Novels like Tying Up the Emperor's Heart
Books Chinese readers most often put in the same booklists as Tying Up the Emperor's Heart, best match first.
- 1 The Crown Prince's First Love Is Both Sweet and Sassy 皇太子的白月光娇又飒 Welcome, everyone! If you’ve never died, how could you know that the sweet little sister who once fawned over you was wearing a beautiful mask? The man she had painstakingly helped rise to power, the one who shared her bed, used her bones to make a pipa and her skin to craft a painted disguise. And the Crown Prince of the Eastern Palace, whom she had framed, was left crippled and forever barred from the throne. Reborn, Su Ruan wants only to tear off her sister’s beautiful mask and make sure that 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 2 The Pampered Noble Concubine 娇宠贵妾 The famed Marquis Gu took a concubine, then hurried back to the frontier after spending one night with her. The next day, the concubine started spreading rumors that he was impotent. She even thoughtfully sent him medicinal herbs, making sure the entire army heard about it. When he returned to the capital, she was thriving amid the struggles of the inner residence, yet acted all soft and sweet in front of him. He played along with everything, happy to join her performance. Later, far away on 108Reads—Score—Shelves
- 3 Don't Want to Enter the Palace? The Crown Prince Insists on Making Me His Consort 不愿入宫？太子殿下非要纳我为妃 [Marriage First, Love Later + One-on-One Romance, Both Pure + The Hero Falls First] Before the Crown Prince chose his consorts, Shen Wantang begged her aunt, the Empress, not to put her on the list. Her aunt agreed. Shen Wantang had it all planned out: find the man of her dreams and spend her whole life with him alone. Just as she happily prepared to choose her ideal husband, an imperial decree arrived, and her name was right there on the list. Shen Wantang was furious, but she didn't dare defy 5.2kReads—Score424Shelves
- 4 The Days Ahead: First Love by the Pool 来日方长，泳池初心 There's Always More Time Ahead, A Poolside Beginner's Heart —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 5 Peril Beneath the Brocade Curtains 锦帐危途 In her past life, she was the legitimate daughter of the Prime Minister. She trusted a scumbag and her half-sister, only to see her entire family executed and die with her body in pieces. Reborn in a single moment, she returns to the time before tragedy struck. She puts away her naivete, hides her tenderness, and plots each step carefully, tearing apart the two-faced white lotus and kicking her faithless lover to the curb. She'll reclaim everything she's owed, with interest. Those who wronged he —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 6 I Mistook a Playboy for My Husband, and He Spoiled Me Rotten Across the Capital 错把纨绔当夫君，被他宠冠京城 [Pure historical romance | Alternate history | Sweet romance | Not a strong female lead | Second male lead chases his wife and suffers] (Overindulgent, sinister young lord vs. outwardly gentle, inwardly strong beauty) [The female lead has an eye condition at first, but it will get better later] Rong Zhao's fiance has climbed the social ladder by attaching himself to the powerful. To cover his tracks, he wants to kill her. Rong Zhao survives, but injures her eyes. To protect herself, she boldly m 2.5kReads—Score416Shelves
- 7 My Fiancé, the Top Scholar, Makes Trouble, So I Run Into the Handsome General’s Arms 探花未婚夫作妖，转投帅将军怀抱 Young Master Bi, Prince Jin, Shen Huai, Pei Yuan… Luo Yao, you’re eating way too well! It’s so satisfying! Her fiancé Shen Huai had planned to marry into her family, but after placing third in the imperial exams, he started getting close to a distant cousin. Luo Yao didn’t care. Instead, she sent a solid bronze ox statue to General Pei Yuan, who had just returned to the capital victorious. Shen Huai saw it and flew into a rage, storming over to the Luo residence to make a scene. Luo Yao di —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 8 Reborn, I Marry the Heir and Become the Most Cherished Woman in the Capital 重生后改嫁世子，被宠冠京城 [Reborn + face-slapping + childhood sweethearts + love at first sight + winning back his wife] In her previous life, she gave her heart to the wrong man and watched her family be destroyed. Reborn, she resolutely married the cold-faced heir to a noble title, whose influence reached the highest levels of the court. She thought it would be nothing more than a marriage of convenience, but instead he cherished her and showered her with every luxury and favor. Watch as she joins hands with the man s 52Reads—Score—Shelves
