Novels like Ambition to Rise: Twenty Years in the Turbulent World of Officialdom
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Ambition to Rise: Twenty Years in the Turbulent World of Officialdom, best match first.
- 1 Li Xiaoguang’s Road to Politics 李晓光从政之路 Li Xiaoguang started out at the grassroots level in a small town, quietly working hard in difficult conditions. He faced countless hardships and pain along the way, yet never gave up. His perseverance brought him the joy of success, and through tireless effort he steadily rose through the ranks, eventually reaching the top and writing an inspiring story. 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 2 Rising Through the Ranks of Officialdom 官路之扶摇直上 First-rate talent goes into politics, second-rate talent goes into business, and third-rate talent goes to university. After graduating from a third-rate university, Li Yanzhe resolutely decided to take the civil service exam so he could follow in his girlfriend's footsteps. Despite the disapproving looks from his family, friends, and girlfriend, he went to Daxing County, reputed to be the poorest county in Huaguo, and became a grassroots civil servant. After a chance encounter with a benefactor 540Reads6.3Score—14d adds
- 3 A Fleeting Life Across the Five Realms 五界浮生 Facing a midlife crisis, he throws himself into the game and endures trials across five worlds, ultimately forging an extraordinary life. A fantasy grounded in science, blended with reflections on life. A wild fantasy premise meets an inspirational story about life. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support motivates me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 4 Was I the Lucky One in the Devil's Hands All Along? 原来我才是恶魔手里的幸运儿？ After a breakup, math student Zhuge Xiaoming wakes up drunk and tumbles into a demonic roulette game where the stakes are money, years of life, and even souls! With outrageously good luck, he wins $620,000 and turns his life around, only to get caught up in the mystery of a life-and-death contract left behind by God, his parents’ affair and a murder case from 20 years ago. He is also hounded by a demon and its Four Heavenly Kings, including a bizarre cross-dresser and a mysterious undercover age —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 5 A Career in Politics: The Ambitious Man’s Rise 官场人生之鸿鹄逆袭 Lin Tian is down on his luck at work, and when he gets home, he receives a “surprise” from his wife! When life hits rock bottom, what is there left to fear? Just as he loses all hope, he unexpectedly uses his remarkable medical skills to save a mysterious powerful figure… 109Reads—Score—14d adds
- 6 A Grassroots Civil Servant: After an Investigation, I Rise Through the Ranks 草根科员：被审查后，我平步青云 When a leader falls, their secretary takes the hit. That’s how it always goes. After his superior was taken away, Yang Che faced the end of his political career: being exiled to watch over a reservoir. Reborn in 2012, Yang Che struck hard, orchestrating a grand scheme from behind everyone’s backs! With the advantage of foresight and a powerful patron behind him, he rose to the pinnacle of politics! “What? You won’t let me get ahead? Then none of you are getting ahead either!” “I’ve been reborn! 118Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 7 Reborn in the Political Arena: Starting by Refusing to Be a Powerful Family’s Live-In Son-in-Law 重生官场：从拒绝当权门赘婿开始 In his previous life, Liu Jiangtao was a powerless nobody who married into a powerful family. Everyone had just finished saying that the Liu family's ancestors must have had extraordinary luck when, the very next moment, they saw him led away in handcuffs. Reborn by chance, he has already seen through human nature. He decisively turns down the daughter of the powerful family, and a path to the top now lies before him. From then on, his official career soars. 473Reads6.2Score—14d adds
- 8 I Barely Made the Interview Cut. Who Says I'm Destined to Be Cannon Fodder? 压线进面，谁说我注定只是炮灰 [Reborn in 2008 + Information Advantage + Decisive and Ruthless + Comeback from the Brink + An Evenly Matched Romance] Lu Jing is reborn in 2008. The moment he opens his eyes, his girlfriend splashes beer in his face. She looks down on him for being nothing more than a contract worker, returns his ring in front of everyone, and brings along her new boyfriend from a wealthy family. In his previous life, Lu Jing had begged her to stay. This time, he collects the 42,000 yuan she owes him and head 46Reads8.0Score1114d adds
- 9 The Road to Officialdom: From Investigation Team to the Pinnacle of Power 官途：从调查组到权力巅峰 (Political intrigue + urban life + no harem) After witnessing a highway overpass accident, Fei Jianguo unexpectedly becomes the first witness. He is named to the accident investigation team and takes part in the inquiry, only to find that an apparently ordinary accident hides secrets that must not come to light… Fei Jianguo decides to move carefully, one step at a time, and forge his own path to the top. 27Reads6.8Score—14d adds
