Novels like A Life of Servitude
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as A Life of Servitude, best match first.
- 1 Shocking! The Marquis’s Young Maid Gives Birth to the Heir’s Illegitimate Eldest Son 惊！侯府小丫鬟，生了世子庶长子 [This new book has just been rated, so the score is low. Please bear with us.] [Devoted couple + sweet romance + raising a little boy + winning her back] One-line blurb: A brooding, love-struck young lord talks himself into falling in love. Full blurb: Su Chanyi, born into a family of physicians, transmigrated one day into the body of a senior maid serving the wife of the Marquis of Yong'an. She watched her words and actions, hid her abilities, and pretended to be ill, hoping only to hold on unt 2.2kReads8.7Score131Shelves
- 2 The West Wind Is Cruel 西风恶 She swallows her grievances and compromises against her will, her heart full of resentment. She longs for what she cannot have, powerless as fate keeps her apart from the one she loves. Though this is a love story, the plot is dull and uneventful, with little flavor. Look closely, and you'll find more bitterness than sweetness. A realistic tragic romance: not sweet, not satisfying, and not cathartic. Many different lives, and many different kinds of misery. A pure historical romance, with both l 827Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 3 The Sect Leader's Aunt 掌教姑姑 [Female Master and Male Disciple, Forbidden Tension and Push-Pull Romance + Palace and Household Intrigue + Revenge + Class Divide] Xie Yi is the most renowned governess in the entire capital. She has spent her whole life observing propriety, following the rules, and mastering every scheme and subtle maneuver. Because of the Xie family's wrongful case, she serves the Noble Consort and helps the Cui family's young master rise to power, always cautious and never daring to make a mistake. But durin 1.4kReads7.3Score109Shelves
- 4 The Maid Is Sweet and Scheming, Climbing Her Way to the Top 宫女又茶又媚，一路内卷做娘娘 [They scheme against each other + the male lead has been with other women, while the female lead is chaste + palace intrigue + exclusive devotion later on + marriage before love] The rating just came in. It’ll go up later. The heroine grows over time! She suffers a little at first, but later fights back and gets a major power-up! She was once the cherished jewel of the Jinzhong prefect, raised like nobility. But when her father was exposed for corruption and thrown into prison, she was implicate 267Reads6.9Score—Shelves
- 5 Forced to Become a Bedchamber Maid, the Ascetic General Wants to Dote on Me Alone 被逼成通房丫鬟，禁欲将军要独宠 Su Qingruo is a maid doing menial work in the Marquis’s Manor. By chance, she helps the heir, Mu Sheng’an, get rid of an aphrodisiac, and is forced to become his concubine. Unwilling to be a concubine, Su Qingruo runs away several times, only to be caught by Mu Sheng’an each time. In the end, she has no choice but to poison him. The valiant general Mu Sheng’an suffers from face blindness. Then one day, he realizes he can remember one particular face. Curious, he wants to find out why. But as the 4.3kReads8.9Score470Shelves
- 6 No Such Person Exists 杳无此人 [Undercover Assassin vs. Narcotics Detective] “Jinchen, after I’m gone, I’m entrusting my sister to you.” “Don’t tell her what happened to me. She cries at the drop of a hat, and if she finds out, she’ll cry her head off.” “Yu Jinyan, you big liar! Now that you’re gone, who’s going to protect me? I have no family left…” The day after Yu Jinyan died, Yu Jinchu vanished without a trace, as if she had disappeared from the face of the earth. Jiang Jinchen searched for her like a madman. Seven years 319Reads—Score125Shelves
- 7 The Trial Bride's Maid 试婚丫鬟 Jiang Shu was born into lowly circumstances, worse off than an ordinary maid. She would never have been chosen to test a bridegroom’s suitability. She was also more clear-headed than others: she wouldn’t fall for her master or let him grow attached to her. She would devote herself to helping her own young lady test her future husband and pave the way for her. Her master treated her as a substitute, and she endured it. He trampled her self-respect into the dirt, and she endured that too. He wante 1.7kReads8.5Score391Shelves
- 8 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
