#Ancient Romance# 8 Warm and Sweet Ancient Romance Novels to Recommend: Excellent Writing that Gets More Addictive the More You Read
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- The Hostage Princess by 狂上加狂
Synopsis: A fake aloof prince × A heroine skilled in excessive flattery, this bootlicking heroine turns the tables to become the master, transforming the male lead into a true loyal hound—it’s perfectly to my taste! In her first life, the heroine is a frail princess from a rival nation held as a hostage. Due to a single remark from the male lead, her situation becomes dire. Later, she catches the eye of one of the male lead’s subordinates and is taken away to be his mistress. Relying on her own abilities, the heroine gradually grows stronger and gains significant fame within the upper echelons. However, she ultimately meets a tragic end and is reborn on her way to becoming a hostage once more. In her second life, the heroine seizes the moment, alters the imperial edict, and decides to disguise herself as a man—the “hostage prince”—to protect herself and her brother.
In this lifetime, the heroine earns the male lead’s admiration through her wit, and he gradually falls for her, also discovering her true identity. He schemes to have her marry him, leading the heroine to embark on a challenging life where she must sometimes act as a man and sometimes as a woman—literally being at the male lead’s beck and call both day and night, which is both amusing and telling. Initially, the male lead doesn’t realize how important the heroine is to him. In the middle of the story, to solidify his power, he contemplates marrying a main wife and does take in two concubines, though he never touches them. Feeling the gap between them too vast, the heroine, now pregnant, returns to her homeland to become a queen (a thrilling twist). It is only after the heroine’s complete departure that the male lead realizes his feelings and abstains from taking another wife, focusing instead on consolidating his empire and devising ways to bring the heroine back. The transformation in the male lead’s attitude towards women is gradual, influenced bit by bit by the heroine, evolving from a chauvinistic prince to a jealous lover—this progression is incredibly satisfying to read. With a fulfilling ending, I highly recommend it!
- Mushan Nan by 青狐娘子
Synopsis: A tale of ancient romance featuring two equally strong leads—a ruthless, cunning male protagonist versus a clever and adaptable female lead, entangled in a love-hate relationship that unfolds amidst fiery pursuits. The heroine is plotted against by a supporting male character, resulting in her poisoning. Seeing her capabilities, he coerces her into venturing into an underground palace to extract the male lead. Before she can even make a move, the barely alive male lead places a curse on her, causing unbearable pain with every step. Fortunately, the heroine is skilled in disguise, using it to substitute another corpse for the male lead, successfully deceiving the second male lead and securing the antidote. Thereafter, she escapes with the injured male lead, reluctantly nursing him back to health over several days, during which she manages to break the curse and returns to her sect. A year later, they meet again with the male lead having reclaimed his status. Impressed by the heroine’s wit and abilities, he curses her once more, forcing her into his sect to work for him.
The heroine outwardly assists the male lead while secretly plotting her escape. As they spend time together, the male lead senses a familiarity about her, drawing him closer until he unwittingly falls for her. However, due to a particular curse he bears, any affection leads to mental instability and incessant coughing up of blood. Following the heroine’s escape, the male lead, unable to bear the shock, nearly meets his demise. The heroine assumes multiple disguises, all of which the male lead sees through, eventually acknowledging his genuine love for her and embarking on a fervent quest to win her back. In summary, the male lead goes to great lengths for the heroine, who only begins to soften towards him in the latter chapters. Ultimately, the male lead assumes a new identity to spend his life with her… Throughout the story, the protagonists continually scheme against each other in a high-stakes game of wits that is exhilarating and increasingly captivating!
- Palace Intrigues Run Amok by 尤四姐
Synopsis: This is a delightful imperial couple tale filled with bickering and eventual affection. The male lead is truly cunning, straightforward to a fault, and childishly competitive, while the female lead is a quick-witted youngster with a knack for holding grudges and a charm that wins over elders. They are each other’s perfect foil—she, with a best friend who was the late Empress, and he, unsuspecting of the void she aims to fill. She initially had a promising marriage prospect, but political machinations forced her into the role of empress. Fortuitously, her naturally乐观 disposition and resilience enable her to endure humiliation and hardship. The emperor, initially disapproving, subjects her to various ordeals; she starts by enduring but eventually retaliates, outwitting him and making him suffer losses, turning their rivalry into an unlikely bond. Their encounters are filled with amusing and hilarious moments as they constantly try to outmaneuver each other.
The author’s name itself guarantees an enjoyable read. The narrative is both entertaining and comical, with the main characters engaging in daily banter and intricate schemes to outdo one another. The progression of the male lead’s affection for the female lead is also a humorous journey. Although set in the Qing Dynasty, the novel maintains a relatively light tone. Each character, whether primary or secondary, possesses a unique charm, vividly portrayed and true to life. The usually stern and composed emperor unexpectedly finds himself undone by this seemingly naive yet astute woman. It’s a delightful twist—instead of intense harem intrigue, the focus shifts to the sparring matches with the emperor, making for a highly entertaining read.
