In no particular order except for the first, which is the gift lovely xmarksthespotwhereistand wrote for me.

General Recs 

(Some familiarity with canon is recommended)

Fandom: 琅琊榜 - 海宴 | Nirvana In Fire - Hǎi Yàn
Title: In the past and ahead
W | Rating | Warnings
Characters: Xiao Jingyu | Prince Qi, Nie Zhen, Xiao Xuan | Emperor of Liang, Concubine Jing, Consort Chen, Xiao Jingyan | Prince Jing, Lin Xie | Marshall Lin, Lin Shu | Mei Changsu | Su Zhe
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61433170
What I liked about it: Xiao Jingyu was the tragic, once beloved Crown Prince of Liang. He died with his name in the mud, accused of treason and bestowed with poison wine for a ‘dignified’ exit. He may not have appeared in the flesh for a single page of the novel, but his shadow and absence linger throughout the story. But before all that, once he was loved, he was crown prince, he was a brother, he was a son. I wanted to know him as all of those things before he became a memory.
This gift did it <3 AND tossed in references to classical texts and ritual besides.

Fandom: 成化十四年 | The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty (TV)
Title: 低头思故乡 (surrender myself to thoughts of home)
1.27k | Gen | No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Wang Zhi (The Sleuth of the Ming Dynasty)
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61419703
What I liked about it: A really great character study of Wang Zhi and his thoughts on friendship and navigating relationships, with a charming epistolary element. On point character voice! 

Fandom: 星汉灿烂 | Love Like the Galaxy (TV)
Title: Old Sames
1.5k | Multi | No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationships: Emperor Wen/Yue Heng, implied Yue Heng/Xuan Shen’an
Characters: Yue Heng, Xuan Shen'an, Emperor Wen (Love Like the Galaxy)
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61466773
What I liked about it: There are few cdramas out there where an Empress and Noble Consort get along, much less ones where a pair call each other sister and mean it. This is a lovely in-character exploration of how they got from the usual trope of ‘Emperor marrying a woman who is not his true love for the sake of the state’ to their refreshing relationship in the drama.

Fandom Blind Reads

(As in, I read them fandom blind and it may work for you too!)

Fandom: Thunderbolt Fantasy 東離劍遊紀 (TV)
Title: Four Character Idioms
1.96k | Gen | No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Rou Fu You | Làng Wū Yáo, Ryouga | Líng Yá, Mutsu Ten Mei | Mù Tiān Mìng, Sho Fu Kan | Shāng Bù Huàn
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60921622
What I liked about it: Lovely, warm character sketches in four vignettes with a charming framing device (four characters in four four-character idioms).

Fandom: Virtual Angel - ARTMS (Music Video)
Title: Accurate
11.1k | Gen | Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Characters: Camcorder Girl (Virtual Angel - ARTMS)
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61054399
Summary: After the tragic group suicide of five college students, all eyes turn to their remaining friend. With a camera as good as glued to her fist, what Yi Ok-Jin saw matters very little: what the public wants to know is what she filmed.
(Protip: Watch this music video first if you’re okay with flashing images → https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqUP26j4XWU)
What I liked about it: I don’t want to say anything because it would give the surprise away, but just HOLY MOLY. And ofc, heed the warnings!

Fandom: 致命游戏 | The Spirealm (TV)
Title: The Ones Who Remain
7.59k | M/M | No Archive Warnings Apply
Characters: Wú Qǐ, Chen Fei
Relationship: Ling Jiushi/Ruan Lanzhu
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61601284
What I liked about it: All the characters feel so natural and alive! As an avid reader of cnovels, this fic captures the modern scifi vibe while still having it make sense to the average reader (I think). Which is very cool. The remixed mythology aspect was also well done!

Fandom: Mycenaean History RPF, Mesopotamian RPF
Title: Copper, Clay and Correspondence
W | F/M, M/M | No Archive Warnings Apply
Relationship: Ea-Nasir (Mesopotamian)/Brithawon (Mycenaean)
Characters: Ea-Nasir (Mesopotamian), Brithawon (Mycenaean), Enkhelyawon of MycenaeKarpathia (Mycenaean), Kessandra (Mycenaean), Wordieya (Mycenaean), Original Characters
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/chapters/156915673
What I liked about it: A mashup of the famed Ea-Nasir of Mesopotamia with his tablets and the procrastinating servant Karpathia of. Hysterically funny peek into the most dramatic communication breakdown epistolary style.
(If you liked the fic and want to have a poke around the irl origin story for Ea-Nasir, try this link: https://www.forbes.com/sites/kristinakillgrove/2018/05/11/meet-the-worst-businessman-of-the-18th-century/#4b80caff2d5d. The author also leaves references from their research in the fic end notes.)

Illness and Injury 

Fandom: 一念关山 | A Journey to Love (TV)
Title: unto the gallant flower on the peak, call me both sworn vassal and dear friend
3.9k | Rating | Warnings
Characters: Yu Shisan, Yang Ying (A Journey to Love), Li Tongguang
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/61395673
What I liked about it: I read this canon blind. Wonderful process of injury and injury recovery! This is the highest praise I can give ^^
(Sickliness rating: 2.1 - if you know, you know)

Fandom: 天涯客 | Faraway Wanderers - priest
Title: My Grieved Heart Is Helpless
1.2k | M/M | Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Relationship: Wen Kexing/Zhou Zishu
Characters: Wen Kexing, Zhou Zishu
Link: https://archiveofourown.org/works/60001834
Summary: His mind was a murky swamp on the best of days, creatures with sharp teeth hidden in the depths. Today they rose to the surface, filling him with what-if’s and regrets. This was what it meant to be human: the vulnerability of his own heart gouged from his chest and gifted to the care of his beloved beside him.
-
Zhou Zishu gets injured. Wen Kexing is normal about it.
What I liked about it: Not from the POV of the fragile one (for a given value of fragile xD) but from his lover after a mild injury from a fight. The resulting reaction is tender, affectionate and definitely veering on the edge of sanity. Just the way I like my Wen Kexing :P
(Sickliness rating: 1.1)