Poor Farmer, Striving Through the Imperial Examinations: Farming and Studying to Rule the World 农家穷叮当，科举当自强（耕读天下）

1. 1 过 With a Photographic Memory, Isn’t It Only Natural I Came First in the Imperial Exam? 过目不忘，我中状元正常吧？ Mountaineer登山客Historical1.3M WordsCompleted Lu Chengan forgot to drink Granny Meng’s soup. One day, he transmigrates to a remote mountain village in the Great Zhou dynasty and becomes the second son of the Lu family’s second son. To take the imperial examinations, Lu Chengan has no choice but to urge his father to better himself. Before he knows it, his father becomes an official. Lu Chengan: Does he still need to work hard? 47.9kReads8.6Score5.1kShelves

   Reader note

   These two books about rising from humble beginnings are really good!!!

2. 2 穿 I Was Reborn in a Farming Novel, but I Don't Want to Pass the Imperial Exams on Talent 穿进种田文里，我不想靠才华科举 Autumn Has Always Been Here丛来是秋Historical1.6M WordsCompleted Su Congli transmigrated. To stay alive, he studied day and night and threw himself into the imperial examinations. Who could have guessed? At the provincial exam: “What are you staring at, chief examiner?” At the metropolitan exam: “Why do these examiners all seem so strange?” At the palace exam: “Oh! Isn’t that guy sitting in the throne hall the one who stares at me every night?” Emperor Qiyuan prided himself on being a wise ruler of his age, blessed with extraordinary fortune. Who knew he’d ru 11.3kReads8.9Score949Shelves
3. 3 从 From Little Kid to Top Scholar, I Cheat My Way to the Top 从幼童到状元，我一路开挂 Dreaming Back to Childhood Songs梦回童歌Historical2.1M WordsOngoing [Alternate-history fiction + imperial examinations + slice of life + no golden finger] Here, clan ties are more important than life itself, and clan rules take precedence over the law. When Qin Haoran was three, his father was killed in a bloody fight over water rights. According to clan rules, the entire clan was supposed to raise the family that had lost its breadwinner. But fate's cruelty was far from over. Three years later, his young mother, unable to bear a life of loneliness and widowhood 59.6kReads8.6Score4.5kShelves

   Reader note

   First, I appreciate the mutually supportive relationship between the protagonist and other members of the clan. There are no toxic relatives; the entire clan supports the protagonist's academic pursuits, and the protagonist reciprocates by giving back to the clan. The earlier parts truly captured the unique atmosphere of rural China. Second, the protagonist's various income-generating ideas are not unfounded; he doesn't suddenly propose unrealistic concepts. For example, when suggesting duck farming, the young protagonist first consults ancient books on agriculture, combines them with modern thinking and knowledge, transforms and refines them, and then seeks help from a scholar, respecting the intelligence of his clan members. Finally, I quite like the personalities of the protagonist and several representative clan members so far. I personally appreciate positive family and friend relationships, and the protagonist is also hardworking, grateful, and calm under pressure. However, compared to other stories about peasant sons taking the imperial examinations, I feel this is a story about personal growth and the development of the Qin clan (of course, the clan is mentioned directly from the beginning). I like this narrative that intertwines the fates of the individual and the group. (Why did I come across this still-ongoing story?)

4. 4 拼 I Worked My Way to the Top Scholar in the Imperial Exams, and Now You Say I Have a Powerful Identity 拼命科举成状元，你才说我有身份 This Fish Wants to Eat Cats Now这鱼想吃猫了Historical1.6M WordsCompleted (A cathartic power fantasy: the protagonist never takes anything lying down, and never lets a grudge wait until tomorrow!) No romance + nation-building + imperial examinations + farming + alternate history + court intrigue A no-holds-barred power fantasy, with a decisive, ruthless protagonist!! If there's no justice in this world, then I'll carve it out with blood! If the great clans leave everyone with nowhere to turn, then I'll cut a path through them. The county magistrate's son toys with peo 33.7kReads9.0Score4.1kShelves

   Reader note

   If we're talking about a fast-paced, action-packed novel, a story combining elements of a peasant's son, imperial examinations, political intrigue, and historical accounts, without any cheat codes or overpowered abilities—a pure killing machine—this book is second to none. If you're looking for something to read, give it a try; it's truly excellent.

