Looking for Underrated Historical Romance, Not the Top-Ranked Picks 想看小众的古言，不要排行榜的

1. 1 我 My Proud and Talented Lady of the Marquis’s Manor 我的侯府傲娇才娘子 When Bai Ze Arrives白泽来时Historical1.8M WordsCompleted Also known as: “I Just Transmigrated and Picked Up a Proud Marquis Household Heiress” and “One Female Lead” Food gives life continuity. Music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and song give it charm. A little wealth, fame, and success give it grandeur. Gu Zhengyan transmigrated and unexpectedly won first place in a poetry competition. He even married a young lady from a marquis’s household, only for the furious marquis to throw them both out. Gu Zhengyan took his wife back to his impoverish 31.7kReads9.0Score2.9k14d adds

   Reader note

   This is a very standard ancient romance novel. The writing style is decent, and the relationship between the male and female leads is sweet. The only drawback is that the male lead's combat power is a bit inconsistent, sometimes resembling a modern-day Xiang Yu.

2. 2 乡 A Country Boy's Road to the Imperial Examinations 乡下小子的科举路 Guidance指教Historical940k WordsCompleted (Transmigration + Farming + Imperial Examinations) Wu Wei is an art student in the modern world. He never expected that an accident on the day of his art school entrance exam would send him back to ancient times, where he becomes the second son of the third branch of the Wu family in Wu Family Village. His name is still Wu Wei, just like in his previous life. He figures that wherever he lives, he can make the best of it, but life in ancient times is nothing like he imagined. The entire Wu family 1.9kReads8.1Score15514d adds

   Reader note

   What I love most about this ancient romance novel is the male lead's wisdom and vengeful nature, especially his meticulous planning in overthrowing the previous and subsequent leaders. There is a romantic subplot, but it's just a side note.

3. 3 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

   Don't be put off by the title! The female lead is reborn and the male lead transmigrates. The characters are vividly portrayed, there are no clichéd plots, and it features a fantastic ensemble cast.

4. 4 大 The Ming Dynasty's Greatest County Magistrate 大明第一县令 Great Rivers大江大河Historical3.0M WordsCompleted After transmigrating to the Ming dynasty, Xia Ren spent five years turning impoverished Pei County into the greatest county in the empire, all so he could enjoy a life of nightly music and entertainment in the pleasure quarters. Yet in his annual memorials to Zhu Yuanzhang, he complained of poverty every year, claiming that the people had no food and bandits ran rampant... Then one day, Zhu Yuanzhang came to Pei County to pay respects to his ancestors, and decided to have the rotten official’s h 719Reads7.8Score10414d adds

   Reader note

   Ah Kun, I'm a friend, what about you?

5. 5 我 I'm a Frail, True Heiress, So What's Wrong With Knowing a Little Mysticism? 我病弱真千金，会亿点玄学怎么了 Luo Shengsheng洛笙笙Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Metaphysics + fortune-telling + satisfying revenge + absurd comedy + no romance] Chi Le had lived for sixteen years before finding out his younger sister had been switched at birth! His parents said, “Your sister is frail and sickly, and can't take care of herself. You have to look after her.” One sleepless night, Chi Le went outside for a walk and saw his frail, sickly sister jump straight down from the third floor without a scratch. Chi Le: ? Then his supposedly helpless sister punched a thou 211.2kReads9.5Score37.1k14d adds

   Reader note

   I'm recommending these to you all; they're all the best I've ever seen! [Already hooked!] 😄

6. 6 满 The Whole Sect Is Full of Crazy Villains, Only the Junior Sister Is a Goofball 满门反派疯批，唯有师妹逗比 Wei Xiaoxi未小兮Ancient Romance3.5M WordsCompleted After transmigrating into a book, Ye Linglong becomes the vicious cannon-fodder villainess in a cultivation novel. With terrible aptitude, she even coerces the heroine into taking her into the top sect during the Cultivation Tournament. After joining, she opposes the heroine at every turn and eventually dies a miserable death. To enjoy a long, happy life, Ye Linglong immediately gives up on coercing the heroine and turns around to join the worst sect in the cultivation world. She’s done being th 251.1kReads9.6Score25.1k14d adds
7. 7 坟 I Set a Stool by the Grave and Overheard the Wrong Gossip, Then Slapped Him Across the Face 坟前摆凳吃错瓜，反手给他一嘴巴 Luo Xiaoyao骆小妖Modern Romance1.5M WordsOngoing [No Romance + Metaphysics + Supernatural + Satisfying Revenge + Lighthearted + Playing the Fool to Catch the Enemy Off Guard] Jiang Nanshu, the only child at Changqing Temple, went down the mountain to earn a living after the college entrance exams. Penniless, she discovered that a funeral home was hiring night watchmen for 800 yuan a night. The only requirement was an exceptionally strong birth chart. Jiang Nanshu eagerly raised her hand. “Me, me, me!” Even if a corpse rose in the middle of 24.7kReads9.3Score2.7k14d adds
8. 8 被 After Being Kidnapped, I Kidnap the Western Regions' Young Lord and Bring Him Back to the Central Plains 被拐后，我反拐西域少主回中原 Thousand Threads of Intrigue千丝戏Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Young lord of the Western Regions × Princess of Sheng'an] Ye Zhaoyu was born into the imperial family. She figured she'd surely been dealt the pampered darling's script in life, so she wisely decided to coast. But she never expected to take a wrong turn and be kidnapped to the Western Regions. By a stroke of bad luck, she was sent to the bed of a deranged young lord known as a demon's lair and a living Shura. She immediately switched into survival-and-escape mode, determined to flee back to the 9.2kReads9.5Score1.5k14d adds

