Novels like Gradual Progress
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Gradual Progress, best match first.
- 101 Seduce the Eastern Palace: Make Him Kneel Beneath My Skirt 诱东宫：凌他裙下 [Both leads are devoted only to each other] [Political intrigue] [Love and hate] [Rivals fighting for her] [Black-lotus heroine, unhinged hero with a sweet facade and a dark heart] On the eve of her wedding, Mu Qingruo, daughter of the prime minister, is falsely accused of losing her virginity and cruelly jilted. Overnight, she goes from being the most beautiful woman in Tianchu to its biggest laughingstock. Who would have thought that the Third Prince, Chu Yunheng, rumored to prefer men, would 1.5kReads8.3Score146Shelves
- 102 The Crown Prince's Second Consort 太子继妃 [No transmigration, no System, no golden finger, pure fictional period romance] At eighteen, Shangguan Luo became the Crown Prince's second consort. The young man she had first fallen for loved someone else. She had only just let go and agreed to meet other young men when an imperial edict of marriage sent her into the Eastern Palace. She couldn't defy the emperor's command. Though she said she accepted her fate, in reality she kept “slacking off.” The Crown Prince thought he could accept a Crow 797Reads8.2Score117Shelves
- 103 The Black Lotus’s Revenge 黑莲花复仇记 [Black Lotus Revenge-Seeking Craftswoman × Loyal, Power-Hungry Merchant] [1v1] [Two Strong Leads] [Mutual Healing] [Light Mystery and Deduction] [Pure Wish Fulfillment] After the founding of the Beiming dynasty, the construction industry flourished. But a sudden fire at the imperial palace changed the course of everyone’s life. From then on, Cai Ping became Lou Mian, with only two goals in life: revenge and finding her missing parents. To enter the game, she threw herself into mastering her gran 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 104 The Legend of Yun Lan 云澜传 [Mystery and detective work + Tang Dynasty splendor + a match made in heaven] Everyone in Chang'an knew that Princess Nankang, Li Xieyun, was the most beautiful woman in the capital. But she was a man-eating flower: any man who got close to her either lost his position or his life! Only Shen Weilan, a newcomer with nerves of steel and a charmed life, dared to curry favor and become the wicked princess's kept lover! No wonder someone so fearless could clear wrongful convictions and drive off evil 766Reads9.3Score108Shelves
- 105 Twin Jades 双玦 That night, a blood moon hung in the sky, and the Star-Picking Terrace blazed with lights. Yan Ling stood by the railing and cut off her long hair. Her red robes were as hauntingly beautiful as flowers at the end of their bloom. “Xiao Fengqing, I would descend to the Yellow Springs and enter hell for you. Did you ever feel even the slightest bit of sincerity toward me?” Xiao Fengqing stood tall and graceful, his expression indifferent. “Never.” Yan Ling burst into laughter and leaped into the bo 764Reads8.8Score101Shelves
- 106 The Moon Shines Toward the Evening 明月向晚 Zhu Mingyue, the capital's most talented woman, has once again incurred everyone's wrath. This time, it's because she's engaged to the Fourth Prince, said to be the most elegant man under heaven. But when she wakes from a nap, Zhu Mingyue discovers she's become Xiang Wan, a simple-minded girl from a small town in Qingzhou. Jiang Heng: “She's a catch. Hurry up and bring her back to my estate!” Xiang Wan: “Get lost! When I was making waves in the capital, you were still wearing split-crotch pants! 2.4kReads9.1Score258Shelves
- 107 After I Stopped Rushing to Get Married, I Became a Master Surgeon 不急着嫁人后我成了外科圣手 [Historical Female Doctor + Career-Driven Heroine + A Touch of Jianghu + Rejecting an Engagement and Fighting Back + Mutual Devotion] Shen Qiaozhi is the legitimate daughter of a wealthy merchant, bound for life by a marriage contract. After her parents are mysteriously murdered, her grandfather hopes she will keep her head down for a while and hold her life together. She tears up the marriage contract, abandons the duties expected of a sheltered young lady, and devotes herself to studying surge 9Reads—Score—Shelves
