Rated 9.5 or Higher, Household Intrigue, Strong Female Lead, Intelligent Cast 9.5上，宅斗，大女主文，全员有智商

1. 1 夫 The General’s Wife Is So Alluring, He Has to Cuddle and Kiss Her to Cheer Her Up 夫人娇媚，要将军哄哄抱抱又亲亲 Black Crow Jili黑鸦几里Ancient Romance630k WordsCompleted [One-on-One Romance + Devoted to Each Other + Pregnancy + Mutual Love + Sweet Romance] After transmigrating into a book, Ye Yunqi marries a disabled general returning victorious from war. Unfortunately, the general’s household includes the heroine, who once saved his life. Ye Yunqi sighs. She took the heroine’s place as the general’s wife, so no wonder the heroine wants to kill her. What should she do? Cling to the general’s coattails first! Rumor has it that General Qin Zhi is cruel, violent, a 3kReads9.1Score29314d adds

   Reader note

   Don't be fooled by the fact that they're not 9.5; they're all good-looking.

2. 2 诱 Luring the Lord into His Embrace 诱君宠 Queen Julian朱莉安女王Ancient Romance300k WordsCompleted [The animated series “Win Your Lord's Heart: My Troubled Prince” is now streaming. We hope you'll show it your support.] Shen Yu, a modern-day doctor, is murdered by her senior fellow and transmigrates into the body of the eldest daughter of the Shen family. The eldest Shen daughter is breathtakingly beautiful, but her fiancé sets her up and forces her to marry the brutal Prince of Qi. At first, Shen Yu ties her handkerchief around the prince's wrist. “This handkerchief is like me. As long as yo 12.7kReads9.4Score1.6k14d adds
3. 3 王EN My Prince, Be Gentle: Your Princess Is Delicate and Soft 王爷轻宠，王妃她身娇体软 Blue Iced Coffee蓝色冰咖啡Ancient Romance137k WordsCompleted [Historical romance + marriage first, love later + devoted couple + happy ending + sweet romance] Yan Wanning, the eldest daughter of the Duke's household, had lost both her parents. Beautiful and gentle by nature, she had spent her childhood treading carefully in the household. Later, the emperor arranged her marriage to Prince Anbei, who lived far away on the northern frontier, and made her his principal consort. According to the rumors, Prince Anbei was a battle-hardened giant with the build 6.7kReads9.0Score57714d adds
4. 4 将 The General Is a Kissing Fiend, Princess, Please Be Gentle 将军是个亲亲狂，公主请怜惜 Pikachu Out of Power没电皮卡丘Ancient Romance200k WordsCompleted [Battle-hardened General × Gentle Princess] [Marriage First, Love Later from the heroine’s perspective + His secret love comes true from the hero’s perspective + Sweet romance + Both virgins, happy ending + Childhood friends + Dream encounters] When Zhou Jingmi was young, she once met a wonderful boy. He taught her music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, as well as how to ride and shoot. He stood up for her in front of her mother and covered for her at school. But later, she forgot all abou 1.6kReads8.9Score22814d adds
5. 5 诱 Tempting the Villain 诱反派 Queen Julian朱莉安女王Ancient Romance198k WordsCompleted [Signed for publication] After transmigrating into a book as the cannon-fodder princess who dies tragically on her wedding night, Shen Ruan takes the initiative to seduce her husband, the Prince Regent, to stay alive. The Prince Regent has the face of an immortal, but he's ruthless, murderous, and volatile. He's the story's greatest villain. Shen Ruan goes to great lengths to tempt him, using both her beauty and clever schemes. From time to time, she also has to moonlight as the villain's bedmat 6.1kReads9.1Score65414d adds
6. 6 穿 Transmigrated as a Treacherous Minister's Legitimate Daughter, She Plays the Part to Perfection 穿成奸臣嫡女，她本色出演 Garlic Bamboo Shoots蒜香竹笋Ancient Romance565k WordsCompleted [Transmigrate into a book + Career-focused early on + Sweet romance + One-on-one romance + Both leads are devoted to each other] [Two-faced, ruthless minister's daughter × Wild, formidable iron-faced general] The ruler of the business world transmigrates into a book overnight, becoming the daughter of the treacherous chancellor. She throws her weight around and commits every kind of evil, with the label “vicious supporting female character” practically branded onto her. She's madly pursuing the 86.4kReads9.6Score11.3k14d adds
7. 7 惊 Shocking! The Legitimate Princess Defies Fate Every Day! 惊！嫡公主她每天都在逆天改命！ Ran Qiqi冉七柒Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Female-led power fantasy + ruthless, unhinged heroine + an extreme “I’d rather betray others than let them betray me” mentality] Xuan Mingyao was reborn at the age of seven, back before anything had happened. Though she was the empress’s legitimate daughter, a princess treated like royalty, her younger brother, the crown prince, was about to die of illness. Her mother would soon be consumed by worry, grow estranged from the emperor, and eventually be deposed in the witchcraft scandal. Overnight 27.9kReads9.4Score3.8k14d adds
8. 8 公 The Beautiful, Arrogant Princess and Her Sly, Flirtatious Consort 公主美又骄，钓系驸马茶艺高 Fragrant Wood Terrace木香台Ancient Romance353k WordsCompleted [Flirting with each other + Sweet romance, both are virgins + Taking down scumbags] [Arrogant princess + Scheming, sickly, beautiful prince consort] Yun Chaorong’s transmigration into a book went wrong, and she became the heroine of a tragic romance. She learned she was destined to be disfigured and humiliated, lose her entire family, then be imprisoned and tortured to death by the male lead, Xie Nanzhu. What the hell! Yun Chaorong wasn’t having it. She kicked the original male lead and the supp 12.1kReads9.4Score1.9k14d adds
9. 9 娘 One Tear from the Empress, and She Acts Her Way to the Emperor's Throne 娘娘一滴泪，演到帝王送凤位 Little Peeled Egg剥壳的小蛋蛋Ancient Romance589k WordsCompleted [Story complete; easy to get around] Shen Qingfu transmigrated into a rebirth novel. The reborn heroine, Chu Can, had grown up with the crown prince, Ning Xuanli, as his childhood sweetheart. Given a second chance at life, she wanted no love, only power and riches. To become the most special person in the crown prince’s heart, she played hard to get. She had schemes, but no feelings. Shen Qingfu was nothing more than the most insignificant cannon fodder in the rebirth novel. Shen Qingfu gave a s 303Reads9.1Score—14d adds