   Reader note

   * Chapter 136 A Flower Cake, Please. Ye Zhaoyu took a golden lotus from his hand and offered it to him. Golden patterns shimmered on her forehead, her expression serene. "From this day forward, I will not believe in gods or Buddhas, but only in you. You can see my piety, verify my sincerity. I only wish that though the wind and snow change, your protection of my heart will remain unchanged through eternity." Mona Loujie's long eyelashes trembled slightly, her glass-like eyes rippled with emotion, her black hair danced in the wind, and her red robes fluttered. He raised his hand to accept the golden lotus, captivated by her piety, and his thin lips parted slightly. "Alright." (End of Volume Two)

9. 9 别 Don't Be Weak, Don't Provoke Her: An Angry Palace Maid Can Restore a Fallen Kingdom 别太弱，别招惹，宫女发怒能复国 Ethereal Fairy霓裳妖妖Ancient Romance748k WordsCompleted [Unusual premise + assassin’s rise + strong heroine + political intrigue + cold and heartless + mildly yandere + cool-headed lunatic + male lead rises from the nth place] * Su Mian was just a palace maid serving a princess. On the day the Southern Yan Kingdom fell, she watched everyone die before her without a flicker of emotion. The princess gave her an even more perilous mission. Until it was done, she had to stay alive. But in a world thrown into chaos, she was sold as a slave and forced to e 25.6kReads9.5Score4.2k14d adds

   Reader note

   I haven't seen a similar niche theme before: a murderer's rise to power as a strong woman.

10. 10 洞 Catching an Adulterer on My Wedding Night, I Marry the Brooding Heir on the Spot 洞房夜捉奸，当场改嫁阴鸷世子 Leaves Swaying叶子潇潇Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted After staying up all night reading an old-fashioned, melodramatic tragic romance, Ji Yunshu wakes up to discover she has transmigrated into a book as the male lead’s wicked first wife. The male lead is Zhao Heng, the second son of the Marquis of Changxing. He and his cousin Yao Ruolan, who has been raised in the household since childhood, grew up together and are childhood sweethearts. Ji Yunshu is Zhao Heng’s wicked first wife. Out of jealousy, she uses every underhanded means to torment and fr 3.8kReads8.0Score63214d adds

    Reader note

    This is the second work by this author that I've worked with. The writing style remains the same; although it's a historical romance, it incorporates a touch of modern, colloquial humor. The male and female leads, both intelligent and witty, engage in a very good battle of wits.

11. 11 侧 After Rising to Consort, She Gives Up Trying 侧妃上位后，便摆烂了 Little Wang Loves Spare Ribs小王爱吃排骨Ancient Romance230k WordsCompleted [The male lead is not chaste, the female lead is; household and palace intrigue; exclusive devotion] [Gentle, shrewd, modest, calculating prince × frail, calculating, selfish, and vicious daughter of a duke’s household] The male lead is a prince at first and later becomes emperor. Song Xi transmigrated into a book. When she came of age and received an arranged marriage, she finally remembered that this was a sweet romance novel called My Scheming Prince Fell in Love with Me. If she remembered co 1.5kReads8.1Score14214d adds

