Novels like The Mastermind Behind the Scenes
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as The Mastermind Behind the Scenes, best match first.
- 101 One Step to the Clouds 一步青云 A mountain can crumble, and a river can run dry. Lu Zhengliang is suppressed by his superior and betrayed by his beloved wife, sending his life into a downward spiral. At his lowest point, he relies on sheer courage to win the favor of a benefactor and the support of a beautiful woman. In the end, he builds a grand empire and becomes a winner in life. 1.4kReads8.7Score15414d adds
- 102 The Official's Cauldron 官鼎 A photograph set off quite a stir. Wu Kejun thought it was just a coincidence, but little did he know that behind it lay a massive conspiracy. He thought he could control his own life, but in the end, others still pulled the strings. How can he break free from adversity? How can he evade the hidden hands around him? It’s a question with a distinctly philosophical edge... 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 103 The Path to Power: Breaking the Deadlock 官途之破局 A college student from a small county town enters the government and eventually rises to the very top. A new work is here! Come read my stories on Fanqie Novel. I hope you enjoy them. Your support is what motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 104 Back on the Road to Office: Making Waves in Legal and Political Circles 重走官途之在政法圈风生水起 First, there are no melodramatic plots built around a reborn protagonist’s foreknowledge. The story closely reflects the realities of officialdom, with strong logic and a clear central plot. Second, it fills a gap in rebirth novels by exploring legal and political subject matter, offering an in-depth look at political maneuvering and rhetorical tactics from within the legal and political system. Third, it avoids the multiple-heroines trope. Most rebirth stories feature several heroines, which fe 382Reads5.5Score—14d adds
- 105 The Heavy Responsibilities of a Political Career 仕途重任 A sudden mass incident in Huxi County, caused by delays in housing deliveries, exposed how the economic development model of the past decade, built on excessive reliance on land-based financing, had reached its end... Wang Cheng was sent to Huxi County on a temporary assignment and given a mission in a time of crisis. Can he successfully fulfill it? 2.5kReads8.8Score22214d adds
- 106 Destined to Be a Secretary 命中注定是秘书 This is a realistic political drama set in the world of government, told from the perspective of a leader’s secretary. It offers a look at the changing currents of officialdom and the many sides of life. Hu Tianyou starts out as the secretary to a county Party committee secretary, rising from a junior secretary to a senior one as he faces countless twists and turns in his career. The story offers both eye-opening political wisdom and a rich emotional journey for its hero and heroine, making it w 319Reads6.7Score—14d adds
- 107 The Pinnacle of Power: A County Secretary's Extraordinary Career 权利巅峰：县委秘书的妖孽仕途 To be an official, you need two things: a heart devoted to speaking up for the people, and an unwavering sense of justice. Follow a county Party committee secretary as he climbs step by step toward the pinnacle of power in a cutthroat political game of schemes and betrayals. 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 108 Tales of Officialdom in Jinlin 晋林官宦风云录 Amid the political turmoil of Jinlin County, a small fifth-tier city, County Party Secretary Peng Shusheng was once a pioneer of reform, but died on the eve of his promotion. His secretary, Lu Suiyuan, had been his right-hand man. He resolutely gave up the chance to transfer to the provincial capital and remained in this challenging city. As he carries forward Secretary Peng’s unfinished work, Lu Suiyuan must not only face the countless traps laid by local interest groups, but also resist the co 88Reads—Score—14d adds
- 109 Officialdom’s Disciple: After Coming Clean, I Rose Straight to the Top! 官徒，摊牌后我青云直上！ He came top in the exams, only to have someone take his place. With no connections or backing, Lin Bei is left heartbroken when his wife betrays him. He marries into the Su family and endures three years of humiliation. Then an accident sends him soaring to success! The Su family regrets everything when they see what he’s achieved! Through the twists and turns of officialdom, he finally rises to the top! 12.3kReads8.1Score1.4k14d adds
- 110 The Shadow of Jingzhe: The Male Secretary’s Deadly Identity 惊蛰谍影：男秘书的致命身份 On March 5, 2026, Jingzhe, Zhou Daimei died in an "accidental" car crash. Just before she died, she received a WeChat message: "Don't go. It's an ambush." When she opened her eyes again, time had turned back three days, to 5:24 a.m. on March 2. She had 72 hours left to live. This time, she had returned with her memories intact. 115Reads—Score—14d adds