   Reader note

   The first book is absolutely amazing!! The female lead is playing dumb the whole time, fooling everyone! And yet, no one suspects her. Plus, her father is incredibly capable; he understands her every move with just a glance, and all he thinks about is whoever dares to touch his daughter—he'll kill them in the previous dynasty to protect her. This book is so satisfying to read! It's really good!

10. 10 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 13.3kReads9.2Score1.3k14d adds
11. 11 岁 Spring's Joy, Year After Year 岁岁春欢 I Really Love Little Crabs超爱小螃蟹Ancient Romance669k WordsCompleted [The print edition of Years of Spring Joy is now available on all platforms] [Heroine and scumbag reborn + male lead transmigrates + mutual salvation + play the pig to eat the tiger] At seventeen, Shen Jiasui married Lu Yunzheng. The Shen and Lu families were both military dynasties, making them a formidable match. Two years into their marriage, Lu Yunzheng defeated the enemy kingdom and won renown across the land. But the Shen family was condemned for treason and executed to the last member. On 265.2kReads9.6Score31k14d adds

    Reader note

    If you like reading this book, you should definitely read the first one 📚. The writing is excellent, the theme is fresh, and the characters are well-developed 🐮🍺; The second one 📚. The male lead is very doting, it's sweet and adorable, and of course, there are a few angsty parts.

