Any Palace Intrigue Recommendations? Smart Characters, No Lying Flat 有没有宫斗文推荐。智商在线，不咸鱼躺平的

1. 151 不 Before Daybreak 不终朝 Leisurely Rain闲雨Ancient Romance218k WordsCompleted [Two Generals + Love of Country and Home + Long-Suffering Romance + Mystery and Investigation + Mutual Pining + Commander Couple] [A decisive, resilient, loyal and strategic female general vs. the steady, patient and far-sighted commander of the Yinchi Army] Shen Xun and Xie Jin are sworn enemies, bitter rivals whose relationship is common knowledge. They rose to fame in their youth and spent ten years at war, yet in the end, they could not escape becoming pawns. A single imperial decree marryin 2.1kReads9.5Score331Shelves
2. 152 权 The Power of the Imperial Favorite 权宠天下 June六月Ancient Romance4.1M WordsCompleted Live-action short-form drama: The Power and Privilege 4: Ruling the World is now streaming on Hongguo. A brilliant medical PhD transmigrates into the body of the Chu Prince’s discarded consort. As soon as she arrives, she encounters a critically injured patient. Guided by her medical ethics, she treats him, only to nearly be thrown into prison on false charges. When the Retired Emperor falls gravely ill, she finds a way to treat him, but that hateful Poison King misunderstands and berates her. I 10.3kReads9.4Score3.9kShelves
3. 153 风 A Beauty That Outshines the Nation 风华倾国 Young Master Tang唐家小主Ancient Romance134k WordsCompleted Ten years ago, she was the last princess of Mengxia. Ten years later, she is the foremost female grand preceptor of the Liuli Kingdom. In enemy territory, she makes careful moves, stirring up turmoil at court behind the scenes with her own hands, all to avenge a hatred that has cut deep! She had planned for everything, but his arrival was the one thing she never expected! He is the famed God of War, admired by women everywhere, yet he falls for her at first sight. Their encounter seems ordained 210Reads9.4Score—Shelves
4. 154 小 The Palace Maid Is Soft and Sweet, and the Emperor Cherishes Her 小宫女又软又娇，皇上宠她入骨 Silver Charm银娇Ancient Romance530k WordsCompleted [HE; a cold, powerful emperor VS a carefree little palace maid, not both virgins] A Zhi grew up in the palace and knew all its twists and turns. Her goal was clear: eat well and wait to die! Who could have guessed that one day, while delivering a meal, she would catch the emperor’s eye? Terrified, A Zhi packed her little bundle that very night, determined to make a run for it at dawn! But before she could get away, she and her pitifully small bundle were sent straight to Taihe Palace. Only after 20.9kReads9.2Score2.1kShelves

   Reader note

   Super super good-looking

5. 155 皇 The Emperor's One and Only Favorite Consort 皇上他独宠贵妃娘娘 Pomelo Sugar柚糖子Ancient Romance202k WordsCompleted 1v1, devoted to one another, non-strong female lead: the sweet everyday life of a scheming little consort and her childhood sweetheart, the emperor. She transmigrated, and she was a favored consort from the start? Yun Jingqi was totally fine with that. So what does it take to be the emperor's favorite? Of course, eat well, dress well, drink well, and make sure the emperor treats her well every single day! Yun Jingqi: “Your Majesty, I'm thirsty.” A cup of tea was placed before her. Yun Jingqi: “ 3.8kReads8.4Score328Shelves
6. 156 宫 A Palace Maid’s Life as the Emperor’s Favorite 宫女承宠日常 Kun Bai坤白Ancient Romance206k WordsCompleted Wei Rongxiang was a palace maid who served tea before the emperor. One day, she was abducted and dragged onto the imperial bed, where the emperor forced himself on her. Everyone called her Aunt Rongxiang, yet treated her like a mistress of the palace. Wei Rongxiang entered the imperial harem, where the emperor favored her every night, but she always kept a clear head. She watched him favor his concubines, watched him surround himself with wives and concubines, watched his children dote on him, w 8.6kReads7.8Score525Shelves
7. 157 娇 The Pretty Palace Maid's Step-by-Step Rise to Empress 娇娇宫女，步步为后 Three Days in the Capital三日京Ancient Romance574k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue / not both partners’ first time / devoted love in the later story / not a strong heroine; the female lead cries easily and isn’t particularly clever, so don’t expect too much!] After three years in the palace, Yue Li has worked carefully and waited for a chance at promotion. Just before she is promoted, a palace maid sharing her room is sentenced to death for offending a consort. Thunder crashes and rain pours that night as blood spatters everywhere. Terrified, Yue Li cannot sle 24.5kReads9.3Score11.5kShelves
8. 158 听 Rumor Has It the Noble Consort Alone Enjoys the Emperor's Favor in the Deep Palace 听说贵妃在深宫独得圣上恩宠 Que Ling Yan Zi雀翎宴子Ancient Romance568k WordsCompleted When they were young and love stirred in his heart, he took her in. Once he held power, he had no choice but to hide her away. In the lonely inner palace, she waited quietly, day after day and year after year. For power and status, he feared nothing. He overcame every obstacle and held her close. Behind layer upon layer of palace gates and red walls, a dream within a dream awakened the lovers from their reverie. 8.9kReads9.0Score573Shelves
9. 159 贵 The Imperial Consort Is Ravishingly Beautiful, but All She Wants Is Power and Wealth 贵妃千娇百媚，只求权势富贵 Fujiwara Tofu藤原豆腐Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [A mad, obsessive emperor with jealousy to spare x a consort who has renounced love and walled off her heart] [One-on-one romance + both reborn + devoted to each other in body and heart, in both lives] One-line summary: A story about an emperor who lost the love of his life, and how he slowly teaches the woman he loves to understand love, jealousy, anger, and longing. As the eldest son born to the empress, Qi Junyi was born to privilege. He seized power in his youth, was named crown princ 10.9kReads8.1Score673Shelves

