Palace Intrigue With a Capable, Clear-Headed Female Lead, Set Entirely in Ancient Times 宫斗文 女主有实力且清醒，纯古文

1. 1 疯 Don't Pester Me, Mad Crown Prince! The Delicate Princess Fears Marriage 疯批太子莫纠缠，娇娇郡主她恐婚 A Wild Rampage一通乱杀Ancient Romance343k WordsCompleted [Pure historical romance + sweet love story + childhood sweethearts beat the newcomer + male lead has no morals but is a model boyfriend, hopelessly lovestruck + heroine is soft-bodied but strong-willed] [Taro sticky-rice ball × black sesame tangyuan] After Ji Liwan, eldest daughter of the Ji family, came of age, she began having strange dreams she could hardly bring herself to talk about. The dreams featured a wedding chamber and red wedding candles, but they always ended in a bloody scene. Fro 7.4kReads8.5Score665Shelves

   Reader note

   I don't know if you guys will like it, but I recommend you check it out.

2. 2 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 6.1kReads9.1Score654Shelves
3. 3 天 Wang Baochuan, Chosen by Heaven 天命王宝钏 Ironhead Yan Xiuer铁头颜秀儿Female-Channel Fanfiction12k WordsCompleted Wang Baochuan, Favored by Fate 75Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   It's so good, highly recommend!

4. 4 我 I Write Novels in Ancient Times 我在古代写小说 Cai Qianxiao彩千笑Ancient Romance10k WordsCompleted I Write Novels in Ancient Times 300Reads—Score110Shelves
5. 5 娇 After Transmigrating into a Book, the Sweet Beauty Becomes the Male Lead's Cherished Love 娇软美人穿书后，成了男主心尖宠 Fragrant Little Tree花香小树Ancient Romance345k WordsCompleted [Not a Strong Female Lead! Devoted Couple + Light, Sweet Romance] [Delicate, sickly beauty x fatherly general] After transmigrating into a book, Song Zhaotang finds herself as the cannon-fodder ex-wife in a male-lead-centered novel. She is destined to die miserably not long after divorcing him, and she panics. Especially since her original self was born without a wealthy fate but had all the ailments of the rich: she fell ill easily, and every bout left her miserable. To stay alive and enjoy a g 3.9kReads7.6Score327Shelves
6. 6 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 265.2kReads9.6Score31kShelves

   Reader note

   Not quite a palace intrigue story, but still a political intrigue novel. Highly recommended! The author's writing is excellent, and every character is very well-developed.

7. 7 凭 The Lady I Won Fair and Square: The Marquis Loves Her to Bits! 凭本事抢来的夫人，侯爷他超爱！ Xi Han习含Ancient Romance454k WordsCompleted “A guaranteed sweet romance + delicate noblewoman vs. rough marquis + marriage first, love later + secret crush becomes mutual + the hero fights to win her back + the second male lead chases his wife to the crematorium.” Her first marriage ended in tragedy. When Lin Yueming married into the marquis’s household, she had little hope for married life. But once she entered the Marquis of Wu’an’s residence, she found a kind mother-in-law, a loving husband, and an affectionate sister-in-law. Her days 18.5kReads8.9Score2kShelves

   Reader note

   The first one is super good.