12. 12 病 The Sickly Princess Is Reborn, and the Tyrannical Regent Dotes on Her 病娇摄政王盛宠，娇娇公主重生了 Clouds Flying Through the Sky云天飞雾Ancient Romance557k WordsCompleted [Adapted into the short drama Golden Bell's Mistake: Love's Bonds] [Mutual firsts + doting romance + both reborn + palace and household intrigue] [Stunning, sweet-natured fifth princess × sinister, obsessive regent] In her previous life, her country fell and her family was destroyed. Then the sinister, obsessive regent kept her by his side for two whole years. Reborn ten years in the past, she is once again the fifth princess, born to wealth and honor, while he is merely a lowly hostage, beneath 11kReads9.4Score1.7k14d adds
13. 13 她 She Held a Reunion Feast, and the Entire Court Showed Up? 她办个同窗宴，满朝文武都来了？ Little Su Mehmeh小素咩咩Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Group transmigration + ensemble cast + no System + imperial examinations + everyday academy life in the early story + political intrigue in the middle and later story] (Everyone is highly intelligent and career-driven; the heroine has no romance) An earthquake sent Zhu Lan and her entire class of top students into a book, where they became a notorious group of failures! How could they turn things around? Oh, apparently all they had to do was pass the highest-level imperial exam. What a relief! 10.4kReads9.1Score1.9k14d adds

    Reader note

    A collection of transmigration stories featuring highly intelligent characters.

14. 14 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 3.1kReads8.8Score50114d adds

    Reader note

    The first book is truly excellent. Personally, I think the last book has a better storyline; the revenge plot is better.

15. 15 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 101.2kReads9.2Score11.2k14d adds
16. 16 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 2kReads8.4Score20714d adds
17. 17 姝 Radiant Beauty 姝色艳艳 Shen Jiayu沈嘉鱼Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Main story complete] [Revenge + satisfying read + mutual healing] In her previous life, Gu Mingyue was the Princess Consort of Prince Chen, an undefeated female general, and the peerless King of Xiangchu. Unfortunately, though ghosts roamed the night, the human heart was the most terrifying thing of all. Prince Chen betrayed her, shot her with his own hands, and wiped out her entire Gu family. Her closest friend climbed over her corpse to ascend the imperial phoenix throne. The boy she'd rescue 2.9kReads9.0Score33714d adds
18. 18 醉 Drunk on the Begonia Blossoms of Beijing 醉京棠 Heart Yearning for Gardenias心向往栀Ancient Romance351k WordsCompleted "A carefree black-lotus beauty and the jealous, unhinged Prince Ning" "Both devoted only to each other + married first, fell in love later + play the pig to eat the tiger + a little pursuit-after-the-breakup drama" Yun Jingtang, the legitimate daughter of a Duke's household, has skin as fair as snow and beauty beyond compare. She is famous for being gentle and delicate, but in truth, she runs the Gold-Gathering Pavilion single-handedly, is shrewd in her dealings, and knows everything happening a 6.2kReads9.0Score70214d adds
19. 19 重 Reborn: I Flirted the Gloomy Regent into a Daze 重生后，阴鸷摄政王被我撩晕了 Heart Yearning for Gardenias心向往栀Ancient Romance556k WordsCompleted "Print edition available for preorder October 24 at 7 p.m.!" "Black Lotus Beauty of a Princess & the Grim, Ruthless Regent" [Two Powerful Leads + Sweet Romance + Devoted Couple + Putting Scumbags in Their Place] Zhixian was the sharpest blade at the side of the Third Prince of Nanzhao, eliminating every obstacle in his bid for the throne. But on the day he was named crown prince, she met her end. "Zhixian, if you want to blame someone, blame yourself for knowing too much." Xuan Yuan Heng wiped t 32.5kReads9.3Score3.3k14d adds
20. 20 继 The Second Empress 继后 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted The Noble Consort was favored, the Worthy Consort bore a son, the Bright Etiquette was the emperor’s white moonlight, and the Beautiful Consort was his cinnabar mole. Every other concubine had her own talents and charms. It was a whole garden in full bloom. So who was our protagonist? The unfavored empress, with no children and no powerful family backing. Great. Why did this plot feel so familiar? Never mind. On the first day Zhao Wumian transmigrated here, she decided to lie flat. Compete for t 79.6kReads9.5Score8.9k14d adds