- 9 The Maid 丫鬟 !!! The heroine is an ordinary person. Although she transmigrates, she has no special abilities of any kind!!! Please bear in mind the differences between social classes in ancient times. Don't assume that a transmigrated heroine means this is a wish-fulfillment story. This is a tragic romance!!! [Tragedy warning, read with caution. The male lead really is cold and heartless. A warning for a deranged male lead!] He is the master, and you are a servant. Your stations in life are worlds apart. Wha 652Reads6.4Score102Shelves
- 10 The Mad Crown Prince’s Cherished Captive 疯批皇兄的掌中娇 [A possessive, obsessive Crown Prince X a beautiful, delicate Princess] [The male lead is unhinged, obsessive, and fiercely controlling + the Princess is as sweet and delicate as her name suggests + she can never escape his grasp + both are virgins] Zhao Jiaojiao’s father was the top candidate in the palace examinations, and her mother was the daughter of a Minister of the Court of Justice. But before Zhao Jiaojiao was born, her father was framed by a villain and died in prison. The entire Zhao 162Reads8.1Score—Shelves
- 11 A Year Without Song 岁无歌 Wu Suiwan was a pitiful girl, unloved by both her father and mother. She had hoped to turn her life around by finding a husband, but instead fell straight into a ditch. Fortunately, things took a turn for the better. After the poor girl had spent a year quietly mourning her husband, Heaven took pity on her and her husband, who had supposedly died in battle, came home. But don’t celebrate just yet. At the drop of a hat, her husband eloped with another woman. If he doesn’t want us, we shouldn’t cl 392Reads8.8Score—Shelves
- 12 The Sweet and Sly Maid Wins Her Way Up Through Household Scheming 小通房乖又茶，靠宅斗步步上位 [Both leads are virgins, mutual salvation, a maid focused on building her career, a fiercely protective heir] [The heroine seems sweet and delicate but is actually a master manipulator X The hero seems aloof and ascetic but is actually an obsessive yandere with overwhelming possessiveness] Qing Zhi was a low-ranking, low-born servant maid. One day, she dreamed that her mistress would force her to become a plaything for the master's illegitimate son, leaving her wishing she were dead. When she wo 5.9kReads8.9Score808Shelves
- 13 Luring Her Into Bed: My Little Maid Is a Siren 诱她上榻，爷的小婢女是祸水 [Beautiful little troublemaker x jade-faced demon] [Mutually devoted and faithful + sweet romance + unbelievably beautiful heroine] Nan Zhu is a maid serving Fourth Miss Shen of the Duke's household. Unfortunately, she is so stunningly beautiful that the young lady and her mother target her, even trying to marry her off to a short, lame servant. To avoid being forced into marriage, Nan Zhu has no choice but to climb into the bed of the much-feared eldest young master and offer herself to him. Th 6.7kReads8.3Score694Shelves
- 14 Who Gets It? My Auntie-in-Law Slays with Her Beauty 谁懂啊，姨娘她靠颜值杀疯了 [Transmigration + System + Devoted Couple + Adorable Child + Sweet Romance] Ding! You are now bound to the [Chosen Wage Slave] System! Work is work, so she starts out as a third-class maid in the Duke’s estate! With her looks and clever tricks, she gets the young lord’s heart racing and smoothly gets promoted to concubine. Room and board included, great pay, and a handsome, fit boss. Where else could you find a job this good?! But the good times don’t last... Five years later, Niu Gulu Zhennian 790Reads7.2Score113Shelves
- 15 Alas, the Present! 叹今朝！ [Historical Fiction Only + No System or Golden Finger + Palace Intrigue and Political Scheming + Court Conflicts + Inspirational Strong Female Lead’s Growth] Key point: The heroine suffers terribly, and the story is very angsty. Read with caution! Mu Zhaozhao is the eldest daughter of the Chancellor’s household, but no one has cared about her since she was little. Her birth parents consider her a bringer of bad luck and leave her to fend for herself in the most remote courtyard of the residence. 443Reads—Score—Shelves
- 16 When the Flowers Fall, the Leaves Follow the Heart 花落离心叶相随 This story is very angsty and frustrating. The male lead is trash, the female lead is weak, and the plot is realistic, gloomy, and bland. Be aware that the male lead is the male lead only because he has more scenes and is more entangled with the female lead. It doesn’t mean the author likes him or that the female lead loves him all that much. The setting is fictional, drawing mostly on the Ming dynasty, with traces of the Song and Qing dynasties mixed in. It’s a hodgepodge. This is an ancient-er 2.9kReads9.2Score228Shelves