- 9 The Grand General Is My Father, So I Do Whatever I Want 镇国将军是我爹，我横着走 Women in this world each face their own constraints. With the new reforms, women can sit for the imperial examinations and reshape their era through the lives they choose to lead. Excerpt: “The Junzhu Zhaohua is of the Feng clan’s direct line, blessed by heaven. When she comes of age and marries, her consort must marry into the General’s household, and all their children must bear the Feng surname and carry on the Feng family line.” She will be the first woman in the history of Great Jing to 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 10 Flowers Along the Path at Cui Siniang's Home 崔四娘家花满蹊 [A sweet, down-on-her-luck noblewoman with real fighting skills and an upright, aloof young scholar] (No rebirth or transmigration. The pace is very slow, so proceed with caution if that's not for you. Realistic in tone: the protagonists won't rise to the top overnight, and this is not a wish-fulfillment novel. It's not feel-good at all, so proceed with caution. No sweetness; family squabbles, the jianghu, and the court.) # More than thirty years have passed since the previous dynasty fell, and 1.8kReads8.4Score226Shelves
- 11 Staying Alive Is Hard When Everyone Wants Me Dead 活着好难，总有刁民想害朕 [Endless Rebirth | Disguised as a Man | On the Run While Pregnant] Zhao Jing has lived countless times, and died just as many. When she was six, her vengeful mother bound her to the fate of the kingdom of Zhao. As long as Zhao survived, every time she died, she would be reborn on the day the bond was forged and forced to live another life on the edge of a blade. She died from testing poison, was stabbed to death by assassins, and was pierced through the heart in power struggles. Her most painful 7Reads—Score—Shelves
- 12 The Ruin of Buddhist Virtue 损梵行 Taboo, restraint, self-control, and political intrigue A devout Buddhist monk x the legitimate daughter of a military family The first time he met Huo Chuning, she was trying to kill herself, while he was being hunted. They both fell to the bottom of a cliff, and Huo Chuning slowly walked toward him barefoot. The young girl wore no makeup, her face bare. Her eyes shone startlingly bright. She did not look anguished or despairing. She curved her lashes at him and smiled brightly, looking nothing 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 13 May the Mountains and Rivers Keep You Safe 山河予卿安 In her past life, she had been blind, helping a scumbag seize the throne and meeting a tragic end in which both she and her child died. This time, she plots her every move amid treacherous schemes and turmoil, determined to make those who gave her old wounds pay. 6Reads—Score—Shelves
- 14 I Almost Missed Her: The Favoritism Hidden Beneath Her Aloofness 差一点错过她：藏在疏离下的偏爱 [Childhood Sweethearts] [Reunion After Years Apart] [Mutual Secret Crush] [School and Urban Life] Meng Xin disappeared for six years. When they meet again, Zhang Heyi glances at her coldly. "Don't bother me again." Everyone can see how he keeps his distance from her, and they assume the past is long behind them. But no one sees him quietly driving away everyone who harasses her, memorizing all her preferences, and protecting her from the shadows. Her sudden departure all those years ago was ne 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 15 On the Imperial Exam Roll: The True Daughter from the Countryside Refuses to Follow the Plot 锦榜登科，农女真千金她不走剧情 [Imperial Examinations] ✙ [Transmigration] + [Devoted Husband] ✙ [The early story takes place in the countryside, but this isn't a farming novel. Later, the story moves to the capital.] Shen Qing transmigrated into the body of a pitiful girl in ancient times. When she woke, all she had was a shabby hemp robe, and she lived in a drafty woodshed. Her family was cold and indifferent, her grandmother was determined to sell her for silver, and even her own mother seemed not to see her. With questions 25.7kReads7.2Score3.6kShelves