    Reader note

    The female lead is independent and clear-headed, not love-struck, and there are no idiotic villains; everyone's intelligence is on point. 😎

21. 21 谁 Whose Favored Concubine Doesn't Get Herself Killed? 谁家宠妾不作死啊 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Pei Shiyuan had always thought that, as a concubine-born daughter, she thrived at her family home because she knew a little tea ceremony and all she had to do was flatter her father, the head of the household. She had been quite pleased with herself about it, right up until she entered the Eighth Prince’s household. The Eighth Prince’s mother, the Noble Consort, was so favored that the Empress had no room to stand. His maternal family wielded so much power that the court officials could barely b 77.1kReads9.5Score7.9k14d adds
22. 22 假 The Fake Heiress Just Gives Up and Goes Crazy! 假千金她直接摆烂发疯啦！ Drinking Wine and Listening to the Rain饮酒听雨Modern Romance713k WordsCompleted The physical edition of Alternative Brilliance goes on presale on the 18th! What should you do if you become the fake heiress in a story about a real and fake heiress? Lie flat when it’s time to lie flat, and go crazy when it’s time to go crazy! Yan Zhizhi met the real heiress, Ning Yue, on a variety show. Then everyone realized Yan Zhizhi wasn’t quite the same as the person they’d known before. She’d gone crazy! When faced with a setback, everyone else tried to work through it. She just lay fla 39kReads9.4Score4.2k14d adds

    Reader note

    Female protagonist: Rather than wasting my own life, I'd rather go insane and torment everyone. [Note]

23. 23 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 24.6kReads9.3Score1.9k14d adds

    Reader note

    I feel the emperor isn't really the male lead; the female lead just happens to need a husband with status. It doesn't matter who he is. I liked the epilogue where the emperor realizes the female lead doesn't love him.

24. 24 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 18.6kReads9.6Score4.2k14d adds

    Reader note

    These are all domestic power struggle novels, and the female leads are all very smart and capable. They're incredibly good! I've read these several times on my own; they're really good. Sisters, go for it! If you don't like them, feel free to criticize me.

25. 25 簪 Strolling Through Chang’an with Flowers in My Hair 簪花扶鬓长安步 Peach Blossom Tea桃花小茶Ancient Romance2.1M WordsCompleted Mu Jiaojiao cured the Prime Minister's eldest son's leg with a single dose of medicine. Seizing the opportunity, she married into a powerful family and became the Sixth Young Madam of the Prime Minister's household. From then on, a saying spread through the streets: The Sixth Young Master of the Cui family was worth exactly one leg, his big brother's! Thus he earned the elegant nickname “Cui One Leg.” Humiliated, the Sixth Young Master Cui vowed to turn his life around and avenge his disgrace! A 2.7kReads8.7Score40114d adds
26. 26 中 The Empress of the Central Palace 中宫元后 King Smile笑笑大王Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + marriage before love + palace intrigue] (This is a fictional setting, written as I please. Please don't hold it against me if it doesn't fit history.) Qiao Shanshan, who lived to thirty on Blue Star, died while saving a child. Only after reaching the underworld did she learn that it wasn't her time to die. The soul reaper had taken the wrong person. To make it up to her, the King of Hell promi 15.4kReads8.2Score1.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    Both the domestic drama and the female lead roles are very good.

