Political Intrigue, Romance, and Historical Setting, Without Palace Rivalries 权谋+爱情+古言无宫斗

1. 1 窃 The Book of Stolen Lives 窃命书 Heavy Snow in May五月下大雪Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The short drama adaptation of this book, A Book of Ashes and Joy, premieres at 12:15 a.m. on February 13. If you're interested, keep an eye out! [Regains control after being possessed | Not a wish-fulfillment story | Plot-driven | Light ensemble cast] Lin Ruochu, the legitimate daughter of a general's family, was possessed during her coming-of-age ceremony at fifteen. The transmigrated woman, sold off by a System, used every means to “win over” the young heir of a marquis's estate. She turned e 37.6kReads9.4Score5.7kShelves

   Reader note

   Recommendation 🦆 ① After three years of possession, she went from a privileged noblewoman to a lowly concubine in a marquis's mansion. Upon waking, she returns with hatred! Intrigues lurk in the court, and murderous plots simmer within the marquis's mansion. Lin Ruochu uses her wisdom as a weapon to unravel the maze of greed, anger, and delusion, and to gather a female alliance, only to be relentlessly pursued by a mysterious male protagonist. "I will avenge you; I will protect your life to the end." On the path of power struggles, he is both the most ruthless ally and the truest lover.

2. 2 缠 Entwined Pearl 缠明珠 Ren Huanyou任欢游Ancient Romance565k WordsCompleted [A seemingly sweet-faced, emotionally detached woman vs. a gloomy, love-starved, clingy human flytrap] Shen Yuanzhu, who loves money more than life itself, gives the only bit of sincerity she has to Xie Xuchuan, only for him to turn around and have a child with someone else. He says, “Yuanzhu, you can raise the child. He can have the family fortune. I’ll make it up to you in other ways.” Shen Yuanzhu thinks he’s lost his mind. Their marriage contract, bound by mutual interests, can’t be dissolve 41.9kReads8.5Score5.2kShelves
3. 3 太 The Crown Princess Is a Pig Farmer? Yet She Has Many Children and Much Good Fortune 太子妃是养猪女？可她多子又多福 Lemon Soda, Less Sugar Please柠檬汽水少加糖Ancient Romance514k WordsCompleted [Marriage first, love later + both leads have only ever been with each other + irreverent palace scheming + spatial dimension + everyday life + healing + nation-building] Song Zhiyi transmigrated from the apocalypse and was doing just fine raising pigs with her spiritual spring space. Who could have guessed that an imperial decree of marriage would turn her into the crown princess? Song Zhiyi: ?? She'd heard the crown prince was on the verge of death, and that emperors throughout the dynasties h 15.5kReads8.4Score2.3kShelves

   Reader note

   The first one fits your requirements quite well; the Crown Prince only has one wife, and she's constantly navigating the power struggles and intrigues of the court. The second one is also quite good; it doesn't have any palace intrigue yet, but it has fewer chapters, so it's best to let it linger for a while, or if you prefer following a series.

4. 4 糟 Oh No! Stop, Crown Prince, Don’t Unmask My Secret Identity! 糟糕！不要了，太子要和我扒马甲 Kang Pipi康皮皮Ancient Romance115k WordsOngoing [No transmigration, no rebirth + devoted couple + sweet romance + satisfying revenge + scumbags get what they deserve] That year, Mu Wanjun was not yet fifteen. Bound by the verbal marriage arrangement her grandfather had made, she married into the Marquis of Yongchang’s household to bring good fortune to a sick man. She used her family’s inherited medical skills to cure the heir, Xiao Yuancheng. Soon after Xiao returned to the border, he took a wife and had a child there, then wrote home to —Reads—Score—Shelves
5. 5 攀 Marrying Up 攀高枝 Egrets in Pairs白鹭成双Ancient Romance424k WordsCompleted [Film and TV rights sold] [Print edition published] Zhang Zhixu had everything from birth. A family with a century of prestige, enviable talent, and a career that kept rising step by step. But he found life terribly dull. Then, one day, an accident struck, and his soul entered a woman's body. A woman who couldn't read a single character, yet dreamed of marrying into a powerful family and becoming a phoenix. · Chen Baoxiang had traveled a thousand miles from the countryside to the capital, hoping 163.8kReads9.6Score22.8kShelves