- 16 The Two-Faced Chief Minister Is Head Over Heels! 双标首辅他超爱！ Qin Lang. At a young age, he rose to become the Grand Secretariat's chief minister in the Great Yan Dynasty. Renowned for his iron-fisted methods and ruthless brutality, he struck fear into the hearts of all who heard his name. Rumors swirled that the chief minister remained unmarried for two reasons: first, he was ruthless and cold-blooded; second, he... had a preference for men. Then one day, as the chief minister's carriage passed through a bustling marketplace, the wind lifted the curtains. 34Reads—Score—Shelves
- 17 Where's the Mad Villain They Promised Me? Why Is He a Wife-Doting Maniac? 说好的疯批反派呢，咋是宠妻狂魔 [Transmigrate into a book + one-on-one sweet romance + devoted to each other + a powerful man willing to be a lovesick fool, fighting and scrambling for her] [Smart, beautiful, and timid about dying × a deranged, obsessive, scheming prince] Shen Chuinian transmigrated into a book, and the moment she arrived, she realized she was in bed with someone. The most outrageous part was that a data error in the System had caused her soul to switch places with this man. This man was Shi Yan, the book' 2.5kReads—Score285Shelves
- 18 Jade Night Shadows 琅玕夜影 [Pure historical romance, both leads have secret identities, both are inexperienced in love, marriage before love, serious plot, political intrigue] [Career-minded drama-queen princess & love-struck, straightforward general] Langgan Pavilion is the foremost intelligence network, but has been unable to infiltrate Night Shadow. Night Shadow is the foremost assassin organization, but has repeatedly failed to assassinate the head of Langgan Pavilion. By imperial decree, Xu Tanyin, an unloved princes 28Reads6.7Score—Shelves
- 19 Have You Heard? The Spoiled Young Lord Fears His Wife Most 听闻否？纨绔小世子最怕娘子 [Manhua adaptation now available: The Phoenix Seeks Her Mate: Consort, Take Your Seat] [Married First, Love Later + Younger Man + Princess and Consort + Devoted Husband + Relentless Pursuit] Ji Lin spent a whole year trying to understand how one misunderstanding could get him forcibly chosen as the consort by the powerful Grand Princess, who held sway over the entire court. Unwilling to accept it, he tried every trick in the book: fleeing in the middle of the night, playing pitiful, and throwing 8.6kReads8.7Score694Shelves
- 20 The Scheming, Unhinged Woman Uses Tears to Keep the Spoiled Heir in Line 腹黑疯批女靠哭唧唧拿捏纨绔世子 The ratings have just opened! Su Huayue, the legitimate daughter of the Chancellor's household, was born with breathtaking beauty. She is so beautiful she could topple a kingdom, and is known as the capital's number one beauty. On the outside, she's a delicate, harmless little white rabbit. On the inside, she's a scheming, ruthless old fox. In the imperial family's struggle for the throne, Su Huayue is the legitimate daughter of the Chancellor, a man with power over every official. Naturally, ev 4.2kReads6.8Score505Shelves
- 21 The Wicked Princess’s Character Has Fallen Apart 恶毒公主她人设崩了 Transmigration into a book + pampered by everyone + alternate history + happy ending + one-on-one romance A little princess fighting to survive × a sharp-tongued, arrogant, scheming man After accidentally transmigrating into a book, Chu Yunkou, a high schooler who used to wake before dawn and study until late at night, becomes the Fifth Princess of the Zhao Kingdom. What makes her even more distraught is that she’s a wicked supporting character, destined to be cannon fodder. Under the original h 770Reads6.9Score144Shelves