- 111 On the Road to the Azure Clouds: Turmoil in the Officialdom 青云在路上之官路风云 Though no one has yet bestowed the Book of Huangshi upon him, he remains steadfast and strives to rise among the clouds. Life is a series of encounters along the road to growth, and every meeting must be treated with care. Ling Chen graduated with a degree in journalism from the Chinese Department. When he took the civil service interview, a close friend from university sabotaged him, causing him to fail. To pay for his cancer-stricken father's treatment, he gave up on graduate school and findin 69Reads—Score—14d adds
- 112 Hao Yunlai in the Political Arena 官场郝运来 [Powerful political fantasy, mind games, political intrigue, multiple heroines] Some characters and settings draw on the author's own experiences, recreated in an appropriate way for readers. Stick with it and every chapter will deliver. See how the protagonist, Hao Yunlai, lucks his way through officialdom... 13.1kReads8.1Score1.5k14d adds
- 113 The Transferred Soldier King Marries in a Flash During College 转业兵王大学期间闪电结婚 Bai Yitu never expected that after returning to campus, he would be drawn by some mysterious force into one maelstrom after another. To pay for his father's medical treatment, he gave up his first chance at marriage. Then he unexpectedly uncovered the truth behind a college classmate's car accident. The shocking collusion between officials and businesspeople for illicit profits pushed him, against his will, to change everything. From passing the civil service exam for a provincial department to 49Reads—Score—14d adds
- 114 To the Peak of the Azure Clouds, Starting with My Ex-Girlfriend 青云之巅，从前女友开始 Now that you’ve been reborn, do you still have to be timid and submissive? Gu Yang will tell you: life is precious, so why not live it a little more freely... Good and evil in human nature are all here. See the story for a look at the twists and turns of officialdom. 1.5kReads7.4Score15014d adds
- 115 Reborn on the Road to Power: 1995 官道重生：1995 (There may be negative reviews! Disclaimer: Everything in this novel is fictional.) When Lin Weidong, a seasoned political operator, returns to 1995 with memories of the next thirty years, he discovers that the whole world has become a card table where only he can see everyone else’s cards! While others are still bewildered by the restructuring of state-owned enterprises, he is already quietly laying the groundwork for the future of the internet! While others are still fretting over attracting i 233Reads8.1Score—14d adds
- 116 Officialdom: Burning 官场：燃烧 Under the sky screen, everyone fights to get into the game, risking life and death and willingly becoming a pawn. A nobody takes on a giant, with no connections to rely on and nothing but his own shadow behind him. I’m the youngest section-level official in the country, and I’m still an intern. I throw my chest open and laugh at the sky, my blood burning in the flames. Even if I’m left with only half my life, I’ll still challenge Heaven for supremacy! The mountains stand evergreen, the great riv 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 117 Still Waters Run Deep 静水流深 Can money really fall from the sky? Almost everyone says no. Li Wentao, a deputy director at the municipal government office with no connections or powerful backers, had given up hope of getting anywhere in his career. Then, unexpectedly, a windfall really did fall into his lap: he was appointed director of the municipal government office. By Li Wentao's own reckoning, it was a pretty minor post. But as soon as he took office, he was sidelined. His appointment was merely a compromise in a power 14.4kReads9.3Score1.8k14d adds
- 118 Reborn: From Junior Clerk to the Very Top 重生：从小科员直达巅峰 (Rebirth + urban life + officialdom) Zhang Zhengyu, middle-aged and stuck in a rut, is involved in a car accident while hosting an official reception. When he wakes up, he has returned to 1995 and become a clerk at Linshui County’s Investment Promotion Bureau. Having achieved little in his previous life, he decides to seize this chance to make a name for himself, rise steadily through the ranks, and reach the pinnacle of power! 1.2kReads7.1Score—14d adds
- 119 The Official's Ladder: After Reporting My Boss by Name, I Rise to the Top 官梯：实名举报上司之后我青云直上 [Reborn] [Traditional Political Intrigue] [The Rise of an Ordinary Man] The people’s wishes are the true public will, and their well-being is the foundation of stability. Armed with memories of his previous life, the grassroots upstart Luo Hao first reports his superior, then heads straight to the Discipline Inspection Commission. With a burning passion and a willingness to break the rules, he earns the title of “Judge.” As he delivers real results for the people, he rises steadily through the r 63Reads7.3Score—14d adds