   Reader note

   The male lead even has a mouth now 😂

6. 6 缚 Bound by Spring 缚春情 Ren Huanyou任欢游Ancient Romance603k WordsCompleted [The print edition is available on the homepage; film and television rights have been sold] The Jiang and Song families have been close for generations, and Song Wan was betrothed to Jiang Xingjian before she was even born. They grew up together, but she was confined to the inner quarters, where everything she learned was meant to prepare her to become a Jiang family wife. The young man was dashing and ambitious. Before he had even turned twenty, he went off to the frontier to make his name. Bef 92kReads9.6Score12.3kShelves
7. 7 让 They Wanted Me to Be a Sacrificial Stepmother, but I Chose to Make My Own Way 让我当炮灰主母，我偏另谋高枝 Ji Yun霁妘Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Historical Romance / Household Intrigue / Sweet Romance / The Male Lead Is Head Over Heels] In Ruyi's Beloved Concubine, the heir apparent Xie Yunzhix is a brave and formidable warrior, always dashing across the battlefield in fine clothes, with no one able to stand against him. Sadly, he is only a supporting character. The story opens with him in a vegetative state, leaving behind three adopted sons. Xu Qingyi discovers that she has become the foil to the beloved heroine of a sweet romance. On 139.3kReads9.4Score20.5kShelves
8. 8 穿 Reborn as the Empress Dowager, I Just Want to Take It Easy 穿成太后只想咸鱼 Fei Xi妃玺Ancient Romance2.4M WordsCompleted “Pay attention: this is a story with a strong female lead, no male lead, and no romance.” After transmigrating, she became the most exalted woman in Yun Zhao. She thought she could live a carefree life of wealth and luxury, but danger closed in from every side, with pitfalls everywhere. It was not just her reputation at stake, but her life. The emperor dreams of ruling in his own right? Here, take the imperial seal. Go play by yourself, kid! The consorts are fighting for power in the palace? Tos 15.3kReads9.2Score1.7kShelves
9. 9 重 Reborn, I Become My Arch-Enemy's Living Widow Sister-in-Law 重生后，我成了死敌的活寡嫂子 Two Times Four Means Prosperity二四得发Ancient Romance517k WordsCompleted [Both leads are reborn + sister-in-law and brother-in-law + an aloof beauty brought down from her pedestal + emotional push and pull + winning her heart and her body + devoted couple] The Eastern Palace has no crown prince, and the princes are locked in a fierce struggle for the throne. Ning Miao and Yan Mobai are the top strategists of their generation, each serving a different master. They cross paths over a map of iron mines and kill each other. Only after her death does Ning Miao learn tha 39.2kReads9.4Score5.8kShelves
10. 10 恶 The Wicked Supporting Lady Is Doomed to Live as a Widow? Brother-in-Law, I’m Scared 恶毒女配守活寡？夫兄，人家好怕 Ye Buhong叶不鸿Ancient Romance558k WordsCompleted [Elder Brother Steals Younger Brother’s Wife + Deliberate Seduction] (Black-hearted scheming villainess ✖️ abstinent, cold-hearted junior tutor) In her previous life, Pei Jingxu remained a widow for three years for her husband, Rong Xuanzhou, who had died in battle. But then he returned to the capital with Bai Shutong, the widow of his comrade-in-arms, and her two children. The Rong family elders said nothing, only urging Pei to be virtuous and magnanimous. The widow was peerlessly beautiful. No 110.5kReads9.3Score19kShelves
11. 11 三 Three Souls as the Betrothal Gift, Seven Spirits as the Wedding Present 三魂为聘，七魄为礼 All Out肆意满Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Everyone has three hun and seven po souls. Yin Wenjiu has only one hun and one po: an unidentified resentful soul and an unidentified life soul. Both exist to keep her body alive. But she only cares about enjoying the moment. She tells fortunes with perfect accuracy and charges the highest price! She won’t go out of her way to stay alive, nor will she actively seek death. She waited at Yunmeng Marsh for five years. If someone came to save her, she would go with them; if no one did, she would dig 24.4kReads9.3Score3.5kShelves

    Reader note

    These two books are somewhat similar, which is quite interesting.

