The evening sky over Jin Kingdom dimmed into shades of amber and violet as five separate horse carriages rolled toward Tie Shan Gong’s Main Palace.

  The journey was short.

  But for the five princes inside those carriages—

  It felt like the longest ride of their lives.

  ?

  Jin’s POV

  For the first time that day, Jin was alone.

  No maids.

  No Eunuch Kang.

  No curious palace eyes.

  Just the rhythmic sound of wooden wheels against stone and the soft snort of horses.

  He exhaled slowly.

  Finally.

  Peace.

  Unlike Liang Ze or Xiao Tian — who would likely overthink the situation — Jin remained composed. Unlike Wu Chen and Huang Rui, who would definitely create chaos even in another dimension, he preferred observation over reaction.

  He still believed this was a dream.

  A hyper-realistic one.

  The craftsmanship of the carriage alone fascinated him. The carved panels, the joinery without visible nails, the lacquer finish — authentic techniques. If his subconscious created this, it deserved an award.

  Then the name echoed in his mind.

  Crown Prince Jin Zhao.

  That was what Eunuch Kong had called him earlier when delivering the Emperor’s request.

  The title sounded familiar.

  Too familiar.

  As if he had read it somewhere.

  Seen it in passing.

  Perhaps in a historical text? An antique archive? A forgotten manuscript?

  He frowned slightly.

  But since he still believed this was a dream, he let the thought slide away.

  If this was fantasy—

  The tale has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

  He would enjoy it properly.

  An imperial dinner?

  With full royal protocol?

  His lips curved faintly.

  Fine.

  Let’s see how convincing this “dream” really is.

  ?

  Liang Ze’s POV

  Liang Ze sat upright in his carriage, fingers lightly tapping against his knee.

  Unlike Jin—

  He did not think this was a dream.

  Dreams did not crawl through dog holes with you.

  Dreams did not whisper back.

  He had met Xiao Tian.

  Held him.

  Heard him breathe.

  That reunion in the alley had confirmed everything.

  Before they were separated, Liang Ze had leaned close and whispered:

  “Stay calm. I’ll see you at dinner.”

  Strategic. Controlled. Necessary.

  This was not a hallucination.

  This was an event.

  Something deliberate.

  His mind replayed the details.

  Brotherhood drinking night.

  Imperial summons the very next day.

  Too coincidental.

  And then—

  The title.

  Prince Ze Liang.

  He was certain he had seen that name before.

  Not just heard it.

  Seen it.

  Where?

  A script? A history book? A web novel synopsis?

  His expression darkened slightly.

  If this was some twisted narrative structure—

  Then who was writing it?

  He leaned back slowly.

  Fine.

  If this was a chessboard—

  He would not be a pawn.

  He would find the rules.

  And then break them.

  ?

  Xiao Tian’s POV

  Inside his carriage, Xiao Tian held his sleeves tightly.

  He was nervous.

  But not afraid.

  Because he was not alone.

  He had found Liang Ze.

  And if Liang Ze was here—

  The others might be too.

  That thought warmed him.

  Even in this strange world, he did not feel abandoned.

  The rocking carriage felt almost soothing.

  He whispered softly to himself, voice barely audible.

  “It’s okay… we’ll figure it out.”

  He trusted them.

  He trusted Jin.

  Even if Jin didn’t know yet.

  Tonight, at dinner—

  They would see each other again.

  And as long as they were together—

  They could survive anything.

  ?

  Huang Rui’s POV

  Huang Rui adjusted his sleeves dramatically, even though no one was watching.

  Presentation mattered.

  Even in another universe.

  Finally alone in his carriage, he allowed himself a long sigh.

  He was grateful he had woken up with Wu Chen.

  If he had faced that chaos alone, he might have fainted — inelegantly.

  Still—

  He was nervous.

  Not about himself.

  About Wu Chen.

  “What if he says something ridiculous at dinner?” he muttered under his breath.

  Emperors were not variety show hosts.

  However—

  Huang Rui lifted his chin slightly.

  He had charm.

  He had elegance.

  He had survived award shows, live broadcasts, and savage comment sections.

  An imperial dinner?

  Please.

  He would glide through it.

  Smile perfectly.

  Speak strategically.

  Look stunning while doing so.

  If disaster struck—

  At least he would look good in history books.

  ?

  Wu Chen’s POV

  Wu Chen leaned his head against the carriage wall.

  For once—

  He was quiet.

  He felt relief knowing Huang Rui had heard the summons too.

  But a terrifying thought crept in.

  What if Huang Rui wasn’t one of the five invited princes?

  Emperors had many children.

  Chinese historical dramas had taught him that much.

  “What if there are like… twelve princes?” he whispered to himself.

  “What if I’m Prince Number Eight and Rui is Prince Number Eleven?”

  His stomach flipped.

  What if they weren’t even in the same faction?

  What if tonight was some political elimination round?

  He swallowed hard.

  Okay.

  Don’t spiral.

  Worst case scenario—

  He improvises.

  He’s good at improvising.

  Right?

  …Right?

  For the first time that day—

  Wu Chen hoped he wouldn’t have to be the chaotic one.

  ?

  The Layout of Power

  The distance to the Main Palace was short.

  Prince Ze Liang, Prince Tian Rui, Prince Rui Huang, and Prince Wu Chen’s residences were located west of Tie Shan Gong — a cluster reserved for royal family members.

  Close enough to appear united.

  Separated enough to remain cautious.

  Only Crown Prince Jin Zhao’s residence stood apart — positioned east of Tie Shan Gong.

  Closer to the Emperor’s Main Palace.

  Closer to power.

  Closer to danger.

  As the five carriages approached the towering gates—

  Lanterns flickered to life.

  Guards stood in perfect formation.

  The Dragon’s Table awaited.

  And none of them knew—

  That this dinner would decide far more than they imagined.