- 120 Yang Yiming’s Village Official Diary 杨一鸣村官记 This book tells the story of young people full of energy and promise, striving and working hard to make their mark. After graduating from Longhai University, Yang Yiming resolutely chose to work at the grassroots level in the countryside, becoming a village official with lofty ambitions who was ready to roll up his sleeves and get things done. He cherished love, valued friendship, and treasured family, bringing his passion to a remote village far from the bustle of the city. There, he devoted hi 14Reads—Score—14d adds
- 121 A Rich Second Generation at the Grassroots 富二代在基层 A rich second-generation heir joins the ranks of grassroots civil servants. Moving beyond the pursuit of material inheritance to focus on self-fulfillment and creating social value, he brings professionalism and innovative energy to grassroots work, challenges the one-dimensional narrative of entrenched class divisions, and shows that talented people from different backgrounds can move in both directions. 18Reads—Score—14d adds
- 122 A Bright Political Future 官运亨通 At 28, Lin Yun Feng had a limitless future ahead of him. After the Jin Hai Bridge, which fell under his jurisdiction, suddenly collapsed, Lin Yun Feng went from a rising political star to being cast aside. His beautiful wife cheated on him. Disheartened, he drowned his sorrows in alcohol, only to stumble upon a secret... 1.9kReads8.8Score21814d adds
- 123 A Fortunate Rise in Officialdom 官运升通 A son of a farming family rises through sheer perseverance and an indomitable spirit, reaching heights that others can scarcely imagine. 894Reads8.9Score11514d adds
- 124 The Pinnacle of Power: A Rising Career in Government 权利巅峰：官场之青云仕途 One day, he was implicated in a scandal and demoted from the county committee to a remote border town. Former colleagues turned a cold shoulder, his girlfriend abandoned him, and his future was in ruins. No one knew that, at the lowest point of his life, he would meet a blue-robed old Taoist in the streets and receive guidance from a master. From then on, he would break deadlocks with strategy and navigate the political arena with intelligence, using his deep cunning and far-reaching vision to 13.6kReads7.6Score1.2k14d adds
- 125 The Brash Official 官道莽夫 By a twist of fate, Li Nanxing was swept into the heart of a fierce struggle and made a pawn in someone else’s game. He thought he was doomed to be crushed, but somehow he carved out a bright future for himself! From then on, he rose rapidly, with a lovely wife by his side and both fame and fortune in hand! 166Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 126 My Addictive Days at the Urban Development Investment Company 我在城投的那些沉迷日子 My Days Lost in the City Investment Company is a series of novels that offers a profound look at the real-world challenges facing local government investment companies and the moral choices people must make. Through the intertwined lives of four protagonists, it exposes the institutional loopholes and glimmers of humanity behind the entanglement of power and profit, issuing a heartfelt call for integrity and moral awakening. Part One (Chapters 1–53) follows Lin Feng, an idealistic university gr 145Reads—Score—14d adds
- 127 The Provincial Party Compound: In the Name of the Queen of Spades 省委大院，黑桃皇的名义 Political schemes and power plays, civil war erupting on all sides, and clashes between powerful figures leaving countless dead and wounded. A spectacular anti-corruption campaign unfolds in Longxi Province. The protagonist, Weng Qingyun, starts out in a high-ranking position and enters a life-and-death struggle with Professor Meng Dehu, who just can't help snapping, “Look at you, getting worked up again.” This is more than a brilliant battle between two individuals. It's also a fierce clash bet —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 128 Reborn: Notes from the New Officialdom 重生之新官场笔记 A friendly warning: readers who like mindless power fantasies can move along. You won't be able to get through this book! The officialdom has never been a place where you can charge in on sheer passion, and power is no game of settling scores on a whim. Authority and high office are never won through sheer courage alone. Only by knowing how to weigh your options can you hold fast to the limits of when to advance and when to retreat. 961Reads8.1Score10814d adds
- 129 Reborn: The Summit of the Azure Clouds 重生：青云之巅 Shen Nan is reborn before being falsely accused of stealing the secretary's speech draft. A lifetime of hard work, all for nothing. Shen Nan spent half his life striving, only to be framed by his colleagues, separated from friends and family, and have his ideals crushed by reality. When he opened his eyes again, he had returned to the year he first entered public service as a young man. The rivals who once ruined him were still lying in wait, and he still had the opportunities he'd missed before 9.7kReads7.8Score84814d adds