- 108 Who Says I Want to Be Empress? Get Lost! The Throne Is Mine 谁说我要当皇后？滚！帝位是我的 [Feel-Good Romance + Putting Trash in Their Place + Revenge + Sweet Romance] The heroine ends up thriving on her own! Feng Dianwei is driven out of the marquis's estate with no money to her name. With her younger siblings and her parents' bodies in tow, she has nowhere to go, so she turns to her childhood friend Murong Heng, only to be heartlessly turned away! Later, she is taken in by Prince Su, Murong Che, who is rumored to be a madman. But she refuses to be hidden away like a canary in a gild —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 109 The Little Beggar Becomes an Official: My Lord, You Smell So Good 小乞儿当官：大人你好香 [Cross-dressing heroine + political intrigue + sweet romance + no rebirth, no golden finger] Tiansheng is the illegitimate daughter of a prince. After her mother was brutally killed when she was ten, she disguised herself as a man and honed her skills. From beggar to court official, her life takes off, flourishing at every turn and bringing a profusion of admirers, both women and men, all as charming as peach blossoms. Her impulsive cousin, a general. The gentle, jade-like prince of Chen, whose 55Reads8.2Score—Shelves
- 110 The Bratty Young Lady’s Spoiled Child Bridegroom 暴躁小娘子的纨绔童养夫 Lin Lexin had two dreams from a young age: Her first was to open a branch of her family’s pastry shop in the capital. Her second was for the young husband her mother had bought her for two taels of silver to study hard and make progress every day, ideally passing the imperial exam to become a successful candidate. If he couldn’t pass, he could return to the shop and work as the bookkeeper. But when she was eighteen, her young husband’s biological father showed up and took her second dream away. 1.2kReads8.9Score111Shelves
- 111 My Bandit Wife 我的土匪娘子 [Rough-and-tumble bandit magistrate × shamelessly tenacious, eccentric, crooked lawyer] Hua Xiaodao, the boss of Blackwind Stronghold, is ruthless and never wastes words. Halfway through a robbery, the county magistrate drops dead. To keep her brothers from having to beg for food, she grabs the official seal and stuffs it into her arms. “I’ll take the job!” But the waters of officialdom run deeper than she imagined. The art of governance? What the hell would a female bandit know about that? She 42Reads—Score—Shelves
- 112 I Picked Up a Regent and Made Him My Husband 捡个摄政王当夫君 Synopsis: Chi Nianshu, the merchant's daughter whom everyone called crude, casually rescued a little beggar and took him in as her personal attendant, making sure no one bullied him. Shen Yuanzong was the son of the Marquis of Dingyuan, but his father abandoned him and his stepmother sent people to kill him. He swore he would fight his way back to the capital and rise above everyone else. Yet this cold-hearted man, who treated power and politics like toys in his hands, found himself wanting to p 441Reads9.1Score100Shelves
- 113 The Princess Sent Away for a Political Marriage Returns as an Assassin 和亲公主，归来已是杀手身 [Matched opponents + intense push and pull + healing] She was once the most honored woman in the imperial palace, and she gave her heart to the young man in white. But she never imagined that he would personally cast her into an abyss where no light could reach. Branded with the name of a wanton woman, she was sent beyond the frontier to marry, vanished along the way, and became an abandoned wife among the Uyghurs, a laughingstock to the world. Seven years later, she returned, carrying the wi 125Reads—Score—Shelves
- 114 A Noblewoman in Exile 贵女流亡 Her maternal grandfather was the late emperor's mentor, with students and protégés all over the land. Her mother had been well-read since childhood and was the foremost talented woman of the previous dynasty. Her father rose from nothing, earned the late emperor's esteem, and attained the post of Minister of Personnel. Li Mingwei was the undisputed noble lady of the capital. One ill-fated marriage opened her eyes to the ways of the world. She left behind the splendor, retreated to the countrysid 1.2kReads9.0Score134Shelves
