Pure Palace Intrigue, Palace Intrigue, Seeking Recommendations 纯宫斗，宫斗，在线求书

1. 101 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 42.4kReads9.5Score5.1kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book features a girl who was a palace intrigue champion in her previous life, rising from a lowly palace maid to Empress Dowager. Her soul transmigrates to another country, where she directly becomes Empress. The methods she uses below are child's play. [I highly recommend it!][I highly recommend it!][I highly recommend it!][I've learned something!][I've learned something!][I've learned something!][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Sparrow's Masterpiece][Attention][Attention]

2. 102 娘 The Consort Is All Charm and Cunning, Scheming Her Way to the Top 娘娘又茶又媚，一路宫斗上位 Tea Little Ink茶小墨Ancient Romance835k WordsCompleted Signed for print publication In the third year of the Yifeng era, a concubine-born daughter of the Ningyang Marquis’s household enters the palace. The palace is a vast, treacherous place, where the one thing you must never do is give your heart away. Ning Shuyan is clear-eyed: she wants wealth and prestige, along with the emperor’s favor. For three years, she carefully plots each step, wins the emperor’s attention, and rises from Talented Lady to Noble Consort. Rumor has it that the emperor only 57.2kReads9.5Score7.1kShelves
3. 103 财 The Money-Grubbing Princess Consort’s Romantic Adventures in the Song Dynasty 财迷王妃大宋闯情关 The Red-Crowned Phoenix Always Turns Toward the Sun丹凤总向阳Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted A sweet historical romance blending transmigration, food, business warfare, political intrigue, and love. Ouyang Wanyuan, a modern bank account manager, unexpectedly transmigrates and becomes the daughter of the wealthiest family in Jiangnan during the Great Song. She has no interest in embroidery, loves her abacus, is obsessed with fine food and elegant clothes, and possesses an uncanny talent for turning a profit. She should have been free to enjoy life, but a batch of “problematic peony pastr 5Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   "If you enjoyed 'The Story of Minglan' and 'My Heroic Husband,' don't miss this one!" 🔥"The Money-Grubbing Princess's Romantic Adventures in the Song Dynasty"🔥 The female lead isn't naive or saccharine, and the male lead isn't greasy; both are intelligent throughout! 🍜 The food descriptions are tempting, the business battles are realistic, and the political intrigue is intricately woven. 💘 The romance develops naturally, from mutual antagonism to love, full of details and overflowing with sweetness! 🎉 There's also a clash between modern management and ancient society, with plenty of laughs and satisfying moments! 🏷️ #HighQualityAncientRomance #IntelligentReading #Food #PoliticalIntrigue

4. 104 谁 Can You Believe It? The Empress Wrote a Hundred Palace Rules 谁懂啊，娘娘写了一百条宫规 Strawberry Xi草莓汐Ancient Romance602k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue + Ancient-Era Heroine + Reborn Supporting Female Character + Transmigrated Supporting Female Character + Everyone Is Clever + Clear-Eyed Heroine] From ordinary palace candidate to empress. Everyone believes the emperor is devoted to Ning Wanyin. Only Ning Wanyin knows how treacherous and perilous the journey has been. She has survived every step through sheer caution. Lady Tang, reborn: “She killed me in my last life. This time, of course I’ll… make her my friend! Do I really th 42.1kReads9.6Score6kShelves

   Reader note

   The first book features a very cautious female protagonist who establishes numerous palace rules, fearing she might be targeted by those ruthless schemers. The second book leans towards family relationships and contains a lot of palace intrigue. The third book was just filler; I think it's a bit too long, and the later parts might not be as well-written.