- 22 The Discarded Daughter's Auspicious Marriage: You Said My Husband Would Die the Moment I Entered the Manor 弃女冲喜，说好的入府就死夫君呢 The overlooked legitimate daughter of the Minister of Rites’ household VS the frail, helpless heir to a wealthy family. [Married first, fall in love later; devoted romance; palace intrigue and political schemes; strong heroine, delicate hero] She is the neglected legitimate daughter of the Ye family. He is a sickly prince with no hope of inheriting the throne. He is a frail prince who has coughed up blood for years, as if a gust of wind could blow him away. She is a transmigrated princess consor 167Reads—Score—Shelves
- 23 Help! He Loves Her So Much 救命！他超爱她 (Flirtatious beauty and fallen heiress X powerful, devoted Marquis) Everyone knew that the grand Chancellor’s estate had only one legitimate daughter, a sickly young woman whom Chancellor Lu kept tucked away in the rear courtyard like a precious treasure, never letting outsiders disturb her peace. Lu Jintang had thus grown into a cool, aloof beauty, as ethereal as an immortal from the heavens. But the few who had seen her all said that though the Chancellor’s legitimate daughter was delicate and 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 24 I’m Used to Throwing My Weight Around, So Don’t Mess with Me 本宫嚣张惯了，别惹我 [Age Gap + Sole Devotion + One-on-One Romance + Both Pure] [Contains typos 😅] Everyone in the capital knew that Chen Yangyang, the only daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo, was the late emperor's pampered “little ancestor,” with a temper bigger than the sky. The day she entered the palace as a consort, everyone thought she wouldn't last long in the imperial harem. Instead, she slapped Consort Shu in public, argued Consort Xian to tears, and even dared to challenge the empress to her face. Amid th 18.3kReads—Score2.5kShelves
- 25 Forced to Marry My Father’s Greatest Enemy, I Became His Most Cherished One 被迫嫁给父亲宿敌，竟成了心尖宠 The aloof, secretly passionate chief councilor X the adorable little rabbit pretending to be calm [Marriage first, love later + affection grows over time + male lead and heroine’s father are sworn enemies + sweet romance + eight-year age gap + monogamous, both untouched] The emperor fell gravely ill. On his deathbed, he issued an edict naming the seven-year-old crown prince emperor and appointing Pei Lin chief councilor of the realm. The first thing Pei Lin did after taking office was exile his 4.6kReads—Score536Shelves
- 26 The Cannon-Fodder Cousin Awakens, Only to Be Seized by the Mad Crown Prince 炮灰表妹觉醒后，被疯批太子强夺 [Cannon Fodder Cousin × Unhinged Crown Prince] [The Aloof One Falls from His Pedestal] [Love by Force] [Childhood Sweethearts] [Mutual First Love] Yu Qian has been infatuated with her cousin, Crown Prince Pei Hexing, for years. Spoiled by her aunt, the empress, she throws tantrums and does whatever she likes. Anyone who dares get close to her cousin gets slapped! When she learns that the empress dowager intends to make the Grand Tutor's daughter the crown princess, jealousy consumes her. She sho 147.7kReads7.0Score22.2kShelves
- 27 A Substitute? No Matter, Miss Yin Only Wants to Rise to the Top 替身？无妨，殷姑娘只想荣登高位 [Charming Noble Daughter (Actually a Ruthless Pavilion Master) X Gentle Prince (Actually a Scheming Alliance Leader)] [The heroine approaches him with a plan; the hero falls for her with his eyes wide open] One-on-one romance, both pure in body and heart, equally matched, both with secret identities. [An Imaginary World] After the new ruler ascended the throne, the Prime Minister's household was sidelined and kept confined within its residence. One day, while discussing the Ministry of Work 124Reads—Score122Shelves
- 28 Riding the Phoenix Across the Nine Heavens: The Empress Chronicles 凤驭九宸：女帝纪 #Female-Dominated World #Reborn #Political Intrigue #Two Strong Leads #Primary Consort Shen Jinghong: I only wanted to focus on my career. How did my husband become even better at political scheming than I am? In her previous life, Shen Jinghong spent three years as a puppet empress before her own sister poisoned her in the Cold Palace. Only as she lay dying did she see the truth: Xiao Che, the primary consort she had spent a lifetime suspecting and suppressing, had taken three arrows for her an —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 29 The Green Mountains Beckon 青山引 The year the entire Duke of Zhenguo's household was executed, Shen Wanqing was only ten. She concealed her identity and fled to Jiangnan, honing her military strategy through the fragments her grandfather left behind. At sixteen, under the assumed name "Master Qingshan," she wrote a treatise that stirred the northern frontier, yet never claimed credit for it. An imperial edict arranging her marriage made her the wife of Xiao Lin, commander of the northern frontier army. He believed she was a spy 9.9kReads—Score901Shelves