- 10 Breaking Through in Officialdom 官场突围 Everything that came before is merely a prologue. One sudden, heartbreaking phone call nearly broke his back. But it also opened an entirely new chapter in his life. From then on Along the long road of officialdom, he trudges thousands of miles, with his dreams as his destination; In the treacherous world of politics, he digs traps and breaks through deadlocks, while remaining calm and inscrutable. “Heh, you’re on page [number] of the Classic of Mountains and Seas!” This catchphrase reveals the 55Reads6.9Score—14d adds
- 11 Officialdom: Turning the Tables from the Interrogation Room 官场：从讯问室开始逆袭 Are rulers and nobles born to rule? Jiang Chen had spent half his life downcast and miserable. Now he was back in 2002, one week before quitting his job to go into business! This time, he would never compromise! He swore to take back everything he'd lost and repay it fivefold, tenfold. He'd take down the tigers and the flies alike! He understood now: you can't fight darkness with gentleness. You have to use fire. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 12 Thirty Years of Fame, Scattered Like Dust and Earth 三十功名尘与土 This autobiographical work of nonfiction uses a plain yet distinctive, fluid style to vividly recount the winding, dramatic journey of “me,” from an idealistic and inexperienced college graduate to a grassroots leading official. It traces my inner journey and feelings as I strive for my ideals and press ahead in my career, sketching the growth and development of a grassroots official like the soft outlines of a landscape painting. From youthful ambition to a quiet departure, the story and its ci 7Reads—Score—14d adds
- 13 A Human Face and a Dog's Heart 原欲之人模狗样 What causes an upright person to take one step after another toward corruption? What makes him learn to use the power in his hands to do whatever he wants? The Great Xia Kingdom is like a mirror, reflecting and replaying a series of spectacles that seem beautiful, seem sordid, seem like a donkey, and seem like a bird... Desire governs everything, whether in officialdom, business, romance, or the lives of ordinary people. Once you desire something, you become its slave, whether it brings you joy —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 14 Wangchuan Linzhou: No Connections, Just Fighting Corruption and Protecting Livelihoods 望川林舟：无背景揪贪护民生 On his first day reporting for duty as a public affairs officer in Wangchuan Town, Lin Zhou runs into two infuriating problems: 12 fruit farmers are being compensated for their honey pear orchards as if the land were ordinary farmland, while Auntie Wang, who is paralyzed, has had her minimum subsistence allowance application rejected twice. His direct supervisor, Zhang Jianjun, simply advises him, “Don’t make trouble over this.” But Lin Zhou insists on making trouble. He crouches in the pear or 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 15 Seven Conversations Above the Clouds 云端七席话 In a shared-living community called Cloudside, seven young people from very different backgrounds become close friends after discovering a mysterious shared agreement, the Cloudside Pact. Together, they face the harshness of the workplace, the confusion of love, and the ties of family. While maintaining their own private spaces, they also build a warm, close-knit community of kindred spirits, creating a new kind of friendship for life in the modern city. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 16 City, City 城市，城市 A city, one person, five years. It took more than a decade for a thriving city to become a rundown one. How many years would it take to turn a rundown city back into a thriving one? The city, the city: all of us should cherish and care for it. 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 17 The Unorthodox Sword on the Road to Officialdom 仕途之剑走偏锋 While others are scrambling to transfer into city government offices, he chooses to head down to the grassroots level, moving from the top to the bottom. In truth, he is taking this unconventional path to make himself stronger. This is a comeback story set in the world of politics. A man from humble beginnings relies on his own intelligence and courage to overcome obstacle after obstacle on his career path, ultimately becoming a talented young leader in charge of an entire region... 