5. 105 贤 The Worthy Consort Is Still Taking It Easy Today 贤妃今天也在咸鱼 Misty Clear Melody渺渺清音Ancient Romance625k WordsCompleted In the harem of Emperor Chenyuan of the Great Jin, there is a dignified and gentle empress, a charming and lovely Noble Consort, a peerlessly beautiful Consort Li, and a clever, kindhearted Consort Hui. Talented women abound, and the competition is fierce. Han Shuyi looks left and right, but can't find a niche for herself as Worthy Consort. Oh, well. Competing for favor now and then while choosing to lie flat the rest of the time: that's the real truth of life in the harem. * As emperor, Meng Ti 22kReads8.2Score2.1kShelves
6. 106 在 100 Techniques to Conquer the Emperor in the Harem 在后宫征服皇帝的一百个技巧 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Ever since entering the palace, Yun Li has become a shameless schemer. Two-faced and insincere, she puts on an act every day. When dealing with the emperor’s favorite consort, she tears into her until she’s furious, then clutches her chest with a wounded look and says, “I’m so envious that His Majesty dotes on you.” When someone tries to frame her, she casually slaps them, then bursts into tears. “Why would you treat a kind person like me this way?” When speaking with the empress, she nods absen 12.2kReads9.5Score1.4kShelves
7. 107 却 Yet You Betrayed the Spring's Grace 却负春恩 See Fortune at First Sight, Meow一见生财瞄Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Print edition now available. Search for Ascending to the Clouds on any platform to buy] [Original titles: Ascending to the Clouds / Loathing the Vermilion Walls] [High-IQ Palace Intrigue + Pure-Hatred Heroine + No Disposable Characters] [No transmigration, no rebirth, no golden finger] [The blurb doesn’t do it justice. Please go read the story] How do you become an emperor’s favorite concubine? A prestigious family? A good education? A gentle, respectful, modest, and accommodating nature? Unfor 25.3kReads9.2Score3.1kShelves

   Reader note

   It's pretty good. I cried so much during the extra chapters. You might want to give it a try; it has scheming and palace intrigue.

8. 108 千 A Palace for a Thousand-Year-Old Fox 千年狐一世宫 Six Paths Peien六道沛恩Ancient Romance775k WordsOngoing A fan-created palace-intrigue story based on Story of Yanxi Palace. She is a thousand-year-old fox spirit. During the Qianlong era, beside a cold pool outside the Forbidden City, Bai Rou, a white fox who has practiced the righteous path for a thousand years, takes human form and enters the mortal world. With an innocent heart, she accidentally eats a sacred fruit offered in a royal sacrifice and gains a human soul, then is captured and taken into the palace. Bai Rou knows nothing of palace rules 7Reads8.4Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Kang Kang, Kang Kang!!

9. 109 驸 My Consort Took a Concubine, So I Cast Him Off; He Rebelled, So I Became Emperor 驸马纳妾我休弃，驸马造反我称帝 Paper Tiger纸老虎Ancient Romance541k WordsCompleted [Signed for publication] [A noblewoman and a transmigrated woman join forces to contend for the throne. Strong female lead, ensemble cast, political intrigue, no romance] Yuan Xuan was born to be a pawn. For the sake of the realm, she lived as a man and served as crown prince for over a decade. When her younger brother was born, Yuan Xuan returned to living as a woman and became a discarded pawn. Abandoned by everyone, she had no one left who didn’t want her dead. Less than a year into her marri 15.3kReads9.5Score2.8kShelves

   Reader note

   Palace intrigue and political maneuvering are both good.

10. 110 宫 Palace Intrigue System: I Become the Emperor’s Favorite 宫斗系统：我成了陛下心尖宠 Long Moon Crossing the Bright长月渡明Ancient Romance306k WordsCompleted [Both Pure + Sweet Romance + System + Devoted Love + Transmigration] Easygoing Qin Zhaozhao transmigrates into the body of a newly arrived imperial consort. She plans to lie flat, but then a palace-intrigue System activates, and somehow she catches the new emperor’s attention. The System says that completing missions earns her rewards, including the chance to become empress. It sounds simple, but it’s incredibly difficult. A noble consort has her eye on the throne, while the emperor’s former fla 324Reads8.2Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A lazy concubine is forced by a system to become the Emperor's darling—this sweetness is enough to cause cavities! Who understands, everyone?! Transmigrated into the body of a newly arrived concubine who just wanted to lie low, she was forced into a career by a palace intrigue system and unexpectedly won the new Emperor's heart?! The laid-back, easygoing Qin Zhaozhao transmigrated to the harem wanting to be invisible, but a system bound her—"Complete the mission, reward: the Empress's throne." With a scheming concubine in front and a seemingly scheming but actually manipulative white moonlight behind, she just wanted to be lazy, but the system pushed her into palace intrigue. Even more outrageous is that the new Emperor Chu Xiuqi seems to have a "Zhao Zhao radar"—he chases after her and dotes on her whenever she tries to avoid him: - The simple snacks she casually makes become his daily "imperial meals"; - When she complains about the cumbersome palace rules, he orders "half the rules of the harem" the very next day; - Even the system task becomes "Make His Majesty laugh three more times today"... In the end, she not only secures her position as Empress but also gains a clingy husband and twins. His Majesty dismisses all his concubines for her, cementing the words "heart's darling" onto her! No angst throughout, only the double joy of system-driven palace intrigue and His Majesty's doting pursuit—a lazy bum becomes a winner in life. I'll drink this sweet and pampering meal first!