8. 8 满 Max-Level Sweet Seduction! Enchanting in Lord Fu's Embrace 满级甜诱！在傅爷的怀里声色撩人 Milky Candy Puff奶糖酥Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Signed for publication + comic adaptation] [Flirtatious chemistry and sizzling romance!] Jiang Yuyang is hailed as a peerless beauty, with a stunning face, a slender waist, and a soft, supple figure. To call off her arranged marriage, she pulls out all the stops to flirt with her intended. She never imagined she’d flirt with the wrong person! Rumor has it that Fu Wenshen, the head of the Fu family, is a self-disciplined, celibate man who avoids women. Little do people know that he looks refined 20.4kReads9.5Score2.7kShelves
9. 9 人 In Ancient Times, the Powerful Keep Taking What They Want 人在古代，权贵步步强夺 Xi Han习含Ancient Romance476k WordsCompleted In her third year in the ancient world, the person who had sheltered Zhu Qingyu became embroiled in a legal case. Gu Zhao, heir to the Duke of Dingguo, offered his help. “Just this once,” he said. A fleeting night of passion was an ending for her, but only the beginning for him. Gu Zhao lived by the principles of self-restraint and keeping his heart in check. He was upright and proper in all things, except that he couldn’t suppress his endless greed, anger, and desire for a married woman. He 62.6kReads9.0Score9.5kShelves
10. 10 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
11. 11 惹 Offending the Imperial Daughter 惹金枝 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted (Film and television rights have been sold. The physical book will be available for preorder on July 10 at 19:00.) Shi Buyu was born smiling. At that moment, lightning flashed and thunder roared, collapsing a row of outbuildings in the Shi family compound. Days of torrential rain brought devastating floods and countless victims. Rumors soon spread through the capital that she was a disaster star sent into the world. But she was as precocious as a demon, with a photographic memory, and learned bo 254.1kReads9.7Score29.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The romance in the first book is weak, and the career storyline in the second is weak.

12. 12 宠 He Spoiled His Concubine and Neglected His Wife. Reborn, I Broke Off My Engagement to the Scumbag and Married the Prince 宠妾灭妻，重生我退婚渣男嫁王爷 Zhi Zhi之知Ancient Romance640k WordsCompleted The physical book is available on all major platforms. Formerly titled Riding the Phoenix. [Reborn + Powerful Female Lead and Male Lead + Nation and World + Political Schemes] Before the age of seventeen, Shen Yu was the legitimate daughter of a military family who could wield a blade and charge into battle. After seventeen, she became the frail wife of Jiang Manor's Vice Minister Jiang. Her father and brothers died in battle, and the entire Shen family was honored for their loyalty. Bearing 87.6kReads9.5Score12kShelves
13. 13 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

    Reader note

    ① The proper conduct of a "white moonlight" (idealized love interest) requires carefully managing one's image in the emperor's eyes without overly emphasizing the depletion of affection. That's what a true "white moonlight" is! The female lead was too clear-headed, making me feel, even at the end, that she didn't truly love the emperor. ② Sister Zhao is amazing! She truly has the ability to handle the bloody power struggles of palace intrigue.

14. 14 渣 My Scumbag Fiancé Ran Away from Our Wedding, So I Married Someone Else on the Spot 渣男逃婚，我当场改嫁了 Mu Yun Cheng慕妘娍Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted On her wedding day, Meng Jinyao’s intended groom, Gu Xiuming, eloped with another woman, turning her into a laughingstock. She hardened her heart and changed grooms on the spot, marrying Gu Xiuming’s adoptive father, Gu Jingxi. After the wedding, Gu Xiuming sneered at her. “Meng Jinyao, have you no shame? You couldn’t become my bride, so now you want to become my mother?” Meng Jinyao looked at the man standing in the doorway and complained, “Husband, your son is being disrespectful and insulting 4.2kReads9.2Score1.6kShelves

    Reader note

    I'll love you after we get married, this older man and this young beauty. (Sweet and doting)

15. 15 死 After Faking My Death, the Male Lead I Raised Turned Dark 死遁后，亲手养大的男主黑化了 Wilderness Siren荒野塞壬Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (Sweet romance + devoted couple + healing + light political scheming + a touch of possessive romance + serious tone + two heroines) After a car accident, Wen Zhiyu transmigrates into a book. To get home, she accepts a mission: raise Xiao Ji, a future powerful minister who is currently a little beggar fighting wild dogs for scraps. Wen Zhiyu raises Xiao Ji with great care until he grows into a refined and elegant young man. Once he places first in the imperial exam and reunites with his birth fam 11.2kReads8.8Score1.2kShelves
16. 16 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 79.6kReads9.5Score8.9kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist, Zhao Wumian, transmigrates into the body of the heiress. She is magnanimous, broad-minded, and has strong moral principles. She is calm, patient, and patient, a truly kind person. However, her righteousness sometimes leads her to hit and kill others. Yet, throughout her life, she has protected countless people. She is intelligent, kind-hearted, and capable of being ruthless. She always pities women and protects pregnant women, sincerely hoping that each of them can have a safe delivery.

