Come Read This Palace-Intrigue Story! Both Leads Are Smart, and It's Not Clichéd 快来看这本男女主都智商在线不老套的宫斗文！

1. 1 岁 Spring's Joy, Year After Year 岁岁春欢 I Really Love Little Crabs超爱小螃蟹Ancient Romance669k WordsCompleted [The print edition of Years of Spring Joy is now available on all platforms] [Heroine and scumbag reborn + male lead transmigrates + mutual salvation + play the pig to eat the tiger] At seventeen, Shen Jiasui married Lu Yunzheng. The Shen and Lu families were both military dynasties, making them a formidable match. Two years into their marriage, Lu Yunzheng defeated the enemy kingdom and won renown across the land. But the Shen family was condemned for treason and executed to the last member. On 266.6kReads9.6Score31.2kShelves

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   Absolutely! I won't go into details about how good it is, you absolutely have to read it! It's seriously, seriously good! The kind of book you'd want to stay up all night reading. The male lead is a modern person who transmigrates, while the female lead and the second male lead are reborn. Not only are the main characters intelligent, but the character development is also fantastic; it's not your typical "assembly line" palace intrigue novel. There are no melodramatic plot twists or misunderstandings; everyone has a voice.

2. 2 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

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   The story begins with the male lead saying, "Listen to me, I'll guarantee you'll rise to the top." The ending echoes this sentiment with the female lead, "Listen to me, I'll guarantee you'll rise to the top." Both the male and female leads are very intelligent. This is one of the few ancient Chinese novels I'd recommend; there's no messy time-travel or reincarnation stuff, just their story.

3. 3 挖 After They Dug Out My Core, They Fell to Their Knees 挖丹后，他们跪了 Fang Ming Who Loves Corn and Old Duck Soup爱吃玉米老鸭汤的方溟Fantastical Romance334k WordsCompleted “Three years after I died, my aloof master went mad, and so did the Demon Venerable. They both wept and asked why I wouldn’t turn around and look at them. But they forgot that they were the ones who personally gave my golden core to that scheming junior sister.” Born with the Nine Yin Severed Meridians, she cultivates slowly but has an unwavering Dao heart and a proud spirit. After dying, she is reborn with her memories of her previous life awakened, and becomes calm and rational, no longer will —Reads—Score—Shelves

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   What moved me most about this book wasn't the angst or the thrill, but the "letting go." She let go of her expectations for her master, her obsession with the Demon Lord, and the hatred and resentment that had bound her for two lifetimes. It wasn't forgiveness, it was indifference. Indifference is harder than hatred. In the end, she didn't look back. Her master waited on the snowy mountain, the Demon Lord waited by the sea of clouds. She ascended to the outer heavens alone, sat on a stone platform, facing the direction where there was nothing. A hundred years later, she occasionally returned to the mortal realm, passing by the Heavenly Sword Sect and the Forgetful Pavilion. She glanced at them, then left. Shen Yichen asked her, "Are you leaving again?" She said, "Yes." She left. Without looking back. But you know, she wasn't heartless; their paths had diverged. This isn't a story of "forgiveness." It's a story of "letting go of oneself." She wasn't immune to pain; she felt pain but wouldn't stop. Read it. You won't regret it.

4. 4 梦 Dreamed I Was Poisoned to Death? The Wicked Consort Goes on a Rampage 梦到自己被毒死？恶毒贵妃杀疯了 Pour Me a Glass of Green Plum Wine来一杯青梅酒Ancient Romance555k WordsCompleted [Not a pure romance + an all-villain cast + a heroine who kills + an indulgent hero + exclusive devotion from the start] [An aloof, ruthless, pleasure-seeking autocratic emperor vs. an arrogant, domineering, viciously cunning consort] Emperor Long'an had ruled for seven years. What people talked about most was his unusual hobby: keeping all kinds of fierce beasts and wild birds. Little did they know that the creatures who caught Emperor Long'an's interest were all in the harem's fighting ring. E 20.1kReads9.2Score2.2kShelves

   Reader note

   The female lead starts as a royal concubine, and the male lead dotes on her; everyone else is a villain.

