Recommendations Intrigue books set in ancient China

Discussion in 'I'm Looking For...' started by asampe_tae, Jan 23, 2023.

  1. asampe_tae

    asampe_tae Los Blancos

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    I am looking for books like Like Pearl and Jade, To Be A Virtuous Wife, Eight Treasures Trousseau, Ninth Uncle. I don't mind harem as long as it's HE and ML is faithful by the end of the book.
    Or any ancient china book that has to do with fighting for the throne. I've read Peerless, Nirvana In Fire and the other classics. Thank you in advance.
     
  2. Furrina

    Furrina Well-Known Member

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    If u dont mind BL, Those years in Quest of Honor mine. One of the best fighting for throne books I've read.

    Also, Rich and Powerful Changan (U'll have to google it, the links on NU are broken, but it is still up on other sites). It has one of the best BL relationships I've read in a chinese fics. The Prince ML actually knows how to open his mouth and communicate like an adult, and MC doesn't really dwell on unnecessary things. There is no harem (though ML does have other wives, it's not explicitly said but ML is deffo gay. Like even the idea of having sex with a woman is enough to freak him out, and even though he is forced into marriage with a man to break his succession, he is very NOT unhappy about it. Like, he is so NOT unhappy, that even the king and the consorts who plotted it are worried. It is mpreg towards the end, but also pretty refreshing in the regard that MC is a self-taught doctor and understandably freaked that he is pregnant.
     
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  3. YeongEunJi

    YeongEunJi Well-Known Member

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  4. Serendipitous

    Serendipitous Well-Known Member

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  5. Tsubaki -

    Tsubaki - Unknown Member

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  6. luoxinle

    luoxinle Book Club Founder

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  7. asampe_tae

    asampe_tae Los Blancos

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    Thank you. I'm still reading it

    Highly appreciate this

    Thank you. I adore BL but I'm not a huge mpreg fan

    Thank you. So grateful

    Thank you soooo much
     
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  8. S4TY4

    S4TY4 Well-Known Member

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    Not quite sure, but if you don't mind JPN ones, then maybe:
    Colorcloud Palace/Saiunkoku Monogatari (IDK for the novel's status, I've only watched it's anime ver)
    Kusuriya no Hitorigoto
    Housekeeper of the Hundred Blossom Palace
     
  9. ToastedRossi

    ToastedRossi Well-Known Member

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    步步生莲
    Normally I'd recommend something like "Bu Bu Jing Xin", but it's a tragedy and it's one of the sadder stories out there. This book is more about broader themes than just political intrigue, but there's plenty of the latter as well. It's also a huge joy to read moment to moment as the characters and the way they play off of one another is endlessly fascinating. This is just a great book all around, but you'll have to read it in Chinese - I imagine that any attempts at MTL will end up more unreadable than usual.
     
  10. Tsubaki -

    Tsubaki - Unknown Member

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    I haven't finished it yet either. :blobpats:
     
  11. asampe_tae

    asampe_tae Los Blancos

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    Thank you. I don't read much japanese novels but I'll give these a try.

    Tragedy?! Nah! I can't handle those. I'd be going through my day and having thoughts on how sad these characters lives are. The book being well written doesn't matter. I'd rather not read a well-written book that has it's fair shares of joys but is a BE. I'm too fragile for that. Thank you for the rec tho.