- 115 Take It Easy, Tough General, Your Soft White Bride Can't Take It 糙汉将军轻点亲，白软娘子受不了 “My lord, do you want me tonight?” No one in the Northern Territories knows why General Geng has avoided women all these years. Even fewer know that a serious injury from a great battle more than a decade ago left him with lasting damage. The army doctor said he was lucky to be alive, but warned that he might never be able to have children. Then Yang Qingxi accidentally fell into his arms. His hand clamped around her waist, the veins standing out, and he realized he wasn't incapable after all. 10.6kReads—Score592Shelves
- 116 Cang Feng Chasing the Moon: My Tales with the Sect Leader 沧锋逐月，我与掌门二三事 [Female Perspective + Two Equally Strong Leads + Mutual Healing + Supporting Each Other + Older Woman + White Hair] Seven years ago, a calamity swept through the martial world. Young Liu Qingyun was forced to become the successor to a demonic art, and from then on wandered from place to place, fighting to survive on the edge of a blade. In the same calamity, Shen Qiubai, leader of the Cangfeng Sect, went white-haired overnight while seeking revenge for his master. Seven years later, fate brings 71Reads—Score—Shelves
- 117 Scandalous Chronicles of the Dali Temple 大理寺绯闻日志 [Thai publication rights signed] [Black-on-the-outside, white-on-the-inside, arrogant and fierce commandery princess x white-on-the-outside, black-on-the-inside, scheming minister of the Court of Judicial Review] [Royal shield destined to bear the crown prince's fate vs meticulous avenger] A heaven-blessed daughter, fighting fate itself. She refuses to yield. Ten years of planning, ruined in an instant. He accepts defeat. With a father who is vice president of the Secretariat and imperial tutor, 2.5kReads9.1Score327Shelves
- 118 Two Hearts, Three Minds 两意三心 [Pure historical tragedy + no golden finger, no transmigration, no rebirth + 1v3, female lead is not a virgin] Neither the male nor the female lead is perfect. One is unruly and arrogant, the other insecure and timid, and both have their own character arcs. The cast is richly developed, with distinct personalities. She was nothing but the unloved daughter of a low-ranking sixth-grade official. Her father showed her no affection, her mother did not love her, and her younger sister bullied her 726Reads8.2Score101Shelves
- 119 The Alluring Maidservant on a Trial Marriage 试婚丫鬟妩媚勾人 [Sweet romance, both pure and devoted, household intrigue, servant girl rises to become a concubine, the hero is utterly devoted] Lin Wanyu, the top courtesan at Yangzhou's Zuihua Brothel, was chosen by the Wang family of the capital to test their young lady's prospective marriage match. Her beauty was as radiant as a flower, her skin as smooth as ice and jade… Her task was to confirm whether the Wang family's young lady's betrothed, Lu Huaijin, was capable of consummating the marriage… To compl 4.2kReads6.5Score756Shelves
- 120 Together Through Dawn and Dusk, Our Hearts Never in Doubt 朝云暮月长相守，君悦卿心两不疑 Original title: Winning Her Favor [Political intrigue + jianghu + historical setting + devoted couple, one-on-one + sweet romance + groveling pursuit] Reader’s guide: 1. Set in an imaginary dynasty with no historical basis, so there’s no need to scrutinize the background. 2. This is not a story about a powerful heroine, not fast-paced, and not a wish-fulfillment novel. Please don’t read if that’s not your thing! 3. The story uses a lot of deliberate omissions. Please don’t read if that’s not you 190Reads7.3Score—Shelves
- 121 A Mistake Made Day After Day 朝朝误 [No transmigration, no rebirth, no System. A pure historical romance + love between a man and woman + family and nation] On a stormy Mid-Autumn night, overlapping shadows cast by candles in a private residence shattered the lie of “one heart, one lifetime, one partner.” She ran mad through the rain with a sword in hand, while he cuddled his new lover on the bed. And the cousin who always said she only wanted enough to eat had already set her sights on becoming the Xie family matriarch. But who w 528Reads—Score—Shelves
