Novels like A Master Plan for the Realm: Everyone Is a Pawn
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Master Plan for the Realm: Everyone Is a Pawn, best match first.
- 1 In This Life, I Will Cultivate the Demonic Sword 这一世我要修魔剑 Demons are born from the resentment of heaven and earth! When all living things fall outside the cycle of reincarnation, their resentment, hatred, and fury gather and turn them into demons! The playboy Liu Mingxuan became a cold-blooded Demon God, a name that struck fear into everyone, overnight. Once a Demon God, now reborn as a mortal, he comprehends the Demon Sword and cares nothing for right or wrong. Whoever stands against me, I will cut down with one strike! There can only be two kinds of 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 Transmigrating to 1910: I Became a Warlord by Fighting 穿越1910：我靠打架当女军阀 [Alternate-history Republic of China, no romance, strong female lead, becomes a warlord, System] One day, Lu Danqi discovered that she had transmigrated to 1910. The corrupt dynasty would be overthrown and the Republic of China established in a little over a year. Do you think she’ll rely on her limited knowledge of history to cozy up to someone powerful? No, no. It’s better to rely on yourself than on others. Lu Danqi chose to rely on her own fists and carve out a place for herself! China was t 23Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 3 Playing Dirty? I'll Use My Tactics to Unite the World 玩阴的？小爷靠手段，统一天下 “Lin Yuan, if you've got the guts, fight me one-on-one!” “I've got millions of brothers at my back. Why would I fight you alone?” “Lin Yuan, dare you compete with me in wealth?” “I give gold to beggars, and even my toilet at home is made of solid gold. How do you want to compete?” “Lin Yuan, dare you compete with me in intelligence?” “You think you're worthy of competing with me? The famous strategists of the martial world are fit to be no more than my household servants.” “…” The martia —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 4 The Heaven-Conspiring Cultivator 谋天修士 Can you still soar to success without a cheat or a golden finger? Yes! If you come from a poor background, does that mean others can look down on you? No! This is the story of a prodigy with a knack for mastering all sorts of skills who ventures into the world of cultivation. Watch him build everything from scratch and turn the tides... Hello, otherworld! Here I come! In this life, I choose my own path. Don't ask Heaven! 113Reads5.0Score—Shelves
- 5 I Schemed to Rule the World, Yet No One Knows 布局天下，却无人可知 Ye Yunlong, a man with no car, no house, and no money, transmigrates to the Tianxuan Continent. Along with friends and family, he builds a faction, battles the greatest talents, and climbs to the summit. Watch as Ye Yunlong lays his plans across countless worlds, all without anyone realizing. This blurb can only tell you so much, so read the story! [Dear readers, please go easy on me (●'◡'●)] 20Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 Amid the Schemes at the Peak of Power, I Ascend to the Clouds with My Wits 天之巅权谋间，吾以心术踏云端 "Political Intrigue" "High-Stakes Power Plays" "No System" "No Mindless Protagonist" "Passionate" "Court Politics" If an umbrella cannot shield people from wind and rain, who would hold it high above their head? But whatever shelters you will also constrain you. It can protect you from wind and rain, yet keep you from ever seeing the sun. Even pigs never understand, right up until they die, why the person who feeds them three meals a day is the same person who slaughters them. Those at the botto 113Reads7.3Score—Shelves
- 7 We’re All Caught in the Same Game 你我皆是局中人 [Strong female lead + satisfying revenge + duty to country + court intrigue + clever characters + ruthless payback] Warning: If you don't like this, don't read it. The main cast is tagged [career-focused] and [unhinged]. Especially the heroine, Xiao Qingyao. Everything she does is driven by a clear purpose. Everything! Xiao Qingyao is deeply calculating. She plans ten moves ahead with every step, and a hundred moves ahead overall. Every move is part of a scheme. Gold is never pure, and no one i 64Reads8.5Score—Shelves