5. 5 勾 Flirting with the Grand Tutor: Strangers in Public, Like Spouses in Private 勾太傅，人前不熟人后如做了夫妻 I Am No Good Person吾非良人Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Main story complete (award-winning entry in the Fifth Online Literature Contest) While the top-ranking scholar husband slept soundly, Song Lian clung to the immaculate and upright Grand Tutor of the court, sobbing, "Please, save me..." What had she done wrong? She just didn't want to die. The family rules were merciless, the Grand Princess would suffer no rivals, and her husband wanted to become the princess's consort. Song Lian had only one way out: hang herself. So she summoned her courage and 140.3kReads9.2Score20.3kShelves

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   This is great! It's about Grand Tutor Lu Jiulang, and there's even an AI-powered animated series. The adoptive father is incredibly handsome, and Jiulang is just amazing! It's the first time I've seen a male lead learn midwifery and personally deliver his wife's baby. If you're not into the beginning, start from chapter 120—it's a fast-paced, addictive read! The author put a lot of effort into it; even the minor characters have their own missions. It's a great ensemble piece with individual characters, very realistic. We girls should strive to be better and better! 🥰

6. 6 掌 Palm Bait: A Record of Taming the Pampered One 掌心饵，驯娇记 Seventeen Sounds of Life十七声生Ancient Romance998k WordsCompleted [Gloomy eunuch ✖️ a palace maid who grows over time] Behind the deep palace walls, two broken souls become entangled and find a way to keep living amid the gray shadows of imperial power struggles. "Though the moss flower is tiny as a grain of rice, it still blooms like a peony." We may live humbly, hidden from the light, but we still live. A somewhat realistic story, not a wish-fulfillment novel. If you enjoy its subtle, tense atmosphere, step inside. 212.6kReads9.5Score38.5kShelves

   Reader note

   Trust me!

7. 7 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

   Reader note

   If you're talking about palace intrigue novels, I'd recommend this one. Actually, I don't read many palace intrigue novels because I find the scheming and backstabbing too unpleasant to watch. But I finished this one, and the author's writing is quite smooth and the plot is tight. I think the female lead is intelligent and resourceful, not the pampered wife type some reviews mentioned. Most importantly, it's not angsty. The biggest reason I don't read palace intrigue novels is because most of them are too angsty.

8. 8 椒 The Pepper Palace Receives the Emperor's Favor 椒殿承宠 Not Two Picture 2不二图2Ancient Romance335k WordsCompleted The rating is low because it was just released. [Mad Emperor & adorable darling] Devoted to each other, with nothing but indulgent sweetness After being born into this world, Shen Tinghe opens her eyes to find herself amid the most dazzling splendor in the Great Zhao Dynasty. Her grandfather is the only prince of a different surname. Her maternal grandmother is a Grand Princess, a heroine who is every bit as formidable as a man and helped the late emperor conquer the realm. Her maternal grandfat 78.7kReads9.0Score8.9kShelves
9. 9 表 My Cousin Is Utterly Wicked 表哥他正得发邪 Irritable123暴躁123Ancient Romance165k WordsCompleted Yun Zhaoyao was born into a prominent Yangzhou family, but misfortune soon brought them to ruin. With her dying breath, her mother clutched her hand. “Go to the capital and seek refuge with your aunt. Beg her to find you a good match.” Shen Linyan was a Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, gentle as jade and upright as the moon. Her aunt warned her early on, “Your cousin is engaged to a young lady from the Lu family. Since you’re living under someone else’s roof, the most important thi 3.5kReads6.1Score344Shelves
10. 10 枕 When Spring Rests on the Pillow 枕春时 White Crane Grass白鹤草Ancient Romance586k WordsCompleted Li Zhichun came from a humble family. She was lucky enough to marry into the powerful Wei family and become engaged to their eldest son. She heard that Wei Nancheng had landed a job in Shuntian Prefecture, where he showed no mercy when executing criminals. He was known as the Jade-faced Yama. Li Zhichun was timid and had no grand ambitions. She didn't dare reach for Wei Nancheng and only wanted to marry into the Wei family as the second son, Wei Xinian's wife! The second young master Wei was a s 19.1kReads8.6Score2.4kShelves
11. 11 山 The Storm Is Gathering 山雨欲来风满楼 Autumn Tea in the Evening Rain暮雨秋茗Ancient Romance476k WordsOngoing Eighteen years ago, the renowned General An's Manor in Beiqi was destroyed in a massive conspiracy. At the time, An Feng was a newborn, barely a month old, born in the military camp. She was saved by the old man Dongbi and escaped disaster. From then on, An Feng and her grandfather depended on each other. An Feng underwent the brutal training of Solitary Life Island and emerged a changed person. By day, she remains the young lady of General An's Manor. By night, she becomes the “Red Arrow Shadow 4Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This is a good one; both the male and female leads are strong, and the story involves marriage before love develops.