   Reader note

   It looks great! 😁😍😍

10. 160 折 Snap Off a Crabapple Branch! 折棠枝！ Consort Xi熙贵妃Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Sisters switch marriages+the chase-back-to-win-her-heart trope+romantic rivalry+putting scumbags in their place; clear-eyed, scheming beauty X mad tyrant X aloof, powerful minister...] Short drama now available Jiang Wantang is the second legitimate daughter least favored by the current prime minister. With incomparable beauty and bewitching charm, she was abandoned in the wilderness and remained unknown to the world. Her elder legitimate sister was the moon in the sky; she was the mud beneath 9.1kReads8.9Score1.3kShelves
11. 161 娘 After the Empress Consort Closed Her Heart to Love, the Emperor Became Addicted to Begging for Her Affection 娘娘断心绝爱后，陛下跪舔上瘾了 Jie Chong解虫Ancient Romance435k WordsCompleted [Both leads are reborn] [Alternate history] [He pursues his wife after losing her; the hero is humble and devoted] [In her previous life, she was a love-struck fool; reborn, she is a clear-eyed and captivating consort × In his previous life, he loved her without realizing it; reborn, the powerful emperor eagerly becomes her devoted admirer] In her previous life, Su Yunning was infatuated with her cousin, the emperor, for over twenty years. She had no children of her own, willingly became his con 23.2kReads8.6Score1.6kShelves
12. 162 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 306Reads9.1Score—Shelves
13. 163 炮 The Cannon Fodder Villainess and the Sickly Crown Prince Get Their Happy Ending 炮灰女配和病娇太子HE了 Looking Across the Mountains越山看Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Lu Wanqing transmigrated into a melodramatic romance novel as a cannon-fodder supporting character! The heroine is a pure, sweet white lotus who will one day become Empress. And Lu Wanqing is the obstacle in the way of the leads' romance. In the end, she'll lose her family and die abandoned in the wilderness. There's also an annoying, nonstop-chattering dog System dragging her down... Hah, she's done with this! Then she turns around and throws herself into the arms of Xie Changfeng, the good-for 355Reads8.3Score103Shelves
14. 164 乖 A Sweet, Obedient Woman Gets the Best of Life, and the Crown Prince Can't Get Enough 乖巧的女人最好命，太子欲罢不能 Mi Yiner弥音儿Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted (P.S. Strong male lead, weaker female lead, pure historical romance, no transmigration, no rebirth, no golden finger, sweet romance.) Wen Li'er is gentle and mild-mannered, the cherished darling of her parents. She thought she'd marry a man she loved and spend her life raising children and managing the household. But an imperial decree from the Empress made her the lowest-ranking consort in the Eastern Palace. Unable to bear the blow, Wen Li'er fell seriously ill and spent half a year bedridden. 46.3kReads8.8Score8kShelves

