This novel follows the life of Liu Sheng, Prince Jing of Zhongshan in the Western Han Dynasty. Against the backdrop of Emperor Wu’s efforts to weaken the vassal kings and centralize power, Liu Sheng adopts “ruining his reputation through wine and women” as a way to survive. He devotes himself to extravagant pleasures, takes many concubines, and fathers generation after generation of descendants, living a remarkable life. The story vividly portrays the luxurious lifestyle of Han vassal princes, the undercurrents of court intrigue, and the continuity of the royal bloodline. Amid such extreme luxury and indulgence, it explores the wisdom needed to survive in troubled times and traces a royal clan’s journey from its height to a flourishing lineage, bringing to life a complex, controversial, and realistic “pleasure-loving prince.”