12. 12 带 Taking My Rental House to Ancient Times to Become an Imperial Consort 带着租房去古代当贵妃 Master Meow, the Showerhead Hole-Poker花洒扎孔喵师傅Ancient Romance320k WordsCompleted (Palace intrigue + evolving pocket-space golden finger + satisfying power fantasy + quick kills + alternate universe) Xu Zhiyi, the ultimate wage slave, scrimped and saved until she had enough for a down payment. On the very day she bought her house, a flower vase fell from the sky and killed her. She raised her middle finger and cursed heaven for its injustice, only to realize she'd spoken too soon. When she opened her eyes again, she had become Xu Daya, a poor little girl from Xu Family Vil 769Reads7.3Score104Shelves

    Reader note

    This is pretty good; it's a short story that you can finish in a day. The female lead is a time traveler, and she goes on a rampage, killing everything in her path. I really enjoy reading these kinds of palace intrigue stories—the kind where she gets to kill everything without feeling stifled! 🤭🤭🤭🤭

13. 13 被 Kicked Out, the Wet Nurse Rises to the Top in the Duke's Household 被扫地出门，奶娘入公府成人上人 Spring in My Sleeve袖里春Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + raising children + household intrigue + dog training + soapy wish fulfillment + a harem rivalry battlefield + adored by many male leads + heroine with her own career] After her husband’s seventh-day memorial, the village woman Liu Wenying is driven out by her in-laws. Just then, Liu Wenying from the modern era transmigrates into her body. With her hungry child in tow, she enters a duke’s estate as a wet nurse. From attending to the madam of the house to feeding the young master 7.7kReads8.6Score1.8kShelves

    Reader note

    Don't be fooled by the book cover; it's a hidden gem! The female protagonist transmigrates, has no system, and single-handedly raises her child and achieves a remarkable comeback! The plot is excellent; highly recommended!

14. 14 夫 My Husband Dotes on His Mistress? I Leave the Manor and Marry the Villain 夫君独宠外室？我转身出府嫁反派 Jin Shu金姝Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Short Drama: The Mistake of Yun Ge] In her previous life, Xie Jinyun married into the Yongning Marquis household holding a memorial tablet, becoming a bride to a dead man. She honored her mother-in-law, managed the household, respected her elders, cared for the young, and kept the crumbling estate afloat. Then, at her mother-in-law’s behest, she adopted an heir, poured the Xie family’s power and wealth into him, and helped him rise to become a powerful court official. Little did she know it was 4.3kReads9.1Score904Shelves
15. 15 摄 The Regent Took Me Home. Bury My Two-Faced Birth Father 摄政王捡我回家，白眼狼亲爹埋了吧 The Moon's Devotion夕月倾心Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted After her mother dies, Manman’s biological father and uncles not only want to dig up her mother’s grave, but also try to kill her. Just then, the Regent, a man so terrifying that his name strikes fear into people’s hearts and can stop children from crying at night, takes her home. She thought having food and a roof over her head would be more than enough, but soon the entire Prince Regent’s household is spoiling her rotten. The Regent, her father: Anyone who dares bully you, hit them back! Even 5.2kReads8.4Score536Shelves
16. 16 娘 Mom, Open Up! I Married Off My Real Dad! 娘亲，开门！我把亲爹嫁出去啦 Half Peach, Clear Dream半桃清梦Ancient Romance302k WordsCompleted [Feel-Good Romance + Violent Three-and-a-Half-Year-Old Cutie + Reconciliation System + Pocket Dimension + Daily Life + Wife-Chasing Hell] Su Tang, a lowlife from the slums of the interstellar world, suddenly becomes a three-and-a-half-year-old toddler in a marquis's household. The “Official Couple Update System” she is bound to orders her to manipulate her own mother and preserve her deadbeat father's marriage. So... Mother: Your father has been so busy lately. He's never around! Su Tang: You sh 745Reads8.2Score100Shelves
17. 17 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

    Reader note

    Without further ado, this book is worth reading!

18. 18 生 Have a Child! Get a Raise! Become Empress Dowager! 生子！加薪！当太后！ Wangshu and Xihe望舒共羲和Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted [Transmigration + Palace Intrigue + A Heroine Who Treats the Concubine Harem as a Career and Becomes Empress Dowager + Support-Only System + Lighthearted Daily Life] One day, Xunzhen transmigrates into the body of a concubine-in-waiting and is utterly apprehensive. The harem is a place where those with low status have no say over their lives, while those with high status become targets for everyone. So she can only set herself one goal: climb to the rank of consort and at least make it into midd 14.1kReads8.7Score875Shelves

    Reader note

    This one is quite good too. The female lead doesn't fall for the emperor's advances and remains very clear-headed. The emperor is also politically astute and doesn't become a tyrant for the sake of the female lead. The harem is also generally peaceful. It's a very good book.