- 130 The Crimson Backbone 赤色脊梁 [Not reborn, no harem, no mindless protagonist, an authentic political drama] The protagonist, Jian Yang, was once a prominent figure in the overseas business world, with enviable wealth and status. But after witnessing his hometown's lagging development and its people's hardship, he resolutely gave up his business empire, returned to China, and entered politics, determined to transform his hometown and improve people's lives. Starting out as a grassroots official in a small county, Jian Yang th 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 131 The Road to Light: An Agricultural Graduate Selected for County Government 光明之路：县委大院的农学选调生 Lin Gengye, a master’s graduate in agricultural science, joins the troubled Guangming County as a government trainee, facing accusations that he is a “second-generation official” and only there to pad his resume. He uses technology to transform barren land and applies stock-market strategies to run sustainable agriculture, silencing his critics and increasing the income of poor households. He builds his path to promotion through hard work and answers every doubt with a bountiful harvest. See how 165Reads6.5Score914d adds
- 132 Officialdom: From a Small Town to the Pinnacle of Power 官场：从小镇走上权力巅峰 Overnight, everything changed. Like a dragon trapped in a shallow stream, Tang Peng saw his bleak world brighten after a mysterious stranger called him. Watch how he rises from a low-level civil servant to the pinnacle of power! 118Reads9.1Score11814d adds
- 133 Reborn in the Political Arena: My Road to High Office 重生官场：我的青云路 This story may take a little while to get going, but trust me: the more you read, the more hooked you’ll get, and the more satisfying it becomes. This is an ensemble power fantasy centered on officialdom. Please bear with the author if you encounter any illogical or awkward parts. I’ll keep doing my best (ง ˙o˙)ว. He was reborn, returning to 2004. Cancer hadn’t ended him; instead, it had given him eyes that could see through people and a backbone strong enough to crush every thorn in his path. 20Reads—Score—14d adds
- 134 Officialdom: Rising Straight to the Ninth Heaven 官场：青云直上九重天 My new work is out! You can read it on Fanqie Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 32Reads—Score—14d adds
- 135 A Career Blessed by Fortune: A County Magistrate's Rise to Power 官运滔天：知县逆袭，权倾朝野 [Not a power fantasy! A complex tale of court intrigue and political struggle, grounded in historical research!] Li Shu, a modern-day civil service exam candidate who failed to pass, unexpectedly transmigrates to the first year of the Qianlong reign and becomes a newly appointed jinshi. Starting out as a poor county magistrate in Hengyang, he investigates the shortfall in the ever-normal granaries, exposes the dark secrets of the grain transport trade, and takes on salt smugglers in league with 39Reads—Score—14d adds
- 136 A Bloody Road to Power 血色宦途 No System, and no wish-fulfillment fantasy. A bloodstained scrap of paper, the “ticket of admission” his father Qiu Guozheng passed to him with his dying breath, plunges Qiu Xingbang into the treacherous political arena, a veritable hell on earth. Driven by a thirst for vengeance, he sets out on a glittering yet perilous ladder to power. To the world, he is a modest, diligent rising star in politics. In secret, he is a hunter of revenge, advancing one careful step at a time. He navigates the for 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 137 The Rising Star of the Officialdom 官路枭雄 Wang Jianjun is reborn in 1997. Thanks to his qualifications as a technical college graduate assigned to a job, he enters government service. Starting out as a low-ranking station chief, he is exceptionally promoted three ranks in his very first year... 852Reads8.3Score16014d adds
- 138 A Long Prosperous Reign 长盛高歌 2kReads7.4Score20814d adds
- 139 The Pinnacle of Power: Rising Smoothly Through the Ranks 权巅：平步青云 [Political Intrigue] [Officialdom] [Clever Protagonist] [One Heroine] The tides of Officialdom rise and fall, and the winds of change rage. Reborn into the Li family, Li Zhengze vows to carry on the glory of the generations before him! Watch as this young man from the Li family finds his footing in a turbulent new era. He navigates the chessboard of power, outwitting threats both open and hidden. He breaks through deadlocks, forges a new path, and ultimately dares to seize victory from Heaven it 36Reads—Score—14d adds
- 140 The Traffic Bureau Chief 交通局长 Lin Zhongquan was an ordinary employee in a road maintenance section. Following his father’s wishes, he was determined to climb the ranks. On his father’s repeated advice, he married the former mayor’s daughter and managed to get in good with Huang Dingli, the head of the Pingchang Municipal Transportation Bureau. During a construction tender, Huang Dingli and Lin Zhongquan got to know contractor He Rubin and the stunningly beautiful public relations agent Miaomiao. They helped He Rubin win the 93Reads9.4Score—14d adds