- 122 Sharing Dreams with the Cold and Aloof Heir, the Adorable Cousin Gets Kissed to Tears Night After Night 和清冷世子共梦，娇娇表妹夜夜被亲哭 [Both Untouched + Only One He Loves + Mild Household Rivalry + Traditional Historical Romance] Shen Qingluo has an unspeakable dream every night, and she plans to keep it a secret for the rest of her life... After her family falls on hard times, she has no choice but to seek refuge at the Jing'an Marquis's residence in the capital. When she first arrives, she behaves modestly and follows the rules, focused on marrying her second cousin, to whom she was promised as a child, once her period of mou 784Reads7.0Score104Shelves
- 123 The Princess Returns: I Grant You the World 公主归来：许你天下 [Political intrigue, revenge, rebellion + both leads are each other's only partners and equally powerful] [The heroine is a formidable martial artist, peerless in both medicine and poison. The hero bears humiliation and bides his time, but is ruthless and decisive.] After ten years of studying martial arts on the mountain, Su Yuli, eldest daughter of the Marquis of Ningyuan's household, suddenly received a letter from home. Her brother had killed a princess sent to marry for peace, and to protec 264Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 124 Moonlight on Kunlun, Yucai Shines 月华光昆山有钰 Grandmother says that after I marry Prince Qi, I must conduct myself like a proper wife. I must be virtuous and generous, and absolutely mustn’t get jealous or compete with his concubines. It would be very unbecoming. I don’t want to marry Prince Qi, who has so many concubines. What I want is to spend my life with one person and one person alone. But I’ve always listened to Grandmother. Besides, refusing Prince Qi’s marriage proposal would be an insult to him, and insulting him would bring disas 1kReads5.6Score126Shelves
- 125 The General Is Ready to Wed 将军待嫁 The accomplished female general Zhao Chongyi defies an imperial decree and flees her arranged marriage. Zhou Wenran, notorious master of the Tianqi Pavilion, is ordered to capture her. Though they have never met, the two clash briefly in the dark and both end up badly wounded. Zhao Chongyi tumbles off a cliff... When she wakes, she has become Shu Xiaoman, the second daughter of the Shu family in Dongli Town at the foot of the mountain. She also finds a handsome man who has “lost his memory.” The 573Reads9.3Score102Shelves
- 126 Liu Jingyue 柳惊月 [Ending] At first, he thought he had merely fallen in love with an assassin, and waited for the day they would meet again. Little did he know that the girl he was waiting for had already been sent by his own hand to marry for peace. He had taught her the difference between good and evil, and shown her compassion. Looking back, he could only think how hypocritical he had been. “I was a fool to think I could save you.” Now she had become a princess revered by all, while he was left consumed with r 87Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 127 The Phoenix Sings to the Ninth Heaven: Two Dragons Vie for the Phoenix 凤鸣九天：双龙争凰 I am Shen Qinghuan, the youngest daughter of Shen Mingyuan, the prime minister of the dynasty. As for my family background, we’re among the most illustrious families in the capital. My father is the prime minister, an incorruptible official who grew up alongside His Majesty. My mother comes from a prominent family in Jiangnan and has a gentle disposition. She was also a gifted young woman in her day. My maternal grandfather was the former crown prince’s tutor, and his students are now found thr 8Reads—Score—Shelves
- 128 I, the Prince, Fear My Wife 本王，惧内 [No Transmigration + No Rebirth + No Golden Finger + Victory Through Strength Alone + Fictional History That Cannot Be Verified] He is the Prince of Yan of the Great Liang, returning from campaigns in the northwest, weather-beaten and battle-hardened. She is the Chief Minister's daughter, delicate as a willow, arriving from the misty rains of Jiangnan. The Prince of Yan and the Chief Minister are bitter enemies, constantly at each other's throats. At first, he sneers, “What good could come from 4.8kReads8.8Score434Shelves