19. 19 重 Reborn: The Vicious Supporting Female Character Strikes Back 重生之恶毒女配反杀中 Pillow Book, Forget Su枕书忘苏Ancient Romance120k WordsCompleted In her previous life, Shen Qiqi gave her heart to the wrong man and became a vicious cannon-fodder character in the story. The crown prince and her hypocritical half-sister schemed against her together, leaving her family ruined and herself to die with hatred in her heart. Reborn at the age of fifteen, she tears off her gentle disguise and becomes a proud, ruthless daughter of a great clan. She has no interest in competing for the crown prince's favor and no patience for upholding society's good 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    I think this book is quite good. She thought she was reborn, but in reality, it was just a dream woven for her by the eldest princess. The only real thing is that Xie Heng truly overthrew the imperial power for her and married a dead man.

20. 20 栖 Bough of the Phoenix Perch 栖凰枝 Lu Shiqi鹿时七Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted [Short drama now available. Search "A Sigh for Youth". Starring Mi Qi and Wang Kang] Also known as "I'm a Psychology PhD, and I'll Slaughter My Way Through the Palace" Palace intrigue + sweet romance + not both leads' first relationship + heroine focused on her career On her first day after transmigrating into the harem, Jiang Xinyue fell out of favor. Everyone said she was nothing but a pretty face, a vase. On her second day after transmigrating into the harem, Jiang Xinyue regained the emperor 36.9kReads9.4Score4.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Palace intrigue | Time travel | Sweet romance | The female lead is focused on her career | From a noblewoman to an imperial concubine

21. 21 双 Two Beauties Reborn: The Twin Stars of the Capital Are Here to Play! 双姝重生，玩的就是京城双子星！ Chef God Usachi厨神乌萨奇Ancient Romance775k WordsCompleted [Devoted to One Another + Ensemble Cast] The two daughters of the Shi family were the daughters of a loyal official in their previous lives. They kept a low profile and endured in silence, yet because their father refused to take sides, a prince framed them, bringing the entire family to ruin! Reborn in a blaze of vengeance, the sisters return with boundless hatred. They put away their kindness and become alluring, venomous schemers! The elder sister, Shi Yun, has a bewitching soul beneath her c 72.9kReads9.0Score44.2kShelves

    Reader note

    They're all beautiful, very beautiful, and very interesting.

22. 22 闺 Best Friends Transmigrate Together, and the Villainous Male Lead Spoils Them Rotten 闺蜜双穿，被反派男主宠上天 Little A Nuan小阿暖Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted Best friends transmigrate into a book + absurd comedy + guaranteed laughs + powerful rivals + reversed mind-reading + a strong team-up + everyday banter + transmigrating into a book and fighting to survive + satisfying comeback OMG! My best friend and I transmigrated into a book, and we started out at a sacrificial burial! What do we do? Don't panic! Find someone powerful to cling to! One each! No one's getting left behind! My best friend, the top student, clung to the Governor of the Eastern De 1.8kReads7.2Score229Shelves
23. 23 我 I'm the Author, So Why Can't I Be the One He Longs For? 我是作者，怎么不能当白月光？ Yu Xiao虞笑Ancient Romance373k WordsCompleted (Political intrigue + no romance) This is the path to death she wrote herself, so she is also the only one who can save them. Yu Nian studies medicine and urges others to do the same. She is the kind of medical student who’ll be struck by lightning for it. Under the stress of preparing for graduate school exams, she writes a novel to unwind. The male lead suffers, the female lead suffers, the villain suffers, and the whole cast gets a tragic ending. By the finale, the readers are bawling their e 1.4kReads8.8Score225Shelves
24. 24 攀 Ascending to the Dragon's Heights 攀龍 Kaji Yellow Peach咔叽黄桃Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted A flirtatious widow with a child ✖️ a reserved warlord who becomes the founding emperor [Complete] Lou Mizhi was born a woman who never learned to accept her lot in life. If she wanted something, she took it by her own merit, even if she had to snatch it away. Her first husband was short-lived and ill-fated, and his family wanted to burn her and her child to ashes? Bah! As if I’d let you! She hid her savings and took her child away from her late husband’s family. With no one to protect them in t 40.1kReads9.4Score5.7kShelves

    Reader note

    Read this carefully! In this turbulent era romance novel featuring a favored concubine, both the male and female leads are intelligent and ambitious, and they understand each other's ambitions. Both are impure, and I'm very satisfied with the part that the female lead has a child with her ex-husband. It's truly captivating. The female lead was already involved in politics even when she was a favored concubine.

