The Lie Flat Prince tells the story of Ying Yinman, the emperor's daughter, who ascends the throne amid chaos after the First Emperor's death and becomes the first empress in history. To secure her rule, she visits a teahouse three times and “abducts” the extraordinary Chen Wangshu into the palace, naming him Prince Jing.
On the surface, the prince is lazy and lays down two rules: “I won't attend court, and I won't get involved in anything.” Yet his unparalleled strategic genius and his 99-jin Moon-Seizing Spear make him the empire's pillar behind the scenes. From overhauling the finances and issuing government bonds to campaigning south against the Baiyue and opening a western Silk Road, he advances a policy of “civilization first.” He educates the people by simplifying the written language and cleans up officialdom with transparent accounts. He not only expands the empire's borders, but also spreads Qin civilization far and wide.
The two go from ruler and subject to husband and wife, joining hands to shape the empire. He gives her a lifetime of peace, and she promises to stay by his side until they are old and gray. When the legend comes to an end, the Moon-Seizing Spear stands silently in a museum, bearing witness to the immortal tale of “one spear to defend the realm, one lifetime devoted to one person.”
