True History, With Characters Who Face Many Hardships 真实历史，人物命运多舛

1. 1 江 Life Afloat on the Riverbank 江岸浮生 Snake Eats People蛇吃人Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Contemporary realism + period chronicle + rural ensemble cast + women’s struggles] Spanning half a century of rural China, this book tells the story of three generations of women on the Jianghan Plain. Caught in the tides of history and the shackles of their families of origin, each struggles against fate in her own way and faces her inner demons, ultimately learning to live for herself. (I’m only here to tell the story as it is. I won’t give the characters perfect personalities. I’ll portray h 485Reads8.5Score108Shelves

   Reader note

   Add a bookshelf! All true stories! Excellent writing style

2. 2 四 Siheyuan: The Making of a Cultured Hooligan 四合院：做一个有素养的流氓 If I Become the Azure Emperor One Day他日我若为青帝Male-Channel Fanfiction7.2M WordsOngoing Lin Shaowen got drunk at a class reunion. After sleeping and waking up, he inexplicably arrived in the world of Love in the Courtyard, becoming Lin Shaowen, an outstanding graduate of Beijing College of Chinese Medicine. He had just graduated from university and now faced a choice: should he become a promising full-time doctor at Union Hospital, or an obscure factory doctor at a steel mill? Without a second thought, Lin Shaowen chose to become a factory doctor. There was no helping it. Sending a 245kReads8.5Score14.1kShelves

   Reader note

   A work that is definitely not enough to be read once

3. 3 关 Guanju: In This Life, Only You 关雎之此生唯你 A Longevity Flower一朵长寿花Ancient Romance395k WordsCompleted Hailanzhu was unquestionably the most favored consort in the Qing imperial palace. Hong Taiji was an undisputed great ruler of his age. Their passionate, tragic love shone through the pages of history, sworn by the Ospreys' Vow and witnessed by the land and rivers. She was the one love of his life, the only one he cherished above all others. He treasured her above the whole world, devoting all his affection to her alone. She was his emotional refuge and soulmate, the harbor he could always dep 591Reads—Score103Shelves

   Reader note

   True history, a preference recorded in history books. The early stage was very sweet, but the fate was ill-fated

4. 4 1 The First Book by 16620883 16620883的第一本书 Author d1nm92作者d1nm92Modern Romance115k WordsCompleted A new work is here! Come read my story on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 2Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   The first one is my first book, and the writing is not very smooth. I think you may like the second one. I hope it can move you.

5. 5 新 Rebirth 新生 Zhao Xiangyi赵祥亦Urban71k WordsCompleted This book has five protagonists who get to know one another. Through their different perspectives, it reveals what is going on inside each of them. For one reason or another, people can develop the urge to commit a crime. Once they act on that impulse, they may embark on a road of no return, with no way back. 452Reads8.6Score—Shelves
6. 6 清 After Transmigrating to the Qing Dynasty, Fourth Master Has Three Babies in a Year 清穿后四爷一年抱仨 Flowers Blooming in the Snow雪中繁花Ancient Romance1.0M WordsCompleted A wealthy young woman from modern times is reborn in the Qing Dynasty during the Kangxi era after a car accident, becoming Wanyan Wunaxi. With a loving mother, a doting father, and a crowd of protective older brothers, plus a portable pocket dimension, she has a life of pure bliss. All she needs to do is get passed over in the palace selection and marry some honest fellow. Then her life will be complete. Who knew the transmigration god would play a joke on her? An imperial edict comes crashing d 23.9kReads9.3Score2.1kShelves

   Reader note

   A very good Japanese drama

7. 7 从 From Pangu to Puyi 从盘古到溥仪 Wang Weisheng王尾生Historical2.5M WordsOngoing [A Tomato-style Records of the Grand Historian + a blessing for audiobook listeners + grounded in historical sources + told with the flair of a novel] [Also known as From Pangu's Creation of the World to the Last Emperor's Abdication] A million-character epic spanning from Pangu's creation of the world to the last emperor's abdication. This isn't a mindless power fantasy: it combines historical authenticity with an engaging, nuanced touch. The book tells the whole story of Chinese history, from 862Reads8.3Score130Shelves

   Reader note

   The author's explanation of the rules and regulations is as clear and not boring as Sima Qian's "Book of Rites" and "Book of Music". He talks about imperial examinations, taxes, and the military system. He can always use one or two stories to bring out the whole picture, allowing readers to understand the logic of the system unconsciously. This ability to explain profound things in simple terms is exactly the modern practice of Tai Shigong's "understanding the changes of ancient and modern times".

