Fighting for the Throne, but My Rivals Are Hu Hai and Yang Guang

We've had enough of high-level succession struggles. Next up, we're bringing you

The Abstract Maniac's Succession Tournament!

Shi Yingchuan transmigrated.

The good news: He no longer had to worry about finding a job. In this life, he was a prince in a golden age of an ancient dynasty, and even the crown prince.

The bad news: The original crown prince had just been poisoned to death at his birthday banquet.

At the banquet, the crown prince had only eaten dishes brought by his brothers. Shi Yingchuan wiped the poisoned blood and white foam from the corner of his mouth and stared pensively at the princes' food containers.

[Ding! System quest issued: Identify the culprit who poisoned you before time runs out!]

[Quest reward: One chance to come back to life]

Shi Yingchuan steeled himself and traded all the merit he had left for [Appraisal].

He looked at his brothers' identities and fell into a long silence

Born too late to become crown prince? No problem. He could act like a sweet, innocent schemer and drive a wedge between the crown prince and the emperor!, Second Prince [Yang Guang].

Not particularly noticeable, ranked somewhere in the middle among the princes? No problem. He could secretly raise an army of assassins and launch a coup when the time was right!, Third Prince [Li Longji].

Only had artistic talent to show for himself? No problem. He was lucky. Maybe some catastrophe would wipe out his father and elder brothers in one fell swoop., Fourth Prince [Zhao Gou].

A total good-for-nothing, with his brothers all shining in their own ways and no chance of inheriting the throne, not even in his next life? No problem. After the emperor died, he could forge an imperial decree! Then he could kill all his brothers!, Fifth Prince [Hu Hai].

No problem, no problem. Shi Yingchuan reassured himself. As crown prince, surely he had plenty of ministers to help him, right?

Then he took another look at his Eastern Palace staff:

His melancholy study companion, whom he'd asked to watch the fruit platter for a moment, only to return and find that he'd eaten all the grapes, [Cao Pi].

A young adviser who seemed utterly loyal to the crown prince, but had the look of an eagle and a wolf, [Sima Yi].

The Eastern Palace guard captain, who followed orders like a robot but still gave everyone the creeps, [Bai Qi].

Shi Yingchuan: Haha, so many talented people. I'm doomed.

He couldn't rely on anyone. He'd have to rely on himself!

Shi Yingchuan grabbed a sword and sprinted toward his younger brothers' palaces.

In the middle of the night, a palace attendant rushed to report to the emperor:

"Disaster! The crown prince has tied up all the princes! He's strung them up in a row and is whipping them inside the Eastern Palace!"

The emperor, working overtime: ?

Reader's guide:

1. An alternate ancient setting. The System is the male lead's golden finger, but it doesn't take up much of the story.

2. The male lead is extremely handsome, but his mental state is particularly... beautiful. He and his brothers are a pack of beagles, yapping away every day. There's no brotherly harmony here.

3. The historical figures are reborn after death and don't know what happened to them afterward. Their sexual orientations and past experiences are respected.

4. The romantic pairing is with an original character.

Theme: My fate is mine to decide, not fate's or heaven's!