5. 5 开 From the Start, I Cut Down My Kin, Top the Imperial Exams, and Slay My Way Through the Court 开局先灭亲，科举中状元杀穿朝堂 Yun Huang云凰Historical578k WordsOngoing [Historical fantasy + imperial examinations + transmigration + rebirth + court politics + power struggles] Zhao Jingyu, a screenwriter with a modest reputation in the entertainment industry, watched a video about ancient male entertainers and had the misfortune of transmigrating into the body of one. He has no intention of becoming a helpless victim for others to bully. Anyone who picks on him gets wiped out! His shameless grandfather covets his body? Wiped out! His corrupt second uncle aids and 343Reads8.2Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Look at this story: To survive, the protagonist had to kill his heartless grandfather, leaving behind a dying father, a mother struggling with childbirth, and uncles who barely had enough to eat. At the tender age of eight, the protagonist resolutely took on the responsibility of supporting his family, writing "The Legend of the Condor Heroes," selling roast duck, making down jackets, and leading the entire village to prosperity. He pursued the imperial examinations, avenged his family, and reached the pinnacle of success. [Please follow]

6. 6 科 The Imperial Exams: A Bookish Son in a Clan of Illiterates 科举：九族文盲出了个读书郎 I'm a Pighead我是猪头Historical1.3M WordsCompleted [Complete] [Imperial Examinations] [Transmigration + No System] [No heroine in the early story; there may or may not be one later, and if there is, she won't get much page time] Not a single person in the Gu clan, spanning nine generations, could read or write. Even the family genealogy had been written by the clan chief through a mixture of guesswork and asking around. Then, all of a sudden, this family produced a scholar. At first, the villagers and the Gu clan relatives had little faith in Gu 80.6kReads8.7Score9.1kShelves

   Reader note

   💐💐A farmer's son taking the imperial examination!❗❗❗❗He never gave up despite all the hardships and dangers🏵🏵It's so good! [Already hooked][Already hooked][Already hooked]

7. 7 理 A Top Science Student Takes the Imperial Exams? His Majesty Is Stunned by His Brilliance 理科状元考科举？强到朕傻眼 Lucky Lin招财林Historical2.2M WordsOngoing [Imperial examinations + court politics + farming + alternate history + daily life + lighthearted + no romance] Li Su had barely had time to savor becoming the top scorer in the national college entrance exam when he transmigrated as the youngest son of the Li family. His whole family doted on him, even though they lived on coarse grain and vegetables, and supported his studies. The original owner had been led astray by his classmates. Selfish and only interested in having fun, he had ruined him 88.6kReads8.9Score8.7kShelves
8. 8 农 A Late-Born Son of a Farmer Takes the Imperial Exam and Leaves the Emperor Stunned 农家老来子考科举，强到朕傻眼了 Wind Tugs at the Clouds风挽云Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Also known as The Late-Born Son of a Farming Family Takes the Civil Service Exams, and Grows So Powerful Even the Emperor Is Stunned; I Entered Government Through the Civil Service Exams and Became a Powerful Minister of Great Qian; Song Yuan, a rising star in the legal world, dies in a car accident and transmigrates into a farming family in Great Qian, becoming the late-born son whom the whole village mocks. With disasters striking one after another and his family mired in poverty, his life fro 12.4kReads8.1Score1.2kShelves
9. 9 卖 Selling Vegetables and Studying, Then Becoming the Top Scholar 卖菜读书，结果高中状元 Three Layers of Belly Fat三层肚腩Historical1.1M WordsCompleted After Shen Qingfeng dies alongside the Zombie Emperor in the apocalypse, he transmigrates to an alternate dynasty called Great Chu and becomes a child in Ning'an Village. The boy, nicknamed Dog Egg, is frail from birth, suffers from heart disease, and has a lowly name. Luckily, his proper name is Shen Yu'an. After studying for a few months with the elders, Shen Yu'an decides to take the imperial examinations, only to discover that his ancestors were exiles, and the descendants of exiles for thre 5.5kReads8.9Score573Shelves
10. 10 我 I Was Already Eight When Grandpa Finally Passed the Provincial Exam 我都八岁了爷爷才中举 The Sixth of Madam Six六夫人的老六Historical1.5M WordsCompleted The transmigrator has a smaller role in the early chapters. The protagonists are Liu Lin and the transmigrator Liu An. I, Liu An, have been transmigrated for eight years, and only now has Grandpa passed the provincial civil service examination! In the thirteenth year of the Wanli era of the Great Ming, forty-two-year-old Liu Lin passes the provincial examination. Years later, Liu Lin gazes at the plaque reading “Four Jinshi from One Family” and falls into deep thought. Follow the protagonist’s g 2.8kReads6.9Score221Shelves

    Reader note

    I wonder if my collection of essays on the imperial examination system will be able to withstand the test of time.

11. 11 全 My Clan Raised Me to Greatness, So I Gifted Them Purple Robes 全族扶我青云志，我赠族人朱紫袍 Uncle Jianghe江河大爷Historical2.2M WordsOngoing After dying suddenly from overwork, workaholic Chen Yan is reborn as the only son of a newly born provincial graduate in the Great Liang Dynasty. His father is successful, so Chen Yan promptly decides to lie flat and enjoy the good life, with food brought to him and clothes laid out for him. But when he learns at the age of six that he was switched at birth with a farmer's child, his life takes a turn. The day the fake young master returns to the Chen family, he goes out to work in the fields an 214.1kReads9.3Score21.3kShelves

    Reader note

    It's truly amazing, captivating, and impossible to put down. The male lead is incredibly talented, not some kind of cheat code, but genuinely capable and cunning, with a youthful arrogance (in a good way). It's Tomato's number one imperial examination novel, no doubt about it; just look at the ratings!