- 17 The Caged Songbird Ensnared the Mad Emperor 笼中雀她渣了疯批皇帝 [Taking Her by Force / The Long Road to Winning Her Back | Sweet, Deceptive Maid × Domineering, Ruthless, Scheming Emperor] Xu Zhixing was emperor twice in his life. The first time he took the throne, he kept Jiang Si imprisoned by his side and personally forced her to drink a pregnancy-preventing potion. But power struggles were rife with hidden murderous intent, and life and death were unpredictable. In just a few short years, the dynasty changed hands several times. After the Qing dynasty was 1.1kReads8.4Score102Shelves
- 18 The Beiming Family’s Little Maid Is a Money Lover 北冥家的小小丫鬟是财迷 Su Xiaoxiao only wanted to sneak into the Prime Minister's residence to steal something. It wasn't until she got inside that she realized she had gone to the wrong place. As it turned out, there were two Prime Ministers' residences, one belonging to the Left Chancellor and one to the Right Chancellor. From then on, Su Xiaoxiao began a battle of wits with the Left Chancellor. One wanted her freedom. The other did everything he could to keep her. And she still had to find time to deal with th 5.2kReads9.2Score622Shelves
- 19 The Concubine Has Endless Tricks, and the Crown Prince Keeps Visiting Her Room 侍妾花样百出，太子总去她屋 [Not a virgin couple!!!] [Two best friends transmigrate together + favored concubine rises to power] Yun Weiwei transmigrated into Yun Wei, a maid assigned to sweep the Eastern Palace. The maid was breathtakingly beautiful, and had originally been planted in the Eastern Palace to disgust the Crown Princess. Within just a few days, Yun Wei had fallen to the lowest rank of servant in the residence. No one expected that the Crown Prince would take a liking to her. Yun Wei was timid and afraid of tr 1.5kReads8.4Score107Shelves
- 20 The Powerful Minister’s Concubine 权臣的瘦马通房 A devoted couple, sweet romance, and a wife-chasing journey of regret A Yuan was famous in Yangzhou as a slender beauty, with skin as smooth as jade and beauty as radiant as peach blossoms. Every frown and smile of hers could captivate the heart. Later, she was sold into the Marquis of Anning's household. The old madam took a liking to her and assigned her to serve as a bedchamber maid to Wei Xun, the heir to the marquis's title. Wei Xun was aloof and indifferent by nature. More than anything, h 4kReads8.5Score439Shelves
- 21 The Tale of Xihe: Captured, I Became the Enemy Emperor’s Empress 羲河传：被俘后，我成了敌国皇后 [Fallen Princess vs. Unhinged Crown Prince] When a nation falls and a family is destroyed, a ruler is duty-bound to die with his country. But what should a princess do? Princess Xihe was willful and arrogant in her youth. At sixteen, her country fell and her family was killed. Alone, she struggled to survive in a world of chaos while protecting the six-year-old heir. She met a general from the enemy nation. He took her for an ordinary young woman and fell in love with her, but how could she forg 32.6kReads9.5Score5kShelves
- 22 Never Grow Old Like a Pair of Lovebirds 不学鸳鸯老 Yin Huayue was a dog the Zhuang family had sent to watch over him and keep him under their thumb. She was cold-blooded and hypocritical, always wearing a smile so false it hurt to look at. She dressed him, combed his hair, stood guard at his door, and lit his lamps. For ten out of every twelve hours, Li Jingyun thought about how to make her leave. But later... She really did leave. And he panicked. Morning and evening, I long to be with you; the wind has no pity for the hardy grass. I would rat 814Reads8.9Score156Shelves
- 23 Claiming Her: The Mistress Becomes His Wife 夺她：外室为妻 [The heroine refuses to be a concubine] [Possessive pursuit + groveling to win her back + the hero is faithful but has no morals] [Heroine: a delicate, captivating beauty who looks as frail as a willow in the breeze, but is actually scheming, stubborn, and quick-tempered] [Hero: a cold-hearted, ruthless, powerful official on the outside, but a pitiful pest who won't stop pestering her and asking, “Yuewei, when will you marry me?” on the inside] Overnight, Jiang Yuewei was born into the body of a 999Reads8.7Score104Shelves
- 24 The Marquess's Wife Was Widowed for Three Years, Then Got Pregnant and Went on a Rampage 侯门主母守寡三年，一朝有喜杀疯了 [Heroine runs away while pregnant + coercive romance + forbidden relationship + obsessive hero] A widow's life is hard, and life as a widow in a marquis's household is even harder. Shen Xiling's husband died young. She manages every affair in the marquis's estate, yet gets no appreciation for it. She thought she'd spend the rest of her life wasting away like this. But then her brother-in-law, who was believed to have died in battle, returns and inherits everything in the marquis's household. 120Reads6.6Score—Shelves