25. 25 野 Wild and Free Little Orchid: The Coldhearted Prince Falls for Her First 野浪小兰花，冷情王爷他先动心了 The Madam Smiled夫人笑了Ancient Romance499k WordsCompleted [Cool, aloof hero who falls hard and falls first; both leads are virgins; transmigration; pocket dimension; no strong female lead, no palace intrigue] The doomsday war goddess Lu Jiuwan died on the first day the light returned... 1 The quiet, graceful, seductive Princess Consort who killed without blinking woke up one day with a completely different personality. Princess Consort: Want to do it? Cold-hearted Prince: Insolence! A moment later, the cold-hearted Prince was in disarray... 2 With her 37.8kReads9.3Score5.3kShelves

    Reader note

    Funny and witty, the male lead is very clingy to the female lead.

26. 26 穿 Transmigrate to a Matriarchal World? Failed to Lie Flat, Became a Workaholic 穿越女尊？躺平失败成卷王 The Lone Seedling on Demon Mountain魔山的独苗苗Ancient Romance664k WordsCompleted On the first day after she transmigrates, Yan Mingxi becomes the least favored Ninth Princess of Great Yan. The good news: this is a matriarchal society, and she’s still a princess. The bad news: she’s out of favor and about to be forced into marriage!!! What kind of arranged-match system is this? Why does it feel so much like a KPI?! Before she can even curse this world, an imperial edict lands: she has a husband. She wants to lie flat, but ends up getting kidnapped. She wants to make money, bu 937Reads8.0Score102Shelves

    Reader note

    Good, I recommend it to book lovers who are experiencing a reading slump.

27. 27 疯 The Unhinged Ninth Princess Is So Freaking Awesome 疯批九公主她超牛牛牛牛牛牛哇塞 Sugar Bean Is So Sweet糖豆很甜Ancient Romance1.2M WordsCompleted [Complete novel] [One heroine, multiple devoted male leads / all male leads are devoted to her / romantic rivalry / the second male lead fails to win her back / punishing scoundrels and face-slapping / taming men / the heroine is a villainess who never seeks redemption] Wei Sangyu transmigrates into a book and becomes the ninth princess, a cannon-fodder character who doesn't even survive the first chapter? She's ambitious and capable. Why should she sit back and do nothing? She'll defy fate, ris 11kReads8.8Score2.2kShelves
28. 28 大 She Burned His Beloved Concubine on Their Wedding Night, and the Mad Prince Came Back to Life 大婚夜给他烧美妾疯批王爷气活了 Until Daybreak行至天光Ancient Romance348k WordsCompleted Also known as: The Hilarious, Satisfying Princess Consort Who Doesn’t Get Sentimental, She Just Slaps People (The heroine is unhinged, the hero is crazy + chaos + hilarious comedy + bickering couple + both are virgins + married first, fall in love later + sweet romance + he chases her) Orphaned young, Liu Jinghong was tormented and beaten by her stepmother for years. Then her scumbag father offered her up to the royal family as a sacrificial bride, hoping her marriage would bring good fortune. O 6.6kReads8.2Score784Shelves
29. 29 穿 Book Transmigration: My Lord, Your Wife Is Finding You Another Concubine Again 穿书：侯爷，夫人又给你纳妾了 Your Lordship Smiles by the Rail倚栏君笑Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Transmigrate into a book + palace and household intrigue + a reborn son + satisfying wish fulfillment + a life spent lying flat After winning the family inheritance battle by a landslide, Lin Yanran was so delighted that she took up an extreme sport and fell to her death. By sheer luck, she transmigrated into a novel she'd read, becoming the legal wife who died of depression after the male lead kept a mistress. Naturally, the female lead was that very mistress who had successfully moved into the 52.1kReads8.8Score4kShelves

    Reader note

    The first book is great and highly recommended. The original male lead is the female lead's husband. The concubine system is similar to novels where the male lead often repays a life-saving debt with his body. He's intelligent and quite funny later on. The female lead's son is the current male lead—an all-around amazing character! 👍🏻 The second and fourth male leads are both emperors. The female lead is remarried; the second female lead is the reincarnation of a pomegranate, hence the many children. The plot is decent. The third book features a female lead who travels back in time to ancient China for ten years; her behavior is sometimes ancient-style. Warning: This book may contain some pitfalls.