    Reader note

    It's a good watch, a blend of palace intrigue and sweet romance, worth a try 🤭

15. 165 借 Surrogate Motherhood? The Second-Time Bride and Beloved Consort Insists on Rising to the Top 借腹生子？二嫁宠妃偏要步步高升 Silver Terrace and Golden Palace银台金阙Ancient Romance626k WordsCompleted [A gentle, kind widow and an arrogant, biased emperor. Sweet, doting everyday romance, with little palace intrigue (the emphasis is on little).] The Yu family had three daughters, all beautiful. The eldest became a countess, the youngest became a consort in the palace, and only the second daughter returned home a widow less than five years after her marriage, with a little girl in tow. One day, the palace consort suffered a miscarriage and was told she would have difficulty bearing children in t 22.2kReads9.3Score3.3kShelves
16. 166 酒 The Timid Tavern Keeper's Wife 酒家娘子怂巴巴 Miss Bean豆丁姑娘Ancient Romance617k WordsCompleted Because of a banana peel, Du Sansi transmigrated into the body of a doomed orphan girl in the reborn cultivation novel she’d been reading. The doomed orphan girl had only one part in the story: she was forced to poison a minor villain passing by, only to have the villain jab out her eyes with his chopsticks and sell her to a brothel. As luck would have it, when Du Sansi opened her eyes, she was holding a cup of wine, with a dog behind her and a handsome young man wearing a faintly amused smile i 1.5kReads8.9Score162Shelves

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    Du Sansi transmigrated into the body of an orphan girl, and at this moment she felt as if the sky had fallen and the earth had cracked, because Du Sansi was now holding up a poisoned wine and handing it to Duan Sanlang, and could only tremble as she handed over the poisoned wine...

17. 167 智 Wise Men Avoid Love, and the Noble Consort Wants No Responsibility 智者不入爱河，贵妃不想负责 Uncle Luo洛叔叔Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Being a beggar would be better than being in the harem. Shen Qing is despairing over her current identity. The female lead won't appear for another two years, and Shen Qing is the lowest-ranking consort in the male lead's harem. Her father is useless, and she has neither money nor power. It seems her only option is to wait for the emperor's favor. To make matters worse, she has a face that attracts trouble. If she fights for influence, she has no leverage; if she doesn't, she'll just get bullied 45.4kReads9.5Score5.7kShelves

    Reader note

    These are all great! Trust me, the female leads are all very clear-headed and receive exclusive affection later on. Besides these, please recommend any other good ones you like! 😘

18. 168 隔 The Prince Next Door Has a Pocket Dimension 隔壁王爷有空间 Zhang Bai章白Ancient Romance895k WordsCompleted After being murdered, the reborn Prince Shou is quite pleased to have gained a pocket dimension. Now he has somewhere to store provisions while he waits to rebel. Starting a rebellion isn’t easy these days! The Fourth Young Lady, who died unjustly and transmigrated here, is also quite pleased to have gained a pocket dimension. Now she has somewhere to secretly stash her dowry. It’s hard for a concubine-born daughter to get married these days! Then, one day, they both discover that their pocket d 5.4kReads9.2Score664Shelves

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    Recommended 🦆 ① While others transmigrate into wealth and status, Yu Jiao becomes an unwanted illegitimate daughter, unloved by her parents. Fortunately, she possesses a spatial ability that can store all her hopes for the future. Chu Yu, an unlucky prince, is reborn and intends to use his spatial ability to gather provisions for his grand ambitions. However, unexpectedly, a connection is made with the adjacent spatial realm, and a gentle illegitimate daughter enters the world. One schemes for survival, while the other dedicates herself to her grand plan. After their spatial connections are established, their relationship evolves from mutual distrust to mutual dependence. In the depths of a mansion and the imperial court, their fates become inextricably intertwined.