- 8 I'm a Demonic Cultivator. What's Wrong with Doing a Few Good Deeds? 我一个魔修，做点善事怎么了？ Li Guangzhou: "Wait! I only came in for an interview. How did I end up here?" "What heir? What demons? I never said I wanted the job!" "And at the very least, could you tell me how the salary gets paid? I'm asking you!" This book is also titled The Great Sheng Demon Lord. Written using the [Handcrafted Ancient Method]. This is the story of a young man used as a pawn who ultimately turns the tables against the odds, winning half a move against Heaven. He is a wanderer in the martial world, with 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 Ruling the Martial World 乾定江湖 The Realm Under Heaven, Pacified 23Reads—Score—Shelves
- 10 I Was Laid Out on a Plank from the Start! Now I’m on a Killing Spree in Shangjing 开局躺板板！我在上京杀疯了 [Political intrigue + a battle of wits among the whole cast + fast-paced plot + a touch of ensemble drama] Two and a half years ago, I transmigrated into Great Qi as the heir of the Prince of Saibei. Now I’ve been forced to stage a little “playing dead.” Jiang Yucheng: “Didn’t see that coming, did you? I’m not dead! I faked it!” But who could have guessed that this spectacular resurrection in Youzhou was actually a trap the Qi Emperor had laid for me long ago? The Qi Emperor: “Didn’t see that co 21Reads—Score—Shelves
- 11 Scheming in the Capital 京华嫡谋 At fifteen, Shen Mingyuan, a legitimate daughter from Jiangnan, returned to the capital at her father’s command. It looked as though she had come home to settle down, but in truth she was drawn into the power struggles of the Prime Minister’s household and the schemes of the court. Her father, Shen Yanzhi, treated her as a pawn to curry favor with Prince Jing, while her stepmother and half-sister repeatedly framed her. Meanwhile, clues to the truth behind her mother’s brutal death began to emerg 63.1kReads8.5Score5.2kShelves
- 12 The Hairpin Removal Chronicles 卸簪记 She is a smiling tiger with a peach-blossom face, the most wicked little official in Hengming’s bureaucracy. The pressure of officialdom is crushing. Want a promotion? “I’m honored by your favor, and I hope you’ll give me your support in the future.” It’s easy to paint the skin, but hard to capture the bones; it’s hard to judge a person’s heart. She has made several “old officials” secretly rub their hands in anticipation, eager to peel away her ever-immaculate official robes and see what kind o 220Reads8.9Score—Shelves
- 13 A Clear Pool at a Single Thought 一念清泓 (The first two volumes are complete) [Large Ensemble Cast] [Romance] [One-on-One] [No System] [Traditional Xuanhuan] [Classic Mystery] [Everyday Life] [Few Fight Scenes] [Lots of Mind Games and Puzzles] Everyone in her sect says she has amnesia, often falling into a daze and talking nonsense. After transmigrating, she meets two people: one is love at first sight, a delight sent from heaven; the other is like a childhood sweetheart, reunited after a long separation. All she wants is to stay tuck 9Reads—Score—Shelves
- 14 Ten Years After the Wicked Minister Died, He Came Back to Life 恶臣死后十年，他活了 The emperor was dead, the crown prince was weak, and sycophants held the court in their grasp. Traitors ruled the land. Loyal officials dared not speak, and the court bowed as one. Those who refused to kneel had their bones broken. Those who dared to speak had their tongues torn out. Men of principle died beneath the executioner’s blade, while vile opportunists became honored guests in the halls of power. A spark smoldered in the mountains, barely clinging to life. A hidden dragon lay coiled in 241Reads8.9Score108Shelves
- 15 Buddha and Demon Are My System, and the Emperor Is My Big Brother 佛魔是我系统，皇帝是我老哥 [Slaughter-driven cultivation + all characters are villains + scheming male lead + unhinged female lead + plot-focused] Before the beginning of time, Buddha and the Demon King made a wager, setting the wheels of fate in motion in an entirely new world. Spiritual energy began to emerge in what had once been an ordinary world, and all kinds of spirit beasts came into being. Many years later, mortals comprehended the mysteries of spiritual energy and began cultivating immortality. When the stronge 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 16 Anti-Corruption Bureau Chief: The Soldier King Is a Little Wild 扫黑局长：兵王有点野 Wujiang, a small county town carved up between two local kingpins. The first three predecessors: one went mad, one died, and one was silenced. The fourth is Lu Chuan. A former special forces soldier, he was still twisting people's necks on the training ground half a month ago. Now he wears a police uniform and holds a meeting for the whole team in the morgue of a funeral home. 25Reads—Score109Shelves