12. 12 一 A Poor Scholar of Noble Character 一品寒士 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical1.6M WordsCompleted [Single heroine, semi-fictionalized Tang Dynasty] In an era when the great aristocratic clans looked down on the imperial family, Zhao Quan was born to a farming family and entered school carrying the hopes of his parents and six older brothers. Farming was out of the question: even the village head’s family had no food to spare… So he had no choice but to take the imperial exams and become an official. 10.2kReads9.3Score888Shelves

    Reader note

    These books are all great! [Heart emoji][heart emoji][thumbs up emoji][thumbs up emoji]

13. 13 这 This Top Scholar Plays by His Own Rules 这个状元路子有点野 The Foundation of One's Life立身之本Historical2.3M WordsCompleted [Farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + lighthearted] My Parents Flipped the Table and Quit, So I Want to Take the Imperial Exams Too Just as Wang Xuezhou was about to reach the peak of his life, he transmigrated. The good news: in this life, his parents were loving, and his siblings got along. The bad news: the whole family was pinching pennies to fund his eldest uncle's studies. They had next to nothing and were living on coarse grain and wild greens. But before he could flip t 51.6kReads8.9Score6.4kShelves
14. 14 三 Awakening the Learning System at Three: Study, Take the Imperial Exams, and Become an Official 三岁觉醒学习系统，读书科举做官 Zhong Wangwangwangwang中旺旺旺旺Historical676k WordsCompleted [Imperial exams + study System + farm boy + one heroine] (The ratings have only just come in, and the book is still growing. Don’t let them fool you! It’s good, really good, really, really good.) Wang Yuan had just passed the entrance exam for a master’s program at a top university, but before he could bask in the admiration of his whole village, an accident sent him into the womb of a peasant family in ancient times. Fortunately, an earlier transmigrator had established a new dynasty and encour 4.5kReads7.5Score338Shelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 Reborn in Wangjia Village Chapter 1 Reborn in Wangjia Village Lin'an County, Wangjia Village. The April sun was neither scorching nor harsh, its rays warming the body. Wang Yuan sat in the courtyard, reciting his lessons in his study space with his eyes closed. Wang Daya swept the courtyard, watching her younger brother close his eyes again, her heart filled with...

15. 15 本 I Only Wanted to Get By, but I Passed the Imperial Exams Six Times in a Row and Shocked the Emperor 本想混口饭，科举连中六元惊陛下 Moonlight in Motion月色流光Historical3.0M WordsOngoing (Alternate history + imperial examinations + heartwarming + everyday family life + one heroine) He Mingfeng transmigrated. The good news: The knowledge in his head was his golden finger. The bad news: He’d become the village idiot. His family was dirt poor, and his grandmother looked at him like he was a burden. A hellish start? No worries! The village idiot suddenly “came to his senses,” leaving the whole village stunned. He caught fish and set up a stall, and had just started making a little m 6.6kReads8.2Score591Shelves
16. 16 努 I Strive for the Imperial Exams, But My Slacker Dreams Never Change 努力考科举，咸鱼梦想从未改变 A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.8M WordsCompleted [Imperial exams + everyday life + lighthearted] Lu Yang, a rich second-generation heir, wakes up one day as the youngest and most cherished son of the Lu family. This youngest son is a scholar, yet selfish and self-centered, turning a blind eye to his family's sacrifices and caring only about his own future. Lu Yang may be a slacker with little conscience, but he knows who's good to him. He keeps his dream of being a slacker tucked away and works hard to pass the imperial exams, hoping to become 17.8kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves
17. 17 惊 What?! I Transmigrated into a Farmer's Son from the Start, and Now He Wants to Take the Imperial Exams 惊了！开局穿成农家子，他要科举 Luo Yi落矣Historical802k WordsCompleted [Famine + transmigration + System + farming + imperial examinations + daily life] Shen Yu woke up one morning to find that he had transmigrated. It was bad enough for a science student to end up in ancient times, but he’d arrived in the middle of a famine, with his family having nothing to their name. Luckily, he unlocked a red packet group. Without it, how could he possibly survive in this strange world? The Shen family had one daughter after another. At last, the third son’s family had a bo 1.4kReads8.3Score107Shelves
18. 18 回 Back in Ancient Times to Become the Top Scholar 回到古代当状元 Ling Xiaobai Wants to Fly想飞的凌小白Historical373k WordsCompleted [Imperial examinations in the early chapters, everyday life, then court politics] After accidentally transmigrating to an ancient, fictional dynasty, he discovers that he has a photographic memory and fights his way up through the imperial examinations. With a way of thinking unlike that of the people of the past, how will he find a way of life that suits him in this ancient world? 596Reads7.7Score107Shelves
19. 19 农 The Imperial Tutor's Road to the Civil Service Exams 农门帝师的科举之路 Ju He雎禾Historical1.0M WordsCompleted Imperial Examination, One-on-One Romance After an accident, a young man from the modern era transmigrated into the Great Qian Dynasty. Looking at his family’s dilapidated brick house, Qi Wenyu wondered how he would make a living from then on... 21.3kReads9.2Score2kShelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 A Child Cries in a Dilapidated House Amidst Snowstorm; The Classic of Filial Piety Shakes the Hall, Terrifying Even the Wicked Relatives! The biting wind, carrying snowflakes like tiny ice knives, pierced fiercely through the cracks of the dilapidated thatched hut. Five-year-old Gu Yan huddled in a corner of the cold earthen bed, his consciousness struggling between lucidity and confusion. Each breath carried the illusion that his internal organs were being frozen and cracked. Imprisoned within this child's body was the soul of a Chinese language PhD from a thousand years in the future, who had once buried himself in ancient texts. His stomach burned with a fiery, churning pain.