19. 169 退 After Breaking Off the Engagement, She Became an Investor Everyone Wanted to Win Over 退婚后，她成了万人追捧的投资人 Ten Thousand Blades千万刃Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Medical skills + transmigrated supporting villainess + political intrigue + strong heroine + secret identities + satisfying read] Bai Jiu'er, a doctor, transmigrates into the body of a vicious supporting character with a truly tragic ending. In her previous life, she was the male lead's wife, only to end up as a miserable prostitute. After transmigrating, she has nothing but money. At least she isn't married yet. First step, obviously, is to break off the engagement! What? The male lead went cr 51.1kReads9.2Score7.6kShelves
20. 170 嫁 Marrying the Imperial Tutor 嫁帝师 Changshanli长山里Ancient Romance560k WordsCompleted [When a Scheming Black-Bellied Type Meets a Sweet-on-the-Outside, Dark-on-the-Inside Type + Love and Hate + Soul Swap + Revenge, Traditional Historical Romance in an Imaginary Setting] Jiang Wanzhi first met Song Qingshi when she was fourteen. At sixteen, she became Mrs. Song. Everyone said she was lucky: a merchant’s daughter had married a top-scoring scholar. That is, until she died under mysterious circumstances on the very night Song Qingshi asked her for a divorce. When she awoke again, she 27.8kReads9.3Score4.3kShelves

    Reader note

    These two books are the best I've read. The authors are both intelligent, beautifully written, entertaining, funny, and have both humorous and touching moments that will keep you hooked.

21. 171 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 39.2kReads9.4Score5.8kShelves
22. 172 夭 Good Grief! I Woke Up as the Traitorous Official's Wife, Destined to Die Young 夭寿啦！一睁眼穿成奸臣早死原配 Every Inch Is Gold寸寸金Ancient Romance679k WordsCompleted Shen Heng transmigrates into an alternate history as the secret first wife of Xie Jian, the most notorious corrupt chancellor of all time, and finds herself on the way to elope with someone. She doesn't even know where to begin complaining. This is what the Record of True Chancellors says about Xie Jian: Xie Jian, courtesy name Zixuan, was the last chancellor of the Great Cong Dynasty. Through his own efforts, he brought down the dynasty, which had stood for over six hundred years. His life: He 16.9kReads9.0Score2.1kShelves
23. 173 宠EN Favoring a Concubine and Disgracing Your Wife? I Quit as the Marquisate's Matriarch! 宠妾灭妻？这侯门主母我不当了！ Li Wu礼午Ancient Romance598k WordsCompleted [Annual Top-Rated Novel Ranking] Voting has begun! Search for “Annual Top-Rated Novel Ranking” to vote for this book, A Return to the Boudoir. Thank you! [Traditional historical romance + inner-courtyard drama + reborn revenge and face-slapping + a prince pursues his wife] Lin Yunwan was the legitimate daughter of the prestigious Lin clan. When her Marquis household was on the verge of losing its title, she married Lu Zhengliu, the heir to the marquisate. On their wedding day, her husband coldly 54.8kReads9.3Score7.5kShelves
24. 174 身 Body Swap: The God of War Prince Takes Over My Household Battles 身体互换：战神王爷替我宅斗 Clear Breeze Begonia清风海棠Ancient Romance1.6M WordsCompleted [1v1, Fun Romantic Comedy, HE, Wise and Cool-Headed Young Lady vs. Adorable God of War Prince, Both Chaste, Happy Ending] The people of the Jiang household notice that their young lady has been acting strangely lately. The young lady used to be quiet and gentle. Now she’s still quiet, but there’s a murderous aura about her. In the garden, her sweet-talking younger sister affectionately reaches to link arms with her. Ye Zhan dodges at once, her voice full of disdain. “If you want to talk, then ta 11.1kReads9.1Score1.6kShelves
25. 175 财 The Wealthy Beauty Charms the Lord 财女媚主 Little Immortal Cook煮小仙162k WordsCompleted [Scheming and Power Struggles] [Female Growth] [Clear-Eyed and Independent] [No Transmigration or Rebirth] Shi Yi, the daughter of the Minister of Revenue, unexpectedly proves to be a natural in the world of business. Even the emperor is impressed by her talent for commerce. But what the emperor does is truly despicable. Who could possibly foresee the schemes laid by the imperial family? Fortunately, Shi Yi is skilled not only at doing business, but also at turning the tables. This move w —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Look at her, look at her, just look at her! She's definitely a leading lady! 🥰