12. 12 谢 The Xie Family's Short-Lived Son Has Lived to a Hundred 谢家的短命鬼长命百岁了 Yi Ran怡然Ancient Romance2.0M WordsCompleted [Screen adaptation rights sold] The lid of a dead person's coffin won't lie flat because they had an unresolved longing in life. Given time, that longing turns into a demonic obsession, and unless it is resolved, their descendants will suffer. Yan Sanhe's job is to release the dead from their obsessions. One day, she gets hounded by Third Master Xie, who claims to have one. Yan Sanhe says she doesn't deal with the living. Third Master Xie replies, “Everyone says I won't live long. Just think of 125.4kReads9.6Score17kShelves
13. 13 科 Imperial Exam Triumph: The Strongest Female Grand Secretary 科举逆袭：最强女首辅 Dressed in Splendor宝妆成Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted After finally becoming the first female heir in her family, she opens her eyes and finds herself back before the revolution. Her father is dead from the start, leaving her with a frail mother and three beautiful older sisters. She is the only son who can carry on the Cheng family line... Cheng Qing looks down at her slightly developed chest, wondering what on earth went wrong. Surrounded by scheming wolves, Cheng Qing, now with a new soul in her body, sets herself two small goals: First, keep pr 8.5kReads9.5Score1.3kShelves

    Reader note

    These are all incredibly good historical romance novels with political intrigue; they're not mindless wish-fulfillment stories, and the female leads are all very intelligent.

14. 14 她 She Just Wants to Lie Low, but They Keep Forcing Her to Rebel 她想咸鱼躺，非逼她造反 Warfires Stain All烽火尽染Ancient Romance1.8M WordsCompleted [Screen adaptation rights sold] Lu Songli transmigrated into a book and became the cannon-fodder first wife of Xie Zhan, the male lead of The Powerful Minister's Beautiful Young Second Wife. In the book, her friend Zhao Yutan, who returned in glory from a place of exile, would steal her husband. The two of them carried on behind her back while she was gravely ill, and their affair literally angered her to death. Lu Songli was about to roll up her sleeves and tear into the cheating scumbag and 107.4kReads9.5Score12.4kShelves
15. 15 惹 Offending the Imperial Daughter 惹金枝 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted (Film and television rights have been sold. The physical book will be available for preorder on July 10 at 19:00.) Shi Buyu was born smiling. At that moment, lightning flashed and thunder roared, collapsing a row of outbuildings in the Shi family compound. Days of torrential rain brought devastating floods and countless victims. Rumors soon spread through the capital that she was a disaster star sent into the world. But she was as precocious as a demon, with a photographic memory, and learned bo 257.8kReads9.7Score30.2kShelves
16. 16 宠 He Spoiled His Concubine and Neglected His Wife. Reborn, I Broke Off My Engagement to the Scumbag and Married the Prince 宠妾灭妻，重生我退婚渣男嫁王爷 Zhi Zhi之知Ancient Romance640k WordsCompleted The physical book is available on all major platforms. Formerly titled Riding the Phoenix. [Reborn + Powerful Female Lead and Male Lead + Nation and World + Political Schemes] Before the age of seventeen, Shen Yu was the legitimate daughter of a military family who could wield a blade and charge into battle. After seventeen, she became the frail wife of Jiang Manor's Vice Minister Jiang. Her father and brothers died in battle, and the entire Shen family was honored for their loyalty. Bearing 88.8kReads9.5Score12.2kShelves
17. 17 青 The Scent of Childhood Sweethearts: The Heir Has Been Plotting This for Ages 青梅嗅：世子他蓄谋已久 Jie Ximo杰西莫Ancient Romance372k WordsCompleted [Childhood sweethearts + young married couple + long-planned pursuit + mutual devotion and favoritism] [Brash, straightforward commandery princess × scheming, jealous heir to a noble title] The Princess Royal’s residence and the Prince of Zhenbei’s estate are separated by just one wall. From the moment Jiang Changning was born, Xie Yan gained a nemesis in this world. Whenever the two met, they could argue so loudly they’d bring down the rafters. Then one day, Jiang Changning was betrothed b 20.8kReads9.1Score2.3kShelves
18. 18 与 Together with Hua Yan'er 与婳燕尔 Shi Munan十木南Ancient Romance334k WordsCompleted (The print edition is now available. Search the platform for A Pair of Swallows to purchase.) [Pure historical romance, not reborn + Marriage Before Love + One-Sided Salvation + Cherishing and Doting + Emotional Push and Pull] (Completed. Original title: A Pair of Swallows) [Sweet Romance, Both Leads Untainted: Gentle, Clever Noblewoman VS Dark, Ill-Tempered Prince] A marriage decree forced Yun Hua, the fourth daughter of the Yun family, to marry the Seventh Prince, Si Heng. The imperial edict c 25.8kReads9.3Score3.7kShelves
19. 19 细EN A Slender Waist, a Hidden Beauty 细腰藏娇 Pikachu Out of Power没电皮卡丘Ancient Romance472k WordsCompleted [Historical romance + marriage before love + devoted couple HE + sweet romance + children later on + both leads speak their minds] Su Luoqian was the daughter of the richest family in the Great Jin Dynasty, cherished by her parents from the day she was born. She was lively and clever, bright and openhearted. But after a natural disaster exposed the Su family’s wealth, their prominence attracted envy and greed. Surrounded by wolves, Su Luoqian gritted her teeth and accepted the emperor’s arranged 27.2kReads9.3Score3.1kShelves
20. 20 笨 The Silly Beauty Is Timid Yet Spoiled, and the Love-Crazed Emperor Dotes on Her Every Day 笨蛋美人怂且娇，病娇皇上日日宠 Yan Yuanyuan言圆圆Ancient Romance388k WordsCompleted [Animated series now streaming] [Obsessive love + exclusive devotion + both leads inexperienced + nurturing romance + mutual salvation] [Wildly imaginative, not a purely historical romance] Yan Ruoruo’s brain was damaged by a high fever when she was little. Sometimes clever and sometimes dim-witted, she was always coming out with cutting one-liners that could kill a person on the spot. By a twist of fate, she saved an obsessive, tyrannical emperor. From then on, he doted on her endlessly. The on 8.1kReads9.0Score710Shelves
21. 21 嫁 After Marrying the Minister of Justice, I’m Completely Won Over 嫁给大理寺卿后我真香 Lucky Charm福气包Ancient Romance246k WordsCompleted A lantern that binds fates led her to stake her whole life on love. In five years of marriage, he never once stayed overnight in her courtyard, earning her a cruel reputation as a barren woman. Pei Ran, whom she had loved all her life, even took a second wife on the very day her illness became terminal, because she had borne him no children. On their wedding day, he had clearly promised that he would have only one wife in this life. So who was this woman now bearing the title of wife...? When s 3.2kReads8.9Score281Shelves
22. 22 大EN The Tang Dynasty's Pearl-Dispelling Record (Original Novel of the TV Adaptation Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong) 大唐辟珠记（田曦薇、宋威龙主演同名影视原著） Meal Card饭卡Martial Arts810k WordsCompleted [All-New Bonus Edition] [A Screen Adaptation with the Same Title Has Been Officially Announced, Starring Tian Xiwei and Song Weilong] [Beloved Princess Reborn: Looks Like a Delicate Crybaby, Actually a Well-Rounded Warrior] ✖ [Defiant, Doomed, Devoted, Pure-Hearted Top Jianghu Big Shot] [Their Romance Is So Sweet It Makes You Cry] Princess Wanshou, blessed with the Tang emperor's favor and love, died of an illness at just seventeen. A thief secretly opened the eerie underground palace, only to d 203.8kReads9.7Score25.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Hehe, I knew there was a reason why Tomato invited me to answer.