    Reader note

    These two ancient texts

12. 12 穿 After Becoming the Heroine's Sickly Cousin, I Gave Up Completely 穿成女主的病弱表妹后彻底摆烂 Crossing Delusions渡妄念Ancient Romance672k WordsCompleted [The low rating is only because the book just came out. It might go up later ₍˄·͈༝·͈˄*₎◞ ̑̑] About the story: The male lead has two sides and two identities, one aloof and one wickedly charming. The heroine has a bad-luck System, a frail constitution, and a rebellious heart. The original heroine isn’t villainized. She shines on her own as a clear-headed beauty (no official romance), and is the leading lady of a dark novel. The only light in her heart is her younger cousin, the current heroine. [ 3.7kReads7.4Score36514d adds
13. 13 错 After I Flirted with My Fiancé's Brother by Mistake, He Refused to Marry Anyone but Me 错撩未婚夫兄弟后，他非我不娶了 kkkk Terrible at Namingkkkk起名废Ancient Romance87k WordsOngoing Transmigration + Strong Female Lead + No System + No Golden Finger + Coming-of-Age Overworked office worker Zhou Yu'er is unexpectedly struck by a falling object and transmigrates into the body of Qiao Nianyou, the prime minister's daughter. She has no System or golden finger to help her, and from the start she is caught up in a scandal over supposedly making advances on her cousin. Her fiancé, Chu Ke, calls off their engagement. To uncover the truth, she disguises herself as a man and sneaks in —Reads—Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    Do you mind if my novel is currently being serialized? This is a time-travel story with no cheat codes, a slow-paced coming-of-age narrative, somewhat like classic romance novels. The content is good, the story is fresh, the female lead is universally adored, and there are multiple possible pairings. It tells the story of a female office worker who enjoys cosplaying and is transported to the fictional Dali Dynasty. The characters are all intelligent. What attracts me most to this book are the relationships between the female lead and her maid, the male lead and the second male lead, and the second male lead and the villain—basically, any combination is enjoyable. If you don't mind if it's currently being serialized, you can check it out.

14. 14 种 The Wild Boar in the Farming Novel Is Still Struggling to Survive Today 种田文里的野猪今天也在艰难求生 Words Unwritten口玉不成书Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted She transmigrated into a farming novel as a “wild boar,” one of the Ten Most Touching Farming Novel Characters, who showed up even more often than the top-tier cannon fodder, and was always caught by the male and female leads whenever they went up the mountain. Qin Ya planted her hooves and said: “Did I trample your cornfield or something?” 18Reads6.6Score—14d adds
15. 15 千 Qian Jinhuan 千锦欢 Yun Lingge云翎歌Ancient Romance229k WordsCompleted Completed · [A highly intelligent amnesiac fake princess x a cold, scheming prince] [Not a mindless power fantasy] [Both devoted to each other + classic historical romance + no transmigration, rebirth, or System + political intrigue + doting romance + reunion after a long separation + devotion to country and family + exclusive devotion + the one who got away + happy ending] For twenty years, the second prince of Nantang, Chu Jinyuan, has kept his guard up and trusted no one, until Hua Qianmei ar 503Reads8.1Score—14d adds

    Reader note

    For example, this one has a low rating but is incredibly good!

16. 16 碎 The Chatterbox Heir’s Beloved Princess Consort 碎嘴世子的团宠世子妃 Scarlet Sakura绯色桜Ancient Romance276k WordsCompleted As the only daughter of the great general who protects the country, An Hanrui grew up cherished and sheltered. The An family men live by one motto: guard against fire, thieves, and young noblemen. Lately, the greatest worry for their precious girl has been her long-winded childhood friend, a young nobleman who used to insist every day that he wanted to marry her, but one day suddenly announced that he had someone he loved. How can she keep from caring? 16Reads—Score—14d adds
17. 17 公 Eighteen Ways for a Princess to Flirt: Come On, Ice-Cold Chancellor! 公主撩人十八式，清冷丞相接招吧 Scarlet Sakura绯色桜Ancient Romance430k WordsCompleted In her previous life, she was the Ninth Princess of the empire, yet a treacherous consort manipulated her at every turn, leaving her to die a gruesome death. Only as she drew her last breath did she learn that the cold-faced chancellor who had always made things difficult for her had fallen deeply in love with her. Reborn, Yuan Meng opens her eyes and gets straight to work. If she can talk back, she does; if she can throw a punch, she does. Her guiding principle is never to let herself come off 110Reads—Score10014d adds
18. 18 我 I Saved the Entire Sect by Giving Up 我靠摆烂拯救了全宗门 The Princess Isn't Going Home公主不回家Ancient Romance1.9M WordsCompleted (The second physical volume is out) Ye Qiao woke up one day to find she had become the second senior sister, a tool character in a novel about a girl adored by everyone. In the novel, whenever the junior sister was in trouble, the second senior sister stepped in. If the junior sister wanted a divine artifact, the second senior sister fetched it. If the junior sister lacked a spiritual root, hers had to be dug out. Ye Qiao was at her breaking point. She fled the mountain in the middle of the nigh 217.1kReads9.6Score24.3k14d adds

    Reader note

    Highly recommended completed novels with high ratings

Other lists with My Proud and Talented Lady of the Marquis’s Manor