- 25 I Still Remember That Startling Glance 犹记惊鸿照影 Beneath the bridge of sorrow, spring waves run green; once, a startled swan’s reflection shimmered there. Her younger sister’s unexpected flight from her wedding left her no choice but to marry into the imperial family. From spending her wedding night alone to learning of the husband’s unforgettable past, she faced it all with calm acceptance. Marrying a prince meant love was never part of the bargain. All she cared about was keeping her family safe and at peace. She stood by his side as he clim 1kReads9.0Score124Shelves
- 26 What Does a Bedchamber Maid Want? Money and a Handsome Man, of Course 通房图什么，不就图个财色兼得 [Historical Romance + Transmigration + Fiercely Protective Hero + Both Leads Have No Prior Relationships + Playing the Fool to Outsmart Others + Pregnant Escape + Heroine Builds Her Career Later] Liu Yiyi transmigrated into the body of one of the four concubines the Duchess of State was about to give to her young lord. For money and freedom, Liu Yiyi decided to compete for the position and become the young lord's favorite. - The young lord's grandmother: “The Pei family has never had a concubine 2.6kReads8.7Score354Shelves
- 27 The Former Dynasty's Maidservant 前朝女婢 No saintly heroine, no pointless chatter, no dragging things out. Come feast on the good stuff!!! The cover is based on the heroine's original character design, so feel free to imagine yourself in her role. “As long as we don't have children, there won't be any problems. You needn't worry, Big Sister. I won't marry someone else for the sake of an heir. In this life, I need only you...” 1.4kReads8.4Score102Shelves
- 28 The General Only Said He Loved Me After I Died 我死后将军才说爱我 The General Only Said He Loved Me After I Died 650Reads—Score—Shelves
- 29 The Bright Moon Rests on the Mountain 明月栖山 [Alternate-history rebirth + historical romance + sweet pampering as he pursues his wife + the male lead falls hard] A little sweet historical romance, not a face-slapping power fantasy with a strong heroine. P.S. As long as it doesn't affect your reading, there's no need to nitpick the fictional details. Shen Yufu was reborn. She wasn't a daughter of the Shen family. In this new life, all she wanted was to leave the cold, unwelcoming Marquis of Yiyong's residence and find her real family. She n 439Reads9.0Score102Shelves
- 30 EN Red Finery 红妆 Red robes, red robes. She was like the blazing sun that never set over the deserts of southern Xinjiang, carrying a fire within her and leaving desolation wherever she went. Her senior sister was her only weakness, and the reason she had come to the Central Plains for revenge. Meeting Ji Hanchu was beyond anything she had expected. That precious, pure-hearted young man was like the moon in the sky, lighting up the wasteland inside her. But they were never meant to be the same. Her vengeance coul 965Reads9.4Score145Shelves
- 31 An Order in Late Spring 暮春之令 After the princess sent away for a political marriage passes away, Wang Huiyan, a palace historian, returns to her hometown after eight years away. Once a well-born young lady, she now faces a family fallen on hard times, creditors at the door, and the prospect of remaining unmarried well into adulthood. Determined to make something of herself and escape her predicament, Huiyan ventures into business. Her heart stirs at the sight of the excellent bachelor who was once her childhood friend, and 3.5kReads9.1Score464Shelves
- 32 Peace and Prosperity in a Flourishing Age 河清海晏时和岁丰 Changning was never destined to know peace. War will not let this age find peace, either. I will be the hero of this age and forge a new world. I will play a game of strategy, using the lives of everyone on the board to pave a road to a golden age. I am leaving. I will resign from the palace and go. Xiao Mingyan: I am the princess of Great Xiao. Since I have enjoyed the offerings of the people, I must shoulder a great responsibility. I am on the board, but I will not let others manipulate me. I 114Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 The Young Master's Maid Tops the Imperial Exams 少爷的小丫鬟金榜题名了 [The story of a clever, unassuming maid and several young masters: one humble woman's road to a comeback] “Good news! Someone from the Qi family has made the imperial honor roll!” “Are you sure there's no mistake? No one from our household took the imperial exams this year.” “No mistake! It's that maid of yours, Liu Shi. She disguised herself as a man, took the exams, and came out top! The Qi household really does deserve its reputation as a family of scholars. Even one of its maids is so brilli 961Reads9.2Score133Shelves