8. 8 穿 I Transmigrate to the Warring States and Become the Crown Prince of Eastern Zhou 穿越战国：我是东周太子 A Friend of Li Shu李树的朋友Historical523k WordsOngoing [Pure feel-good fun! If that's not your thing, don't come in~] A history student finds his soul transported to the year the Eastern Zhou dynasty fell! He becomes the crown prince of the last Zhou king! In three months, Qin will destroy his kingdom and execute him! No money, no soldiers, no territory! Watch him defy fate and unite the land!!! 316Reads—Score—Shelves

   Reader note

   Historical figures appear one after another in the plot, seemingly breaking the curse of history, but it seems impossible to escape the fate of history!!!

9. 9 十 The End of Ten Days 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 1.8MReads9.9Score232.5kShelves

   Reader note

   Many people feel "estranged" when reading history - because the time is too far away and the context is too different. But this work dissolves this gap. The author constantly uses the vocabulary of today's people to "translate" the situations of the ancients, and uses the confusion of today's people to "empathize" with the choices of the ancients. You suddenly discover that the ancients were just like us - they were entangled, impulsive, regretful, and dreamy. History becomes intimate.

10. 10 神 The Supernaturally Gifted 神通者 Tiancan Tudou天蚕土豆Eastern Fantasy405k WordsOngoing Among the living things of this world, some are born with strange bones. These bones can be inscribed with wondrous arts, granting their bearers immense power: conjuring fire and wind, summoning thunder and lightning, swallowing the sun and plucking stars, suppressing demons and imprisoning gods. These are Divine Ability Bones. Those born with such bones are called... Divine Ability Users. 2.6MReads9.4Score347.2kShelves
11. 11 冒 Passing Myself Off as a Langya Native 冒姓琅琊 Eastern Zhou Young Master Nan东周公子南Historical1.5M WordsOngoing (Also known as “The Matter of Me Pretending to Be a Nobleman of the Southern Dynasties”) To transmigrate isn’t a dinner party. It’s a deadly game at every turn. The south is beautiful, yet lofty ambitions often fade away. Since ancient times, the Southern Dynasties have been weak, their heroes short-lived. No golden finger, no System, and no second chance at life. Everything starts from zero! Original owner’s memories: none! Identity: none! Supplies: none! When transmigration becomes reality, ho 551.2kReads9.7Score62.4kShelves
12. 12 兔 The Retainers of the Last Tusi of Tu'e 兔峨末代土司的眷属们 Yigunami依古娜咪Modern Romance181k WordsCompleted About the Book: The Tusi chieftaincy of the Luo family of Tu’e, Lanping, Nujiang Prefecture, Yunnan, lasted nearly six hundred years, from the Yuan dynasty through the Ming and Qing dynasties and the Republic of China. It passed through twenty-three generations before the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949 brought the Tusi system to an end. This book was written by the granddaughter of Luo Xing, the last Tusi chieftain. It recounts the remarkable life of Yang Huizhen, wife of 17Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    What is the fate of the last generation of chieftains who have been hereditary for six hundred years? What is the situation of his family members now? "The Family of the Last Chieftain of Tu'e" is written by the granddaughter of the last chieftain of Tu'e. It shows you the vicissitudes of these hundred years. There is no grand narrative, only the bitterness of the story. In the book, the chieftain is married to three generations of women, explaining to you what self-esteem is and what self-improvement is...

13. 13 一 All I Want in Life Is Half a Heart’s Contentment 一生只求半称心 Hedge Shadow篱影Modern Romance582k WordsCompleted A realistic story set in the 1970s. Even readers born in the 1990s and 2000s love it! [Traditional] [No Gimmicks] [Not a Power Fantasy] [No Cheats] In the 1970s, Li Laoman has no sons, so he wants to find a live-in son-in-law for his third daughter, Li Fan. Li Fan refuses, then steals her second sister Li Ting's fiancé! Now not only has Li Ting's man been stolen, she also has to take on the task of finding a live-in son-in-law for her younger sister. Pressured by Li Laoman, she has no choice but 10.2kReads8.9Score871Shelves

    Reader note

    Readers' comments: An existence comparable to "Alive" and "The Ordinary World".

