Schemes of Beauty and Empire
江山美人谋
- Status
- Completed
- Length
- 963k Words
- Genre
- Ancient Romance
- Subgenre
- Palace & Household Intrigue
- Updated
- 2y ago
- English
- Request a translation
Synopsis
Other names
- Beauty, Power and IntrigueEnglish name
Stats
Honours
More by this author
In booklists 175
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The Stories I Read in My Leisure Time
A Worthwhile Historical Romance Novel
Books Worth Reading Again and Again: Completed Novels Only
Unforgettable, impossible to put down, stirring to the soul, and lingering in the mind.
☞ A Collection of Classics You Can't Miss
Every book here has been carefully picked, and features themes and styles I personally enjoy. I hope you’ll like them too, and support the authors whose work you love. Adding a book to your favorites and following it is the best way to support both me and the author! 🥰🥰🥰
Tu Tu's Historical Fiction Bookshelf (◍•ᴗ•◍)
Just what I'm looking for, stories of the same type. I love them! Sending love.
Stories About Those Girls
Whether they transmigrate or are reborn, they seize the initiative and plan every step, all so they can live better. They shine in their own way, meet their perfect man, and find a love built on mutual understanding and unwavering devotion, all so they can grow old together.
🌸💙👑Books I've Fully Read and Loved👑💙🌸
Every book on this list is from my fully paid collection and personal shelf. I've read each one at least once, and genuinely love them. I'm sharing them with fellow readers, and keeping a record of what I've read for myself. Books must meet these standards to make the list: first, the writing has to be good; then, the logic must be rigorous; and the values should be sound. Most importantly, the story must be compelling enough that I can return to it years later when I'm out of books to read. Onl
Classic Favorites and Promising New Reads
For fans of fantasy, xianxia, political intrigue, classic old books, and promising new stories. Come add them to your collection! [Every book here is a gem I subscribed to and read myself. I’d be a puppy if I lied.] About this list: Mostly male-oriented novels, mostly fantasy. Updated regularly to keep up with the times! About female-oriented novels: I really don’t read many, but the ones I do read are gems! About recommendations: Feel free to recommend any classic novels! I’ll also add good
Peach Blossoms by the Pond 🌸 (Old List)
♚ Great historical romance, transmigration, rebirth, and household-intrigue stories for female readers ♚ I've updated the comments (tap the top-right corner and select “Show list owner's comments only”) ♚ The comments won't recommend only historical romance, but everything I've read there is good~(˘▾˘~) Of course, the list owner also rambles a bit (๑˙❥˙๑) ♚ I mainly recommend completed novels, so there may be quite a few older ones (✿ฺ-ω-) ♚( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)✧
🍧🍧 In My Leisure Hours, I Sit Quietly Through the Years with a Beautiful Book in Hand
On a quiet holiday, a pot of tea and a book, with peaceful days stretching on. 🔥🔥🔥 I recommend I Have No Interest in Romance as a Socially Awkward Person. I can't believe adding this book made the list fail review. That's so weird, which means I definitely have to keep it 😈😈😈
Mom, It’s Them! They’re Keeping Me From Studying _(:3"∠)_
I mainly read women's fiction, but I read men's fiction too. [Thanks to everyone who saved the list and sent flowers >3<] I haven't read many novels over the past couple of years, so I haven't really updated the list either. orz ↓↓↓Feel free to check out my other list ❤❤❤ Historical romance list: “Who Says Women Are Inferior to Men?” It features historical romances with grand, sweeping court rivalries.
Keepsakes of Time
A personal collection of books I have read in recent years. Mainly protagonists focused on their careers, with romance as a secondary element. Career-focused, slice-of-life, and no-romance works are included. I reject domineering CEOs, Mary Sues, palace intrigue, household intrigue, and stallion novels. I like protagonists who are firm and rational, self-reliant and strong. Both female-oriented and male-oriented novels are included, across all kinds of genres.
Smart Stories with No Romance or Minimal Romance
Just as the title says, I’m a veteran reader. This isn’t a list of books for elementary schoolers. I prefer smart protagonists and read sci-fi, xianxia, fantasy, and mystery. I never expected anyone to bookmark this list. I’d rather find lists that suit my tastes, since I’m always looking for something good to read. (A note about recommendations: I won’t recommend a book from the comments unless I’ve read at least 100 chapters. I’ve read plenty that started well but turned to garbage after the f
I Bow Only to Great Writing and Storytelling: Books I've Read, Including Historical, Fantasy, and Online Gaming Novels
Keeping track of and sorting books I've read. I lean toward historical romance, online gaming, fantasy, and post-apocalyptic stories.