30. 30 榴 Pomegranate Flames in Her Eyes, She Rules the World! 榴火照眼，君临天下！ Sui Xi随兮Ancient Romance508k WordsCompleted [Palace intrigue + lucky pregnancies and childbirth + neither lead is chaste + second marriage + regent empress dowager] Lin Xi once had a husband who cherished her. In their first year of marriage, she gave birth to twins. Everyone called her blessed. But life is unpredictable. Her husband's family plotted against them, her husband died, and Lin Xi was left alone to struggle with four children. Lin Xi planned to raise the four children on her own, but her husband's family schemed to seize the 6.6kReads7.7Score984Shelves
31. 31 高 The Highborn Second Wife 高门继室 The Only One唯一Ancient Romance1.1M WordsCompleted Jiang Guanguan has lived in this unfamiliar ancient world for nearly ten years. Then, one day, her half-sister is reborn! Being reborn would be bad enough, but she immediately tries to steal Jiang Guanguan’s fiancé, claiming she’s doing it so her sister can enjoy a better life! Fine, just fine! You want to be the good ones every time, is that it? You can have that useless fiancé, but you expect her to become a concubine? Dream on! After an unexpected mishap, Jiang Guanguan somehow becomes the fi 3.8kReads6.4Score342Shelves
32. 32 无 Cast Out for Having No Heir, She Remarries the Emperor Who Could Have No Children and Bears Two in Three Years 无子被休，改嫁绝嗣皇帝三年抱俩 He Bu Shi何不识Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted Childbirth + remarrying + face-slapping her ex-husband + an old flame rekindled + devoted husband Zhuang Yanhua became the laughingstock of the entire capital. In the five years since she married into the Duke of Weiguo's household, she had never conceived. But just two months after Wei Tingyu's cousin moved into the residence, she became pregnant with his child. Her sole condition for giving birth was to be made his equal wife. Otherwise, the Wei family would have no heirs. When Zhuang Yanhua r 19.8kReads8.2Score3kShelves
33. 33 顾 Gu Wangxi 顾望昔 Yu Xinxin9于心心9Ancient Romance300k WordsCompleted Gu Wangxi was just over thirteen. Thirteen years later, she returned, only to have Gu Chengjue use their betrothal to destroy her country and family, forcing her to wander the world. At last, the old scores of love and hatred would be settled. Thirteen years on, she had carefully laid the groundwork for a death trap, luring him into it so she could reclaim everything that should have been hers. The contest of open calculations and hidden schemes was about to begin. A strong female lead story. Lo 9Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    You absolutely must watch this! 👀

34. 34 缺 A Thousand Schemes from a Good-for-Nothing Husband 缺德夫君的千层套路 Two and a Half Feet of Steel青锋两尺半Ancient Romance1.4M WordsOngoing [Possessive pursuit, palace and household intrigue, love at first sight, a model husband, one-on-one pairing with both leads virgins, sweet romance and protective devotion, mutual taming] A world-class beauty who's given up on everything VS an imperial noble who believes he alone reigns supreme P.S. The rating is low because the book just opened, but it'll gradually go up! Warnings: The male lead is 22 from the start. He has a wife and concubines in public, and the female lead is initially a sec 16.1kReads7.4Score1.6kShelves
35. 35 芙 The Hibiscus Canopy: The Crown Prince’s Childhood Sweetheart Wins Big 芙蓉帐：东宫青梅赢麻了 Ming Family Charcoal Fire明家炭火Ancient Romance448k WordsCompleted [Both Leads Are Inexperienced + Sweet Romance + Palace Intrigue + He Eventually Dotes on Her Alone] Xiao Wanyu had spent more than a decade living with carefree arrogance. Then she refused a marriage proposal and injured the young lord of the Duke of Wei’s household, who had coveted her family’s wealth. She was thrown into prison. To protect her maternal family’s immense fortune and save her own life, she agreed to become a concubine in the Eastern Palace, seeking the Crown Prince’s protection 2.1kReads7.6Score172Shelves
36. 36 断 The Prince Is a Woman, but the Villain Mistakenly Helped Her Take the Throne 断袖王爷是女的，反派误捧上帝位 Beneath the Flowers and Moon花月之下Ancient Romance1.4M WordsOngoing [A female special forces soldier transmigrates into a prince known for being gay. She starts by raiding an execution ground and forcibly binds the reborn chief strategist.] Two formidable leads reborn + transmigration + political intrigue + woman disguised as a man | An electric, logic-driven power fantasy full of mind games Fu Changyan, the chief strategist reborn, stakes everything on the most absurd choice, the notorious “gay prince” Ning Wang, hoping to change his family's doomed fate of exe 28.4kReads9.0Score3.2kShelves
37. 37 星 A Fallen Star, a Perilous Path: The Legitimate Daughter's Scheme 星落危途嫡女谋断 Remnant Snow on the Inkstone砚上残雪Ancient Romance321k WordsCompleted A modern forensic doctor transmigrates into the body of a useless legitimate daughter of the Chancellor's household. The moment she opens her eyes, she is caught in a deadly poisoning plot. A blade is concealed in the inner residence, corpses hide in the back courtyard, and her aunt and half-sister plot against her at every turn. She sheds her spoiled ways and uses her forensic skills to detect poisons and solve cases, then relies on her sharp mind to tear her enemies apart, rising from an aband 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Recommended 👍👍👍 Not a mindless wish-fulfillment story; the male and female leads are both intelligent.