23. 23 惜 Cherishing Flowers 惜花芷 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance1.5M WordsCompleted [The original novel behind the TV adaptation starring Hu Yitian and Zhang Jingyi] After keeping her talents hidden for fifteen years, Hua Zhi thought she could spend her life as a proper aristocratic young lady, living in peace. But when the Hua family’s fortunes collapse, she has no choice but to reveal her sharp edge and hold the storm-tossed household together. Being out in public becomes the norm, and so does galloping through the streets. When all else fails, she even carries a coffin on he 18.6kReads9.6Score4.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Historical romance + political intrigue, all very good!!!

24. 24 何 Why Not Sail Together 何不同舟渡 Xian Yuke羡鱼珂Ancient Romance483k WordsCompleted "The print edition under the same title is available to buy online" [No golden finger, no transmigration, no rebirth. A pure historical romance about family and country, with high-IQ espionage and political intrigue] [A double agent undercover + a petty thief who grows: a lone wolf plays a game of raising a rabbit, gives her fangs, then insists they run away together] In a chaotic age, she is a thief worth less than a blade of grass, willing to do whatever it takes to stay alive. She steals ten 142kReads9.7Score108kShelves
25. 25 逢 The Lantern-Bearing Chronicles 逢灯纪 Kong Liu空留Ancient Romance982k WordsCompleted (Signed for publication, with screen adaptation rights sold) You're the daughter of a marquis. You want to take your mother's dowry and remains with you? Done. I'll take the dowry and remains, and bring you your mother's divorce papers as well as your own severance papers cutting ties with your family. You were declared dead and became an invisible person behind your brothers. You want to live like a normal person again? Done. I'll restore your name and identity, and make sure you receive the en 87kReads9.3Score12.7kShelves
26. 26 玄 After Cutting Ties with Her Family, the Metaphysics Master Gets Tied to the Great Emperor of Fengdu 玄学大佬断亲后，和酆都大帝锁了 The Short-Tempered Houhou脾气暴躁的吼吼Modern Romance635k WordsCompleted A paranormal story about catching ghosts + romance + a repentant male lead chasing the heroine. Male lead: Feng Jin. Female lead: Shen Yuepo. On a rainy, thundery day in the imperial capital, Shen Yuepo draws down heavenly lightning with her sword and lands on the trending page. Along the way, she “fishes” a handsome man, covered in blood, out of a dry well. Before she can figure out who this powerful man is, the wealthy Shen family of the imperial capital comes looking for her. It turns out s 22kReads9.2Score3.4kShelves