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 18 The Bustle of a Small County: A Portrait of Ordinary People in the Bureaucratic World 小县喧嚣：普通人的体制浮世绘 This book tells the story of a young man from a rural village who earns a job in the county government through his own efforts. But with no connections, he is sent to a remote township to work in a village, and his girlfriend leaves him without hesitation. Even after putting down roots at the grassroots level and delivering results, he is repeatedly passed over for promotion. Then an anti-corruption storm sweeps through officialdom, tearing a crack in the murky order. With no family or political 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 19 The Pinnacle of Power: Saving a City Leader in the Night 权力巅峰：从夜救市领导开始 (This book has multiple female leads, no cheating or NTR, and plenty of feel-good moments.) First sword after being reborn: cut down the one you love! In his previous life, Gao Ran was a low-ranking official who was meek, obedient, and above reproach. And yet he was dumped, bullied, and exiled. In the end, worn down by hardship and sorrow, his hair frosted white, he climbed the stage alone, sick and old. He died depressed and far from home. In this life, he will live differently and take another 5.3kReads7.3Score42414d adds
- 20 Climbing the Ladder: I Really Want to Get Ahead 步步高升：我真是太想进步了 Gao Sheng majored in Chinese Language and Literature. In college, he was a class officer, presented a polished image, earned excellent grades, and joined the Communist Party. During the 2010 graduation season, he landed a job at Bingzhou Industrial Investment Group, a state-owned enterprise under the provincial capital in his hometown. Coming from a rural background, he thought that joining a state-owned enterprise would let him put his outstanding abilities to use and build a brilliant future. 131Reads—Score—14d adds
- 21 The Sixth Book by Yidewei Lin 以德为林的第6本书 He came to his girlfriend’s hometown for love, but a year later she broke up with him. Though lonely, he didn’t give in to despair and kept moving forward. He never expected to run into her on the court… 972Reads8.9Score20814d adds
- 22 Changing Shi Dakai’s Fate, Starting at the Dadu River 改变石达开命运，从大渡河开始 There is a System, with a focus on realistic history and an ordinary golden finger. This isn't a mindless power fantasy where the System raises an army for the protagonist. If that bothers you, don't read this. Shi Dingqing, a third-year university student, transmigrates into the body of a low-ranking soldier under Shi Dakai, the Wing King of the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom. It's May 1863, and Shi Dakai will be defeated and die in June. Shi Dingqing is currently marching alongside him. How is this 5Reads8.0Score414d adds
- 23 The Grand Chess Game of Politics: I Am the Player 官场大棋局：我是执棋人 In his previous life, he had planned every move with care. Yet just one step from the pinnacle of power, an unseen hand shoved him into the abyss. His career came to a bitter end, and he died with regrets. Now, returned in a dream, he found himself back at the crossroads where he had graduated from college and faced a life-changing choice! Zhao Weimin, carrying decades of precise memories from the future and a lifetime's worth of political wisdom, calmly placed the first piece that would rewrite —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 24 Huang Zhichen's Tenth Book 黄智宸第10本书 My new work is here! You can read it on Tomato Novel. I hope you’ll enjoy it. Your support inspires me to write, and I’ll do my best to tell every story well! 4Reads—Score—14d adds
- 25 Influencer Assistant: All My Influencers Are Emperors 网红助理：我的网红全是皇帝 Murong Qinglong was bound to a System numbered 9527. The System told him to work as an influencer's assistant, but who could have guessed that every influencer he was assigned to manage would be an emperor? So he set out with this group of emperors to start a new life in the modern world. The historical events in this book may not be entirely accurate and might include unofficial accounts. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 26 In the World of Officialdom, One Wrong Move Can Get You Promoted 官场，不小心就升官了 Qin Mo, a 50-year-old, low-ranking employee at the Archives Bureau, wakes up one morning having traveled from 2025 back to the night before the 1995 civil service exam. After a miserable, bullied life in his previous life, all he wants this time is to make money and chase women, staying well clear of the troubles of government service. 36Reads—Score—14d adds
- 27 Heartboard 心盘 I transmigrated to another world, going from a real estate tycoon to a deserter and cannon fodder. The gods see me as a pawn, and the powerful treat me like an ant. But that's fine. I'll show them what it means to crush them with a higher level of understanding. My magic is insight and analysis; my divine art is the reconstruction of rules. In this world where strength reigns supreme, I, Colin, will use the top-tier strategic skills I honed in my previous life to redefine power and the rules of 2Reads—Score—14d adds
- 28 The Road to Power 官途 This novel portrays ten years in the official career of the high-ranking official Li Xiangdong. Spanning economically moderately developed regions, remote and impoverished areas, and prosperous developed regions, it follows the protagonist as he faces the varied crises and challenges brought on by different places and positions. A realistic web novel. 1.3kReads6.9Score11914d adds