11. 111 震 Shocking! The Reborn Troublesome Concubine’s Daughter Turns Over a New Leaf 震惊，作精庶女重生后改邪归正了 Yu Yueyue余越越Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Cui Yunchu is a handful, but what pampered concubine isn’t? Her aunt taught her to be this way. What’s she supposed to do about it? Flirting with her cousin’s fiancé, only for the Crown Prince to turn her down? Oh, wait. Her legitimate younger sister’s childhood sweetheart is handsome too. Cui Yunchu is obsessed with marrying into the imperial family and becoming a princess consort. But none of her plans work out, and both her cousin and younger sister chase after her to berate her. Then Cui Yun 44.9kReads8.1Score5.5kShelves

    Reader note

    This book is alright, just a little bit angsty.

12. 112 独 Peerless Under Heaven: The Chu Empress Is No Ordinary Woman 独孤天下，楚国女帝她不是一般人 Jin Xinyue金欣玥Ancient Romance235k WordsOngoing As the crown princess, she is surrounded by danger on all sides. The only person she can rely on is the man who has stood by her time and time again. He defies her father’s arranged marriage for her sake. When she decides to rebel, “The throne is yours.” “You’re mine.” It’s all because, when he was down and out as a child, she helped him. From then on, she became his only reason to keep going. 21Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Hehe, this book, this book, this book is super good!

13. 113 婆 My Mother-in-Law Helps Me Drive Off My Husband’s Mistress, and I Help Her Beat Up the Fake Sweetheart 婆母帮我赶小三，我帮婆母揍白莲 Show Your Brilliance展风华Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The short drama and comic drama are titled Here, Take My Dowry! A clever transmigrated heroine, a hilarious revenge story, and a satisfying tale of taming her husband! You killed my mother, so I’ll kill you. You covet my husband? I’ll sell him to you for silver. No silver? Get lost! Take a concubine? Has my husband considered how much the household would spend over the decades between a concubine entering the family and her death? I did the math: two hundred thousand taels. Does my husband sti 16.5kReads8.6Score2.1kShelves
14. 114 丑 The Ugly Nun, Mother of Ten from Two Pregnancies, and the Rascally War God's Baby Daddy 丑尼姑两胎十宝，泼皮战神孩他爹 2020 Dustless2020绝尘Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted Jiang Wanwan: A modern-day heir to an ancient Chinese medicine family. She tested medicines on herself and lost her voice at three, went deaf at five, and became paralyzed from the waist down at seven. At fifteen, she killed thirty-two people who had taken over shares in her company. When she opened her eyes again, she had become the prime minister’s daughter in the Yuanqi Dynasty: a hideous girl, only 1.5 meters tall and weighing 125 kilos, with a face full of acne, and several kinds of poison 4.9kReads8.6Score904Shelves
15. 115 穿EN After Becoming the Villainess, I Clear My Name Every Day 穿成恶女后每天都在洗白 Gathering Vetch, Gathering Vetch采薇采薇Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Everyone’s Darling + Adorable Kids + Laugh-Out-Loud Comedy]: Transmigrating into a lovesick woman, Tang Zhuyun wakes up in the middle of a scene where she’s climbing into a man’s bed. She turns around and runs. Forget this bed, she’s not getting in! Who needs a man when her father is the top scholar, her brother is the top scholar, and even her son will be the top scholar? They’ll protect her, so she can do whatever she wants! As a master physician, she’ll focus on her career, save lives, and k 33.9kReads9.3Score4.7kShelves
16. 116 漂 The Beautiful Stepmother Easily Tames the Prodigal Father and Son 漂亮继母，轻松拿捏纨绔父子 Piggy Who Loves Cilantro吃香菜的猪猪Ancient Romance614k WordsCompleted [One-on-one romance, both leads are inexperienced, sweet pampering, love after marriage] In the novel The Marquis's Principal Wife, the heroine is a concubine-born daughter of the prime minister. She and her legitimate sister are reborn together. Before their rebirth, the heroine married a poor provincial graduate, while her sister married into the powerful Marquis of Yongyi's household as his second wife. But the Marquis of Yongyi's family falls under the emperor's suspicion, and the entire hou 4.5kReads9.0Score485Shelves
17. 117 疯 She's Gone Mad! The Day She Transmigrated, the Sickly Young Lord Vowed to Give Himself to Her! 疯了!穿越当天，病娇世子爷他要以身相许! Han Mianmian韩绵绵Ancient Romance868k WordsCompleted Original title: After the Heir’s Consort Turns Dark, All the Gods Fall at Her Feet [Transmigration + two scheming minds locked in a battle of wits + obsession + political intrigue + bickering couple] Yun Jincheng transmigrates and, the moment she opens her eyes, strips the sickly heir of his clothes and stumbles upon a secret he has kept hidden for years. Rumor has it that the heir of the Prince of Zhennan, who has been frail for years and gasps for breath after just a few steps, isn’t sick at a 2kReads9.3Score529Shelves
18. 118 抬 You Want to Make Your Mistress the Equal of Your Wife? I Disown You 抬外室当平妻？这爹不能要了 A Qi’s Soup阿七的汤Ancient Romance419k WordsCompleted Her father spent eight years guarding the frontier, then came home with a woman and two children. Xu Roujia tried to awaken the fatherly love he had withheld for so long, but he ignored her time and again, favoring the others at every turn. All he had eyes for was that mother and her two children. She and her mother seemed like the ones who didn't belong. Giving up, she began looking around the capital for noble young men about her mother's age. Then she saw the thirty-year-old, unmarried matern 4.4kReads8.7Score559Shelves
19. 119 小 That Little Brat's Always Causing Mischief, and Her Parents Can't Stop Grinning 小鼻嘎不过作作妖，爹娘被哄翘嘴 Piggy Who Loves Cilantro吃香菜的猪猪Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Comedy] [Beloved by the Whole Family] [Wins Over Everyone] [A Touch of Political Intrigue] [The Female Lead Returns] [Her Future Love Interest Is Murong Yan] [Original title: The Little Brat Only Causes Trouble, Yet Somehow Wins Her Parents Over] [Talkative, sharp-tongued heroine whose mouth moves faster than her brain ❤️ Hero reborn nine times, with eight hundred tricks up his sleeve] Luo Yan transmigrates into a book, where her entire family consists of villains. Her scumbag father is the vil 44.6kReads9.0Score7.1kShelves
20. 120 国 The Duke Has Gone Missing. Has His Wife Earned a Place in the Imperial Ancestral Temple? 国公失踪，夫人配享太庙了吗 Little Darling Lost in the Way迷途的小心肝Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Devoted couple + transmigration + strong heroine + satisfying read + palace and household intrigue + lighthearted, no angst] After transmigrating to ancient times, Shangguan Jin, who has always worked in investment banking, feels like a good-for-nothing. She can't farm, and she can't make any of the modern inventions, either. The only thing she has going for her is her identity: the Duchess of the Duke's Estate, whose husband, the master of the house, has gone missing! Luckily, there are no dif 6.5kReads9.1Score660Shelves
21. 121 继 Successor 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 82.7kReads9.5Score9.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Time travel + palace intrigue