27. 27 成 After Becoming His Second Wife, I Brought the Duke Back to Life 成为续弦后，我把国公爷盘活了 Bi Xin笔鑫Ancient Romance642k WordsCompleted Lin Xiaoman transmigrated into a book, becoming the male lead's second wife, a foolish woman destined to die young in a romance novel. The original owner was intellectually impaired, and on their wedding night, she drugged the male lead. She also listened to his stepmother and plotted to harm his son. In the end, the male lead tossed her straight into a den of beggars. Thinking of the original owner's tragic fate, Lin Xiaoman trembled with fear. But what could she do? By the time she woke up, th 1.4kReads8.0Score13414d adds
28. 28 不 Wasn’t This an Arranged Marriage? Why Is Lord Pei So in Love with Me? 不是联姻吗？裴大人怎么这么爱 Deep-Fried Ice Cream油炸冰激凌Ancient Romance275k WordsCompleted Jiang Shiyuan spent ten years pursuing Shen Lüchu, only to receive four words on her eighteenth birthday: “You make me sick.” So Jiang Shiyuan, the girl who made Shen Lüchu sick, turned around and agreed to her family’s arranged marriage, preparing to marry into the Pei family. The Pei family was the most powerful clan in the capital, with influence that reached the heavens, far beyond what Jiang Shiyuan could aspire to. Fortunately, the family was full of talented men, but one grandson, Pei 50.3kReads9.1Score6.5k14d adds
29. 29 一 The First-Rank Lucky Girl and Her Maid 一品福女小丫鬟 Endless Splendor万千风华Ancient Romance685k WordsCompleted [Farming · Easygoing · Clear-Headed Heroine] When she wakes up, she has transmigrated into the body of a pitiful orphan with no father or mother. She expects life to be miserable after selling herself into the prince’s residence, but the household turns out to be wealthy and comfortable, with a kind old madam, supportive young ladies, and a brother who dotes on her. There’s even workplace life in ancient times. Jian Xi saves up money, buys a house, and acquires farmland, all to build a better li 2.2kReads8.4Score15514d adds
30. 30 穿 After I Transmigrate, I Lay Low in the Prince's Mansion and Enjoy My Retirement 穿越后，在王府后院苟着养老 Lanlan Is Here兰兰来了Ancient Romance745k WordsCompleted Bai Feiwan was born into the Bai family. Her father was a scholar, and her mother supported the household by doing embroidery. She also had two pairs of twin older brothers, and the family lived in poverty. Her birth brought her father good fortune at last: he passed the provincial examination and landed a seventh-rank county magistrate post. Just when the family’s life was finally beginning to improve, she was chosen for the imperial consorts. The Noble Consort took one look at her and decided 27.2kReads8.8Score3k14d adds
31. 31 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 19.1kReads8.9Score1.7k14d adds
32. 32 昭 The Chaos of Zhaohua 昭华乱 See Fortune at First Sight, Meow一见生财瞄Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Available in print. Search "Zhaohua Rebellion" on any platform to purchase.] [Strong female lead, satisfying revenge, high-IQ palace intrigue, the heroine schemes against the entire harem, a dangerously unhinged antagonist] Song Zhao has always been a woman who will stop at nothing to achieve her goals, and she has always seen the world more clearly than anyone else. From the moment she learned that Xiao Jingheng had chosen her to enter the palace as a consort, her goal was crystal clear: "I en 87.1kReads9.5Score9.7k14d adds

    Reader note

    This book is absolutely amazing! The theme is brilliant. My favorite part is the ending where the sisters stand up and awaken their consciousness. The epilogue is also so poignant. Everyone is just a tiny grain of sand in a grand era, but for themselves and those around them, life is so vibrant. Their existence is so important! Feudal superstition is unacceptable! I hope everyone can pursue their loves freely and equally, helping each other!! 🥺🥺

33. 33 可 Damn! Why Is the Crown Princess Surrounded by Suitors Everywhere? 可恶！怎么到处都是长公主的鱼！ What Did I Do Today今天我干嘛了Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Short drama of the same name] [The Princess's World of Flowers] Now streaming [Content warning: The female lead is not exclusive, but all the men are, so read with caution] [Schrodinger's playgirl × a whole lot of men] [Lighthearted, not a serious historical drama] [Original title]: Too Many Men Are Such a Hassle. Who Should I Spoil? Wen Yu transmigrates into the Great Sheng Dynasty as its beautiful, useless, brainless eldest princess. After learning that the original owner drowned by accident 47.6kReads9.5Score6.4k14d adds