17. 17 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

    Reader note

    A purely classical Chinese text; the female lead is incredibly intelligent and possesses crystal-clear logic.

18. 18 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
19. 19 娇 Don't Leave, My Darling: The Possessive Crown Prince Begs Her to Stay 娇娇宝贝别离开，偏执太子哀求 Sichuan Pepper Wine and Star Anise Cake花椒酒与八角糕Ancient Romance253k WordsCompleted [Sweet romance, no angst + devoted couple + sugary sweet + feel-good power fantasy] [Soft, delicate beauty vs. possessive crown prince] [The leads get together in chapter 49; the earlier chapters are optional. It's all sweetness after that, and the villains are dealt with quickly.] On her wedding night, she was stabbed to death by the childhood sweetheart she had known for ten years. She discovered that he and her close cousin had been carrying on behind her back for a long time. Her soul linger 5.3kReads9.1Score434Shelves

    Reader note

    The male lead is cunning.

20. 20 娘 The Empress Is So Sweet and Charming, Who Still Cares About a Lost Love? 娘娘又娇又媚，谁还稀罕白月光 Half a Month and the Fifteenth月半和十五Ancient Romance607k WordsCompleted [Villainess Transmigrates into a Book + Top-Grade White Lotus + Winning Hearts and Minds + Not Both Leads' First Love] [The heroine looks like a pure, sweet little bunny, but she's actually a scheming temptress who knows how to play her cards.] When Xu Zhuohua is named crown princess, Crown Prince Qi Hecang and his secondary consort Lu Wanning are at the height of their love. As the hero of a male-oriented novel, Qi Hecang only cares about building his career, and his heart belongs solely to Lu 12.7kReads8.2Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    The clear-headed female protagonist always loves herself the most!

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 77.1kReads9.5Score7.9kShelves
22. 22 贵 The Noble Consort Is Cool and Aloof, and the Emperor Yearns for Her Night After Night 贵妃清冷，圣上夜夜相思 Que Ling Yan Zi雀翎宴子Ancient Romance448k WordsCompleted Shen Qinghe was in the bloom of youth when she entered the palace, where she weathered its intrigues for more than a decade. She had hoped to leave with a reward one day, or perhaps spend her whole life peacefully as a palace official. But then an order came down, and one day she unexpectedly became an imperial consort. She watched these women fight day after day, never expecting to become entangled in their schemes herself. Shen Qinghe could only sigh. He was the emperor, and she was a palac 12.8kReads9.2Score1.2kShelves

    Reader note

    This looks good! It matches.

23. 23 白 My Ungrateful Sister Wants to Be Empress? I'll Rule the World as Queen 白眼狼姐姐想当皇后？我母仪天下 Sui Rong穗容Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Reborn + fake and real heiresses + face-slapping + competing for destiny + golden finger + devoted male lead who loves his wife without limits] The day Si Wan died, the entire capital was celebrating the empress's coronation. Her disemboweled, heartless corpse was tossed into a mass grave. She watched as her elder sister, Si Qingjia, stepped over her phoenix bones to claim the throne. A blood-red cuckoo circled above that woman's head, carrying the ninth golden feather it had stolen from Si Wa 2.5kReads8.4Score348Shelves

    Reader note

    In her past life, Si Wan was usurped by a cuckoo in a magpie's nest, and her phoenix destiny was stolen by her elder sister, resulting in a tragic end. Reborn, she comes with a system and gradually reclaims her fortune and everything that was rightfully hers.