    Reader note

    I personally found these novels by the same author to be excellent and highly recommend them to everyone!

27. 27 佛 Prayer Beads Suppress a Hundred Ghosts, and the Cursed Star Finds Peace in His Remaining Years 佛珠镇百鬼，煞星渡余生 The Short-Tempered Houhou脾气暴躁的吼吼Ancient Romance654k WordsCompleted Everyone in Changling City knew that the eldest daughter of the Minister of Rites was born under an ill-fated star. She was sent to Nanchan Temple at birth and raised there for eighteen years. At the temple, they didn't pray to Buddha. They taught her how to catch ghosts and draw talismans. At first, her family still came to visit. Later, even her mother forgot to tell her about the birth of her youngest daughter. The young nobleman betrothed to her since childhood also turned around and asked 46.4kReads9.1Score6.4kShelves
28. 28 惊 What?! The Innocent Young Heir Was Sent as a Bride, and the Prince Tempted Him Day and Night 惊！清澈世子和亲，王爷日夜诱引 Pure Love Has No Answer纯爱无解Two Male Leads589k WordsCompleted Full audio version available. Complete. [Male-male romance + beloved by all + devoted to each other + marriage first, love later + political intrigue] [Bright, lively, straightforward bottom × older, powerful, fatherly top] Zhaonan opened his eyes and found himself transmigrated into a noble heir sent by an enemy kingdom to die in a political marriage. By day, he read books and amused himself with birds, carefree and happy. At night, he boldly invited the prince to share his bed, utterly at ease 24.6kReads9.4Score2.9kShelves

    Reader note

    👍👍👍

29. 29 惹 Why Mess With Her? She's His Majesty's Beloved and His First Wife 惹她干嘛，她是陛下白月光兼发妻 Amidst Misty Rain on the Terrace楼台烟雨中Ancient Romance452k WordsCompleted [A calculating, possessive emperor × a sweet, gentle beauty | devoted to one another | mutual healing | growing-up romance | two hopeless romantics falling for each other~] Jiang Yingli has spent four years as Prince Su’s concubine. Xiao Chenglan, Prince Su, has little interest in women, and she is the only concubine in his household, so her life is peaceful and carefree. She thinks things will stay that way, but then Prince Su ascends the throne. Overnight, she rises from a lowly concubine of P 56.1kReads8.9Score6.5kShelves

    Reader note

    The male lead helps the female lead in palace intrigue.

30. 30 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 21.4kReads8.5Score2.5kShelves
31. 31 新 Ransacked on My Wedding Night, I Slaughtered My Way Through Exile 新婚夜抄家，流放路上我嘎嘎乱杀 Just in Time for Spring正逢春Ancient Romance634k WordsCompleted The heir of the Xie Duke’s household is getting married. His bride is unknown to the public, just a merchant’s daughter. Everyone in the capital envies her. She’s so lucky! But on their wedding night, the Xie Duke’s household is confiscated and its members exiled, while the heir is left crippled. Everyone in the capital sighs. That woman is so unlucky! Many years later, Hua Yingxue returns to the capital with a son and a daughter. Her parents-in-law cherish her, and her younger brothers- and sis 1.3kReads7.4Score103Shelves

    Reader note

    It's an ancient Chinese romance novel, specifically a story about exile. It features a powerful prince and a female protagonist who is exiled into a chaotic world. The female protagonist is incredibly strong and protective of her family, safeguarding the male protagonist's family during their exile. She also possesses superb medical skills. Most importantly, the male protagonist adores the female protagonist, making it a very sweet story.