- 129 Pampering My Beloved Wife 宠娇妻 Although Ye Ruoning, nicknamed Jiaojiao, was born into a marquis's household, she was far beneath her cousin, the future wife of the heir to the Duke of Zhenguo's household, a family honored by the imperial court. The emperor had arranged a marriage between the heir and her cousin long ago. But no one expected Ye Ruoning to take her cousin's place and marry the heir, a handsome man with the bearing of jade who excelled in both letters and arms. Everyone knew the heir was pleased with his betroth 5.5kReads9.1Score495Shelves
- 130 A Girl’s Private Affairs 闺事 [Airheaded, sweet little beauty × cold-faced, warm-hearted man who overthinks everything] Pure historical romance, both leads are virgins Wen Wan was sold to Spring River, Flowers and Moonlight at the age of ten. Everyone said she had the beauty of Xi Shi. On the eve of her debut, Cao Du Zhi, the instructor who had always doted on her, went out of his way to find someone to take her in for her first night. She went along, all naive and clumsy sweetness, and by sheer luck, caught the man’s eye. H 3.9kReads9.2Score418Shelves
- 131 I’m Coveting My Short-Lived Husband’s Inheritance, but What If He Won’t Die? 垂涎短命夫君遗产，可他不死咋办 [Sweet romance + mutually devoted one-on-one couple] The first time Jiang Yunshao laid eyes on the handsome, sickly man who looked destined to die young, her eyes lit up. A short life? Perfect! Flirt with him! Marry him! Then inherit his estate when he dies and spend it however she likes! Later, her supposedly short-lived husband dotes on her as if she were the most precious thing in the world. When morning sickness strikes, she drops her act as a delicate little rabbit and declares with fierce 124.7kReads9.0Score13.1kShelves
- 132 The Heartless Empress 皇后薄情 [Ruthless Empress VS Cold-Blooded Prince] [Palace intrigue + power plays] She is the eldest legitimate daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household, skilled at riding and archery, well versed in strategy, and every bit as bold and valiant as any man. Then, in a single night, everything changes. The Duke of Zhenguo’s household falls into decline, and she becomes empress. In public, she is a virtuous empress, renowned for her grace and dignity; in private, she plots every detail of her revenge, rut 959Reads9.1Score104Shelves
- 133 The Bride Was Cruelly Abandoned, Only to Discover She Was Pregnant 新娘惨被抛弃，怎料肚中已有娃 There was no warmth on her wedding night, only her in-laws' taunts and her husband's indifference. Afterward, her mother-in-law sent her to the countryside without consulting anyone. She was given dozens of acres of land and two elderly servants, and from then on, no one bothered with her. She knew her husband's family didn't want her back, and her heart had grown cold toward them too. But just when she'd finally settled in, she realized that after only one night, she was pregnant with the child 51kReads9.0Score3.8kShelves
- 134 On the Upbringing of Noble Daughters 论贵女的养成 [No rebirth or transmigration, a light ensemble cast] [The first part focuses on the everyday family life at the heroine’s maternal home, the Marquisate of Wuyang. The second volume focuses on everyday family life at her husband’s home, the Prince of Xinning’s residence.] Shen Lening is very happy with her life. She never has to worry about anything. Her only daily concerns are what to wear, what to eat, and what to accessorize with. (I’ve written several stories where the heroine’s mother is a 8.2kReads6.3Score751Shelves
- 135 Drunk on Your Clothes 依衿醉 Lu Huai had imagined his future wife many times: gentle and charming, educated and reasonable, beautiful as a flower, and mild-tempered. But the woman before him was beautiful, at least. As for the rest... She was nowhere near educated and reasonable. She was fussy, quirky, and petty, and she even had a highly skilled maidservant at her side. After her parents died in battle, Zijin was determined to find a live-in son-in-law to carry on the Zhao family line. What? The emperor had arranged for 5.8kReads9.1Score685Shelves