24. 24 女 Matriarchy: Resigning from the Golden Palace 女尊：辞金阙 Xie Yang谢央Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted He asked, “Does the Imperial Princess only make use of me? Is there not a trace of genuine feeling in her heart?” He said, “Your Highness, rest easy. Even if it costs me my life, I will bring Youzhou City back for you!” He said, “My wife, don’t frown. It’s only money. The He family will pay for it and help you unify the Nine Provinces.” He said, “Jiang Li, I already lost you once. This time, even if I die, I won’t let go of your hand.” They all asked her the same question: “Does Your Highness ha 8.5kReads9.1Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    A book I've read countless times! ❗️❗️❗️

25. 25 宫 The Willow by the Palace Wall 宫墙柳 Dream Doll梦娃Ancient Romance166k WordsCompleted Why must the imperial consorts compete for the emperor’s favor? A smash-hit, heart-wrenching historical romance that burst onto the scene in 2019! Recommended by countless tearful readers, this unconventional palace-intrigue novel will stay with you long after you finish. In the lightest of styles, it captures everyone’s deepest regrets. In May of the year I turned fourteen, with the pagoda trees in fragrant bloom, I sat in Yong’an Palace, propping up my head as I dozed. The man’s laughter held 48.6kReads9.7Score7.1kShelves
26. 26 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

    Reader note

    It's incredibly good, both hilarious and exhilarating!

27. 27 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 32.5kReads9.3Score3.3kShelves

    Reader note

    As dusk fell in late summer, a crimson sunset tore through the misty sky, and the fragrance of osmanthus filled the elegant courtyard. Jiang Yunxi, dressed in a jade-white gauze dress, sat quietly on a swing, her features exquisite, her peach-blossom eyes bright and lively, her long black hair cascading down to her waist, a jade hairpin swaying gently. A breeze stirred, and she draped her robe over herself, coughing softly. A maidservant followed with concern, her words tinged with resentment at her previous high fever and coma. Her delicate, ailing state, coupled with her aloof demeanor, drew on the question of the princess's past.

28. 28 陛 After the Emperor Is Reborn, the Empress Becomes the Apple of His Eye 陛下重生后，娘娘成了掌中娇 Muzi Yingbao木子颖宝Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted “Your Majesty, if there is another life, I hope never to have known you, and never to meet you again in any lifetime.” Yujing Chen detested her. Yet the last thing she did before dying was take the fatal sword strike for him. She said, “Your Majesty, could my life leave a vivid mark in your heart?” Perhaps Heaven believed his task was unfinished and granted him a new life. After being reborn... he discovered that she had once been bright and beautiful, too... [No System + No transmigration + Mal 6.3kReads8.4Score398Shelves

    Reader note

    The female lead is capable and clear-headed.

29. 29 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
30. 30 她 She Swapped Bodies with the Tyrant and Went on a Rampage! 她，与暴君互换后，杀疯啦！ Little Chubby, Run!小胖子快跑Ancient Romance371k WordsCompleted [Soul swap + transmigrate into a book + sweet, funny romance + going off the rails + tyrant + wish fulfillment + both leads are each other's first and only] Yun Yaoyao transmigrated into a book, becoming a foolish, timid cannon-fodder character who doesn't even survive the first chapter. No problem. If my family plots against me, I'll assassinate the emperor and wipe out my own clan! But after killing the emperor, Yun Yaoyao was horrified to discover that she and the tyrant had swapped bodies! T 26.7kReads9.5Score4.4kShelves
31. 31 八 Eight Adorable Babies: Mommy Is So Popular 八胎萌宝：妈咪太受宠 Fallen Cherry Blossoms in the Empty Sky落樱空Modern Romance2.9M WordsCompleted After an accident, Xia Zhu spent a passionate night with a mysterious man. She gave birth to eight babies and became the laughingstock of the entire Imperial City! Four years later, her adorable genius children shocked the world. The most powerful man in the Imperial City was cold and ruthless, yet he doted on her above all others. She became the most envied woman in the world. 5.7kReads9.2Score6.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Watch the female lead give birth to eight children in one pregnancy – a drama where she's the most spoiled and beloved daughter ever.