22. 122 重 Reborn in the Dragon Bed, the Beloved Consort Cries in the Emperor's Arms 重生在龙塌，宠妃抱着陛下哭 Staggering Along蹒跚行Ancient Romance461k WordsCompleted [A spoiled, sweetly obedient favorite consort VS a gentle, jade-like emperor who's sweet on the outside and ruthless within (they are not each other's first, but he dotes on her exclusively from the beginning to the end)] Jiang Shuyi's life as a favorite consort went smoothly for fifteen years. The emperor was gentle and benevolent, doting on her without restraint, and not a single woman in the harem dared challenge her. But she was blind to her own sister's treachery. In the end, her closest 100.8kReads9.2Score11.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Come and see!!! [Attention]

23. 123 穿 Reborn as a Baby, I Was Taken In by a Big Brother Who Raised Me as His Little Bride 穿成幼崽被小哥哥捡去当小媳妇养 Qu Liyao曲梨瑶Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Both Leads Are Each Other’s Only Love + Pocket Dimension + Sweet Romance + Everyone’s Darling + Weak to Strong] In her previous life, Bai Qianmo’s parents were each other’s true love. She really was just an accident. More unexpectedly, after dying by accident, her soul transmigrated into the body of the three-year-old fourth daughter of a general’s household in the Southern Yan Kingdom. Oh well. Since she had become a three-year-old child, she might as well make up for the childhood she had mis 7.6kReads9.4Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    I don't watch many palace intrigue dramas, so see if this is something you'd like.