- 17 Qingshi Mystery Files: The 13th Missing Person 青石悬疑档案：第13个失踪者 [Supernatural suspense] [Chinese-style horror] [Feng shui] [Folk customs] [Multiple heroines] Twelve people vanished within a year from the old office complex of Qingshi Mining Group. The official explanation was “voluntary resignation.” The local rumor was that they “went down the mine and never came back.” It wasn’t until the thirteenth person went missing that Shen Tinglan, deputy director of the group’s General Affairs Office, realized the disappearances were happening according to a list. H 1Reads—Score108Shelves
- 18 Dark City Police: A Mysterious Case 暗城公安：悬疑迷案 Three days before the wedding, Wang Hao found his fiancée Li Yanchen’s body in a demolition zone. The ring was still there. She was already cold. He refused to look the other way and insisted on investigating the case himself. He was determined to tear the truth wide open, even if it meant turning the whole Dark City upside down. 13Reads—Score195Shelves
- 19 My Prince's Title Was Stripped, So Now I'll Just Unify the Continent 皇子被废那么我只好一统大陆了 While the people of the world scheme for wealth, beauty, and power, he has already secretly set his sights on half the realm! There’s no problem that can’t be solved. And if there is, just get rid of whoever caused it! Chosen one in ten thousand, the Earth Fiends strike! They charge a thousand miles, sweeping all before them! 148Reads5.4Score—Shelves
- 20 Romance of the Three Jin States 三晋演义 Goujian endured hardship and humiliation until he could destroy Wu and establish his hegemony, bringing an end to the Jin state's century-long dominance and shocking the entire kingdom. As Duke Jizao and chief minister Zhiyao desperately sought a way to restore Jin, Zhao Wuxu proposed reclaiming the lands of the Fan and Zhonghang clans to strengthen the ducal house. This triggered a fierce struggle over land among the four families of Zhi, Zhao, Wei, and Han, plunging the Jin dukes into decline 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 21 The Imperial Throne 帝业 Fish leap from the depths, and phoenixes sing on Mount Qi. The wager is not for fame in a golden age, but for the chance to stay alive. Grudges fade and hatred dissolves, yet this life still holds one regret: I never got to walk hand in hand with him in the best years of my youth. 149Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 22 The Divine Powers of Chess: A Battle Royale of Historical Figures 棋道神通：历史人物大乱斗 [Original System] [Heroic Strategy Battles] [Passionate Competition] When historical heroes from China and abroad, from ancient times to the present, become pieces that can be summoned onto the board, every match becomes a clash and bloody struggle between legendary heroes. Heroes have spirits, players have their own paths: a whole new world of strategy battles, where heroes face off in an entirely different way. Summon the spirits of heroes from across history, then journey together through the 6.5kReads8.6Score624Shelves
- 23 Heaven’s Dao Yin 天道胤 [Martial arts first, cultivation later] + [female lead appears later] + [not invincible] He was the strongest soldier king, a name that struck fear into his enemies. But during a final mission, he used himself as bait and detonated explosives, perishing in a sea of fire alongside the enemy. What he never expected was that, in the final moment before his consciousness faded, Ye Chenxiao would transmigrate to a world of martial arts. But this was no longer the jianghu of legend, where people live 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 24 The Ultimate Young Lord 极品世子爷 [Alternate history + scheming protagonist + feel-good read + political intrigue + no System + making money. Your humble author never lies: the further you read, the more satisfying it gets!] Li Ci unexpectedly transmigrates into the body of the heir to the Chu throne, only to find himself in a dilapidated manor. His father is an idiot, he himself is mad, and even his mother, the princess consort, is being persecuted by her own family. Powerful enemies surround them from without, while treacherou 32Reads7.1Score—Shelves