20. 20 五 A Five-Year-Old from a Poor Family: Six Top Exam Honors Shake the Court 五岁寒门，科举六元震朝堂 Lan An An岚桉按Historical256k WordsCompleted A PhD in Chinese language and literature transmigrates into the body of Gu Yanzhi, a destitute five-year-old boy. After three days without food, when his third uncle tries to seize their grain, Gu Yan recites the Classic of Filial Piety and puts the clan chief in awe. At seven, he takes the exam for child scholars. The examiner berates him for writing too little, then spends the night verifying his answers before kneeling to present them to the prefect. The five words "Establish the heart for He 20Reads—Score—Shelves
21. 21 长 My Sister-in-Law Paid for My Exams, So I Repaid Her with Top Honors 长嫂供我科举路，状元及第报恩情 Wind Rises at Banqiao风起板桥Historical1.6M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Imperial Exams + Daily Life + Rags-to-Riches + A Sister-in-Law's Boundless Kindness + Ming Dynasty + Court Intrigue + Wish-Fulfillment] Modern civil servant Tan Jinqian transmigrates into the Great Sheng Dynasty as a penniless orphan from a poor family. Faced with a frail body, a young nephew, and a steadfast sister-in-law who has sacrificed everything to keep the household afloat, he clenches his fists. The imperial examinations! They are the only way to change his fate and re 163Reads7.5Score105Shelves
22. 22 全 My Clan Funded My Exams, So I Won My Dog an Imperial Title 全族供我科举路，我赠族犬诰命身 Househusband煮夫Historical2.9M WordsOngoing In her previous life, Fang Ziqi was a PhD in science at one of China’s top five universities. In this life, she transmigrates into a farming family in the Great Liang dynasty! A poor household, a father who secretly studies, a biased grandfather, and an uncle who has failed the exams ten times… In an age when everything is inferior to studying, Fang Ziqi has no choice but to tighten her belt and embark on the imperial examination path! She begins her studies at six! Takes the exams at eight! Pas 22.3kReads7.8Score2.2kShelves

    Reader note

    The author's writing style is very unique and enjoyable.

23. 23 寒 A Top Scholar Rises from a Humble Family 寒门出了个状元郎 One Luo Ruanyan一萝阮烟Historical1.5M WordsOngoing A graduate student in finance from a top Chinese university transmigrates overnight. His home is bare, his stomach is empty, and everyone is scheming against everyone else. Are kings, nobles, generals, and ministers born to rule? 3.2kReads8.4Score215Shelves
24. 24 寒 A Poor Scholar’s Rise Begins with Meeting the Miserable Crown Prince 寒门崛起，从遇上苦逼太子开始 Zuo Lan佐蓝Historical2.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Imperial Exams for the Poor + No System + Lighthearted + Wits and Strategy] After transmigrating to ancient times, Tang Yin was completely dumbfounded. He'd gone to sleep and woken up as a seven-year-old kid? He lived in Peach Blossom Village, Qingzhou Prefecture, in the Great Ming, and came from a poor family? It was a disastrous start. He had to fight heaven and earth, and even deal with his awful relatives. Determined to escape the mountains, Tang Yin secretly studied at the 6.2kReads7.9Score543Shelves
25. 25 寒 The Imperial Exam Routine of a Poor Butcher's Son 寒门屠户之子的科举日常 Diki DaddyDiki粑粑Historical3.3M WordsOngoing The Wang butcher family is full of burly men, all tall, broad, and muscular, like a whole den of reincarnated black bears! But their youngest son, Wang Sanniu, is the odd one out: frail, delicate, and liable to fall over in a breeze. Standing beside his family, he looks like a little fox that wandered into a bear’s den. Butchering pigs? The moment pig’s blood splashes over him, he faints! Farming? The hoe is taller than he is! With the family fearing he’ll become a good-for-nothing, his mother m 188.1kReads9.0Score24.1kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is really good. [Heart emoji]