14. 14 村 Is the Village Beauty’s Life One of Ruin or Resignation? 村花的一生是堕落还是无奈？ Heart's Longing心鹜Modern Romance328k WordsCompleted Every land nurtures its own kind of beauty. She was born dazzlingly beautiful, and because of that beauty, fate tormented her again and again, while society bound her in layer upon layer of expectations. Trapped by old customs, she perished in a blizzard; chasing her dreams, she weathered many ups and downs and was left covered in scars; breaking free of her shackles, she finally lived on her own terms. Are beautiful women truly doomed to a tragic fate? 433Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    A beauty with a bad life, in order to save her lover several times, she fell into the world of love [crying]

15. 15 破 Oath at Daybreak 破晓之誓 Smoldering Cigarette Butt明灭的烟头Eastern Fantasy209k WordsCompleted When noble duels descend into farce and a sixty-person brawl tears through the ruins of a monastery, a group of poor students are forcibly recruited by the Inquisition of the Church. Reinhardt, a black-haired, black-eyed boy, was an ordinary swordsman at Saint-Michel Academy until an accident pulled him into a vortex of the undead, the Church, and royal power. A lich's secrets from three hundred years ago emerge in underground catacombs, a noble scandal rocks Paris, the “Treasure of Paris,” impr 1Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    It has the shadow of real history and is worth seeing.

16. 16 瞎 Blind Corn! Rotten Potatoes! Worthless Children, Get on Your Knees! 瞎苞米！烂土豆！极品儿女靠边跪 Lucky Cat招财猫儿Modern Romance3.4M WordsOngoing [Period] [The 1980s] [Light Ensemble Cast] [Reborn] [Feel-Good] [No Golden Finger] [Family Life] (Also known as: Reborn in the 1980s: The Old Lady Leaves Her Children Behind) Seventy-year-old Wu Zhiqiu is Reborn in the era when her children still depend on her hard work and sacrifice! In her previous life, she played favorites and ended up alone and miserable in her old age. This time, she refuses to repeat the past. The old lady decides to leave her children behind and enjoy the rest of her lif 211.6kReads9.2Score9.8kShelves

    Reader note

    I haven't seen many real-life historical adaptations. The characters, plots, plots, etc. In this book are quite well written. The characters' personalities will also change with time and events. It's quite realistic and a micro-group portrait.

17. 17 我 Our Story, Grandma's Warm Light 我们的故事，奶奶的暖光 A Smile in the Warm Sunshine暖阳下的微笑Modern Romance228k WordsCompleted Our Story is a book based on my life with my family, written above all to honor my beloved grandmother. At its heart are the deep bond between my grandmother and me, and the hardships my parents endured. From the boundless love my grandmother showered on me as a child, to the care she never stopped giving me as I grew up, got married, and had a child, and finally to the little moments before she passed away, the book tenderly records an affection that endured through the years. It also recounts —Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Essays written in the 1980s. The difficulties of parents, the love of grandma, and the author's growth story. It's a wonderful book, the more I read it, the more I want to read it.

18. 18 文 The Educated Youth of Wenhai Village 文海村知青 Yigunami依古娜咪Modern Romance108k WordsCompleted A new work is here! Set in the 1960s and 1970s, this novel follows educated youth Ye Sijia and her companion Lin Can as they leave the cities for the countryside. It tells how they face all kinds of challenges in life and work, and eventually find hope. Come read my work on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it! Your support is what keeps me writing, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 39Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    These books are dedicated to my educated young sisters who grew up in childhood, including Huahua who is still in a wheelchair, Wenwen and Dingding who have gone to heaven, and Xuefei who came from a bad family and was bullied, but finally died for love!