- 34 The Duke's Estate Maid 国公府小丫鬟 Su Liyue was a low-ranking maid in the Duke's mansion, not even qualified for the ranks of household maids. She had no interest in climbing the social ladder. She just wanted to leave the mansion and live a quiet life. After hearing that only first-class maids could buy their freedom, she rushed into the main kitchen and embarked on a difficult journey up the ranks. She made sweet soups, prepared pastries, cooked elaborate dishes, bought farmland, rented a butcher shop, and tended the ancestral 15.4kReads8.9Score1.7kShelves
- 35 Captive Wild Rose 囚禁野玫瑰 Angsty romance + unhinged male lead (if you dislike this, don’t read) + no reconciliation Another warning: the male lead is obsessive and unhinged. If you dislike that, don’t read. Aloof, noble doctor Shi Yi VS gentle, well-behaved teacher Yu Huan From the moment the first rose bloomed, the Creator had been plotting this encounter, one called redemption. Shi Yi was like the moon reflected on water. Yu Huan had gazed up at him for five whole years, loving him humbly as her bright, clear white ros 2.7kReads8.7Score133Shelves
- 36 The Wolf and the Tuberose 狼与荼蘼 There's a scam in this world called Shen Muyan loving Su Qianyang. When the deception is exposed, he gradually closes in on her, baring his vicious fangs. His voice is gentle yet cruel. “A Yang, do you know a wolf's nature? Once its loyalty has been killed, all that remains is hatred!” When a wolf turns back, it's either to repay a kindness or to take revenge! Shen Muyan says he will repay Su Qianyang a hundredfold for the trap she laid for him! So he tortures her until she is utterly broken. * 421Reads8.3Score—Shelves
- 37 When Will I Finally See Daylight? 我什么时候能等到天光大亮 When will I finally see the light of day? 142Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 A Magpie Lands on a Branch 鹊踏枝 Shen Qiyuan, son of the Grand Princess, earned the emperor’s favor at a young age and wielded great power. In Great Qian, he could have anything he wanted. But Liu Ruyi was neither wind nor rain. She was an untamed warhorse beneath the blazing sun, a spark that would not go out in a torrential storm. She was the dream he hated, yet longed to touch every night. Shen Qiyuan x Liu Ruyi Features demons and gods; mystery-solving is secondary, romance is the focus. A fictional setting, so don’t get t 2.9kReads8.9Score447Shelves
- 39 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
- 40 The Chief Minister's Beloved Concubine 首辅大人的宠妾 Siyue, a servant in the Gu household, has raven-black hair and snow-white skin. She is as enchanting as a lotus fairy, and her only wish is to save enough money to leave the estate. What she doesn’t know is that Gu Rongheng, the eldest son of the Gu family, has long had his eye on her and already considers her his own. Gu Rongheng, the Grand Secretary, lays trap after trap, leaving her no chance to escape. A lowly maid can never escape a nobleman’s grasp. When Gu Heng becomes engaged, she is for 7kReads8.3Score505Shelves
- 41 He Sent Her to the Crown Prince, Then Regretted It and Took Her Back by Force 亲手将她送太子，王爷后悔强夺回 Main story complete! Extras complete! The second male lead takes the crown in the main story! The extras offer a happy ending for some readers! [Angst + physical and emotional torment + possessive abduction + forced love + not mutually chaste] Sold to a brothel by her sister-in-law, Chu Niaoniao became the chosen plaything of Ji Xunzhi. He hired renowned masters to teach her music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, and literature, and forced her to master dance and seduction. Yet he took eve 1.9kReads8.2Score129Shelves
- 42 Forced to Become His Bedchamber Maid, She Is Spoiled Beyond Reason by the General 被逼成通房后，她被将军逆天独宠 [A true maid-companion, no transmigration and no later identity makeover] Su Qingwan was treated as a pawn in the household's inner-familial schemes and assigned as a bedchamber maid to an illegitimate son. She refused, she ran away, and then she was forced back. On one side was the matriarch, who could kill without spilling a drop of blood. On the other was a violent illegitimate son who would casually order twenty strokes for a maid. She struggled to survive between them. Thinking she had chos 2.8kReads9.1Score673Shelves