24. 124 阎 The King of Hell's Junior Sister: One Verbal Takedown at a Time 阎王的师妹，怼死一个是一个 Fairy Xin馨小仙儿Ancient Romance1.3M WordsCompleted “Holy crap, Senior Brother, you actually mean it? All I did was lose your lousy old brush. Did you really have to dump me in the human realm?” “Senior Brother... Sob, I was wrong. Just let me come back.” “I promise I'll listen to you from now on, really~” “I'm your own junior sister, after all~” Your own junior sister? No, no, no. You're my own ancestor! The ghost official stood to the side, trembling as he asked, “My lord, is it really all right to just dump Xun'er in the human realm?” Ya 47.8kReads9.2Score6.1kShelves
25. 125 侯 After the Marquis’s Old Ancestress Started Slacking Off, Her Descendants Panicked 侯府老祖宗摆烂后，儿孙全慌了 End of the Winter Month冬月末Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted The Dowager Lady of the Xuanping Marquis Estate, Min Qiao, was reborn! In her previous life, her son doted on his concubine and neglected his wife, her grandson wanted to marry a courtesan, her granddaughter wanted to break off her engagement, and her daughter-in-law planned to elope. She stopped them, kept them in line, and exhausted herself cleaning up one mess after another. For the Marquis Estate's reputation and her descendants' futures, she bore the blame, devoted all her energy to them, a 5.7kReads7.9Score740Shelves
26. 126 坏 The Bad Girl Is Soft and Sensual, and She’s an Expert at Taming Stubborn Men 坏女人身娇体酥，专治嘴硬 A Little Sweetness in Her Dimples梨涡有点甜甜Ancient Romance543k WordsCompleted 5.9kReads8.9Score448Shelves

    Reader note

    📚 This novel kept me up all night! I recently discovered a super good one, the plot is so gripping I couldn't put it down.

27. 127 王 Don't Mess with the Princess Consort: She's Only Missing Virtue from the Five Elements! 王妃不能惹，她五行只缺德！ Jian Yu简钰Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [Faithful Couple + Flirting Up a Storm + Goofball Comedy + Sweet and Satisfying Romance] Mu Yunshu transmigrates straight into a nightmare on her wedding night: she's caught in bed with another man, and her groom is the ruthless, unhinged Prince Rong Jiusi, a war god! Help! With his knife pressed to her throat, she begs for her life: “Your Highness, I’m an excellent doctor, beautiful, gentle, considerate, and understanding! Sparing my life is all gain and no loss!” He asks, “You’re gentle and co 61.9kReads9.3Score7.5kShelves
28. 128 谢 The Xie Family's Older Spinster Becomes Empress 谢家的大龄剩女做皇后了 The Dream Wanderer回梦人Ancient Romance1.6M WordsCompleted The short-drama adaptation You Pretend to Be a Playboy, I Pretend to Be Blind: Let's See Who Can Keep It Up has surpassed 2 billion views. Watch it on Hongguo Short Drama! [Female-oriented story, male readers proceed with caution] The Sixth Prince doesn't want to fight for the throne, so he decides to live as a wastrel. To make everyone believe him, he even deliberately marries a blind woman and proclaims it far and wide: “A blind woman can't be empress, so don't worry. I have no designs on the 36.3kReads8.9Score5kShelves

    Reader note

    You can check out these two books; they're both very well written.

29. 129 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 41.3kReads9.5Score5.5kShelves
30. 130 锦 The Art of Splendor: The Prince's Beloved 锦绣天工：王爷的心尖宠 Let Me Give You a Grape请你吃个葡萄Ancient Romance318k WordsOngoing Modern engineer Lu Qingci transmigrates into the past and becomes an ancient-era concubine-born daughter, forced to marry Xie Wuwang, the infamous Prince Ding. She plans to stick to their marriage contract and enjoy a life of luxury and leisure, but her knowledge and skills far ahead of their time repeatedly draw her into court intrigue and border wars. From spouses bound by a contract and wary of each other, they become partners who admire one another, and ultimately soulmates willing to face l —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Come and check this out!

31. 131 神 The Reborn Fortune-Telling Princess Saves Her Whole Family 神算王妃重生后，救全家 Qing Xueyang卿雪阳Ancient Romance530k WordsCompleted (Devoted couple, 1v1 + palace and household intrigue + rebirth and revenge + golden finger) Song Ziqing is the legitimate daughter of the Marquis Zhongyong’s household. Because of her unusual constitution, she was sent to cultivate in the mountains. In her previous life, Song Ziqing fell in love with the Fifth Prince, Li Che. She used her cultivation to help him seize the throne, but ended up causing the deaths of her father and brothers, as well as Crown Prince Li Feng, who loved her. She herse 21Reads8.5Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist is reborn to seek revenge, engaging in a battle with a cheat-like advantage.

