, obsessive, jealous heir] Gu Sangning was made to drink poisoned wine as she waited for death. She looked at her husband, now a powerful figure who held the court in his grasp, standing beside his true love and watching coldly as her life ebbed away. Looking back on her short life, she felt nothing but bewilderment. Why had she fallen in love with a man like him? A ruthless, scheming villain who had risen to power on the strength 14.6kReads8.6Score2.3kShelves
44. 44 宫 The Palace Maid Schemed to Seduce Him, and the Mad Emperor Fell for Her and Seized Her by Force 宫女蓄意勾引，疯批帝王沦陷强夺 Orange-Brilliant Starlight橘灿星光Ancient Romance210k WordsOngoing [Palace intrigue, not a virginal couple / villainess / femme fatale / forced possession / doted on exclusively after the opening] [Scheming, theatrical maid vs. deranged emperor who falls deeper with every step] Yao Shu was born beautiful, and the empress chose her as a pawn to send to the emperor. The first time she met Xiao Xulan, she was too frightened to look him in the eye. But when he began to consider taking her to his bed, she broke free of his grasp and knelt down, declaring, “This serv 260Reads9.3Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Second book highly recommended

45. 45 冰 Beneath the Deep Ice 冰微深下 Heart Hanging by a Thread心悬若微弱Ancient Romance134k WordsOngoing I was once a princess of Dahua. At fifteen, my father betrothed me to Guan Yanfa, a hostage prince from the State of Yan. In reality, Guan Yanfa was the crown prince of the State of Han. I was unwilling and deeply humiliated. I didn't want to be confined to a harem, surrounded by women. But the icy blade held to my throat left me no choice but to submit to fate. The only man I ever loved was known to me only by his alias, Yushi. A spirited young man descended from the founding Dragon Martial Gen —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Han Yange, you press on relentlessly. Why do you call me sister? You've been meticulously planning the fall of Dahua in my past life. The Yan hostage asked me if I could compare to you, but I'm no match for you. General Yun Fuyun died for me at the gates of Dahua. The flames of war couldn't compare to your words: "I married you for the Emperor's Heart Sutra." The mystery of my origins is like the flames of war, burning endlessly. The desire for revenge is ignited. If there is an afterlife, Han Yange and I must be completely destroyed.

46. 46 朕 I Think You’re After Me, Not the Throne! 朕觉得，你就是图朕这个人！ Cat Qian Qiu猫千秋Ancient Romance311k WordsCompleted [Both leads are inexperienced + the heroine can read men's minds + the hero wins himself over + plenty of silly fun] In her previous life, Yu Huan spent three years in the imperial palace fighting to win and keep the emperor's favor. She tried every trick in the book, but still couldn't get the attention of the emperor, who cared only about gold, silver, and jewels and was endlessly greedy. In this life, she just wants to keep her head down in the harem and stay out of trouble. When the empero 3kReads9.0Score427Shelves
47. 47 出 The Night I Left the Palace, the Mad Emperor Took Me by Force 出宫当晚，被疯批帝王强取豪夺 Clashing Gold and Flying Jade铿金霏玉Ancient Romance507k WordsCompleted [Beautiful, delicate palace maid vs. cold, ruthless, obsessive emperor] [Palace intrigue, neither lead is chaste + powerful male lead, weak female lead, and he’s completely unhinged + possessive love + a long road to winning her back] Yue Ling was a vain little palace maid. Hoping to enjoy a life of luxury and wealth, she seduced the emperor and worked tirelessly to win his favor, but still met a tragic end. After being reborn, Yue Ling saw things clearly. Rather than tread on thin ice in the de 25.5kReads9.2Score1.8kShelves
48. 48 快 Quick Transmigration: The Supporting Female Lead Wins by Having Babies 快穿：女配靠生子躺赢 Mu Yu牧语Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Quick Transmigration + More Children, More Blessings System + A Slightly Scheming Heroine, But Not Too Much + No Fixed Couple] Chen Qingli, from an ordinary family, unexpectedly gets bound to the More Children, More Blessings System. As long as she bears an heir for a male lead who has trouble having children, she can gain eternal life and endless wealth. At first, Chen Qingli refuses. She’s terrified of pain, after all. She’d rather die! System: Painless childbirth is yours for the taking! Rea 8.8kReads8.1Score530Shelves
49. 49 不 No Eavesdropping on the Emperor 不许偷听朕说话 Yin Zaishui尹在水Ancient Romance925k WordsCompleted An Jiu transmigrated into the body of a young palace maid who wanted to climb into the emperor’s bed. The moment she opened her eyes, the tyrant ran his sword straight through the maid who had tried to seduce him. The next day, the tyrant killed a senior maid who served one of the consorts. On the third day, a maid who tasted the emperor’s food died from poison. Being a palace maid was a high-risk job. An Jiu decided to work hard, save up, cherish her life, and stay away from the tyrant. But the 78.3kReads9.4Score13kShelves

    Reader note

    The first season is about the female lead steadily climbing the social ladder step by step 🥹. The plot is smooth and has some foreshadowing. The characters aren't particularly vicious, making it perfect for watching while eating. The second season features a male lead with two personalities, creating a huge contrast and making it hilarious. The female lead is cute and can even cook. Their interactions are adorable. The third season is more of a domestic drama, mainly because the premise is very novel. The male lead is a rich young master who helps the female lead win him over. The female lead seems naive and sweet but actually has her own thoughts. The two are a perfect match; even a little bit of sweetness makes me writhe like a maggot in bed.

50. 50 将 Cast-Off Daughter of a Military Family? I'm the Moon in His Heart 将门弃妇？她是本王的心上月 Song Jiujiu宋玖玖Ancient Romance683k WordsCompleted [Dual Rebirth] [The Ex-Wife Wants Him Back] The short drama adaptation is now online: The General’s Abandoned Consort Qu Jinshu married the great general He Xiujun at eighteen. To protect him, she became a prisoner of an enemy nation, her face disfigured and her martial arts skills destroyed. On the day the city fell, what awaited her was his arrow through her heart. He said “I married you only to take revenge.” “If you hadn’t refused to marry the foolish Prince Jing, your elder sister wouldn’t 11.6kReads9.1Score1.7kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist is reborn to avenge her past life, meticulously planning every step. The male protagonist feigns ignorance to evade pursuit, and willingly sacrifices himself to protect her. The female protagonist climbs the social ladder through various means, all to return to the frontier and protect the people there, while the male protagonist guards her from behind.

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