- 29 Officialdom: From Deputy Township Chief to the Pinnacle of Power 官场：从副乡级到权力巅峰 How does a farmer's son reach the pinnacle of power? Through sheer tactics. How does a low-level official break through the odds and rise to the top? Through integrity. Let the curtain rise: I'll command the winds and clouds of the political world. When I look back, the mountains and rivers will lie beneath my feet. My name is Chen Zhuoran, and I'm writing the story of my political career. 711Reads6.6Score—14d adds
- 30 Reborn in Officialdom: I Turned Down My Future Wife 重生官场：前世老婆被我拒绝了！ In his previous life, he trusted the person closest to him, was wrongly imprisoned, and saw his future destroyed! This time, he would start over. He would seize every opportunity, rise step by step, and settle old scores to his heart's content! 182Reads5.6Score—14d adds
- 31 Reborn on the Path of Righteous and Evil Officialdom 重生之正邪官道 Only after dying with a heart full of hatred did Zhi Tian finally realize that the powerful get to decide what counts as justice and evil! He would become an official! He would gain power! He had to make these rotten scoundrels pay! Starting in the village and working his way up to the provincial government, he advances through the ranks one careful step at a time, forging a legend! 1Reads5.4Score—14d adds
- 32 Officialdom: From Forest Ranger to National Leader 官场：从护林员到国家要员 Gao Zhonghua rose from forest ranger to senior national official, one step at a time. His path was bound to be full of obstacles, with power struggles and political games around every corner. But his sincere devotion to the country, his desire to serve it, and his commitment to governing for the people always helped him clear the way and change his destiny. See how Gao Zhonghua climbs to an unimaginable pinnacle of power! 6Reads—Score—14d adds
- 33 Reborn to Throw a Punch That Counts 重生之打得一拳开 Reborn + System + angst + not brainless If my life started over, would I still have regrets? Zheng Qian did. Even after being reborn and gaining the System he had always dreamed of, he still had regrets. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 34 The Road to Power Begins in Qingshi Town 仕途，从青石镇开始 He left Beijing behind and returned to the poorest township. This is a true climb to the top, with no connections and no luck to rely on. Every promotion comes at a price, and every choice tests his original purpose. See how an ordinary man makes his way through the system and goes farther than anyone imagined. 3Reads—Score—14d adds
- 35 Reborn: A Record of Life in the System 重生之体制见闻录 [Reborn, government service, power struggles, a comeback, and an inspiring story] Reborn at his own grave, He Fan is sent back to the days before his university graduation, ten years earlier. A farm boy with nothing to his name, he carries the memories of blood and tears from his previous life: his girlfriend's betrayal and the ruin of his family. This time, he won't be so naive. The government system is divided into factions, with undercurrents surging beneath the surface. A transfer order from 142Reads5.6Score—14d adds
- 36 The Azure Heart Sword Art 青心剑诀 No CP, no CP! Through life and death, my fate is secure. The Azure Heart Sword Art, the Path of the Heartless Sword. This is a no-CP novel about Zhao Qing, who shares one body and soul with her “past life,” Zhao Wuqing. 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 37 The Road to Power 问鼎权途 Through one ordinary day after another and one trial after another, watch Lin Zheyu ride the waves, overcome every obstacle, and climb to the very top... 984Reads8.5Score10314d adds
- 38 The Debtor 欠债人 Bian Xiangyang was drowning in debt. Overwhelmed after his divorce, he jumped into a river to end his life, but Jiang Zihao happened to be there and stopped him. Jiang hatched a sinister scheme and hired him for two million yuan to murder his mistress, Wang Lili. But Bian was completely won over by Wang Lili's beauty and courage. He learned that everything she did was for revenge, came to understand her, and fell in love with her. He went on to climb the career ladder and begin a new life... The 11Reads—Score—14d adds
- 39 Reborn in 1988: A Small-Town Cadre's Defiance of Fate 重生1988小镇干部的逆天改命 In his previous life, Lin Chen’s life plunged into darkness after he was framed. Reborn, he faces the impoverished countryside and undercurrents of officialdom once more. Watch him use his past-life experience to navigate policy and people’s hearts; See how he rises from a suppressed newcomer at the grassroots level to a ruthless force stirring the tide of reform, forging a path to wealth and success in officialdom in the 1980s! —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 40 Officialdom: A Modern-Day Li Wei Takes Office 官场：当代李卫当官 Targeted by a powerful official’s son from the start, framed and facing prison: is this the fate of every ordinary person? Lin Feng refuses to accept his lot. Now that the gloves are off, he’ll play the game of power to the fullest. He sends his direct superior to prison and gets on brotherly terms with a veteran official. By a twist of fate, he even saves a senior leader’s daughter. Rising swiftly through the ranks becomes routine, and reaching the pinnacle of power is nothing to brag about. Th 378Reads7.4Score10014d adds