26. 26 布 The Commoner Chancellor, Xia Ren 布衣宰相虾仁 Floating Life Returns to the Void浮生归墟Historical920k WordsOngoing After a sudden car accident, Xia Ren, a double PhD in history and literature, transmigrated as a dying seven-year-old peasant child in the Great Jing Dynasty, a realm never recorded in history. His family had nothing, but that couldn't diminish the knowledge and experience he had accumulated over two lifetimes. His memories of poring over ancient texts in his previous life remained crystal clear. The classics, historical records, institutions, and lessons of dynastic rise and decline were all at 336Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A farmer's son, without a powerful mentor or system, could only rely on his memories of his past life to gradually pass the imperial examinations and become the top scholar.

27. 27 我 What Does My Living Off a Woman Have to Do with a Scholar's Integrity? 我吃软饭关文人风骨什么事？ Running Braised Fish奔跑的红烧鱼Historical225k WordsCompleted [Imperial Exams + One Heroine + Living Off a Woman + Feel-Good Story + Officialdom + Plagiarism] My name is Luo An. My teeth aren’t up to the job, so I can only live off a woman and enjoy her soft, delicious cooking. To get my hands on that meal, I didn’t hesitate to frame my classmate by claiming he was from Chengdu. Once I’d kicked him out and taken his place, I finally got my hands on a piping-hot bowl of rice. What? You say this shows a lack of scholarly integrity? Let me tell you, I’d do an 1.5kReads6.8Score110Shelves

    Reader note

    The male protagonist transmigrates into the body of a poor scholar who doesn't want to suffer at all. So he steals his classmate's fiancée and decisively becomes her kept man.

28. 28 全 My Entire Clan! Supports My Imperial Exams 全族！供我科举 Yang Chan Who Loves Braised Yellow Mutton爱吃焖黄羊肉的杨婵Historical1.2M WordsCompleted Imperial exams + transmigration + imperial exams + no golden finger, no System. The story draws on the privileges enjoyed by scholars in the Ming dynasty! The clan elder was a licentiate, and that was the only reason Baihu Village was protected. Now the elder is gone, and no new licentiate has appeared. The entire clan can only pool its strength to support one child. Just one licentiate can improve life in the village, give the children a future, boost the village economy, and make officials thi 13.8kReads8.5Score1.1kShelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 The Tragedy of Falling Objects from a High-Rise The tenth year of the Daqian era. Night fell, and the bright moon cast its silvery glow, enveloping the entire Qi Family Village in a hazy light. At the village entrance, in a haystack, Big Yellow lay lazily, dozing with its eyes half-closed. It was already late afternoon, and the village was quiet; every household had closed their doors and windows tightly and extinguished their candles, except for Qi Xiu at the far end of the village.

29. 29 寒 The Poor Scholar's Rise 寒门贵子 Beyond the Mountain山的那边Historical2.1M WordsCompleted After transmigrating into the body of a penniless scholar, Jiang Feng thought about how his computer science degree from his previous life was utterly useless here… Then it occurred to him: “Of all pursuits, studying is the noblest. I’ll just have to grit my teeth and take the imperial exams!” He kept going, and when he suddenly looked back, he had risen to the highest offices, expanded the empire’s borders, and built an unprecedented legacy! P.S. The new book, A Poor Scholar of the First Rank, 34.2kReads9.1Score3.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 This is unfair! Great Zhou Dynasty, Sweet Well Village. "Grandpa, please have some water," Lu Cheng'an said, looking at the old man Lu who had walked into the courtyard. He then reached out and handed the old man a bowl of perfectly warm water that he had prepared beforehand. Seeing his grandson's thoughtful gesture, the old man Lu's lips twitched.

30. 30 科 The Imperial Exams? Just Another Way to Take the Civil Service Exam! 科举？不过是换个地方考公罢了！ Braised Braised Pork红烧红烧肉Historical196k WordsOngoing [Civil Service + Imperial Exams + Humble Origins + Transmigration + Slow-Paced + Historical + No System + Not Brain-Dead] Lin Shuheng spent years grinding away at an entry-level civil service job. He had just passed his evaluation and was about to be promoted to deputy section chief. While imagining how he’d climb the ranks step by step, he died suddenly from overwork and transmigrated into the body of a poor scholar in ancient times. With the imperial exams looming, the original owner had been —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Just watch!