- 25 The Sinful Sea of the Capital 京门孽海录 The enmity between the Zhao family and the Emperor, the Chancellor, and the Empress has always been a thorn between them. They must trust and work together, yet they keep rubbing against that thorn. Can a unity born of pain endure into the next generation? 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 26 Reborn: Married from the Start, from Fool to Emperor 重生：开局就结婚，从傻子到皇帝 Tang Tianci transmigrates to an unknown dynasty where warlords rule separate territories and someone declares himself king in every city! To survive, he pretends to be a fool for eight years while secretly laying his plans. It is through marriage that he obtains the first piece of the puzzle in his bid to rule the world. Later, he subdues the Eight Martial Gods of the previous dynasty and recruits Gu Liou, the Sage of Strategy, climbing step by step to the throne and ruling all under heaven! (Th 97Reads8.4Score—Shelves
- 27 I Pretended to Be Useless for Ten Years and Fooled Everyone 废物十年，我骗过所有人 [Strong male and female leads + no harem + fantasy + not a wish-fulfillment story] A mysterious organization called the Eight Divisions of the World lurks in the shadows. Its eight leaders suppress the Demon Abyss and shape the fate of the world. What people don't know is that the true founder of the Eight Divisions is currently sleeping off a hangover at the Flower Shadow House under the name of one of the Four Scoundrels of Shengjing. On the very day he is to break off his engagement, he is gr 7.4kReads6.5Score436Shelves
- 28 Xuanhuan: My Sword Strikes Just a Little Too Slowly 玄幻：我的出剑速度有亿点慢 Lin Qiye thought that with a sword in hand, he could live freely and take on the world, but he was betrayed and killed. In this life, he follows his own path, keeping his sword hidden in his heart. The Sword Saint of Heaven and Earth: “You draw your sword too slowly…” The Sword Saint of Heaven and Earth, dead! The Sword God of the Nine Netherworlds: “Everyone says you’re slow to draw your sword. You really are no match for me…” The Sword God of the Nine Netherworlds, dead! The White-Robed Swor 660Reads8.1Score103Shelves
- 29 The Phoenix's Power (Part One) 凰权（上） The real Xie Yuwei was born into the prestigious Xie family of Jiangzhou. When she was very young, her wet nurse lost her, and she was adopted by a hunter’s family, where she later died. To preserve the Xie family’s power and position, its head, Xie Zhouyu, bought a “fake Xie Yuwei” from the slave market, a girl who looked just like her. Though her elder sister is not yet fifteen, she was raised from childhood by the clan to become the Crown Princess and is now the Crown Prince’s betrothed. Her 114Reads9.3Score—Shelves
- 30 Dragon Gate 龙门 The Old Pillar burned down the imperial palace, and the little princess Chen Hongli disappeared. The Pillar's residence was awash with blood overnight. Eleven years later, Su Bai headed south from the northwestern border of the State of Chen, returning to the imperial city of Luoyang. 5.8kReads8.5Score401Shelves
- 31 The Dead: Samsara Sacrifice Game 死者：轮回祭杀游戏 [Twists and Deception + Squid Game + Class Division] (Short title: Dead Man's Game. A first full-length novel packed with thrilling battles of wits. Watch the protagonist turn the tables.) “How can there be fairness in the six paths of reincarnation? Ordinary people are nothing but playthings of the Grim Reaper. The end of life is set from birth, and death is already decided.” 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 32 A Game for All Under Heaven 一局苍生 (Pure historical romance + powerful heroine + equally matched leads + political intrigue) Let me make this clear: this is a political intrigue novel with a strong female lead, not a harem-intrigue story. Everyone in this novel is intelligent. Even the few fools are pretty entertaining. Heroine Mo Xishui: stunningly beautiful, at the peak of martial prowess, and unrivaled in intelligence. For the sake of the family her mother was meant to protect, she has always been an invincible force. In her e 173Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 33 Under Currents in Great Sheng 大晟暗涌 An epic tale of political intrigue set in an imaginary ancient dynasty. Spanning seven volumes and a million words, with five POV storylines, it depicts princes vying for the throne, secret wars among powerful clans, and the games of the heart amid flames of war on the frontier. 49Reads—Score101Shelves
- 34 Why Would a Bandit Chief Like Me Need a Romance System? 我一个土匪头子要恋爱系统有何用 [Transmigration + feel-good story + Romance System + cross-dressing as a man + nationwide idol + empress + ensemble cast + scheming + goofy antics + pretending to be weak to catch the strong off guard + comedy] After transmigrating, Song Jin finds herself in the body of a female bandit chief disguised as a man. She flees down the mountain in the middle of the night, only to be caught by the wicked Buddhist second-in-command and inexplicably activate a Romance System. But what use does a Romance 547Reads8.5Score143Shelves