- 41 Officialdom: Just Fired, Already Pursued by a Beauty 官场：刚被免职就被佳人缠上 The tides of officialdom bring endless temptations: money, beautiful women, and power. When all of these were placed before Zhao Chen, a man who had always taken life in stride, he somehow stumbled into a world of sensual pleasures. Watch as he turns the tables at will, deftly escapes the traps of passion, and rises steadily through the ranks. —Reads—Score—14d adds
- 42 A Book by Zhanfu 栈斧的一本书 Chen Yuanmin hit rock bottom, but he never gave up. Confident that life would span two hundred years, he vowed to ride the waves for three thousand miles. In the end, he reached the pinnacle of power. 49Reads6.4Score1214d adds
- 43 Officialdom: The Road to Power Begins in the Communist Youth League 官场：掌权之路从共青团开始 Reborn into a new life, Lu Zhenhua used his foresight to change the course his life had originally taken. After carefully laying the groundwork, he finally embarked on a political career unlike the one he had in his previous life. 4Reads6.1Score—14d adds
- 44 I'm Reborn, So It's Only Natural to Have Powerful Connections, Right? 都重生了，靠山硬一点很正常吧？ [One Female Lead] [No Harem] [No System] [Knowledge of the Future] [Slice of Life] Cheng Yuan is betrayed by his ex-girlfriend, suppressed by his rival in love, and made a scapegoat. Before he even turns forty, he dies a bitter and frustrated man! When he opens his eyes, Cheng Yuan has returned to the very day his girlfriend betrayed him. Given a second life, Cheng Yuan will use his knowledge of the future to make the right move at every turn and smoothly climb to the pinnacle of life! It all be 37Reads7.1Score—14d adds
- 45 Rising Through the Ranks of Officialdom 官场之青云直上 He was promoted and appointed, only to be sent to a remote mountain township in the middle of nowhere. Was it a demotion, or was there another assignment? Ouyang Ming upheld his sense of justice and fought for the people. He cleared away the fog, broke through the deadlock, stood out, navigated political intrigue, and punished lawbreakers. Righteous and fearless, Ouyang Ming climbed step by step toward the peak of his life. 199Reads—Score—14d adds
- 46 Reborn After Disaster: The Rise of a Powerful Official's Son 劫后重生：进击的官二代 In a busy downtown district, a public bus explodes in broad daylight. Huang Weiming, a driver who used to chauffeur a leader, becomes a pawn in this carefully orchestrated struggle. At the moment his life slips away, he is unexpectedly reborn as Zhou Mingyang, the son of a high-ranking official. Before, he was a nobody at the very bottom of the unofficial pecking order. After being reborn, he wants it all: power, status, money, and beautiful women! In the arena of power, he treads carefully a 13Reads—Score—14d adds
- 47 A Weathered Political Career 沧桑官途 Without attaching himself to power, and without using it to bully others, Gong Zheng unexpectedly embarked on a career in public service. Starting by taking the fall for the county Party secretary, he skillfully leveraged every opportunity and rose steadily through the ranks, while also experiencing the ups and downs of officialdom... 147Reads—Score—14d adds
- 48 The Road to Office and Commerce: My Wife and Child Are in a Parallel World 官路商途：妻儿却在平行时空 A lone wolf in the political arena, unstoppable on the official path: Zhang Ping, a minor county government clerk reborn, rises steadily through the ranks with his fragmentary memories of the future. He maneuvers across the political landscape and amasses tremendous power, yet remains utterly alone. When the timelines converge, he would rather give up his empire than seize back the life that belongs to him! 1Reads—Score—14d adds
- 49 Zheng Qi's Chaotic Life 郑琦的混沌人生 A novel set in a turbulent era: Many people are lost and uncertain. Their values, ideas about love, and moral standards are crushed beneath the wheels of the times, then redefined and rebuilt... 9.3kReads8.8Score89714d adds
- 50 After Awakening, She Crushes Her Scumbag Husband and Turns His Life into a Battleground 觉醒后吊打渣夫哥，她修罗场了 (Adapted from the TV drama Spring Flower, Autumn Moon) [Transmigrate into a book + fake siblings + righteous and evil factions clash] Lei Lei (played by Zhao Lusi) is a lively, quirky modern girl. In this technologically advanced age, transmigration novels are everywhere online. Through a transmigration company called Zhong Su Shu, anyone can pay to transmigrate to ancient times. Eager to experience transmigration for herself, Lei Lei spends 20,000 yuan and transmigrates into a fictional martial 274Reads—Score—14d adds