32. 32 脱 Unbridled 脱缰 Meizi Went Blind梅子瞎了Two Male Leads349k WordsCompleted [Dual Male Leads] [Fake Death Story] [Manga Adaptation and Publishing Rights Signed; Print Edition Now Available] In Qi Zhen's eyes, Lin Shouyan is a silly little colt who has broken free of his reins, utterly sincere and devoted to him with all his heart. Qi Zhen falls for him quickly. But in Lin Shouyan's eyes, Qi Zhen is a fool playing the part Lin Shouyan made up for him, dragged down from his lofty pedestal and forced to teach himself, while Lin Shouyan has to personally teach his wife all 43.9kReads9.6Score6.2kShelves

    Reader note

    Yes, yes, we're that authoritative when we're off the hook.

33. 33 你 You Want to Marry Someone Else, So I Ran Away to Make Room. Why Are You Chasing Me? 你要娶别人，我逃跑让位你追什么 Jiaojiao皎皎Ancient Romance419k WordsCompleted (A clear-eyed beauty who loves money and handsome men X a cold, ruthless regent with a hidden dark side) *Both leads are inexperienced; sweet romance After transmigrating to ancient times, Jiang Yu takes a fancy to a handsome tutor and flirts her way into making him her husband. He is refined and noble, gentle and considerate, the sort of good husband everyone envies and praises. Jiang Yu wholeheartedly agrees. One night, after an intimate encounter, Jiang Yu wakes to find her husband gone. She 15.3kReads8.2Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    The female protagonist thought her husband was just an ordinary schoolteacher. Who would have thought that one dark and windy night in a bamboo forest, she would witness him strangling an assassin with his bare hands? She would also learn that he was actually the powerful regent and had a "fiancée," whom she assumed was returning to the capital to take her as a concubine. Adhering to the worldview of a transmigrator, the female protagonist ran away first. On her wedding night with the ordinary man she had found, the male protagonist lifted her veil… Haha, were you captivated by my writing? It's a short story of less than 40 words, the main text is complete, it's all a misunderstanding, no palace intrigue, just a sweet little story 😘

34. 34 病 The Ailing Princess Consort Is the Mastermind Behind the Throne 病弱王妃她是幕后权谋帝师 Bao Chi宝赤Ancient Romance510k WordsCompleted Playing the Fool to Catch the Tiger + Two Strong, Devoted Leads + Political Intrigue + Happy Ending Lin Baoxi, the “frail” legitimate daughter of the Minister of Revenue’s household, wheezes after every three steps and seems like a peace-loving, pitiable medicine addict. She looks like a lazy fish who can’t be bothered to move, but inside she is terrifyingly calculating. She lives by the motto, “I save my kindness for those who are kind to me,” and whenever she strikes, she goes for the kill. He 145Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I'm currently following these three books.

35. 35 纨 The Pampered Life of a Spoiled Commandery Princess 纨绔郡主得宠日常 Zhao Pian赵骗Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Signed for publication. The print edition is expected to be available by the end of the year. No! This! Is! Not! A! Romance! No CP! No rebirth, no transmigration, a thoroughly evil heroine, a power-struggle story A truly wicked heroine, vying for power over the realm, genuinely unhinged, ruthless, and rotten to the core Questions that come up while reading can only be answered by reading on. The willful, overbearing young princess of the Prince of Zhenbei’s household takes a fancy to Pei Jinnian 49.7kReads9.4Score6.3kShelves
36. 36 摄 The Regent's Uncle's Little One Is Begging for Affection Again 摄政王皇叔家的崽崽又撒娇了 Ye Buhong叶不鸿Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Complete] In her previous life, Murujin devoted herself to the crown prince, only to have her position as empress taken away, her military seal confiscated, and a cup of poisoned wine sent to kill her in the Cold Palace. Three years later, Murujin is reborn. She swears to overthrow the emperor and plunge the kingdom into chaos! Word has it that the usually aloof Prince Regent Qi Junxian now has a willful little girl by his side, one who sweetly calls him "Uncle Emperor." "Your Highness! The you 17.7kReads9.4Score2.3kShelves

    Reader note

    1. Mu Rujiu is a general who serves the nation and its people for generations, but she is also Qi Junxian's favorite drinker, so she also likes a cup of lip rouge. The Demon Queen Mu Rujiu is afraid of snakes, yet her royal uncle throws her into a snake pit (there's a reason). 2. A super-invincible doting romance novel; love it from beginning to end. 3. (Dual male leads) A lazybones' journey of revenge and success through his adopted brother. 4. (Dual male leads)