31. 31 我 I, Sun Shan, and the Imperial Examinations 我，孙山，科举 Ximen Qizi西门七仔Ancient Romance4.7M WordsOngoing “Imperial exams + transmigration + farming + exams + no space System” “Romance included, devoted male lead. The female lead is his childhood sweetheart, but she appears infrequently. Romance is not the main plot.” “The male lead rises step by step through hard work and good luck.” “The male lead is no good at scheming, but he gets things done and has technical skills.” “The imperial examination system is based on the Ming and Qing dynasties.” After an accident, he is transmigrated into the womb 47.9kReads8.8Score3.2kShelves
32. 32 举 Your Whole Family Hopes You'll Pass the Scholar Exam, but You Top All Six? 举家盼你中秀才，你六元连中？ A Little Green Ear一只绿耳Historical1.5M WordsCompleted [Imperial examinations in the early chapters + farming + everyday life + lighthearted + court politics later on] In his previous life, Shen Zhou was in poor health and cultivated himself through a quiet, disciplined lifestyle, becoming rather indifferent by nature. Then he transmigrated to an ancient peasant family. The entire Shen family pooled their resources to support the original owner’s studies, hoping only that he would pass the county-level examination and become a licentiate. Sadly, the 14.7kReads8.7Score1.4kShelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 4 He couldn't wait any longer. Summer sun sets late. After dinner, the atmosphere was a little strange, and Shen Zhou went back to his room. He needed to finish the paintings he wanted to sell before sunset. He thought for a moment and changed his mind. Practice paintings weren't suitable for the market. Since he was going to sell them, he needed to paint for the market.

33. 33 书 Master Calligrapher? Poet Immortal? Chief Minister? That's Right, I'm All of Them 书圣？诗仙？首辅？没错，都是我 Sunlight on the River日照前川Historical834k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Cui Xian was a PhD in Chinese Language and Literature at a top-tier university. In this life, he transmigrated to ancient times, into a poor family with no connections: A destitute home, a pregnant mother, young siblings, an uncle who had failed the exams six times and was hopeless at studying, a grandmother so obsessed with imagining her son placing high in the imperial examinations that she had become delusional, and Cui Xian, who was only eight years old. Cui Xian: This 28.3kReads9.4Score2.7kShelves
34. 34 我 I'm a Seven-Year-Old Prodigy, and I'll Earn Six Honors in the Imperial Exams 我七岁神童，科举路上六元及第 Heaven-Defying Abstract Meow Meow Lord逆天抽象喵喵君Historical731k WordsOngoing In his previous life, Su Mingli was a genius with a photographic memory. In this life, he was born into a poor family in the Great Zhou Dynasty and awakened the wisdom of his past life at age seven! Just look at this family: bran porridge every day, an honest older brother and sister-in-law working themselves to the bone, a good-for-nothing cousin, Su Mingzhi, who has failed the children's imperial exam six times, and parents nearly driven mad by the imperial examinations! Su Mingli: ...I can't 34Reads8.8Score—Shelves
35. 35 青 Road to the Azure Clouds: The Poor Scholar Who Tops the Exams 青云路：寒门状元 Riding a Donkey to See Black Stockings骑驴看黑丝Historical349k WordsCompleted [Alternate history + imperial examinations + everyday life in ancient times + a touch of romance early on] College student Xu Luo stayed up all night at an internet cafe playing Valorant, only to wake up the next morning in his mother’s womb. Well, his previous life had ended quite peacefully. In this life, he is reborn into an ordinary farming family in the Great Yu Dynasty. In an era when everything is considered inferior except scholarship, the imperial examinations are the only way forward. 163Reads6.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 Hungry Dayu, Yanggu County, Dongyang Village. The scorching summer sun relentlessly poured down, baking the earth in the fields until it turned slightly white. In the distance, waves of wheat rippled, and the intermittent shouts of farmers could be faintly heard—it was the Xu family, young and old, rushing to harvest the wheat. By the edge of the field, a listless old water buffalo slowly swung its tail.