32. 32 梦 Dreamed I Was Poisoned to Death? The Wicked Consort Goes on a Rampage 梦到自己被毒死？恶毒贵妃杀疯了 Pour Me a Glass of Green Plum Wine来一杯青梅酒Ancient Romance555k WordsCompleted [Not a pure romance + an all-villain cast + a heroine who kills + an indulgent hero + exclusive devotion from the start] [An aloof, ruthless, pleasure-seeking autocratic emperor vs. an arrogant, domineering, viciously cunning consort] Emperor Long'an had ruled for seven years. What people talked about most was his unusual hobby: keeping all kinds of fierce beasts and wild birds. Little did they know that the creatures who caught Emperor Long'an's interest were all in the harem's fighting ring. E 20kReads9.2Score2.1kShelves

    Reader note

    🥰🥰

33. 33 清 Qing Transmigration: Stay Calm, Princess Consort! The Fourth Prince Will Win You the Empress's Throne 清穿：福晋稳住！四爷给你挣后位 Willow Bank杨柳岸Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted [An alternate Qing dynasty, unlike the historical one.] After transmigrating, Yun Qu swallowed nervously as she faced her complicated new circumstances. She had become the Fourth Prince's primary consort. What was she supposed to do? Could she ever go back? Once she learned that returning was impossible, Yun Qu accepted her fate. She decided to raise her son well and treat the Fourth Prince like her boss, serving him diligently. If he pointed east, she wouldn't go west. If he wanted to take a co 19.1kReads9.1Score1.5kShelves

    Reader note

    It's very good and worth watching.

34. 34 疯 The Mad Princess Marries a Powerful Eunuch 疯批公主她嫁了个高权宦官 Yin Yu尹玉Ancient Romance499k WordsCompleted {Devoted couple, two strong leads, historical setting, political intrigue, revenge, switched marriages, marriage before love} One is a spoiled and willful princess; the other, a ruthless and bloodthirsty minister. An unexpected marriage swap brings Feng Yuan and Jiang Yu together. Just as everyone waits to laugh at them after the wedding, they realize things are taking a strange turn. Feng Yuan knows full well that she must wear the false mask the world expects of her to hide herself even deeper 7.1kReads9.3Score998Shelves

    Reader note

    A true political intrigue and palace drama novel, with everyone scheming and calculating, focusing on a spy within a spy story, and several of the characters' individual stories could be written as 800-word essays.

35. 35 母 Is Being the Mother of the Realm Just About Becoming the Male Lead’s Mom? 母仪天下就是让她给男主当娘？ Mouse to the Eighth Power鼠的八次方Ancient Romance305k WordsCompleted [Empress + taming men + palace intrigue + System + ambition] As an empress, Xu Qingqiu is wicked but exalted. One day, a sinister entity calling itself a System appears. System: “You’re the wicked female supporting character, and the male leads, starved of love, will kill you.” “Unless you become their mother.” “The path to redemption is motherhood.” Xu Qingqiu: Got it. Raise sons. When the general’s son is sentenced to have his entire family executed, she sends him to the frontier to make a na 55Reads8.0Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Everyone's brains are online.

36. 36 死 Ten Years After Faking My Death, My Redemption Nurtured a Monster 死遁十年，我的救赎喂出疯骨 Yan Qing延青Ancient Romance202k WordsCompleted Historical romance / Raising a child / Faked death and a regretful chase The first time Su Su saw her target, it was in an arena where the crowd was restless. The boy was covered in wounds as he was hauled onto the fighting platform. With his mind gone, all he could do was let out animalistic growls. The System whispered a warning in her ear: the boy was about to bite through someone’s neck in the fight. From then on, he would be infamous for that battle. So she paid a hundred taels of gold and 6.2kReads8.9Score846Shelves
37. 37 萌 Reborn as a Little Tiger: The General Wants a Hug 萌虎重生：将军大人要抱抱 Cheng Jiurong程九溶Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Delicate beauty with a dark side + sweet romance + strategy + strong-willed + scheming] Bai Ying followed her master into battle and died on the battlefield. Reborn from a war tiger as a frail beauty, she even married her master. From that day on, the fierce tiger became a cuddly kitten. “Come here. Don't you climb all over me every day? Why are you running away now?” The general beckoned Bai Ying over in front of a full court of ministers. “But you're the one who told me not to climb all over 114Reads7.3Score—Shelves
38. 38 宫 Palace Intrigue: I Became the Emperor’s Favorite by Grinding Through My System 宫斗：我靠内卷系统卷成宠妃 Time Painted the Dream Black时间把梦涂黑Ancient Romance508k WordsCompleted Su Ranran, a modern-day office drone, transmigrates into the harem of an ancient dynasty as a lowly palace candidate. At first, all she wants is to keep her head down and stay alive. Then she unexpectedly gets bound to the [King of Rat Race System]. The System tells her that the only way to survive in the harem, and maybe even live well, is to outwork everyone! Hone her skills, compete for the emperor’s favor, climb the ranks, and crush every rival! And so Su Ranran begins her “rat race” in the 47Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The female lead is clear-headed and intelligent.