37. 37 心 His Beloved Frowns, and the Heir Apparent Rushes to Comfort Her 心尖宠她一皱眉，世子夫君追着哄 Shi Yiyuan十一源Ancient Romance321k WordsCompleted [One-on-One Romance, Both Pure, Sweet Romance, Childhood Sweethearts] Print edition of Jin Shi Jin Yu signed, and the comic adaptation is now online. Yuan Rongjin was the daughter of a general, but when she was young, her stepmother framed her and sent her away from the capital! Everyone thought she would suffer terribly out in the world and live a miserable life. But no one expected that during the ten years she spent away from the capital, Yuan Rongjin never looked the least bit down and out. 30.1kReads9.1Score2.2kShelves
38. 38 哥 Big Brother, I Don't Want to Move 哥哥，我不想动 Lazy Good-for-Nothing废物懒人Two Male Leads1.0M WordsCompleted Two male leads + both pure and devoted + intoxicatingly sweet romance + doting affection + lighthearted A totally unhinged, obsessively doting top × a spoiled, laid-back bottom who can’t handle even the slightest hardship Shen Mulie transmigrated into the villainous cannon fodder of the most popular wuxia novel. The cannon fodder was the best strategist, the strongest martial artist, and the most handsome man. His popularity became so great that the plot forced him to die. Shen Mulie couldn’t ca 10.7kReads9.1Score1.3kShelves
39. 39 穿 Book Transmigration: The Empress Dowager's Little Fool Fails to Escape Again 穿书：太上皇的小傻妃又逃跑失败了 Hua Lengxi花冷戏Two Male Leads589k WordsCompleted Chu Yao transmigrated into a book and became a hapless minor character with the same name as him. And his task was apparently to “save the irritable Retired Emperor and melt his heart with love.” Chu Yao couldn't understand how he was supposed to save a man who had gone to war in his teens, handed the throne to his nephew before turning thirty, had a violent temper, and had killed countless people. And the solution was to melt his heart with love? He had never been this speechless in his life 259Reads5.4Score—Shelves
40. 40 疯 The Mad Tyrant Wants to Steal Her: You’re the One Who Tempted Me First! 疯批权臣夺她，是你先勾我的！ Bright, Gentle Laughter笑语晏晏Ancient Romance429k WordsCompleted [Possessive pursuit + Untouchable beauty brought down from her pedestal + Scheming heroine + Both leads are pure] The eldest son of the Xie family was as refined as a gentle breeze beneath a clear sky, as elegant as an orchid or jade tree, and, more unusually, possessed the heart of a bodhisattva. A year ago, he had taken charge of sheltering a destitute cousin who had come to seek refuge. The rescued Wanruo was deeply grateful, and looked up to and adored her cousin. Their story of a loving bro 244.1kReads9.2Score32.2kShelves

    Reader note

    I highly recommend this drama; it's incredibly good. The male and female leads' characters perfectly fit the story, and their values are very positive. The plot is also very fast-paced. Every time the female lead gets angry, the male lead uses his own mental strategies to win her over, eventually giving in to her. The early episodes are a bit of forced love, but later, after the male and female leads realize their true feelings, it becomes very sweet.

41. 41 舔 Three and a Half Years as a Simp, Then the System Told Me I Had the Wrong Target 舔狗三年半，系统说我攻略错对象 Beauty Zhang Sanfeng美女张三疯Ancient Romance386k WordsCompleted [The physical edition of Abandon the Dark and Join Him, Volume One, is now available for purchase online] [The Second Male Lead's Redemption Arc] 1. Qiao Yin spent three years and eleven months fawning over Lu Jinzhi. Everyone in the capital knew she would marry no one but him, yet the System told her: She had pursued the wrong target. Qiao Yin: ... 2 Qiao Yin suddenly vanished from Lu Jinzhi's side. On the first day of her disappearance, Lu Jinzhi sneered: Just a little game of playing hard to 49.1kReads9.4Score6kShelves

    Reader note

    Just finished reading it. This book is definitely worth a second reading. The male lead is incredibly gentle, and his love is truly admirable. PS: The female lead's attempts to seduce the second male lead in the beginning were merely for survival; she never actually loved him.