Historical Romance Novels
Books I like
The Library of Time
Whether or not they’re classics, some books have left a deep mark on my memory. I’ve collected them here for us to enjoy together. The pleasures of life are little more than satisfying our appetites and finding joy in the things that nourish the spirit. A good book can bring the joy of reading straight to your heart. When I’m following some books, I hope the author will never finish them. Once they do, I can’t help starting over from the beginning. They might not suit your taste, but if you hap
Vast Skies, Endless Snow: Who Will Sail With Me?
First things first: no playboys or harems. There's a bit of everything here, for readers of any gender. I've read every book on this list carefully myself. I'll keep updating it if I can. I didn't know about Qidian at first and just searched online. Later I got a basic paid account, but after reading more, I decided it wasn't worth it, so I upgraded to a premium account. Everything recommended here is a book I've read myself. Feel free to like the books you enjoy o(≧v≦)o. The most-liked books wi
A Closer Look at Historical Romance
Each has its own merits
What My Heart Loves
First, a note: this list isn't limited to novels from the main site. It also includes female-oriented novels. I'm a woman, so please don't be surprised to see those here. These are novels I personally enjoy, with engaging plots and good writing. To me, whether they're from the main site or the female-oriented section, they're all worth reading. I especially like historical fiction, mysteries, crime investigation, historical romance, and xianxia, so most books on my list fall into those categori
Chen Diandian's Bookshelf
Every one of these is worth reading, and the writing is excellent! No padding, no abandoned stories.
Well, a Rich and Varied Collection
All kinds of stories I've read over the years
I Haven't Tended This List in Ages, Enter at Your Own Risk (Formerly: Who Says Women Are Inferior to Men)
Focused on court politics and struggles for power in historical fiction for women. Thank you for collecting and supporting this list. ↓↓↓ Check out my other list ❤❤❤ ♡ Main list: 'Mom, They're the Ones Keeping Me from Studying _(:_"∠)_' A mixed collection, mostly women's fiction.
Good Book General Store
My personal reading list. My tastes change at different stages of life. Good books have delicate writing, smooth plots, distinctive characters, and a well-rounded story. That's what I love.
Private Reading List
Personal collection
Women’s Fiction · Fun · Clean and Crisp Prose
I'll probably check out books recommended in the comments. Also, this list is specifically for female-oriented fiction. I'm honestly a bit picky. I like strong female leads, but I also enjoy sweet, naive heroines. Logic matters a lot to me. If a story doesn't make sense, it needs to be truly original for me to stick with it. Lately, I've been into interstellar farming and traditional mysteries. If any authors are writing interstellar farming or traditional mysteries, feel free to recommend your
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Reader comments 38
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This is the author's best work to date.
Set against the backdrop of the Warring States period, this book is clear in its thinking, light in its writing style, and has a strong literary foundation. It's a great book!
This is a wonderful piece of writing; it's been a long time since I've read something so immersive. In a time of great strife, human life is cheap, yet a group of people stubbornly cling to their ideals. They know this isn't the last darkness before dawn, and they know their ideals require the efforts of generations, yet they still throw themselves into it without hesitation.
I originally started reading it because of the female lead. I don't like novels that overly describe the female lead's beauty, because if the writing isn't good, it can easily create the impression that the male lead only likes her because she's pretty.
"However, I have received great favors from the King of Qin and am unwilling to take action against the Qin." Seeing this, I finally understood Ying Si's words, "I understand you, even better than you understand yourself." She won the love contest on the first day, but Ying Si didn't lose either; perhaps this is the best ending.
It's well-written, but it's a pity there's a male lead.
Are there any similar books? The female lead is intelligent and strong.
After glancing at Ying Si's side story, only one sentence came to mind: Liking is unrestrained, loving is restraint.
It's hard not to like this book. The female lead isn't a stunning beauty and doesn't rely on her looks to succeed; she relies on her brains. The plot and character development are all very well-arranged. It's truly a great book.
Why isn't this novel adapted into a TV series? But I'll probably give up hope since it would be a disaster. This novel is arguably the best of historical fiction written by female readers on Qidian.com. Compared to it, all the other bestselling Qing Dynasty time-travel historical novels seem like child's play.