39. 39 作 Has the Spoiled Consort Lost the Emperor's Favor Today? 作精贵妃今天失宠了吗 Like Every Morning似朝朝Ancient Romance977k WordsCompleted In her previous life, Lin Yan entered the palace by imperial decree and was immediately made Noble Consort, ranking just below the empress. She happily believed the emperor truly loved and cherished her. In the end, she was nothing but a pawn in that man's hand, used to keep the empress's maternal family in check! Reborn, Lin Yan decides she will no longer play the obedient noble consort. The Lin family raised her to be a spoiled little troublemaker, so why should she hold back for the sake of 968Reads5.5Score—Shelves
40. 40 惊 Shocking! The Noble Consort Wins the Favor of All Six Palaces by Gossiping 惊！贵妃娘娘靠吃瓜宠冠六宫 Day Mountain Moon昼山月Ancient Romance620k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + substitute + fleeing while pregnant + secret identity] [The leads are not each other’s first; she becomes his sole favorite later. The heroine stays clearheaded and never falls for him. A silly, fluffy story; the heroine is no saint.] Jing Shumei was born with stunning beauty. She used her looks to seduce the Emperor, never giving him her heart, only scheming for her own gain. Using her mind-reading ability to listen in on palace gossip and navigate the harem, she climbed step 4kReads9.3Score556Shelves
41. 41 将 A General's Daughter's Comeback: No More Coddling, It's Time to Rise 将门逆袭：不要娇宠要上位 Sweet Potato with Plum Powder甘梅地瓜Ancient Romance434k WordsCompleted When her aunt was on her deathbed, she entrusted her child to Wanqing. Out of gratitude, Wanqing became the concubine of the general’s eldest son. The rules for concubines in the general’s household: be dutiful and proper, and have no children. The household had no need for children born to concubines. Yet Wanqing bore four sons and a daughter, then took her place as the eldest son’s principal wife. The Empress Dowager personally bestowed on her the title of First-Rank Lady of Virtue. Someone sc 40.8kReads9.5Score5.4kShelves

    Reader note

    💕It's a great read, both leads are virgins, it's set in ancient times, there are no cheat codes, the female lead is smart and clear-headed, she gradually becomes the legal wife, there are no melodramatic plots or awful characters, the male lead protects her from the moment he realizes he likes her, and his family is also very kind (cousin Yue Lan is also very nice 😢).

42. 42 小 The Sweet and Sly Maid Wins Her Way Up Through Household Scheming 小通房乖又茶，靠宅斗步步上位 Jiu Xi玖熹Ancient Romance354k WordsCompleted [Both leads are virgins, mutual salvation, a maid focused on building her career, a fiercely protective heir] [The heroine seems sweet and delicate but is actually a master manipulator X The hero seems aloof and ascetic but is actually an obsessive yandere with overwhelming possessiveness] Qing Zhi was a low-ranking, low-born servant maid. One day, she dreamed that her mistress would force her to become a plaything for the master's illegitimate son, leaving her wishing she were dead. When she wo 5.7kReads8.9Score785Shelves

    Reader note

    I think this book is really good; it's exactly what I wanted.