- 30 Leave Glory Behind and Return Home 莫恋荣华，归去来兮 Childhood friends + Emperor and empress couple + Devoted love + Devoted to each other + Happy ending She is Ning Xinwan, the legitimate daughter of the Duke of Ning’s household. Born to a noble family, her father was personally granted the title of duke by the emperor, her mother is the legitimate daughter of a marquis, and the current empress is her maternal aunt. At six, she was given the title of Ronghua Commandery Princess by the emperor. He is Chu Yihong, the second legitimate son of Prince 44Reads6.2Score—Shelves
- 31 Jinling and the Sea 金陵与海 Jinling and the Sea —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 32 He Used the Shen Family to Claim the Throne, So I Married the Governor Instead 他借沈家登基，我改嫁督主 [Reborn + sweet romance + political intrigue + revenge + the hero has been plotting for a long time] In her previous life, Shen Zhaoning was ordered to marry the Third Prince, Lu Yunzhi. She devised plans for him and maneuvered through court politics, pouring the full strength of the Shen family into helping him ascend the throne. But what awaited her in the end was the execution of her entire family. Her grandfather struck his head against a pillar and died; her elder brother's blood stained t 3Reads—Score—Shelves
- 33 From Wandering Outcast to Empress of Great Yan 从流浪废女到大燕女帝 From Exiled Outcast to Empress of Great Yan tells the story of Zhang Ruoxi, the legitimate daughter of her family, who is framed by her half-sister Zhou Xinyi and her fiancé Wu Haoxuan. Accused of disobeying her elders and theft, she is sentenced to exile. Along the way, she suffers humiliation at the hands of the guards and attacks by her enemies. On the brink of death, she activates a comeback System and gains the Eye of Truth and supplies for survival. Trapped in the Northern Wasteland exile 111Reads—Score—Shelves
- 34 The Crown Prince’s Redemption Contract 太子殿下的赎身契 In my past life, I gave my heart to the wrong man. I saved him in the wilderness, only to become a stain he erased after ascending the throne. I died without ever knowing why. When I opened my eyes again, I was back before I had found him. This time, my heart held no love, only one goal: the ten thousand taels of gold he'd promised me. I dragged his badly wounded self home. As he stared at me in disbelief, I turned my devoted care into a transaction with clearly posted prices. One hundred taels 9Reads9.4Score—Shelves
- 35 Zhi Ruyin 枝如吟 Fictional setting | Please note: The heroine's martial prowess is unknown, and she grows stronger to match her opponents. She fights ferocious beasts one-on-one, cuts down enemy spies, steps on the mastermind behind her family's tragedy, and slays an enemy prince with her own hands... Song Ruzhi found the badly wounded General Jiang Qinian in the mud and brought him home. As they spent day after day together, feelings blossomed between them. But fate had other plans. One night, a blaze lit up th 8Reads—Score—Shelves
- 36 Reborn, I Kicked the Crown Prince to the Curb and Won the Spoiled Love of a Mad Regent 重生踹太子，被疯批摄政王娇宠了 After twenty-six years of wasting away in the Cold Palace, a cup of poison brings her life to an end. Only at the moment of her death does Bai Yaotian see the truth: she was the Chancellor's cheapest pawn, and the Crown Prince's dirtiest stepping stone to the throne! She helped Xiao Jinheng eliminate his political rivals and shouldered an everlasting infamy, only for the Bai family to enjoy boundless glory while she died in a sea of flames, unmourned. Reborn, she returns to three days before h 1Reads—Score—Shelves