- When the Malicious Supporting Male Turns Out to Be a Lady by 十二月酒
Synopsis: As the “illegitimate child” of the Shen family, Shen Juan is both ambitiously scheming and adept at endurance. In his pursuit of a government post, he is compelled to bear the humiliations inflicted by his younger half-brother. However, as he endures, Shen Juan unexpectedly uncovers that his brother’s acts of aggression are not as superficial as they seem. Spilled wine turns out to be poisoned, attempts to shoot his horse reveal underlying issues with the animal, and what appears as disdainful disregard is, in truth, a series of opportunities being presented to him. Shen Juan gradually realizes that his younger brother is not as detestable as he thought, and in fact, there might be something more…
The narrative flows smoothly with crisp and concise language. Despite being a transmigration novel featuring a female supporting character, the story takes a unique turn when the protagonist disguises herself as a man to ascend the halls of power, embarking further down the path of a corrupt official with unchecked influence, handling the plot’s political trajectory. Meanwhile, the male lead, influenced by the female lead’s actions as she completes system tasks, repeatedly imagines scenarios and essentially woos himself, fueling the romantic subplot. This setup piques anticipation for the moment when genuine sparks finally fly between the two leads.
- Towards the Imperial Palace by 白鹭未双
Synopsis: Disguised as the seventh prince, the female lead finds herself amidst a fierce struggle for the throne among the current princes. Among them, the unloved Seventh Prince Zhao Changnian has no aspirations for the crown and merely wishes to live quietly within the palace walls. Unfortunately, she inadvertently gets entangled in the succession conflict and attracts the attention of the all-powerful Duke who supports the state, Ye Jiangbai, who catches her off-guard. Surprisingly, instead of exposing her, Ye Jiangbai treats her rather well. Unaccustomed to warmth, Zhao Changnian mistakes the Duke for a gentle and kind-hearted figure, willingly accepting his protection and following his directives, unaware that she is merely a pawn in his grand scheme to manipulate the court.
In Ye Jiangbai’s eyes, the innocent and naive Seventh Prince surprises him. How could someone feel they’ve gained from being deceived? Puzzled by a prince who shows no desire to fight for his position, weak, beautiful, and obedient, the Duke, who normally detests homosexuals, finds his recent mental state perplexing yet refuses to acknowledge any personal anomaly. Meanwhile, Zhao Changnian, oblivious to the true nature of their relationship, devotes herself to him, prompting Ye Jiangbai to reluctantly reciprocate her affections. Unbeknownst to her, the male lead has, in a sense, already been ‘bent’ in the early stages, completely ignorant of her true gender yet engaging in intimate acts, having accepted this reality. However, the intrigues of the imperial court inevitably obstruct their path. Their love-hate relationship is intensely satisfying, culminating in a fulfilling conclusion. Highly recommended!
- Qiu Nv by 赵熙之
Synopsis: This tale features a proud yet adorable and clingy male lead opposite a resilient, restrained, and resolute female lead. The heroine is an independent princess who is overlooked by the court, while the hero holds the esteemed position of a Minister of Justice. They initially clash but eventually come together, only to be forcefully separated by the Empress—she to her fiefdom, he to the frontier. Years later, when they reunite, the male lead has risen to become a powerful minister, and beneath their subtle, ambiguous interactions lies a profound and turbulent affection. The story revolves around their eventual reunion despite numerous obstacles.
Key highlights of the narrative include the male lead’s lingering resentment towards the heroine despite years apart, which ultimately succumbs to his deep love, leading him to shamelessly cling to her in an attempt to bridge the gap. To aid the heroine in her bid for the throne, he calculates and risks his own future, even gambling with his life, displaying an extraordinary depth of devotion. A tale of overcoming adversity and reuniting, it is a poignant exploration of love and sacrifice.
- The Days After Lord Eunuch Zhang’s Retirement by 郑小陌说
Synopsis: Featuring a genuine eunuch male lead and a female warrior from the jianghu (martial world), the esteemed author’s previous work, ‘Huan Nan Jiang Shan’ (Imperial Intrigue Amidst the Nation), was also highly renowned. The author seemingly has a particular fondness for such niche themes. What intrigues me most about this story is how these two vastly different individuals could possibly come together. One is a quintessential eunuch, cowardly, avaricious, and sharp-tongued; the other is a bold and untrammeled female martial hero, free-spirited and unfettered. At the outset, the protagonists genuinely despise each other—the male lead hires someone to beat up the heroine, only to find her retaliating far more severely by killing him once. As the tale unfolds, they gradually fall in love amidst their growing understanding of one another. The author skillfully narrates how this pair, who seem worlds apart, begin their journey together—bitter yet sweet. Their loneliness and humility complement each other, while responsibility and affection burgeon between them. Despite the heroine’s initial sincere intent to kill the hero, upon finishing the novel, it feels utterly unsurprising that they end up together. The author excels at portraying emotions, capturing the heroine’s solitude and the bitterness hidden beneath the eunuch’s facade with precision. The writing is robust, the characters vividly depicted—if you’re interested in this genre, I highly recommend it!
- The Great General Always Urges Me to Excel by 山中君
Synopsis: As a veterinarian, Ali’s passion lies in petting cats, dogs, and anything cuddly. But fate intervenes dramatically when she is conscripted into the army, becoming a military medic. Within the barracks, she encounters General Feng Xuan. Grateful for the life-saving debt he owes her from a past life, Feng Xuan takes special care of Ali while also seeking to help her fulfill the regret of not entering the Imperial Medical Academy in their previous existence. Over time, Feng Xuan finds himself increasingly drawn to Ali’s innocent charm, leading to a deepening understanding and eventual love. The narrative flows smoothly, peppered with humorous language, as the author skillfully weaves together tales of past and present with delicate prose. The contrasting yet adorable personalities of the main characters make for a heartwarming and sweet love story.