26. 176 凤 The Phoenix Feather's Ordeal: A Poisonous Consort Reborn 凤翎劫：毒妃重生录 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Fantastical Romance327k WordsCompleted Life and Death Reversed: Shen Zhiyi, a top surgeon, dies in a violent dispute with a patient and transmigrates with her ancestral jade bangle into the body of a discarded empress sent to her death as a burial sacrifice. Awakening inside her coffin, she uses modern medical knowledge to find a way out of the burial trap. - Surviving Against All Odds: She uses a rib-bone hairpin to break the Nine-Orifice Jade Corpse-Sealing Technique and holds her own against assassins sent by the consort. —Reads—Score—Shelves
27. 177 沈 Young Master Shen's Little Metaphysics Bride 沈少的玄学小新娘 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Modern Romance316k WordsCompleted “Don’t be afraid. These are just wandering spirits with little resentment.” Qingyu turned on the camera and switched to night vision. “Look, that ghost floating in the tree is even holding a baby bottle.” Ruan Tao took a closer look and, sure enough, saw a female ghost in a floral dress sitting on a crooked tree branch, swinging her legs. She clutched a broken baby bottle and hummed an off-key lullaby. When the ghost saw her, she suddenly grinned, revealing a dark, hollow gumline. “Little girl, —Reads—Score—Shelves
28. 178 这 This King of Hell Is a Little Clingy 这个阎王有点黏人 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Ancient Romance306k WordsCompleted "What?!" Jiang Li nearly jumped, but the chains yanked her off balance. "Get married? What kind of joke is this? I don't even have a boyfriend. How can I marry... marry a stranger like you?!" Only then did she notice the faint black mist lingering around Lu Yuan. Wherever he walked, tiny ice crystals formed on the ground. Lu Yuan seemed taken aback by her reaction. He raised an eyebrow slightly. "You have no choice. If you refuse, you won't be able to return to the world of the living, and the i —Reads—Score—Shelves
29. 179 重 Reborn, I Use Blind Dates to Make My Awful Relatives Miserable 重生后，我靠相亲虐哭极品亲戚 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Modern Romance185k WordsCompleted Lin Wan closed the pop-up and opened the matchmaking database app. The profile for her third blind date appeared: [Mama's boy. Goes shopping with his mother three times a week. Requires a woman who "can knit sweaters and wash his mother's feet."]. She typed furiously: [Does your mom need a live-in nanny? My schedule is packed, but I can recommend a nursing home for her. Book now and get a free non-slip mat~] —Reads—Score—Shelves
30. 180 我 I’m the CEO of the Imperial Harem 我在后宫当总裁 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Ancient Romance309k WordsCompleted A bolt of lightning struck the face of my Patek Philippe watch. When I opened my eyes, I had become Consort Xian in the Cold Palace. Being poor was bad enough, but then the big orange cat went, “Ahhh!” and started tossing me around... “Ahhh! How many tasks do I still have to complete?” “Who’s the CEO here, you or me?” The big orange cat grinned and licked its paw. “Just accept your fate.” —Reads—Score—Shelves
31. 181 农 The Fierce Farmhouse Wife: Raising Six Children to Wealth 农门辣后：带着六宝去致富 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Ancient Romance117k WordsCompleted Su Yao, a top confinement nanny from the 21st century, transmigrates by accident and becomes the widow of Shen Yi, a hunter. Facing six children and a household stripped bare, she activates the All-Purpose Life System. It comes with a space that can keep things fresh and accelerate plant growth, and it can issue missions that she can complete to exchange for supplies and skills, helping her begin her comeback. —Reads—Score—Shelves
32. 182 这 I’ll Take This Fortune and Run with It 这泼天的富贵我接了 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Ancient Romance327k WordsCompleted “Thud, ” The moment her bridal veil was lifted, Su Xiaoman stared at the purplish-blue face beneath the wedding candles, her fingers trembling uncontrollably. It wasn’t nerves. Her stomach was churning. The man who was supposed to be her “husband” lay dead on the bed, blood streaming from every orifice, his eyes wide open. A half-chewed piece of braised pork still hung from the corner of his mouth. 1Reads—Score—Shelves
33. 183 云 Clouds Rise to the Azure Heavens: A Fate Forged Across Seven Lifetimes 云起青霄：七世夙缘 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Ancient Romance97k WordsCompleted "Are you kidding me?" Shen Yunyao glared at him. "We're tied together by a red thread now. If you die, how am I supposed to live? Besides..." She pulled an Evil-Repelling Talisman from her sleeve, a treasure she'd swiped from the Matchmaking Pavilion. "I'm a professional matchmaker. I'll make sure you're safe!" —Reads—Score—Shelves
34. 184 贵 The Noble Consort Is Clinging to the System Again 贵妃她又在抱系统大腿 Potatoes with Chili Peppers土豆配辣椒Ancient Romance285k WordsCompleted A new work is here! You're welcome to read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you'll enjoy it. Your support is what motivates me to write, and I'll do my best to tell every story well! —Reads—Score—Shelves
35. 185 郡 The Commandery Princess Returns to the Capital, So Why Is the Entire Marquis’s Household Dead? 郡主一回京，侯府怎么死光了？ Dancing Sunflower跳舞的向日葵Ancient Romance607k WordsCompleted [Satisfying family-intrigue story + ruthless heroine + face-slapping the villains] Qu Ling was framed by her stepmother and left the Marquis's residence for six years. When she returned to the capital, happiness wasn't waiting for her. Instead, she was driven step by step to the brink of madness. In the end, she went mad and killed everyone in the marquis's household, paying for it with her own life. After coming back to life, Qu Ling took up her knife. She no longer needed to go mad to slaughte 33.3kReads9.2Score4.4kShelves