- 37 Concubine Simulator 妾室模拟器 Theatrical Princess × Mad Dog Prince | Everyone's in a love triangle | The ultimate contrast, sweet and satisfying! Also known as The Crazy Prince I Ruined by Winning Him Over What happens when you transmigrate into the wrong book? Young heiress Lin Wan finds herself in a hellish situation from the start: she's transmigrated into the body of a cannon-fodder supporting character, sent to bring good luck to the great villain! The notorious bloodthirsty Zhao Yan, known as the Living Yama, grips her 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 38 A Mad Dog Can't Be Tamed? No Matter, This Young Princess Knows How to Tame Her Husband 疯狗难驯？无妨，小郡主驯夫有方 [Pure historical romance + devoted to each other + marriage before love + young couple + taming-the-dog romance] [Delicate, radiant young princess x madly devoted, fierce young general] The Xie clan of Cenzhou had been an eminent family for centuries, its prestige rivaling that of the imperial house. Though it had long been absent from court, its former students were scattered throughout the realm’s government. When the Rongdi tribes invaded and war broke out on the northern frontier, the Great 15.9kReads8.5Score2.5kShelves
- 39 A Maid Who Married into a Marquis's Family, Spoiled into a Lady of Honor 高攀侯门婢，宠成诰命妻 [Ambitious impoverished scholar x clearheaded maid in a marquis’s household] [Everyday-life story] Yun Yu, Yang Yu, and Rong Yu are maids who accompany their young lady into the marquis’s household as part of her dowry. Yang Yu climbs into the marquis’s bed and is beaten to death by the young lady. Afraid the beautiful maids around her might betray her the same way, the young lady marries Yun Yu and Rong Yu off as well... And so Yun Yu ends up in the household of a minor official in green robes. 9.2kReads8.4Score985Shelves
- 40 A Substitute Bride Tames a Spoiled Heir, Until Her Husband Kneels and Begs for Her Favor! 替嫁拿捏纨绔，夫君跪服求偏爱！ [Bickering couple + young spouses who marry first and fall in love later + everyday antics between two people + lighthearted mysteries + a very loosely imagined ancient setting, completely made up.] (Pure-hearted, proud, spoiled young marquis vs. modern woman who transmigrates into a stand-in bride, is slow to catch on when it comes to romance, and acts tough only at home) Song Ran accidentally transmigrates to the Great Ning dynasty and, to repay a debt of gratitude, takes another woman's plac 1.6kReads8.3Score316Shelves
- 41 The Black Bird Chronicles of Yin Shang 殷商玄鸟纪 The young girl Ying came from the Youxin Fang Kingdom to the court of Dayi Shang. Because her mother had once shared a past with the Shang king, the current queen grew wary of Ying. She was ostracized, nearly assassinated, and even became the cause of a war. Yue, the Shang king's second son, was warm and persistent, devoted to Ying with all his heart. His mother had died young, so the king paid him little attention. Zai, the king's third son, was the son of the current queen. Because of his moth 383Reads8.5Score—Shelves
- 42 After Breaking Off the Engagement, She Is Spoiled by an Obsessive Prince 退婚后，她被偏执王爷宠上天 [Traditional historical romance + The male lead has been plotting for years + The female lead falls at first sight + Mutual devotion + One-sided salvation + Ensemble cast + A succession struggle + The male lead eventually ascends the throne] [Frank and straightforward duke’s legitimate daughter x restrained, obsessive prince] Shen Chushi, the second daughter of the Duke of Zhenguo’s household, has been bright, free-spirited, and unrestrained since childhood. Before she was even born, she was bet 2Reads—Score—Shelves
- 43 When a Workaholic Office Drone Stumbles into an Ancient Battle for Love 当卷王社畜误闯古代修罗场 Just started gaining ratings~ [All Male Leads Are Chaste] [Transmigrate Into a Book] [Rivalry for the Heroine, Love Triangle] [No Political Intrigue] [Dramatically Dangerous Regent] [Proud Wolfdog Young General] [Gentle, Scheming Noble Young Master] Shi Ying transmigrates into a book. The good news: she's become the legitimate daughter of a prestigious Minister's household. The bad news: she hasn't read the book at all. She only heard a coworker mention that it's a melodramatic novel. Every male 10.5kReads8.2Score2.2kShelves