- 35 Love Between Immortal and Mortal: All Spirits as Slaves 仙凡恋：万灵为奴 [No System, No Harem, No Cliches, No Invincibility, Not a Wish-Fulfillment Story, Mind-Bending] The celestial laws are amended, immortals and mortals fall in love, and their children are born. Divinity and humanity collide. Some gods keep to their place and abide by the rules, while others plunder the myriad heavens. Unluckily, I became a scapegoat for an immortal's descendant and was thrown into the Underworld. As my soul was about to dissipate, I stumbled into the realm between life and death, —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 36 Great Ming: From the Start, I Raid the Entire Court 大明之开局抄了满朝文武 In the seventeenth year of the Chongzhen reign, the Ming dynasty was beset by turmoil. Within its borders, the rebel king was capturing city after city; beyond them, the Manchu barbarians watched like hungry wolves. The court was riddled with treacherous officials, while powerful clans ran rampant among the people... As civilization once again stood on the brink of being conquered by barbarism, Zhu Youjian, who had transmigrated from the future, held the crumbling empire together. With sheer for 603Reads6.7Score105Shelves
- 37 Xuanhuan: Invincible Summoning Starts with a Dynasty 玄幻：无敌召唤从王朝开始 After an accident, Chen Che transmigrated and became a foolish prince. He lay low for ten years from the start, then staged a coup in a single day. Bound to the Eternal Sign-in System, he brought forth Sages, Divine Generals, and more to wage war against heaven and earth, expanding the dynasty's borders. Yet in this great age, the myriad races and their dynasties competed for supremacy, while Daoist palaces and immortal sects instructed the people. Ancient clans, millennia-old aristocratic ho —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 From the Start, in a Wheelchair, with Four Poisonous Strategists Helping Me Become Emperor! 开局坐轮椅，四大毒士助我成皇！ [No System] + [ruthless and decisive] + [no harem] + [no naive do-gooder] Assassinated from the start, he is left crippled. The Four Great Poisonous Strategists appear to assist him. A hidden dragon stirs in the depths, as eight princes contend for the throne. The victor becomes emperor; the defeated die. The Xiongnu threaten from the north, and numerous kingdoms lie to the west. Three kingdoms stand in a tripartite balance, until one unifies the realm. This is an alternate-history novel, filled —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 39 The Princess Refuses to Be Everyone's Darling 公主拒绝当团宠 Word has it that the Demon Lord not only saved a mortal girl, but also took her into the Demon Palace, honored her as a princess of the demon race, and doted on her! But Shi Xi doesn't want to live under the Demon Lord's protection. Determined to become a true demon, she leaves the palace and sets off in search of a Heavenly Spirit Body. The demon general Mo Lan stays by her side through life and death, but gradually discovers... a rival in love is lurking up ahead! Mo Lan: “If you can't do wha 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 40 Autumn Wind Tower 秋风楼 An ordinary man entered the world of cultivation only in his twilight years. He toyed with the martial world through strategy and rode into the imperial court through sheer cunning. He spent fifty years laying his plans, waiting for the day autumn arrived. Autumn came, the play began, and all the people of the world became its audience. 397Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 41 Poison Concubine 鸩姬 Long ago, there was a wicked bird that lived by the South Sea. Its feathers were bright and beautiful, but laced with deadly poison. It was called the Zhen. The daughter of the King of Xiliang was cunning and twisted, a disastrous beauty and a demon in human form, known throughout the realm as the Zhen Consort. History written by men has never set the record straight for women, but this tale teaches us one thing: there is always a price to pay for offending a woman. 174Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 42 Nine Princes Vie for the Throne: Your Highness, Prepare to Die 九龙夺嫡，请皇兄赴死 In the eleventh year of the Tianqing era, Zhao Yin Qian, the ninth prince of Zhao, returned home after spending ten years as a hostage in Wei. All he wanted was to live carefree as a prince. But several of his elder brothers had murder on their minds and kept pressing him at every turn. He would endure it no longer. If they could fight for the position of Crown Prince, so could he. Zhao Yin Qian raised his sword to the heavens and roared, “By imperial decree, I come to suppress the traitors. Eld 145Reads5.9Score—Shelves