32. 132 惊 Startled Cup 惊盏 Year of the Red Hare赤兔年Ancient Romance1.6M WordsCompleted Su Jingzhan, the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister in the Great Yin dynasty, trusted her half-sister Su Lingwei and the Third Prince, Zhao Heng, in her previous life. They stole the military tally and framed her for colluding with the enemy, leaving her to die in a sea of flames. As the fire consumed her, she swore through tears of blood that if she ever lived again, her enemies would pay for their crimes. When she opened her eyes, she had been reborn on the day she fell into the water a 7Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I recommend palace intrigue novels.

33. 133 重 The Reborn Legitimate Daughter: Crushing My Trash Ex and His Skanky Sister with Medicine and Martial Arts 重生嫡女：医武炸翻渣男贱妹 Year of the Red Hare赤兔年Ancient Romance2.2M WordsCompleted The moment her younger sister poisons her and her fiancé gouges out her eyes, Su Yao thinks she’s as good as dead. When she opens her eyes again, she’s back three days before her engagement to that scumbag! This time, she returns with a modern medical bible and ancient martial arts manuals. She tears into her scheming sister and kicks her hypocritical fiancé to the curb. No one will ever bully her again! Her sister pretends to be weak to win sympathy? Su Yao exposes the poisoned needle hidden in 6Reads—Score—Shelves
34. 134 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 50.6kReads9.7Score7.4kShelves

    Reader note

    You can take a look at the willows by the palace wall.

35. 135 弃 The Abandoned Daughter Is Fierce: The Scheming Poison Doctor Only Wants to Get Ahead! 弃女好凶：腹黑毒医只求上进！ Bright Blue灿蓝Ancient Romance518k WordsCompleted [No romance + a little System + transmigrate into a book + poison and medicine + genius scholar + female supporting character awakens] Only after Song Yin dies does she learn that she's merely a tool of a supporting character in a book. She has to endure a painful childhood and inhuman experiences, possess extraordinary talent, and be utterly alone and desireless, all so she can become the heroine's all-purpose companion and shine for her. She has to cure the male lead, pave the way for the h 21.9kReads9.4Score2.8kShelves
36. 136 春 Spring Banquet 春日宴 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance664k WordsCompleted She kept male favorites and toyed with powerful ministers! For eight years, the arrogant and tyrannical Princess Danyang, Li Huaiyu, wreaked havoc across the court and country. She died on the day the new emperor ascended the throne, bleeding from every orifice in a truly gruesome death. The officials celebrated and the people rejoiced: Evil gets what it deserves! Good riddance! Yet on the seventh day after her death, Princess Danyang returned to life in the body of the Bai family’s Fourth Mis 13.6kReads9.4Score2.3kShelves
37. 137 不 No More Slacking: The Prince’s Favorite Concubine’s Daily Grind 不当咸鱼，王府宠妾的内卷日常 Four Crescent Moons四弯月Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + cutthroat household competition + no slacking off + ambitious heroine] Shen Wei, a die-hard rat-race fanatic, transmigrated into the lowest-ranking maid in a prince’s manor. Prince Yan held a position of great prestige, but all his wives and concubines had given up trying. The princess consort, born to a prestigious family, was as aloof as a chrysanthemum. The secondary consort wanted lifelong monogamy. The reborn woman had lost all hope in Prince Yan and was content to lie fla 67.4kReads9.4Score8.7kShelves

    Reader note

    These five books are good; they're all about palace intrigue.

38. 138 入 I Entered the Palace to Help My Sister Keep the Emperor’s Favor, but Became His Cherished Favorite 入宫替嫡姐固宠，却成皇上掌心宠 Hot Hot烫烫Ancient Romance504k WordsCompleted In her previous life, she entered the palace and devoted herself to helping her legitimate elder sister keep the emperor’s favor. In the end, she died without a body to bury, abandoned by her family. Returning to the year of the imperial selection, Luo Shuran calculates her every move. Her breathtaking beauty is her only weapon. She sheds her youthful timidity and blossoms into a woman of captivating charm. One fleeting glimpse, like a fairy fallen from the heavens, catches the emperor’s eye. 6.1kReads9.3Score839Shelves
39. 139 我 I’m Fighting for Favor in the Palace, and You’re Watching the Show??? 我在宫斗，你在看戏？？？ Dreams on the Mountain山上有梦Ancient Romance492k WordsCompleted A no-holds-barred harem showdown. Got the guts to join? ^_^ [Pure palace intrigue + characters who aren't dumbed down + clear-headed heroine + no pointless self-torment + cheerful and lighthearted] After Qiu Ju dies, she transmigrates to the Qianyuan Dynasty and becomes a low-ranking palace maid. Because she doesn't want to get up at three in the morning to work, she decides to seduce the emperor... Her modest goal: become a consort who has to get up no earlier than five in the morning... 5.4kReads9.0Score492Shelves