    Reader note

    You won't regret buying these! Those who prefer clean-cut, virgin-like characters should avoid this series. If you enjoy fast-paced, exciting stories, this is for you. I followed the updates of all these books and finished them, they're very nice. Since reading these, I haven't been able to find anything I like anymore 🤦🤦

34. 34 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 31.5kReads9.4Score3.7k14d adds
35. 35 大 The Madam Only Wants to Lie Flat 大娘子只想躺平 Sheng Mian盛眠Ancient Romance721k WordsCompleted [Traditional historical romance + everyday life + transmigrating into a book + the steady, gradual progress of a woman in her thirties living in ancient times] After transmigrating into a book as a marquis’s daughter-in-law, she finds herself middle-aged, with elders to care for and children to raise. Her mother-in-law dislikes her, her cold husband is alive but as good as dead, and she never sees him. His concubine keeps making a fuss to get attention, while her three biological children are cl 11.2kReads9.0Score1.6k14d adds
36. 36 娘 The Empress Is Alluring and Bewitching, and the Emperor Gives In to Pleasure 娘娘撩人魅惑，帝王纵情堕落 You Gongyu尤宫羽Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The Tomato short drama Kun Yi is now streaming~ [Transmigrate into a book, male lead is not a virgin but female lead is, palace intrigue, psychological games, happy ending] The Crown Prince, Jun Zechen, has seen his fair share of calculating women, and loves only those who are pure and kind. While campaigning beyond the frontier, he meets Ling Yue and is captivated by her free-spirited kindness. He promises to spend his life with her alone. But two years pass, and the Crown Princess has yet to c 120.1kReads9.5Score11.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    The empress is alluring and seductive, the emperor indulges in debauchery and palace intrigue. Four volumes in total: volumes one through three (ancient times), and volume four (modern times).

37. 37 侯 The Marquis's Estate Forgot Its Gratitude? The Regent Backs Me, and I Won't Forgive Them 侯府忘恩义？摄政王撑腰，不原谅 Chu Diandian初点点Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Luo Ning took a blade meant for the Empress Dowager and suffered severe injuries, trading her life for her family's noble title. She went south to recuperate for three years, but when she returned, she discovered that her maternal cousin had taken over her courtyard. Her cousin had even replaced her in every aspect. Luo Ning's parents and elder brother adored her, her grandmother favored her, and even Luo Ning's childhood sweetheart secretly admired her, saying that she surpassed Luo Ning in eve 177.6kReads9.4Score27k14d adds

    Reader note

    The female protagonist shields her family from harm but is betrayed. Reborn, she calmly seeks revenge without losing her intelligence. I especially love how she doesn't rely on any special abilities, but instead cleverly uses her memories of her past life and her relationship with the Empress Dowager to outwit her enemies. The revenge plot is logically sound, and each villain's fate is natural and satisfying, without any forced descent into stupidity or a disappointing ending. I particularly admire the female protagonist's ruthless methods while maintaining the facade of a refined lady; the political intrigue is exceptionally well-written.

38. 38 王 The Prince’s Cherished Treasure 王府心尖宠 Tea Scatters荼散Ancient Romance520k WordsCompleted Sixteen years ago, because of a remark by an old Daoist, Su Niannian and her twin sister were raised apart. For sixteen years, her sister grew up with their parents and siblings, while Su Niannian was raised by their grandmother. Sixteen years later, her sister returned to the capital with their parents, only to discover that Su Niannian, left behind in the capital, had become the apple of Prince Su's household's eye. "We don't care about them! Our prince's estate is bigger and prettier than the 24.1kReads8.8Score2.5k14d adds

    Reader note

    I recommend this book about a girl who was abandoned by her parents because of a Taoist priest's words, but who received even more love in return.