19. 19 古 Neighbors in the Ancient City 古城邻里 Yigunami依古娜咪Modern Romance154k WordsCompleted A new work is here! Come read my work on Tomato Novel. I hope you enjoy it. Set in Yuhè Courtyard, the central compound of Qinghuai Lane in an ancient riverside city in southern China, this novel traces a century of ups and downs among several longtime residents and their neighbors. Through their stories, it captures the changes in the city from the early years after liberation to the present day, the younger generation’s outlook on life amid a market economy, the bustle of its streets and lanes 10Reads—Score—Shelves
20. 20 前 My Ex-Husband Has One Stalking Trick After Another 前夫缠人一套又一套 A-Tiao Wei阿条尾11k WordsCompleted My Ex-Husband Has One Trick After Another to Keep Me Entangled 3kReads—Score—Shelves
21. 21 老 After My Husband Became Someone's Kept Man, I Let It Go 老公被包养后，我想开了 Heaven's Proud Egg天之骄蛋9k WordsCompleted After My Husband Became Someone's Kept Man, I Saw the Light 11.7kReads—Score—Shelves
22. 22 我 My Compassionate Mother Urged Me to Abort the Child, Leave My Husband, and Give His Mistress My Place 我娘慈悲，劝我落胎下堂让位给夫君外室 The Sun and Moon Shine Upon All日月照天下Ancient Romance15k WordsCompleted My Compassionate Mother-in-Law Urged Me to Abort My Baby, Leave My Husband, and Make Way for His Mistress 413Reads—Score—Shelves
23. 23 七 My Handsome Husband in the 1970s: Love at First Sight 七零娇夫之我见色起意 Painting a Mortal Life画浮生Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Seventies]+ [System]+ [Transmigration]+ [Apocalypse Big Shot]+ [Female-Dominant World, Puppy-Like Man]+ [Family Life]+ [Lighthearted Comedy] A female soldier with a rough streak and a heart dulled to love by the apocalypse transmigrates into a story set in an era of shortages. She becomes the fake heiress, switched at birth and now returned to her family. In an era when labor is considered the greatest virtue, she teases cats and dogs, lies under trees and slacks off at work, becoming the villa 7.3kReads9.0Score775Shelves
24. 24 预 After Seeing the Future, Mom and I Ran Away Together 预知后，我和妈妈一起跑路 March Returns三月回10k WordsCompleted After Seeing the Future, Mom and I Ran Away Together 318Reads—Score—Shelves
25. 25 嫁 I Married Shanghai's Most Powerful Man, Who Can't Have Heirs, and Now I'm Precious for Bearing His Child 嫁给绝嗣沪上皇，我母凭蛋贵 Happy Little Pig Sauce快乐小猪酱10k WordsCompleted I Married a Shanghai Magnate Who Couldn't Have Heirs, and My Baby Made Me a Favorite 1.2kReads—Score—Shelves
26. 26 沉 Years of Quiet Reflection 沉淀的岁月 Li Xinxin李馨欣Modern Romance560k WordsCompleted The story follows the lives of three high school girls from rural backgrounds. In the fall of 1964, the confident, ambitious “top student” Yu Hongying, the warmhearted and forthright “knight-errant” Li Chunfen, and the reserved, introspective lady Yue Shuqian unexpectedly meet in their first-year dormitory, along with the “campus belle” Yang Yuhuan and the “fake Marxist-Leninist” Wu Lihong. This sets off a series of stories, some serious, some amusing, some bizarre, and some full of joy and sorr 379Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    Real era, real people, real experiences.