    Reader note

    Attention all palace intrigue novel addicts! This pure palace intrigue book list is absolutely irresistible! Seeing this "pure palace intrigue book request" list instantly reignited my palace intrigue passion! There's no fluff here— *Zhaohua's Chaos* follows a villainous palace intrigue storyline, a ruthless character's rise to power that's been followed by over 100,000 readers; *The Empress is Both Tea and Charming* perfectly captures the essence of "tea-style palace intrigue," a smooth and satisfying journey to becoming a Noble Consort; even the absurd premise of *The Tyrant's One-on-One Palace Intrigue Tutor* is included! A mad emperor becomes a palace intrigue mentor, the sweet and ruthless contrast is irresistible! From "a deposed concubine's counterattack" to "sweet and romantic palace intrigue," from "ensemble drama and domestic intrigue" to "mad emperor's exclusive favor," it's all pure, solid palace intrigue content, without a single bit of filler. Palace intrigue lovers, go for it! Anyone else with a similar palace intrigue fantasies? Share your favorite hidden gems in the comments!

40. 140 爱 My Consort, Don't Die Yet. I'll Handle the Harem Rivalry for You! 爱妃先别死，朕替你宫斗！ Falling Flowers at Leisure闲落花Ancient Romance122k WordsOngoing [1v1, both pure, happy ending, ultra-sweet romance, satisfying revenge] A scheming young emperor × a pampered consort who throws caution to the wind Su Wanning transmigrates into the harem as a nobody, and wants nothing more than to die quickly and return to the modern world. So she embarks on a spree of self-destructive antics: jumping into a lake, taking poison, insulting the consorts, and even trying to assassinate the emperor! Yet the cold, calculating Emperor Yan Jueming always manages to 2Reads—Score—Shelves
41. 141 暴 The Tyrant Gives Me One-on-One Lessons in Palace Infighting 暴君一对一辅导我宫斗 Konghua空花Ancient Romance252k WordsCompleted Everyone says the newly enthroned emperor of the Dayan kingdom is a cruel and brutal tyrant. Song Yin, a transmigrator, thinks that tyrants are supposed to be the type who love beauties more than their kingdoms. So why does this one spend every day plotting how to kill his own concubines? Tyrant: “The women in my harem love power, not me. Keep your head down if you want to survive.” Song Yin: “Understood!” Later Tyrant: “A consort who doesn’t want to be empress isn’t a good consort.” Song Yin: “ 268Reads8.9Score—Shelves
42. 142 别 Enough Palace Scheming! The Emperor Personally Secured His Favorite Consort's Promotion 别宫斗了，宠妃被皇上保送了 Ze Yu则钰Ancient Romance261k WordsOngoing (Devoted couple, sweet romance, the hero pursues his wife, and the heroine is slow to warm up and easygoing. Includes a palace intrigue System, and she will turn dark later. Palace intrigue is part of the story, so leave now if you can't handle it.) On the day of the imperial selection, Su Shunning awakened a palace intrigue System. The System said that the Emperor had taken over a thousand consorts in his life. Whether they were charming young women, stunning courtesans, or aloof wives of off 33Reads8.2Score—Shelves
43. 143 大 When the Big Yellow Girl Unleashes Her Power, the Tyrant Plucks the Stars 大黄丫头一发力，暴君就把星子摘 Lu Ningmeng鹿柠濛Ancient Romance826k WordsCompleted Mad Queen vs. a Big, Brash Maid + Mind Reading + Shared Sensations + Laugh-Out-Loud Comedy + Both Leads Are Chaste Wang Xiaohua transmigrates into the body of a palace maid who officially does not exist. All she wants is to charm a strong, sturdy young guard and sneak out of the palace to live a quiet, comfortable life. Instead, she wins the palace's bedchamber-service contest and becomes the woman closest to the tyrant. [Prince Sheng should be coming to kill the tyrant soon, right?] Prince Shen 1kReads8.1Score170Shelves
44. 144 娘 The Empress Is Exquisitely Charming: Winning the Palace Battles and Raising a Child to Become Empress 娘娘千娇百媚，宫斗养崽坐后位 Take Your Pikachu Away抱走你的皮卡丘Ancient Romance486k WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Pure Palace Intrigue + Raising a Child + Clear-Headed Heroine + Focused on Her Career + Light Ensemble Cast] Xie Zhao transmigrates to the state of Beiqi, a country that has never existed in recorded history. When she learns she is to take part in the selection two years later, she begins diligently practicing all kinds of skills. After successfully being selected, her goal is to safely give birth to a prince, raise him into an outstanding crown prince, put him on the throne, a 377Reads7.3Score—Shelves