    Reader note

    These three books all feature female protagonists who are intelligent and resourceful.

36. 186 父 If Father Doesn't Die, How Can His Daughter Ascend the Throne? 父皇不死女儿怎么登基 Xuxu Jiaqi栩栩佳期Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [Court Intrigue + Ensemble Cast + Villainous Heroine + Dark Younger Brother, a Powerful Team] A scorpion and a venomous snake carve out a path through the treacherous imperial harem. When Li Ruyue was seven, she watched helplessly as the people from the Court of Judicial Review fabricated evidence to frame her mother. Her mother was sent to the Cold Palace, the Qin clan was charged with treason, and all 142 people in Zhaoyang Hall were slaughtered before her eyes. She sat in the blood, watching 3.4kReads9.1Score2kShelves
37. 187 纨 The Pampered Life of a Spoiled Commandery Princess 纨绔郡主得宠日常 Zhao Pian赵骗Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Signed for publication. The print edition is expected to be available by the end of the year. No! This! Is! Not! A! Romance! No CP! No rebirth, no transmigration, a thoroughly evil heroine, a power-struggle story A truly wicked heroine, vying for power over the realm, genuinely unhinged, ruthless, and rotten to the core Questions that come up while reading can only be answered by reading on. The willful, overbearing young princess of the Prince of Zhenbei’s household takes a fancy to Pei Jinnian 49.7kReads9.4Score6.3kShelves
38. 188 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 7.7kReads9.0Score763Shelves