38. 38 落 When the Pear Blossoms Fall and the Moon Sets in the West 落尽梨花月又西 Wei Wei娓娓Ancient Romance181k WordsCompleted Three years ago, Jing Yun and Ming An were once married. But Ming An not only persecuted her whole family and had them exiled to Ningguta, he also divorced Jing Yun while she was pregnant. Afterward, with Ying Dong's help, Jing Yun returned to the capital, but she had no choice but to keep running into the very Ming An who had once hurt her. Wounded feelings and undercurrents of affection make the relationship between the three of them incredibly complicated. 1Reads7.8Score—Shelves
39. 39 重 Reborn, We Find Our Way to Each Other: Grand Tutor, Please Advise 重生双向奔赴：太傅大人请指教 Mo Jinling墨锦铃Ancient Romance190k WordsCompleted Reborn, Su Jin is bound to a useless System, only to discover that Pei Heng, the Grand Tutor who died fighting at her side in her previous life, has also been reborn. He began laying plans six months in advance, while she carefully works to outmaneuver him. One wields power over the court, the other is a master schemer. Together, they take on her stepmother, bring down powerful ministers, expose a palace coup, and pacify the frontier, navigating every step through blades and bloodshed. After par —Reads—Score—Shelves
40. 40 哦 Oh, So I’m the Villainous Supporting Concubine 哦，我原来是恶毒妖妃女配 Cloud Rabbit云兔子Ancient Romance423k WordsCompleted [Gorgeous, cunning, doting consort; reborn, dark and brooding tyrant; healing romance; both leads are virgins] In his previous life, Emperor Xie Heng trapped himself in the rigid rules of a sage and enlightened ruler, striving to be a noble and virtuous emperor. Yet he was abandoned by everyone, lost his throne, and was poisoned, leaving him crippled. At his most wretched, the only person who stayed by his side was the wicked, domineering enchantress the civil and military officials called a dem 54.2kReads9.0Score6.8kShelves
41. 41 青 The Green Worm's Immortal Cultivation Journal 青虫修仙记 Mo Jinling墨锦铃Ancient Romance433k WordsCompleted From the start, I was a little worm, and I’ll live forever as long as I don’t die! I, Qing Luo, transmigrated into the cultivation world as a tiny green worm. My golden finger is a gossip System. Chew spirit herbs, pop pills, swallow heavenly tribulations... Everything can become gossip. I just wanted to lie flat, but somehow I picked up a disciple who was being hunted, and a ruined temple became the focus of the Three Realms. Then one day, a big shot came knocking. Only then did I realize, in a —Reads—Score—Shelves
42. 42 说 We Agreed to Be a Couple, but the Mad Eunuch Is Serious About It 说好对食，疯批假太监他玩真的 Eryue Lan二月澜Ancient Romance511k WordsOngoing [Dark historical romance + unhinged prison governor + a contractual companion-wife arrangement + a heart-corrupting, myriad-poison Gu technique + clear-eyed revenge + coercive possession] “Born in Medicine King Valley, your blood exists to save your elder sister!” Ten years of being drained of blood in service to her sister earned her nothing but a place in a mass grave for the living. Jiang Nanzhi did not want to die. So, on a night of torrential rain, covered in blood, she climbed into the car 230Reads—Score109Shelves
43. 43 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

    This is amazing! I just finished watching it a while ago. There wasn't much palace intrigue, but the female lead was incredibly smart! The male lead was also very intelligent and understood her perfectly. The plot took a whole new turn later on, with everything interconnected and each character having their own distinct personality.

44. 44 喂 After Feeding Her a Contraceptive, the Mad Prince Turns Gray Overnight 喂她避子药后，疯批王爷一夜白头 Hai Dongqingdy海东青dyAncient Romance608k WordsCompleted The physical edition of Zhaohua’s Farewell is available on Taobao and Pinduoduo. [Male and Female Leads Both Reborn] [Face-Slapping] [Rekindled Romance] [One-on-One] [Traditional Household Intrigue] [Devoted Husband] [Reborn] [Satisfying Read] A comic adaptation and short drama of the same name are now available. Shen Ning, the legitimate daughter of the General’s Residence, learned only on the brink of death that the elder sister she had trusted all her life was an impostor. Her elder sister se 56.6kReads8.6Score7.9kShelves

    Reader note

    It's so good, I'm going to watch it three times!