45. 145 宠 Being a Favorite Consort Means You Have to Hustle! 宠妃这职业，得卷！ Ran Qiqi冉七柒Ancient Romance897k WordsCompleted Consort Zhen has fallen out of favor in the palace. In the depths of the imperial palace, an emperor's favor is as fleeting as flowing water. Since the current emperor ascended the throne more than a decade ago, beautiful women have come and gone from his harem. Consort Zhen, Ming Wu, seemed to be no more than another fleeting shadow among them. Perhaps the only thing that set her apart was her elder sister, who held a high position. That connection had once been her greatest support, but in her 1.1kReads7.3Score106Shelves
46. 146 娘 The Empress Only Wants a Promotion, but the Dark Emperor Is Obsessed with Her 娘娘只想升职，阴湿帝王疯狂觊觎 Dawn Is Breaking露将熹Ancient Romance303k WordsCompleted Ever since the emperor ascended the throne, he has had no children. Wen Jiayi was forced into the palace when her aunt, the empress dowager, threatened her with her younger sister’s marriage. Her aunt wanted her to seduce the emperor and give birth to his eldest son as soon as possible. Wen Jiayi appeared to obey, but inwardly she sneered. Being meek and obedient would not save her sister. She had not come to the palace just to be someone else’s pawn. The emperor? She would seduce him. Power and 14Reads—Score—Shelves
47. 147 入 After Entering the Palace, She Becomes His Majesty’s One True Love 入宫后她是陛下的白月光 Yu Jiuzhao御九昭Ancient Romance463k WordsCompleted [Pure Palace Intrigue] [No Saintly Heroine] [The Heroine Schemes Against the Entire Harem] [Political Machinations] [Clear-Headed Careerist] Originally titled "The Empress's Daily Life of Palace Intrigue," retitled "A Consort's Guide to Palace Intrigue" * Shen Yiwan, the illegitimate daughter of the Shen family, became pregnant after entering the palace and was made Virtuous Consort. Somehow, she let her good sense fly out the window and made the decision she would regret most in her life. She s 758Reads8.6Score100Shelves
48. 148 替 After Taking Her Sister's Place in the Palace to Win Favor, She Turns Out to Be the Emperor's Beloved 替姐入宫争宠后，竟是帝王白月光 Jie Chong解虫Ancient Romance694k WordsCompleted (A short drama adaptation with the same title is now available) [A timid, cowardly little beauty who only wants to keep her head down VS a ruthless, solitary emperor who indulges the heroine without limit] [Palace intrigue, love at first sight, a gradual romance, doted on from the start, the hero is completely devoted to her] Song Wu was the illegitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue in the Great Yan Dynasty. From birth, she was branded as an ill omen and sent away from the capital. When s 21.3kReads8.5Score2.5kShelves
49. 149 撕 Tear Apart the Harem! Win Favor! She's a Lunatic, Who Dares Cross Her? 撕后宫！得恩宠！她是疯批谁敢惹 Cats Are Extra Sweet猫猫特别甜Ancient Romance683k WordsCompleted [Palace Intrigue Only + Concubine-born Daughter + Reborn + Revenge + Everyone Is Evil + Wish-Fulfillment] [The story begins before the heroine enters the palace] [The emperor favors no one at first, and the heroine doesn’t fall in love] Jiang Shiying had died once. She died in childbirth, after her own elder sister had her killed to keep the baby. Reborn, she had made up her mind: she would enter the palace and get revenge, but she wouldn’t suffer! Not her stepmother or her elder sister, not eve 7.3kReads9.3Score958Shelves
50. 150 好 The Fertile Palace Maid and the Damp, Mad Emperor: Spoiled to Death 好孕宫女与阴湿疯批皇帝，宠死了 Hongyu's Smile鸿钰一笑Ancient Romance216k WordsCompleted Clear-headed palace maid and beauty? A deranged, scheming emperor [One true pairing / sweet romance / palace intrigue] Shen Yan is a modern woman who transmigrated into another world. Her occupation: palace maid. Her goal: earn enough silver to leave the palace early and support her top-scholar husband. Shen Yan entered the palace as a maid at eight. For ten years, she kept her head down and tread carefully. At last, she got the chance to leave early: she helped the Empress Dowager clear the mid 246Reads—Score—Shelves

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