- 43 Drunk on Jade, Fragrant in Bloom 醉玉翻香 Yan Yiru was betrothed to the Crown Prince as a child. She lived a pampered life, with the power to make anything happen. Then her family fell from grace, her life came crashing down, and all the riches and glory she had enjoyed became someone else’s wedding finery. Given another life, she does everything the opposite way, keeping away from court and preventing her politically inept father from dragging the whole family into the abyss again. But by chance, she saves the heir of the Prince of Cha 729Reads9.1Score154Shelves
- 44 Escape from the Peach Blossom Trap 逃夭 After losing her memory, Su Wan lost all her martial arts skills and was left disfigured. For no apparent reason, she married into the Lin family and was swept into a bloody storm. Yun Chen used love as bait, scheming at every turn as he deliberately drew close to her. He used her to wipe out his enemies, only to fall deeply in love with her before he realized it. When the truth came to light and her memories returned, she learned that it had all been a lie: the two of them were sworn enemies, a 415Reads9.0Score110Shelves
- 45 Her Slender Waist and Jade-Like Beauty Drive the Reserved Crown Prince Out of Control 通房细腰玉颜，引清冷太子失控了 [Complete] [Both leads devoted to each other + sweet romance + male lead is hopelessly in love!] [Delicate, soft-waisted chamber maid × noble, aloof crown prince] Nian Yao was the lowliest maid in the inner palace, yet she had a face as beautiful as a hibiscus. Unfortunately, she was frail and the daughter of a criminal, someone everyone could bully. But nobody knew that whenever Nian Yao was moved by desire, a begonia flower bloomed on her right shoulder, alluring and radiant. Except the noble, 2.1kReads8.9Score209Shelves
- 46 Soft Waist, Beguiling Bones 软酥腰，娇妾媚骨生香 After one wild night, Song Yihuan was set up by her elder sister and made into a surrogate. No one knew that by day, her elder sister lived in perfect harmony with Ji Lingchuan, heir to Prince Ning, while by night, Song Yihuan took her place, spending the nights in his arms because her sister could not conceive. Song Yihuan thought that once she gave birth, she would finally be free of it all. But the moment the child was born, her sister dropped her virtuous facade and tried to kill the mother 524Reads9.2Score216Shelves
- 47 Tricked Into Becoming a Concubine: This Mistress Won’t Join the Household Schemes 被骗做妾：姨娘不宅斗 [Pure historical romance + the heroine has a past, the hero doesn't + fighting back against manipulation + household intrigue + palace intrigue + coercive possession + angst before a satisfying payoff + substitute for his unattainable first love + punishing scoundrels + fictional setting] For an ordinary girl, is beauty a blessing or a curse? Liu Chunjun was so beautiful that County Magistrate Chen Chaoan seized her by force and made her his concubin 1.9kReads8.9Score243Shelves
- 48 We Were Never Meant to Meet Again 相逢相聚本无期 There was never any promise that we would meet again. 51Reads—Score—Shelves
- 49 Mistakenly Bound to the Eunuch, He Helps Me Ascend the Throne 错绑九千岁，他助我登临帝位 [War-God Grand Princess × Lord Eunuch: Fierce and ruthless to outsiders, proud and devoted to her] “Women rule” + “Court intrigue” + “Both pure” + “Power couple” Ye Shumei returns from battle to find that her fiancé, Wen Zhijin, is going to marry her imperial younger sister. How could she possibly put up with that? If you’re going to be so unreasonable, then I’ll just... On a dark, windy night, she climbed over the wall into the Grand Tutor’s residence and hauled someone back to her villa in a s 41Reads—Score—Shelves
- 50 The Retired Life of a Female Court Archivist 司籍女官的退休日常 [Fictional setting, not a transmigration or rebirth story + household intrigue + lady of the house] [Early story: self-reliant junior female official x by-the-book prefect] [Later story: perceptive and sensible lady of the house x scheming grand secretary] Wu Xi has spent thirteen years in the palace, struggling her way up, cautious and restrained, dodging countless hidden attacks. At last, she earns the position of sixth-rank female official in charge of the palace library. But then the former 1.1kReads8.6Score105Shelves