- 136 Su Family's Tao 苏家阿桃 [Marriage first, love later + no transmigration or rebirth + farming and imperial examinations] At the age of fifteen, Su Tao became engaged to Li Sanlang, whose family owned a cloth shop in town. Barely six months later, Li Sanlang found a more advantageous match and decided to get engaged to the county magistrate’s illegitimate daughter. He made up a baseless excuse and broke off his engagement to Su Tao. Rumors spread, and people said Su Tao would have no choice but to become a butcher’s conc 6.9kReads9.1Score788Shelves
- 137 Late Nights in the Deep Estate 深宅晚 Her husband, Song Hemian, died young, leaving Jiang Wanyin alone in a desolate mansion, surrounded by endless gossip. Her late husband's younger brother, Song Heran, returns from afar. He is refined and handsome, yet reserved and inscrutable, treating her with a tenderness that constantly oversteps the bounds of propriety. As they spend their days together, Jiang Wanyin gradually realizes that this “younger brother-in-law” is nothing like the Song Heran her husband described, in either his habit 2.1kReads7.3Score201Shelves
- 138 Ao Guang: Investiture of the Gods, Snatching Princess Longji from the Start 敖光传：封神，开局截胡龙吉公主 [Published | Marriage First, Love Later | Political Marriage | Princess Longji, a banished goddess from the Heavenly Court × Ao Guang, a patient and long-suffering dragon with an unexpectedly adorable side] A thousand years ago, I was banished to the mortal realm for falling in love with a mortal. For a thousand years, I cultivated in the Azure Phoenix Palace on Phoenix Mountain, far from worldly troubles, until an imperial edict arrived, granting me in marriage... My father said that after the 44Reads—Score—Shelves
- 139 The Nine-Phoenix Hairpin 九凤钗 Song Zhu was once a lost royal treasure hidden in the forest, but fate sent her by a twist of circumstance into the palace of her enemies. On one side were the hatred and grievances between their countries; on the other, she found herself slowly sinking deeper and deeper into Mo Jingyuan’s love. Mo Jingyuan drank the plum blossom wine Song Zhu had brewed with her own hands. Dark red blood welled from the corner of his lips. “Azhu, let the grudges of the previous generation end with us. Give bir 52Reads—Score—Shelves
- 140 Elder Brother, You Mustn't 兄长不可 Shen Yanci is the envy of everyone in the capital: the refined and upright heir of the Shen family, with a bright future ahead. Yet his family also takes in Su Wanqing, an orphan girl with no one to rely on. An elder's words, "Raise her by your side and treat her as your own younger sister," become an invisible shackle between them. He watches her grow from a timid little girl into a graceful young woman, cherishing and protecting her at every turn. But as they spend day after day together, he d 4.5kReads8.1Score508Shelves
- 141 As You Wish, My Love 承卿意 Bai Yu: A young general who guarded the border of the Mu Kingdom for years. It is said that his mother died in childbirth after giving birth to him. From then on, General Bai took his newborn son to the frontier, where they spent more than a decade. Now that the border wars have ended, a marriage contract summons Bai Yu back to the capital, where he returns with his father to report for duty. Yu Xuejing: The youngest daughter of Grand Tutor Yu. Her elder brother serves in the Hanlin Academy. All 828Reads8.8Score102Shelves
- 142 The Leisurely Life of a Noblewoman in Ancient Times 古代闺秀的悠闲生活 Savor the unhurried passing of time and enjoy a carefree life. I envy your graceful beauty, reflected in the blue heavens and the jade moon. Su Huayue learned everything from her mother from a young age, treating being a daughter of the Su family as a job. As the legitimate daughter of her father's second wife, all she had to do was live freely under the protection of her mother and elder brother. Her only pleasure was watching her two elder half-sisters compete for their father's and grandmothe 11.5kReads8.4Score1.1kShelves
- 143 Chronicles of the Netherworld 幽冥记 Set against the backdrop of Song dynasty mythology, the story begins with a journey through the underworld and unfolds through a series of characters and tales. As the Buddha says, “Goodness is the root of all things,” and so loyalty and filial piety are the foundations of being human. Holding on to a single good thought is the righteous path of this world. The Buddha also says, “Desire is the source of resentment in the human heart.” Love can fill the heart with the joy of blooming flowers, but 91Reads—Score100Shelves