- 44 A Noble Lady Falls from Grace, Then Fights Her Way Up 贵女跌落尘埃，一路打怪升级 What Does It Matter If I’m of Low Status? I’ll Still Become Empress [Reborn] [Mutual Firsts] [Court Intrigue] In her previous life, the entire Song family was brutally slaughtered overnight. Only Song Yan narrowly escaped. A year later, however, her close friend and her fiance joined forces to kill her. Reborn, she devised what she believed was the perfect plan to save her family and herself. She thought everything was going according to plan, but the villains were too cunning. Though the Song f 47Reads—Score—Shelves
- 45 The Long Princess Turns the Entire Capital Upside Down bur长公主带着整个京城一起颠 [Rivalry for Her Affections + A Portrait of the Capital + Flirty Heroine + Taming the Dogs + Everyone Is Evil + Brothers at Odds] Also known as: “Shocking! The Ascetic Prince Bows His Head for Love” “Damn, the God of War Who Never Had Eyes for Women Has Fallen from His Pedestal” “Unbelievable, the Playboy Has Taken Up Cooking for the Grand Princess” Xiao Siheng had just survived a family trial with only a slim chance of making it out alive. He was about to inherit a fortune worth billions when h 6Reads—Score145Shelves
- 46 The Top Scholar's Scheme: The Caged Sparrow of the Eastern Palace 状元谋：东宫囚雀 [Two powerful leads, both devoted to one another + woman disguised as a man + obsessive, unhinged love + political intrigue + the male lead pursues his wife] Male lead: Gentle and refined on the surface, deranged within. Female lead: Disguised as a man, clear-headed and self-possessed. She disguises herself as a man to clear her family's name. Instead, she catches the eye of an obsessive, unhinged crown prince. He thinks he's the one pulling the strings, never realizing that in the end, he will 4Reads—Score—Shelves
- 47 The Red Lotus Calamity 红莲命劫 The Great Yan cavalry storms the royal city. Li Zhiming, the crown prince of a fallen kingdom, is poisoned with a toxin that eats away at his bones, but is saved by Chengjing, a young orphan girl. At Ku Chan Temple, she wipes the blood from his face and feeds him, while he teaches her to practice boxing and copy sutras beneath a ginkgo tree. They cut their palms and swear an oath: “In heaven or hell, in life or death, we will never betray each other.” The Yan army massacres the temple, and Li Zh —Reads—Score—Shelves
- 48 After Marrying My Nemesis, We Shared a Bed and a Dream 嫁给死对头后我们同床亦同梦 [Marriage first, love later: conflict at first, sweetness afterward, and both have exes] After a sudden upheaval, the upright and honorable father of Song Chaoge, the most talented young woman in the capital, is sentenced to exile at the frontier. She is forced to marry her sworn enemy, the Third Prince, Zhao Musheng. She stays in the capital, enduring humiliation while gathering evidence to clear her father’s name. To take on their common enemy, the former adversaries become allies. After an 402Reads—Score109Shelves
- 49 Sweet Sounds at Sea: I Fished a Beautiful Bride Out of the Ocean 海上有佳音：海里捞了个美娇娘 [Rugged shipping magnate x down-on-her-luck noblewoman from the capital] Jiang Heng fished a breathtaking beauty out of the sea, then chased after her from that moment on, spouting shameless nonsense without a trace of decency. "I fished you out, so you're mine." "No real big brother? How about a lover?" "How could the moon in the sky compare to the person right in front of me?" "I love you to death. Do you love me too?" "Come on, big brother will show you the nightlife." Jiang Heng's motto: Row 639Reads—Score209Shelves
- 50 Brocade Boudoir Stratagem 锦闺谋 The rating is low because the novel just started, so don't worry. It'll go up. [Careful plotting + age gap + powerful man gradually falling for her] Shen Qingluo grew up with parents who favored her siblings, a brother who didn't care for her, and a younger sister who schemed against her. She managed the marquis's household, earned a fortune for the once-declining family, and secured promising futures for her two older brothers. She won her mother an honorary title. She found her younger sister 23.7kReads8.4Score2.8kShelves