36. 36 穿 I Transmigrated into a Poor Family and Turned My Fate Around Through the Imperial Exams 穿越寒门，我考科举逆袭 Lincang Cloud临沧云Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [A clever tale of power and strategy] Su Wen, a university student majoring in Chinese literature, transmigrates to ancient times and is born into a poor family. Relying on the brilliant poetry and literary culture of China, he makes a stunning comeback and passes the imperial examinations as the top scholar. A princess of the imperial family, a chancellor's daughter, a wealthy merchant's daughter, the top courtesan in the pleasure quarters, a charming maid... all admire his peerless talent. “ 17.3kReads8.1Score1.5kShelves
37. 37 寒 A Poor Scholar's Road to the Top Scholar Title 寒门子弟的状元之路 I'm Not a Kid Anymore不是小孩啦Historical353k WordsCompleted He was an ordinary university student, but a chance encounter transmigrates him to ancient times. Follow his journey as he rises from humble beginnings, studies hard for the imperial examinations, earns the title of top scholar, and sets out on the path to becoming chief minister. 50Reads5.8Score—Shelves
38. 38 穿 I Transmigrated into an Imperial Exam Chief Examiner, and My Team Is Full of Geniuses! 穿越科举主考官，班底全是天才！ Love Steamed Sea Bass爱清蒸鲈鱼Historical440k WordsCompleted [Radically revamped imperial examinations + genius team + advanced knowledge + ensemble cast + nation-building + great-power rivalry + no System] A history professor transmigrates into the body of a down-and-out scholar during the Jiajing era of the Ming Dynasty. With his advanced knowledge and political acumen, he becomes a chief examiner and sets out to reform the Ming Dynasty. Looking at the students below, poring over the classics, Lin Mo sighs. “Everyone’s working themselves to death! And i 3Reads6.4Score—Shelves
39. 39 落 You Broke Off Our Engagement When I Failed the Exams. Now I've Topped Them, So Why Are You Crying? 落榜你提退婚，我高中状元你哭啥 Broken Eggplant, Bright Moon断茄明月Historical220k WordsCompleted Imperial examination story + fallen child prodigy + good-for-nothing’s rise to success + no System + nonstop thrills! The child prodigy Fang Zhongyong could write poetry at five and passed the county-level exam at eight, earning fame far and wide! The wealthy Zhou family came to curry favor with him, arranging for their daughter Zhou Liuliu to be betrothed to Fang Zhongyong. Under the pretext that their family had a private tutor to teach him, they tricked him into moving to their home. But they 909Reads6.9Score—Shelves
40. 40 重 After Rewriting the Family Tree, Smoke Rose from the Ancestors' Graves: I'm Rich! 重开族谱后祖坟冒青烟，发家啦！ Astonishing Swan Takes Flight惊鸿鹊起Historical898k WordsCompleted [Business] [Imperial Exams] [Alternate Setting] [Everyday Life] [A Touch of Romance] Modern intangible cultural heritage video editor Li Yanning is in a car accident and transmigrates into the body of Li Yanning, a frail five-year-old boy. His biased grandfather and sharp-tongued step-grandmother are ready to let him die! Luckily, his reliable birth parents go all out to protect him. So touching... But after the family splits up, they're left with nothing. His parents are bullied, and his greedy 3.7kReads8.6Score321Shelves
41. 41 科 My Imperial Exams Went Poorly, and Grandma Blames the Family Grave 科举不顺，我奶说是祖坟出了问题 Corn Breakdance玉米扒舞Historical504k WordsOngoing Chen Bufan repeated his senior year three times, winning the provincial top-scorer title for his alma mater each time and making himself a tidy three million yuan in the process. He was one tough guy. But fate had other plans. A sudden accident, and that was the end of him! When he opened his eyes again, he had become Yaozu, a young man in a poor, remote village in the Great Xia Dynasty. The place was so wretched it made him want to stay up all night writing "A Humble Thatched Cottage". Even bei 42.7kReads7.3Score6.3kShelves
42. 42 全 The Whole Village Supports Me, a Seven-Year-Old, in the Imperial Exams 全村供七岁的我考状元 Taro Balls Milk Tea Extra Pearls芋圆奶茶多珍珠Historical1.0M WordsCompleted [The rating is low because the book just came out. It’ll rise.] Modern engineer Chen Liyan transmigrates into the body of a seven-year-old boy in Shanghe Village, the poorest place in the Great Xia Dynasty. Here, getting an education is an unreachable dream. Then a sudden natural disaster nearly wipes out the village’s last hope. At this desperate moment, Chen Liyan draws on knowledge far ahead of its time to propose a way to fight the disaster and turn the tide. He also improves the tea-making 544Reads7.4Score106Shelves
43. 43 穿 Transmigrated as a Farmer's Son, Busy Taking the Children's Exams 穿越农家子，童子科举忙 Xiao Xiaoshen萧小慎Historical728k WordsCompleted In his previous life, Zhuang Yi was a PhD in Chinese Language and Literature. In this life, he transmigrates to a poor family in ancient times: honest parents, an uncle obsessed with studying, an aunt who works to protect the family’s status, biased grandparents, and eight-year-old Zhuang Yi. Then Zhuang Yi goes on a rampage. 278Reads5.9Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 3 Liu Shi: My Son's Rebellious Age! Shen Yu'an had been lying on the kang (a heated brick bed) for days, feeling like his whole body was rusting. Seeing no one in the room, he propped himself up on the kang with his elbows. "Squeak." Liu Shi pushed open the door and, seeing him about to get up, nervously stepped forward. "Gou Dan, why are you getting up?"