45. 45 七 The Otherworldly Flower Across Seven Lives 七生七世彼岸花 Old Lady Who Loves Lamb Skewers爱吃羊肉串的老太婆Modern Romance320k WordsOngoing I am a Red Spider Lily, also known as Manjusaka. I grow by the banks of the Yellow Springs, with no hope of becoming an immortal or a god. That is, until one day, the Great Emperor of Fengdu, with nothing better to do, dug me up and planted me in a flowerpot on his desk. He watered me diligently every day and even read scriptures to me. At last, I gained a mind of my own. That was when I discovered that the lofty Great Emperor of Fengdu could be so long-winded in private. I love the sound of his 2Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This one is good too, I'll give it a thumbs up!

46. 46 替 After Taking My Sister’s Place in the Palace, I Made the Emperor Admit Defeat 替姐入宫后，皇帝认栽了 Ying Zai Who Loves Malatang爱吃麻辣拌的莹崽Ancient Romance81k WordsCompleted In her previous life, my elder sister, Shen Zhiwei, entered the palace as a consort. She schemed and plotted, only to end up with a cup of poison and a lonely death in a cold cellar. And I, Shen Yuwei, her younger sister, was forced to take her place in a political marriage, only to be tortured to death by a spoiled playboy. When I opened my eyes again, I had returned to seven days before the selection. My sister begged me through tears, “Yuwei, that place devours people.” I held her hand and la —Reads—Score—Shelves
47. 47 福 Fortune Baby Arrives! Raising Three Brothers into Big Shots 福宝降世！将三个哥哥养成大佬 Han Gu寒姑Ancient Romance1.4M WordsCompleted Also known as: The Lucky Star Has Arrived! The Imperial Family Sends Eight Thousand Shadow Guards to Compete for Her [Devoted romance + adorable child + everyone’s favorite + lucky star + medicine + spirit spring] The former dynasty’s emperor sent the Shen family to the foot of Wolong Mountain to guard the legendary dragon vein. Three generations passed, and the Shen family went a century without a daughter. According to prophecy, if the Shen family ever had a girl, she would be born with the de 3.3kReads9.3Score551Shelves
48. 48 天 A Lucky Baby Fell from the Sky, Bringing Prosperity and Wealth to My Family in the Famine Years 天降锦鲤宝宝，我在荒年旺家添财 Fair Weather and Rain姽婳晴雨Ancient Romance692k WordsCompleted [Beloved by All, Lucky Charm, Adorable Baby, Food, Farming, Spatial Dimension, Female Doctor] She once saved tens of thousands of lives and was a legend in medicine. Then she transmigrates! Worse, she transmigrates into a hungry little baby in a poor mountain village during a famine! No need to panic: the baby is blessed with luck and has maxed-out medical skills. Her mother is frail and has no milk? Their spatial dimension comes with food. The family is out of food and can’t hold on? The vegeta 2.1kReads9.1Score255Shelves
49. 49 重 Reborn on My Wedding Night, the Sickly Prince Regent Warms My Feet 重生新婚夜，病娇摄政王给我暖脚 Nanhuang南凰Ancient Romance1.7M WordsCompleted [Reborn + sweet romance + obsessive love + mutual devotion + secret identities, one couple] Nan Xi, the legitimate daughter of the prime minister, was a fool in her past life. She fell for a treacherous scumbag who was handsome on the outside but full of sinister schemes within, and ended up abandoned by everyone, dying miserably at the hands of him and his mistress. Given a second life, she gets her brains back! Looking at the powerful, handsome regent by her side, she cannot help questioning h 10.8kReads9.1Score3.8kShelves
50. 50 公 The Princess Is Fierce and Beautiful, and Her Shadow Guard Keeps Crossing the Line 公主暴戾绝色，影卫日日以下犯上 Nanhuang南凰Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Strong heroine + Feel-good power fantasy + Yandere + Devoted loyalist] Fate played a cruel trick: the most powerful imperial princess on the Jiuzhou Continent was reborn in the body of a lovesick little princess from Western Qi. The moment she awoke, the world was shaken. A scumbag points at her and curses? She orders coldly, “Drag him out and give him fifty more lashes!” The overlord of the business world is her subordinate, the most revered emperor in Jiuzhou is her older brother, the mighty 16.8kReads9.4Score2.7kShelves

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