27. 27 沂 A Family by the Yishui River 沂水河畔一家人 Li Xinxin李馨欣Modern Romance540k WordsCompleted This book tells the story of a large family over nearly a century, from the late Qing dynasty to the end of the twentieth century, through turbulent changes, banditry and warfare, twists and turns, and eventual reversals of fortune. Led and subtly influenced by the protagonist, several generations endure decades of hardship yet remain upright, united, and determined to improve. In different eras and historical circumstances, they do everything they can, persevering in their efforts to contribute 5.2kReads8.7Score461Shelves
28. 28 烈 A Martyr's Orphan Daughter Enlists, and the Stern Officer Spoils Her Rotten! 烈士孤女参军，冷面军官宠疯了！ I Beg You, Tong Meng 1我求童蒙1Modern Romance1.8M WordsOngoing [Military marriage] [Strong female lead] [Military life] [Two equally strong leads] [Sweet romance] [Female soldier] (15,000 readers gave it a 9.5 rating. Enjoy with confidence!) (Also known as: To the Mountains and Rivers, and to You. The short drama of the same name is now streaming.) In her previous life, Lin Xianan spent seventy-three lonely years waiting for the truth to come too late. When she opened her eyes again, she had returned to 1970, just three days before she was to be forced into 76kReads9.4Score7.2kShelves
29. 29 清 The Story of Consort Hui of the Qing Palace 清宫惠妃传 Wu Guan Fengying五关凤英Ancient Romance244k WordsCompleted Also titled: Your Majesty, Consort Hui Has Decided to Lie Flat [Palace intrigue + healing + personal growth] In her previous life, Nala was fiercely competitive, ruining the life of her own son, Yinsi, the emperor’s eldest son, and condemning her adopted son, the Eighth Prince Yinsi, to die beneath a humiliating stain. The wind howled, the rain fell, and another night passed as the candle burned low. The women she had once regarded as rivals were all long dead. Only Nala Huiwan, now past seventy 19Reads—Score—Shelves
30. 30 大 The Qing Dynasty: The Last Mistress of Kunning Palace 大清：坤宁宫最后的女主人 Huan Ziyuan幻紫菀Ancient Romance751k WordsCompleted Also known as: The Qing Dynasty: The Last Mistress of Kunning Palace [She must endure in the early stages, but will fight back later!] P.S. In short, this is neither a transmigration nor rebirth story, and the leads are not both pure. It's simply the story of an ordinary woman in the Qing Dynasty who gains the golden finger of mind reading and tries to survive for the long term in the imperial palace.ヾ(@^▽^@)ノ In the thirteenth year of Kangxi's reign, Empress Xiaochengren Hešeri died in Kunning 406Reads8.4Score—Shelves
31. 31 无 Infinite Escape: I Earn Rent Money in Horror Games 无限逃生：我在惊悚游戏里挣房费 Mo Sibei陌肆白Mystery800k WordsCompleted [Infinite flow + horror, suspense, and mystery-solving + strong female lead + team + plot-focused] [Ding~ Welcome, player, to the Survival Inn! Please do your best to clear the instances and earn your room fees~ We offer dormitory rooms, guesthouse rooms, hotel rooms, and more, as well as a top-tier luxury VIP club waiting for you to unlock~] A gloomy, blood-soaked compound A school crawling with death A cursed painting that brings death to anyone who looks at it An old village teeming with stra 35.6kReads9.3Score4.5kShelves
32. 32 于 Yu Jing, County Magistrate on the Frontier 于璟之边疆县令 Jing Ran i敬燃iHistorical502k WordsOngoing A common man takes office and bravely heads to a remote frontier. His wife plans and advises, while the women around him are strong warriors. He wins the people’s hearts and earns the support of righteous men. Using his wits, he outmaneuvers the local chieftains, bringing peace to the people and prosperity to trade. As goods abound and the people grow wealthy, Han and non-Han communities live in harmony. Together, the various peoples govern the borderlands and build a shared future. 29Reads—Score—Shelves
33. 33 八 Fiery and Bold, This 1980s Bride Is Too Much for Her Cold-Blooded Officer 八零娇媳野又辣，冷酷军官顶不住 A Leaf Falling in the Rain一叶落雨Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted [Transmigrate into a book · Military marriage · Pocket dimension | Wild and sensual | Possessive | Off-the-charts sexual tension] A top modern beauty and executive is reborn as the real daughter who was forced to die over a pound of pork? She doesn’t accept this fate! … She tears up the script. She’s the female lead now Her vicious grandmother tries to sell her off for a bride price? She turns the tables, sending her off with silver bracelets and a village-wide parade! The fake white-lotus daugh 1.8kReads—Score182Shelves

    Reader note

    Good looking (✪▽✪)

34. 34 渣 My Scumbag Husband Tricked Me Into Marriage? I Bring a Century of Research to Marry a Powerful Young Master 渣夫骗婚？我携百年科研转嫁权少 A Leaf Falling in the Rain一叶落雨Modern Romance1.0M WordsCompleted (The rating just opened, so a low score is normal.) [Rebirth · military marriage | wild and sensual / age gap | possessive | explosive sexual tension] “Report! Your ex-wife’s patent has our entire military by the throat!” He scoffed, until fighter jet production halted and missile supplies ran dry. Only then did he realize she could hold the nation’s lifeline in the palm of her hand! … Reborn on her wedding day, she was asked to give up the bridal suite for his first love? Jiang Youli smiled. “S 1kReads6.5Score112Shelves
35. 35 河 The Heyin Coup: Empress Dowager Ling's Sixteen-Year Thirst for Power 河阴之变一灵太后的十六年权欲 Yue Fan Who Loves Barroth喜欢土砂龙的月帆Historical112k WordsCompleted Hu of the Northern Wei, the Empress Dowager Ling, was born into the Hu clan of Anding. Because her aunt was a Buddhist nun, she was able to enter the palace as a child. At the time, the Northern Wei's harsh old rule dictated that a mother must die when her son became crown prince. She insisted on giving birth to Yuan Xu anyway, and won that gamble with death. On the night Emperor Xuanwu died suddenly, she evaded an assassination attempt by the Gao clan with the protection of Yu Zhong and Cui Gua 25Reads—Score—Shelves

    Reader note

    This book fits the bill perfectly. Characters are ill-fated

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