- 43 Setting the Trap 做局 A mastermind uses the martial world as a game board and people as pawns. Those drawn into the game are at their mercy. My grandfather was a Feng Shui master and a master schemer, yet he died after a charlatan set him up. My father was killed, my mother took her own life after being humiliated, and I ended up in prison. To avenge my family, I joined the Golden Sect and became a charlatan myself, rising to become a master strategist. I’ve set countless schemes in my life. Living schemes and deadly 16.9kReads9.1Score1.8kShelves
- 44 Xuanhuan: The Ninth Prince of Great Zhou, Invincible from the Start 玄幻：大周九皇子，开局即无敌 [Fantasy + Fortune + Emperor + Ruthless + Invincible + No Heroine] Lin Xuan transmigrates into a fantasy world as the ninth prince of Great Zhou. In this life, he has no interest in the throne and devotes himself to martial arts. After a century of cultivation, he reaches the Grandmaster realm. A man may have no intention of killing a tiger, but the tiger may still want to kill him. To eliminate the threat he poses to the throne, the other princes frame Lin Xuan for plotting to usurp the country 7.9kReads8.4Score388Shelves
- 45 I Was Barely Born When the Empress Dowager Used Me to Fight for the Throne! 刚出生，母后就拿我争皇位！ Alternate history, no System, strategy and warfare He was once a prince, but fate left him stranded beyond the frontier. Now the land is shattered and warlords vie for supremacy. How could he, a prince by birth, stay out of it? 1.4kReads7.1Score104Shelves
- 46 Transmigrate, Become the Great Qian Crown Prince's Eldest Son 穿越，大乾第一世子 [Parallel Martial Arts and Political Intrigue + Reincarnated in the Womb + Hegemony + No Harem (Politics First, Not Mindless Wish Fulfillment)] Li Cheng'an wakes up as the heir of the Great Qian Dynasty. In his previous life, he worked himself to the bone. In this life, all he wants is to be a wastrel who indulges in wine and women. But fate has other plans. As a child, he learns an unreliable Daoist cultivation technique, and the wheels of destiny begin to turn. He acts recklessly in his youth, 56.4kReads8.8Score6kShelves
- 47 I Am the Son of Heaven in Great Zhou 我在大周做天子 Not a wish-fulfillment novel! No System! A contest for supremacy!! The ultimate political machinations!! The opposition won’t be dumbed down!! Written purely for love of the craft!! Since this book isn’t mainstream, it doesn’t get much traffic. If you’ve clicked in, I hope you’ll give it a chance. Two people from different eras transmigrate to the dawn of Chinese civilization. They have different ideals and want to shape civilization along different paths. Their competing ideals collide at t 520Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 48 Taking Power While Pregnant, So Step Aside, You Crazy Little Uncle 带球掌权，疯批小表叔靠边站 [A Powerful Alliance + Unhinged Cousins + Hatred and Political Scheming + Workplace Power Struggles + Corruption + Power Struggles in a Wealthy Family + Marriage for Mutual Benefit] Pregnant with twins, Wen Canlan takes over the Jing Group in a crisis. Just as she finds her footing, she falls into a series of deadly traps laid by her unhinged younger cousin, Bo Jinlin. A trap involving hundreds of millions in funds, a stolen bid, sabotage at a construction site, and a deadly car crash come one 82Reads7.0Score—Shelves
- 49 The Vast Immortal Firmament 万古仙穹 Heaven and earth are the board, and all living beings are the pieces! If you refuse to be a piece, become the one who makes the moves! Lose, and your body and Dao are destroyed. Win, and you live forever! An ancient Go stone carries Gu Hai as he transmigrates to the Divine Continent! The Heavenly Dao is boundless, but human life is limited. Be a piece in heaven and earth’s game, enjoy a few decades of life, and when you’re captured, turn to dust and vanish. Or leap off the board, become the one 4.1kReads8.4Score405Shelves
- 50 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 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 19Reads—Score—Shelves