- 144 Love in the Apocalypse 末世儿女情 [Traditional Wuxia + Traditional History and Culture + Political Intrigue + Love of Country and Family + Talented Scholars and Beautiful Women + Mutual Redemption + Quiet Endurance and Comeback + Overwhelming Martial Prowess] This book has only just received its first rating, so it's normal for the score to be low. She is the reincarnation of the Lord of a Hundred Flowers, a phoenix destined for greatness, yet she has fallen to the station of a maid. Unaware that she possesses the Sacred Hundred 6Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 145 A Lovely Spring Day 春日好时光 [Completed, no rebirth or transmigration.][A peaceful rural life, a rugged man meets a beauty, and ordinary people make a life together.] Song Shu trembled and cried, “Please spare me, grim reaper!” But the terrifying man took off his demon mask and gently said, “Don't be afraid, miss. I'm a good person.” She just wanted to get rid of this dangerous man as soon as possible and never see him again. But he said in a gruff voice, “I can never repay you for saving my life. The only thing I can do i 10.1kReads9.3Score1.4kShelves
- 146 The Noble Lady Became Empress, and the Career-Driven Emperor Went on a Rampage 贵女为后，事业批帝王杀疯了 [Household and palace intrigue + both leads are each other's only love + ancient-era heroine + marriage before love + husband pursues his wife + emotional push and pull + everyone is clever, with some political scheming] The hunt begins in the middle-to-late stages; the earlier, slower-paced chapters focus mainly on the heroine's growth. Scheming, ruthless emperor × poised, pampered young lady from a noble family Cui Shaoyi was born into a noble family. Her aunt was the Empress Dowager, and the 747Reads—Score—Shelves
- 147 Admiring the Golden Bough 慕金枝 [Reclusive, violent, unhinged emperor x stunning young lady from a marquis's household who speaks a dialect] The Xianbei aristocracy were born tall and handsome, but every one of them had some flaw: headaches, chest pain, and violent tempers, or a lust for killing, sexual indulgence, and fine food. The imperial Tuoba clan was especially bad. The fourth young lady of the Wuyang Marquis's household caught the eye of the emperor, a nobleman of Xianbei descent, while boating on a lake. He forcibly b 1.8kReads8.7Score164Shelves
- 148 After I Swindled the Crown Prince Out of Five Thousand Taels, He Refused to Take It Lying Down! 讹了太子五千两后，他不干了！ Crown Prince Xiao Chen was furious the moment he met Shen Yunxiu: How dare she step on his face? How dare she swindle him out of five thousand taels of silver? She thought that fatso was cuter than him! She loved gold ingots most of all! She was blind! And then, he went blind too! All he could see was Shen Yunxiu! 362Reads6.9Score104Shelves
- 149 Partridges Fly Through the Deep Mountains 深山鹧鸪飞 "A peerless beauty dwells alone in a deep valley. She calls herself a daughter of a respectable family, now fallen among weeds and trees..." Inspired by Du Fu’s poem "The Beauty," this story portrays kindhearted people helping one another through a chaotic age and expresses the shared resolve to resist their enemies and defend their homeland. It tells how lovers ultimately find their way to each other, while also reflecting the tragic fates of young women in that era and the true nature of human 83Reads—Score—Shelves
- 150 Spirit of the Great Void 太虚灵 Divine-mortal forbidden love + powerful heroine + bold and spirited + national crisis in the mortal realm + a god undergoing tribulation + no System, no transmigration. “The Taixu Spirit has emerged from the Three Realms. Is this fate, sin, or tribulation?” Shui Qiong grew up in the forests of the mortal realm, surrounded by wild beasts, eating wild fruit and grains, and drinking from countless springs. Arrogant and unruly, free as the wind, she kept her life on the line, challenged a one-horned 21Reads8.6Score—Shelves