42. 42 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

    Reader note

    They're all gorgeous!!! Highly rated, highly recommended! 🥰🥰🥰

43. 43 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 12.2kReads8.9Score1kShelves
44. 44 侯 The Marquis's Widow Raised a Household of Geniuses 侯夫人守寡，却养出满门天骄 Yu Fu余弗Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Tang Shuyi transmigrated into the Great Qian dynasty, becoming the wife of the Marquis of Yongning. She was rich, powerful, and high-status, with no parents-in-law and a dead husband: she had it better than almost anyone else who had transmigrated. Just as she was about to enjoy a comfortable life as a wealthy noblewoman, she discovered that she had transmigrated into a book, and was its biggest villain. She wasn’t just rich, powerful, and high-status. She also had three unruly children. The eld 70.6kReads9.4Score10.4kShelves
45. 45 拽 The Feisty Consort Climbs to Power Through Palace Intrigue, Everyone Else Back Off 拽妃宫斗上位，闲杂人等退退退 Pine Blossom Candy松花糖Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted The short drama is out now. Search for it on Fanqie to watch. [Palace Intrigue Power Fantasy + Not a Clean Romance + Being the Emperor’s Mother Is Better Than Being His Consort] Every woman in the harem hopes to win Emperor Jingrong’s favor, but Yuan Yuntang sees the emperor only as a tool for having children. Women in ancient times had to marry sooner or later anyway, so she might as well marry the most powerful man of all. After all, Emperor Jingrong has a great figure, a handsome face, and a 16.8kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves
46. 46 她 She Began as a Palace Nanny and Set Her Sights on the Court 她从皇宫月嫂开始，谋定朝堂 If Two Winds若两风Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [A transmigrator is like duckweed on the water. She climbs step by step, while he follows her without pause, never once stopping from beginning to end.] Jin Yubei, an office drudge, transmigrates. After falling into the water, she wakes up as a fifteen-year-old girl in Qingyun Ward, Changzhou Prefecture, Jiangnan, who shares her name. As a poor commoner struggling to make ends meet, she can’t possibly use skills that would land her in prison for life or get her head chopped off. But in this alt 1kReads8.4Score200Shelves
47. 47 十EN Ten Days to the End 十日终焉 Pest Control Team Member杀虫队队员Mystery3.2M WordsCompleted 2024 Tomato Novel Annual Peak Rankings TOP 1 | 2024 China Online Literature Influence List | 2024 China Good Novel Award | Over 2 million copies sold (No harem, no formulaic tropes, no invincibility, no System, no mindless antics, no wish fulfillment. Read with caution if these bother you.) Just when I thought it was an ordinary day, I discovered I had been captured and taken to the End. Just when I thought I could escape by continually taking part in death games, people began awakening supernat 1.7MReads9.9Score207.7kShelves
48. 48 继 The Second Empress 继后 Cai Wangwang菜汪汪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted The Noble Consort was favored, the Worthy Consort bore a son, the Bright Etiquette was the emperor’s white moonlight, and the Beautiful Consort was his cinnabar mole. Every other concubine had her own talents and charms. It was a whole garden in full bloom. So who was our protagonist? The unfavored empress, with no children and no powerful family backing. Great. Why did this plot feel so familiar? Never mind. On the first day Zhao Wumian transmigrated here, she decided to lie flat. Compete for t 81.1kReads9.5Score9.1kShelves
49. 49 夫 My Husband Is So Adorable, and I Couldn’t Be Happier 夫君如此可爱，本妃甚是欢喜 Shi Yuehuan时月欢Ancient Romance262k WordsOngoing [Transmigration into another body + sweet romance + devoted couple, all sweetness from start to finish!] Tang Qing transmigrates into another body! Xiao Yichen, the Prince of War of the Jingzhao Kingdom, is ruthless and feared for killing his own mother. Just hearing his name is enough to stop a child from crying... They say His Highness Prince Yi is merciless, cold-hearted, and uninterested in women, a living King of Hell. Is that true? Tang Qing says: "Who said that? That's all nonsense! Then 144Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    The male lead falls in love with the female lead at first sight and carefully plots his way to her heart's content. The female lead gradually falls in love with him and becomes completely smitten. The whole story is sweet and romantic with no angst and features luxury cars!

50. 50 公 The Princess Sneaks Out on the Eve of Her Wedding, and the Crown Prince Comes to Catch Her Himself 公主婚前趁夜出逃，储君亲自抓人 Wuxi巫溪Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Forceful Possession + Wife-Chasing Crematorium + Devoted Couple + Male Lead with a Black Heart Beneath His Gentle Exterior] Prince Xie Linheng was famous for having no interest in women. For years, he had never been close to a single woman. In the second year of Jian’an, the emperor fell gravely ill, and the crown prince took power. Desperate to see her mother, Yu Tingwan had no choice but to seek Xie Linheng’s help. Everyone said the crown prince was as noble and graceful as a pine tree, peerl 28.9kReads9.2Score2.7kShelves

    Reader note

    These books are good.

Other lists with The Book of Stolen Lives