    Reader note

    High-scoring palace intrigue novels

39. 189 入 After Entering the Palace, the Consort Rises Through the Ranks 入宫后，娘娘一路高升 Weiyang Circles Summer未央绕夏Ancient Romance234k WordsCompleted Three years ago, Mu Jihe used her childhood friend, the emperor. In the end, the entire Mu family was executed, with Mu Jihe as the sole exception. She entered a temple to live in seclusion. Three years later, the emperor chanced upon Mu Jihe while praying for blessings. From then on, the palace had a new Lady Zhaopin. Those in the know were eager to watch her make a fool of herself, but no one expected her to rise steadily through the ranks, earn the emperor’s boundless affection, and set her s 3.8kReads9.0Score406Shelves
40. 190 深 A Concubine's Rise to Power in the Imperial Harem 深宫庶女上位记 Leng Chu冷初Ancient Romance416k WordsCompleted She was the illegitimate daughter of a fifth-rank official, and one day she entered the palace as a consort; The struggle was not confined to men. The battles between women were always the cruelest of all; These women were intelligent, beautiful, and well-born; For love, wealth, and power beyond compare, they fought each other to the death, even turning against their own sisters and leaving their youth and beauty amid the red walls and green-tiled roofs of the palace; 796Reads8.4Score105Shelves
41. 191 熙 The Daily Records of Consort Xi 熙贵妃起居注 Mo Mo Bu Ting莫莫不停Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Shen Tingnian has nothing going for her except a pretty face. As the Grandson's Concubine, she always wore a cold, world-weary expression around everyone, saying only that the days and nights in the Palace of Guanghan were endless, and that the human world would remain the same with or without her. As the Crown Prince's Concubine, she brazenly did as she pleased with the Crown Prince during the late emperor's mourning period, causing endless strife and bloodshed. As Noble Consort Xi, she set her 65Reads8.6Score—Shelves
42. 192 宫 Palace Beauty 宫姝 Clear Summer Xixi清夏兮兮Ancient Romance631k WordsCompleted She dared not love too deeply, afraid it would all turn out to be nothing but a dream. She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, scheming every day to win the emperor's favor; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts, with invisible blood staining her hands; She thought that once she entered the imperial palace, she would be like the other consorts. In the end, it was only what she had imagined. 8.4kReads9.2Score950Shelves
43. 193 贵 The Noble Consort Has Negative Affection for Me 贵妃对朕负好感度 Sleepyhead Who Won't Sleep睡睡不睡觉Ancient Romance419k WordsCompleted [System] [A Little Palace Intrigue] [Devoted to Each Other] Su Rongyi is the Imperial Consort in the palace, and her father is the Great Min's top-ranked general, commanding an army of six hundred thousand. Ever since she was little, Su Rongyi has known that her family is a grave concern to the emperor, and that the Su daughters are destined to enter the palace. To put the emperor at ease, Su Rongyi doesn't mind playing the part of a woman deeply in love with him. But lately, the emperor has bee 3kReads8.2Score264Shelves
44. 194 宠 The Beloved Consort's Rise to Power 宠妃升职记 Qing Ling卿绫Ancient Romance399k WordsCompleted When faced with the selection, An Ruyi is merely a low-ranking daughter of a noble family. To avoid the marriage arranged by her legitimate mother, she has to choose between becoming another man's concubine and becoming the emperor's. Without hesitation, she chooses the latter. Backed by a golden finger in the form of a pocket dimension, she originally only wants to retire in the imperial palace. But even the harem is unsafe, and everyone can bully her. The emperor's favor only puts her in the s 2.8kReads8.9Score196Shelves
45. 195 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 15.4kReads8.2Score1.5kShelves
46. 196 就 Now This Is Palace Intrigue! Thirty Heroines Topple the Harem 就这个宫斗爽！30个大女主掀翻后宫 Read a Little Editorial Team读点编辑部Ancient Romance429k WordsCompleted [Palace and Household Intrigue + Anthology Stories + Strong Female Leads + Feel-Good Revenge + Face-Slapping] She waited three years for the general to return from war, only for her husband to come home with a pregnant woman and announce he was taking her as a second wife?! Dream on! I’m the daughter of the richest man in the land. From now on, I’m getting a divorce and building my own career! She was the exalted crown princess, yet on the very day she gave birth, the crown prince and her mother 330Reads8.5Score—Shelves
47. 197 后 The Harem: Empresses in the Palace 后宫·甄嬛传 Liu Lianzi流潋紫Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Exclusive Consort Hua bonus chapter now available!] The original novel of the TV series Empresses in the Palace She enters the palace and wins the emperor’s favor, but every step is fraught with danger. The palace is deep as an ocean, and though Zhen Huan has no wish to enter and become the emperor’s consort, fate pushes her into the cruelest of harems. The women in the palace are as radiant as flowers, with lovely brows and eyes, yet every one of them conceals her own schemes and plots agains 12kReads8.9Score1.7kShelves

    Reader note

    I don't know if it counts or not 🤭

48. 198 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 25.8kReads9.2Score1.9kShelves

    Reader note

    Hehehe, they all look good.

49. 199 入 After Entering the Palace, the Obsessive Emperor Wouldn’t Let Me Leave 入宫后，偏执帝王不许我出宫 Three Days in the Capital三日京Ancient Romance509k WordsCompleted [Not both virgins, not a strong heroine, a little angst early on, devoted love later] In the fourth year of the new emperor’s reign, Consort Duan died suddenly of an illness in the palace. At the time, Shen Jiafu was not yet fifteen. The Empress Dowager was from the Shen family. Half a year later, she summoned a Shen daughter to the palace to attend to her, claiming to be ill. Shen Jiafu traveled from Quzhou to the imperial capital. In public, she was gentle and well-behaved, like a charming flo 14.1kReads9.0Score1.3kShelves
50. 200 陛 The Emperor Waited a Thousand Years, but She Refused to Enter the Palace 陛下等了千年，她却拒绝入宫 The Real Zhu阿猪本猪Ancient Romance464k WordsCompleted The rating is low because the story just started, but it’ll go up later! [Not a strong female lead! Not a wish-fulfillment story! Devoted to each other + past and present lives] [The heroine is weak at first and will gradually grow stronger. There’s a full section about her past life in the middle, and it’s a little heartbreaking. Feel free to skip it if you don’t like that.] In her previous life, after entering the palace, Jiang Yunyan lived in constant fear, terrified that the young, imposing 2.3kReads8.7Score190Shelves

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