43. 43 姜 Jiang Hua Is So Enchanting, She Has Pei Lang Wrapped Around Her Finger 姜花如此多娇，撩得裴郎折了腰 Ji Qiushan积丘山Ancient Romance365k WordsCompleted [Marriage first, love later + devoted couple with secret crushes + sunny, energetic heroine vs. scheming top scholar] Through a twist of fate, country girl Jiang Huazhen marries Pei Yuancheng, the newly crowned top scholar. Her childhood nemesis has suddenly become her real husband. Things are awkward and unfamiliar, and their wedding night is... hard to describe. Before long, she discovers a divorce agreement in the study. She's just about to pack up and happily head home to enjoy her retiremen 4.1kReads7.9Score494Shelves
44. 44 她 After She Focuses on Raising Their Child, Her Aloof Husband Begs for Cuddles 她专心养娃后，高冷夫君哭求贴贴 Zhong Xiaosen钟小森Ancient Romance202k WordsOngoing In her previous life, Mu Wanzhu took a winning hand and played it into a complete mess. Born the legitimate daughter of a military family, she insisted on imitating the pampered young ladies of the capital, chasing after Lu Yanchen, the capital's foremost scholar, and refusing to leave him alone. She drugged him, forced him into marriage, and used their son as leverage. After eight years of making trouble, all she got in return was her husband's cold indifference, her mother-in-law's contempt, a 5.8kReads6.5Score552Shelves
45. 45 一 I Was Born to Be the Crown Prince's Consort 一出生就是太子妃 White Robes, Pure as Snow白衣素雪Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted Shen Jinhuan had been Crown Princess for ten years and Empress for three. Before she could see the Great Zhou Dynasty enjoy peace and prosperity, treacherous conspirators seized the throne, her husband died young, and she took her own life to join him in death. When she opened her eyes, she had returned to the day she was born. Then she heard Xie Yin tell his parents and even the Emperor himself that she was his lucky star… As the lucky star, Shen Jinhuan entered the palace fifteen years earlier 545Reads8.9Score101Shelves

    Reader note

    It's not time travel, but rebirth, and it's a double rebirth. The male and female protagonists recognize each other in the early to mid-stages because the female protagonist has a fever.

46. 46 花 A Song of Flowers by Night 花夜吟 Heart's Words, Flower's Language心言花语Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Synopsis: [A cruel, possessive male lead + a beautiful, strong, tragic, and icy female lead + fantasy setting + manipulation + control + revenge + marriage before love + love that grows over time + mutual salvation] The Phantom Night Witch, Hua Li, bears the demonic breath of Taotie. After the ruler of Chiyu seals it, she is married off to Ling Ye, Prince of the Southern Commandery. Ling Ye drains her blood to cure his poison, turning her into his “medicinal catalyst.” She also swallowed Qiongqi 720Reads9.4Score101Shelves

    Reader note

    The content is excellent, with a captivating plot, immersive writing, and a story of mutual redemption for the male and female leads. The emotional turmoil is incredibly gripping.

47. 47 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 47.7kReads9.5Score6.1kShelves

    Reader note

    These books are all quite good, but the only red flag for purely classical Chinese texts is the male protagonist's alleged impurity.

48. 48 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
49. 49 都 Everyone Says She's Not Good Enough, but the Cool and Powerful Minister Is Head Over Heels for Her 都说她不配，偏偏清冷权臣他超爱 Flowers and Fruit有花有果Ancient Romance480k WordsCompleted [Marriage First, Love Later + Historical Romance + The Heroine Only Wants the Physical Side at First and Often Takes Advantage of the Hero + Growing Together] Jiang Zhaoyue transmigrated into a book. She became the foolish, vicious ex-wife of a supporting male character. The original owner's list of “accomplishments” was impressive: Abusing the servants. Disrespecting her parents-in-law. Eloping with a poor scholar after taking a sum of money. Being sold into a brothel. Contracting a vene 16.3kReads8.9Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist only wants power, not love.

50. 50 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

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