- 141 The Ridgeline 山脊线 [How cruel is society? Look at how battered I am! How strong am I? Watch me rise smoothly through the ranks!] The grassroots front line is a crucible that refines the strong, a gilded stage for the average, and a sinkhole that eats away at the weak. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 142 The Road to Officialdom: After Saving a Leader, I Rose to the Top 官途：救了领导后我扶摇直上 [A classic political drama, not to be missed] Reborn on a stormy night, Yang Jianguo opens his eyes in the year 2002, with floodwaters bearing down. While everyone else flees for their lives, he heads against the current to fight the flood. A beautiful reporter captures him on camera, and the story makes the front page. From then on, this grassroots civil servant rises steadily through the ranks, step by step reaching the pinnacle of power! 2.4kReads7.2Score15614d adds
- 143 The Road to Office: If You Think You Can Do Better, Take My Place 官路之你有本事你上 What right and wrong can there be in this world? Everyone simply has a different point of view. What fairness can there be in this world? You have to be capable before anyone will treat you fairly. Are you any good or not? I’m no good? If you’re so good, you do it. --The male lead is a scumbag. Read with caution if that’s not your thing! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 144 The Pinnacle of Power: Starting as a County Party Secretary's Secretary 权力巅峰：从县委秘书开始 In his previous life, Qi Yang was investigated by an inspection team and died as a result. There must have been a shocking conspiracy behind it. In this life, Qi Yang starts out as a county committee secretary and cuts his way through every obstacle, rising step by step. He makes his mark in the game of power, ultimately avenging himself and reaching the pinnacle of power. 276Reads—Score—14d adds
- 145 Lost in the Political Arena: Love Versus Career 官场迷途：爱情与前程的较量 When Ling Mohan, a government official, opened the diary left behind by his colleague Su Qing, these words were written in bold on the title page: “You think you’re holding a gorgeous rose, but it’s really a thorn drenched in poison.” 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 146 You Forced Me Out with Nothing, Now I'm Getting Promoted. Why Are You Panicking? 逼我净身出户，我升官你慌什么？ Zhou Mo was reborn. In his previous life, his mentor helped him rise from a humble library job all the way to the heart of power. But his family became his downfall. His wife and her insatiably greedy family drained him dry, and in the end, he discovered that the son he had raised to adulthood was not his biological child. He died in despair. Living his life over again, Zhou Mo once more faces a turning point. This time, he has decided to divorce, even if it means leaving with nothing! Anyone wh 366Reads6.5Score—14d adds
- 147 Reborn: Ruling the Officialdom 重生：纵横官途 In his previous life, his family fell into ruin. He watched every member of his family die while he was in prison, then died in despair. In this life, he pays tribute to himself before entering prison, determined to return and avenge his family. Amid the favors and treachery of officialdom, how will he find the hidden hand pulling the strings? 6Reads8.3Score—14d adds
- 148 The Pinnacle of Political Power 权路巅峰 Also known as Power at Its Peak and Tao's Official Career. [Power at Its Peak]+ [Multiple Heroines]+ [Feel-Good Political Drama] While investigating someone, Luo Zekai discovered a video of them that was not meant to be made public. Not only did he accidentally uncover a shocking secret, but most devastating of all, his wife and mother-in-law were part of it too... He carried ideals in his heart, yet was swept along by the tide of reality; he longed for power, yet knew the abyss that lay beneath 621Reads7.8Score10114d adds
- 149 No Authority to Audit? One Official Letter and I Make the Whole Province Weep! 审计没权？我一纸公函查哭全省！ Zhou Tiejun pushed himself up from the sofa, his right hand instinctively reaching for his chest. There was no wound, no pain. His palm touched a dark blue jacket, its fabric coarse and its zipper cold. He lowered his head and looked at his hand. It wasn't his. His hands should have been young, with prominent knuckles and carbon-ink stains perpetually caught under the fingernails. But the hands before him had loose, slightly swollen skin, age spots creeping across the backs, and a faint pale gro 117Reads7.0Score1414d adds
- 150 Reborn: I Rise to the Top of the Political World 重生后，我逆袭官场权利之巅 Also known as Officialdom's Grand Road, Reborn at the Peak: My Background Is Unshakable, How Will You Deal with Me Now?, and Officialdom: The Pinnacle of Power [Urban] [Slice of Life] [Campus Belle] [Reborn] [Realistic] [No Harem] [Workplace] [Officialdom] [Feel-Good] [Older Woman-Younger Man Romance] [Demoness] [Traditional Style] [No Suffering for the Protagonist] [Take Down the Sanctimonious First] He is stern and impartial, with no understanding of social niceties. If someone needs arresting 327Reads5.1Score—14d adds