39. 39 帝 The Imperial Terrace's Charm: The Noble Consort Is Beautiful and Well-Behaved 帝台娇：贵妃娘娘她又美又乖 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance501k WordsCompleted [Harem intrigue + climbing the ranks and crushing the villains + doting romance. The male lead knows his own heart. He'll devote himself to her alone later on.] [The heroine rises through the ranks quickly at first, then more slowly later on.] [The heroine comes from a noble family, is the most beautiful woman in the harem, and already has two adorable children. The Emperor falls for her first and favors her from early on, before devoting himself to her alone in the middle and later parts.] By a 20.2kReads9.4Score2k14d adds

    Reader note

    This one is super good, the female lead is intelligent throughout, and the male lead spoils her rotten.

40. 40 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 8.8kReads9.4Score1k14d adds

    Reader note

    Book 1. The female lead is probably the typical "beautiful, strong, and tragic" type. It's the kind of story that makes you cry your eyes out, and she's very good at scheming. Book 2 isn't as scheming; it's more of a pure, enjoyable read. Book 3 is mainly about palace intrigue. In all of them, the male lead knows what the female lead is doing. Oh, Book 1 isn't. I personally think they're all quite good. Book 2 is still ongoing, while Books 1 and 3 are finished. Book 2 is very popular, with 467,000 views. Book 3 also has 111,000 views. Book 1 only has a few thousand views, but I personally prefer the 213 ranking.

41. 41 入 I Enter the Palace and Rise to High Rank: As His Majesty's Cousin, What Have I to Fear? 入宫即高位，我是陛下表妹我怕谁 Mu Niannian慕年年Ancient Romance477k WordsCompleted Palace intrigue + faux cousins + push-and-pull romance + winning hearts + taming a man Spring, Year Ten of the Zhaoqi reign. Shen Jiayu was summoned to the palace and became one of the emperor’s consorts. On the surface, the imperial harem seemed calm and peaceful, but beneath it lay tangled interests and hidden currents. The consorts schemed and fought among themselves, while the newcomers trembled with fear, terrified that one careless mistake would cost them their lives. Only Shen Jiayu s 229.6kReads8.9Score38.6k14d adds
42. 42 娘 The Consort Is All Charm and Cunning, Scheming Her Way to the Top 娘娘又茶又媚，一路宫斗上位 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance835k WordsCompleted Signed for print publication In the third year of the Yifeng era, a concubine-born daughter of the Ningyang Marquis’s household enters the palace. The palace is a vast, treacherous place, where the one thing you must never do is give your heart away. Ning Shuyan is clear-eyed: she wants wealth and prestige, along with the emperor’s favor. For three years, she carefully plots each step, wins the emperor’s attention, and rises from Talented Lady to Noble Consort. Rumor has it that the emperor only 56.6kReads9.5Score7k14d adds
43. 43 小 The Little Taoist Nun Has a Rebellious Streak 小道姑一身反骨 20/100 Vision视力零点二一Ancient Romance747k WordsCompleted “As a hired assassin, killing is my specialty. I make sure my clients go peacefully.” “Be good. You don't need to cover your head. I'd never ruin that pretty face of yours. That would make it harder to carry your head to the Judicial Office and collect the reward.” The moon slanted over the river as night settled in. Mist hung thick in the air, dreamlike and hazy. Only the dim oil lamp hanging from a covered boat on the Qiantang River cast a faint, wavering glow. A small gray-robed Taoist, impos 24.2kReads9.5Score3.6k14d adds

    Reader note

    Not a palace intrigue story, but definitely intelligent, featuring a strong female protagonist. She doesn't have a prestigious family background; she's a living, breathing animal. This is my first time reading this type of novel, and I highly recommend it.

44. 44 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 39kReads9.4Score5.8k14d adds

    Reader note

    There's absolutely no character being stupid; even the villains are quite intelligent. It's definitely a female-centric novel.

