Ancient EABO
All orientations / Ancient EABO / A golden age on the brink / Undercurrents surging / Political intrigue / Everyone is a villain The Canglán Dynasty has stood for one hundred and seventy-two years. The golden age has reached its zenith, yet dark currents churn beneath the surface. The aging Emperor Xiao Yanci, past forty and failing in health, lost his First Consort long ago. The inner palace sits empty, and true power slips from the throne. Crown Prince Xiao Zhiyi, a twenty-one-year-old Kunze, is ruthless in his methods—feared and revered by the entire court. Second Prince Xiao Zhiyan appears gentle as jade, yet his depths are unfathomable. Third Prince Xiao Zhiye seems an idle layabout, though he may not be as guileless as he lets on. The newly risen General Pei Zhanye commands such merit that he overshadows the sovereign. Grand Preceptor Dantai Wuwang is shrouded in mystery. Shadow guards, strategists, hostage princes, young sect leaders, court physicians—each harbors their own designs. Fifteen men, fifteen games of chess, pheromone trails intertwining, schemes simmering in silence. The throne hangs in the balance as every faction maneuvers in the dark. Beneath a flourishing empire—who moves the pieces? Who is a piece? Which would you choose to be?