After Reincarnating as the Bad Omen at a Coffin Shop

Coming soon: After Becoming a Strategist for My Peasant Father, The Imperial Exam Journey of a Fishmonger’s Son. Descriptions below. Please add them to your reading list.

The description below will be updated along with the rankings.

Meng Xiyi transmigrates as the daughter of a coffin shop owner in the capital. Though her family works in a disreputable trade, they get along well and want for nothing.

When she comes of age, the coffin shop's bad reputation and her unlucky birth horoscope make it impossible for anyone to find her a match.

Meng Xiyi isn't worried at all. She's already taken a liking to the boy next door and plans to propose to him herself.

As expected, his family looks down on her, and her proposal is rejected.

Unexpectedly, because of her unlucky horoscope, a twist of fate brings Cheng Fengyao, son of the Duke of Weiguo, to her door to ask for her hand. They agree to a betrothal.

Cheng Fengyao: A combination of Jia Baoyu and Duan Zhengchun, the pampered "golden phoenix" of the Duke's household. He's a flirt with countless women surrounding him.

The Duke of Weiguo's household: A den of fools and depravity. They also hold the record for the highest baby boom during the Great Yong mourning period.

Meng Xiyi has no choice but to marry into the Duke of Weiguo's family: the household is the maternal family of the Crown Prince.

Before the wedding, she uses her new status to expand her business, control public opinion, and gain influence in both the underworld and respectable society.

After the wedding, she takes charge of the Duke's household and uses an iron fist to bring the whole lot of fools to heel.

As for romance...

Meng Xiyi: Good grief, my terrible romantic prospects never end. Things are getting complicated. Heh, I have no choice, I have no choice.

Reader's guide:

1. This is a fictional setting. Please don't nitpick the historical details.

2. Cheng Fengyao is not the hero. The romance gets intense and exciting.

3. Romance and plot get equal attention. The heroine is no saint and is skilled at all kinds of tricks, from singing and acting to throwing tantrums and pretending to be possessed.

Coming soon: After Becoming a Strategist for My Peasant Father. Please add it to your reading list.

The war ends, and a new dynasty is founded.

At court, the new aristocrats and old officials are at odds. The peasant-born military men, meanwhile, are despised by both sides.

Cheng Dou, an Imperial Guard commander, is the very definition of a peasant. He can barely read, and has become a laughingstock across the court.

The emperor values his loyalty and reliability, and orders him to learn to read and study.

Cheng Dou, who gets sleepy the moment he picks up a book, has no choice but to obey.

After being born into this world ten years ago, Cheng Ningxi has endured one war after another. At last, she has a stable, comfortable life.

Then she sees her useless father, whom she has met only twice, fast asleep with his head on a book, snoring like thunder.

Cheng Ningxi feels as if the sky is falling. To protect her comfortable life, she defies her father and "motivates" Cheng Dou in every way she can, sparing him no harsh taunts or ridicule.

Cheng Dou is so angry he wants to beat his unfilial daughter, but he can't bring himself to do it.

His two sons died in battle, and his wife and concubines have had no children for years. Cheng Ningxi is the only blood relative he has left.

Cheng Dou plants his hands on his hips and declares, "If you can laugh at your old man, then you can do the reading yourself. If you're better than me, I'll call you Dad!"

To his surprise, Cheng Ningxi uses the knowledge from her previous life to trounce him with ease. She says smugly, "Call me Dad!"

Unable to accept defeat, Cheng Dou grabs a stick and chases her around the five-courtyard mansion twice.

Cheng Dou, stingy and miserly, looks at his defiant daughter, rolls his eyes, and says with a grin, "Girl, I've got an even better challenge for you. Want to take me on?"

Seeing that Cheng Dou has taken the bait, Cheng Ningxi raises an eyebrow. "Bring it on!"

Thinking his little scheme has worked, Cheng Dou dismisses his hired writer and dumps all the Imperial Guard's official letters and memorials on his free assistant, Cheng Ningxi.

Who would have thought that, starting with helping Cheng Dou learn to read, Cheng Ningxi would gradually become the real power behind the Imperial Guard?

Under her leadership, the Imperial Guard becomes strictly disciplined, and the capital grows civilized and peaceful.

The rough soldiers stop relieving themselves in public. They wouldn't even dare spit on the ground: at the mention of her name, they swallow it right back down.

New rumors spread through the capital: "Cheng Dou has no sons. The Cheng family line will die out." "No matter how capable Cheng Ningxi is, she's still a woman. Her achievements will only benefit someone else's family."

Some well-meaning people even find members of the Cheng clan and bring their sons over for Cheng Dou to adopt.

Meanwhile, the emperor covets Cheng Ningxi's abilities and issues an imperial decree arranging her marriage to Prince Qin.

Prince Qin is usually gentle and refined, but he acts completely out of character and firmly refuses the marriage. "I'd rather die than marry her. She's not human!"

Cheng Ningxi: ???

He's right. She's not human. She wants it all, and she wants it all at once.

Reader's guide:

This is a fictional setting. Please don't nitpick the historical details.

The plot comes first. The romance begins only when the characters are adults.

Coming soon: The Imperial Exam Journey of a Poor Young Man from a Fish Shop. Description below:

Inspired by Qiu Ying's version of Along the River During the Qingming Festival. A story of everyday life, farming, imperial exams, and infrastructure.

At the Huang family school in Qingshui Alley, several young children sit behind their desks. Hiding behind their books, they giggle quietly toward Teacher Huang at the lectern.

Teacher Huang looks stern. The unlucky little Egg has his head down, kneeling there with a book in both hands as he stammers through his reading.

Cheng Yu hugs his schoolbag beneath the window and peeks inside, frantic with worry.

He's late for school and hasn't finished his homework.

How can he sneak into class without Teacher Huang noticing?

After all, the soul inside him is an adult. Being made to kneel or caned would hurt, and be humiliating.

Egg's eyes dart around. He flashes Cheng Yu a gap-toothed grin and calls out with complete lack of shame, "Fishy!"

Cheng Yu: "..."

Teacher Huang's ruler comes down without mercy, and he says in exasperation, "If you don't study properly, you'll spend your whole life selling fish!"

Cheng Yu is devastated and weeps.

He's innocent! Of course he wants to study. He doesn't want to sell fish.

But a family of six depends on one little fish shop for their livelihood. He's the eldest, with a younger brother and sister.

Qinghe County hasn't produced a successful imperial examination graduate in decades. His family believes he won't amount to anything through studying, and that he'll have to inherit the fish shop.

He has to stay up late and get up early to butcher fish. He has no time to study!

#Fishy works hard to wash the fishy smell out of his clothes, then becomes the first top scorer in Qinghe County's history#

#After rising to the rank of chancellor, he ends up having to wear the fish tally he once detested#

Reader's guide:

This is a fictional setting. Please don't nitpick the historical details.

A progression story about studying, taking the imperial exams, and becoming an official.

The plot comes first, with little romance.

Theme: Don't be afraid. There will always be a way forward.