45. 45 锦 Brocade Butcher 锦屠 Li Er'er李尔尔Ancient Romance656k WordsCompleted Bianjing is full of powerful nobles. As the eldest legitimate daughter-in-law of the Marquis of Yongyi, a distinguished family of hereditary nobles, Xie Rongying embodies every virtue and is a model for women. A month after their wedding, her husband marched off to war. Half a year later, he died on the battlefield, his body brought home on his horse. From then on, a life of Buddhist prayers and the constraints of a chastity arch confined her for the rest of her days. As she lay dying, she seeme 15.3kReads8.6Score1.6k14d adds

    Reader note

    I truly believe this is what a satisfying read should be! Those who offend me will be punished!

46. 46 嫡 Married into the Eastern Palace 嫡嫁东宫 Mei Yi Si瑂忆覗Ancient Romance510k WordsCompleted Ever since she was little, Zhou Zhou knew she was different from her sisters. That difference meant she was lucky enough to be taught by her grandfather and cherished by her grandmother. At eight, the emperor personally selected her to be the princess’s companion. She entered the palace, grew up alongside the princess, and became the childhood sweetheart of the Fifth Prince. Before the Peach Blossom Banquet held when she was fifteen, everyone said she was destined to become the Fifth Prince’s co 5.1kReads8.9Score42214d adds
47. 47 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 15kReads9.5Score5.5k14d adds

    Reader note

    This is so good, I've been following it all the time. They even made a short drama version of it!

48. 48 纨 The Playboy Won Me a Noble Title, and the Reborn Matriarch Went on a Killing Spree 纨绔为我夺诰命，重生主母杀疯了 Folded in the Mist折雾里Ancient Romance905k WordsCompleted [Signed for publication] [Clear-headed, independent true heiress x play-the-pig-to-eat-the-tiger fake wastrel] [Female-oriented fiction + heroine reborn + hero transmigrates + political intrigue] After more than ten years as the wife of the Ningyuan Marquis's heir, managing the household and dutifully serving her parents-in-law, Shen Tangning believed she had done nothing wrong. Not until the usually distant heir began an affair with her half sister, now married to his younger brother, and they 57.6kReads9.2Score7.6k14d adds

    Reader note

    Highly rated, a domestic power struggle story with a strong female lead. The female lead is brave, resourceful, and has a sharp tongue; she's intelligent and gets revenge on the villains. At the same time, the romance between the male and female leads is sweet and sweet. 💕💕

49. 49 赐 A Marriage Decree for the Short-Lived Prince? The Reborn Empress Shows No Mercy Night After Night 赐婚短命皇子？重生娘娘夜夜无情 Phoenix Rules the Land凤点江山Ancient Romance418k WordsCompleted [Strong female lead + decisive and ruthless + secret identities + medical skills + reborn + punishing scoundrels + the fate of the nation] The emperor decrees a marriage: He Yunxi, eldest daughter of the mighty Marquis Wu, is to marry the sickly, short-lived prince Xuanyuan Jin. On their wedding day, a vicious old matron, acting on the empress’s orders, deliberately tries to put her in her place by forcing her to walk across red-hot iron plates. He Yunxi makes the wicked matron demonstrate how t 11.7kReads9.3Score1.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    To wrong yourself? Not at all 😀 The female lead's personality is amazing.

50. 50 重 Reborn on My Wedding Night, the Sickly Prince Regent Warms My Feet 重生新婚夜，病娇摄政王给我暖脚 Nanhuang南凰Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [Reborn + sweet romance + obsessive love + mutual devotion + secret identities, one couple] Nan Xi, the legitimate daughter of the prime minister, was a fool in her past life. She fell for a treacherous scumbag who was handsome on the outside but full of sinister schemes within, and ended up abandoned by everyone, dying miserably at the hands of him and his mistress. Given a second life, she gets her brains back! Looking at the powerful, handsome regent by her side, she cannot help questioning h 10.7kReads9.1Score3.7k14d adds

    Reader note

    A very good domestic drama/palace intrigue novel [Sparrow's Masterpiece]

Other lists with The General’s Wife Is So Alluring, He Has to Cuddle and Kiss Her to Cheer Her Up