44. 44 他 That Country Bumpkin Fool Turned Out to Be the Top Scholar 他一个农家傻子，竟是科举状元 A Gentle Half-Tael半两的温柔Historical500k WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Political Intrigue + Farming + Court Politics + Rebirth into the Same Dynasty] Overnight, the entire Li household, home to a first-rank minister, is slaughtered. From an eighty-year-old elder to a baby still nursing, more than two hundred people are cut down. Not one survives, and the ground runs red with blood... Li Qingyun wakes up to discover that he has been reborn as a farmer’s son. A mother who cries easily, a father with a second wife, a shrewish aunt, a cousi 968Reads8.3Score100Shelves
45. 45 被 The Abandoned Heir Places First in the Imperial Exam, and Ten Thousand Riders Storm the Marquis’s Mansion 被弃世子中状元，万骑踏平侯府门 Jun Moyu君陌玉Historical1.8M WordsCompleted [Imperial Examinations + Reborn in the Womb + Court Politics + Revenge + System] Shen Shufan was reborn in the womb as the heir to a marquis’s estate, only to be knocked unconscious and thrown into a river. No problem: ever heard of the Proficiency System? The impoverished Shen family, a humble family of scholars, found a poor child in a freezing river. Little did they know he was an imperial-examination genius! Other families considered it a blessing from their ancestors if even one person pass 22.6kReads8.7Score2.6kShelves
46. 46 开 From the Start, Just One Dilapidated House, Then I Sweep the Imperial Exams 开局破屋一间，科举连中三元 Lu Tiantian陆天天Historical400k WordsCompleted [Imperial exam comeback + face-slapping satisfaction + farming + System + max-level expert stomps the novice village + industrial powerhouse] Xu Yan'an opened his eyes to find himself a sickly young man in Dongliu Village. The thatched hut was full of ragged bedding, and a bitter wind howled outside. In the original owner's memories, his whole family scraped by on rough steamed buns, supporting his cousin, a licentiate, as he splurged on fine clothes and food at the county academy. Then, after t 4.1kReads8.0Score493Shelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 Transmigration: A Worthless Life, Just Do It! "Mother, please find another doctor to save An'er!" "Save him?! Don't waste money! If he doesn't live, it's his fate!" A cacophony of pleas, cries, and curses assaulted Xu Yan'an's ears. His head throbbed with pain. He roared, "Stop arguing!"

47. 47 遗 Life in Ancient Times as a Posthumous Child 遗腹子的古代生活 Cheng Shu Ju程书橘Historical2.2M WordsCompleted [No golden finger + farming + imperial examinations + alternate history + court politics in the later stages + everyday family life] He wakes up as the posthumous son of a county deputy in the Great Zhou dynasty. He may not be born into an official family, but surely the assets his father left behind are enough to make this only child rich. So he happily decides that in this life, he’ll coast to success. Things don’t go as he expected. His father died young after only a few years in office, leav 11.5kReads7.7Score1.2kShelves
48. 48 农 An Ambitious Country Boy's Life in Ancient Times 农家小子的古代上进日常 The Hibernating Donkey冬眠中的驴Historical6.2M WordsOngoing After transmigrating into the body of a farmer's son in ancient times, a poor student had no choice but to embark on the long road of the imperial examinations to improve his family's life. He sought neither wealth and status nor a high salary or lofty office in this life. All he wanted was to protect his family and give them a peaceful life. 40.7kReads9.2Score3kShelves
49. 49 科 The Imperial Exams: From a Duke’s Bastard Son to a Powerful Official 科举！从公府庶子到权臣的青云路 Zhou Shusen周树森Historical4.2M WordsOngoing [Not a BL novel! Not a male-male romance! One male lead, little to no romance, and a plot-focused story.] [Transmigration + Illegitimate Son of a Duke’s Estate + No System + Imperial Exams + Political Intrigue] He transmigrates, and the good news is that he’s now an illegitimate son of the Duke of Wei’s household, with food and clothes taken care of and no need to worry about making a living. The bad news is that he’s not only unloved, but also mocked and looked down upon. Heh. Never look down o 48kReads8.9Score4.3kShelves
50. 50 笑 You Mock My Clan for Never Passing the Imperial Exams? What Are You Crying For Now That I Passed All Three with Top Honors? 笑我全族不中举？三元及第你哭啥 A Useless Scholar无用一书生Historical323k WordsOngoing Zhang Yan, the top scholar of nine provinces, has just earned his doctorate when he opens his eyes and finds himself in a poor village in the Great Yong Dynasty. His clan has spent generations taking the imperial examinations, but after decades, not one of them has even passed the first degree. They have become the laughingstock of the entire village. But Zhang Yan sees the clan elders' good intentions. People say studying is hard, but how can it be harder than farming? He secretly swears, “Sinc 314Reads8.4Score101Shelves

    Reader note

    Chapter 1 A Shocking Change, the Great Qian Dynasty, Luling County, Yangzhou, Chen Family Village, winter of the sixty-fourth year of Qian Yuan. Chen Zhijing, oh no, he was already Chen Nineteen! Because he was born on the nineteenth day of the twelfth lunar month, and his family wasn't very good at naming, his grandmother just casually called him Nineteen.

Other lists with With a Photographic Memory, Isn’t It Only Natural I Came First in the Imperial Exam?