A complete route map to reach all endings (HE/NE/BE), pass every QTE, and unlock all achievements. Use the chapter sections to follow your preferred path or to sweep remaining percentages later.
Road to Empress Guide – Endings, Achievements & Choices
Global Achievements You Can Trigger Anytime
Golden Butterfly Chase: From the Story Map, click Current at the bottom.
Distant Echoes: After any ending, listen to one voice message.
Master Listener: Listen to every voice message across all 110 endings.
Starlit Skies: At a chapter end screen, click the Trait Sketch in the lower left.
History Buff: From Storyline view, click All Chapters (lower right).
Curious Cat: Starting in Chapter 2, watch any bonus video shown at the chapter end.
World of Possibilities: After unlocking any Feat, open the Feats page and click it.
Treasure Trove Discovered: Main Menu → Characters → open any Bonus Video.
The First Step: Main Menu → Leaderboard → View → give a flower or egg to any character.
Time Rewind: After a Bad Ending, spend coins to jump back to the key choice.
Millionaire: Accumulate 100,000 coins. Chapter completion thresholds (50%/75%), Feats, and the initial 20,000‑coin mail bonus all help. This typically lands near the end of Chapter 13.
The Secluded One: Earn five standard endings. It usually triggers at Chapter 14’s start, but can pop early if you rewatch a normal ending.
Archivist Extraordinaire: Unlock all character videos during full exploration; this completes around Chapter 16.
Flow of the Past and Personalized Touch: After any Chapter 16 game end, click the buttons on the Cleared Chapters Summary and finished Trait Sketch.
High Roller: Finish the full blossom. The upper‑right petal is doable early; others complete closer to full game exploration. The top petal is mostly odd/wrong/BE responses and typically completes after an ending that kills Liu Xi late game; the lower‑left fills at 100% exploration.
Legend used below:
- HE = Happy Ending
- NE = Normal Ending
- BE = Bad Ending
- “Pass/Fail QTE” indicates quick‑time event branches.
Chapter 1 — The Unfathomable Rear Palace
Enter Palace
• Push and hold the door for Nimble Moves.
Her Grace’s Favor
• Claim it’s yours → To Gift or not
• Say it fell from the sisters up ahead → I’d Never Harm You
• Say it belongs to Liu Xi → BE + All Part of the Experience
To Gift or not
• Agree—show goodwill → BE
• Hesitate—it’s not mine → BE
• Decline—gold dulls your complexion → BE + Style Icon
I’d Never Harm You
• I must have overthought it → Choosing the Room
• Did I say it was intentional? → Boudoir Choices
Choosing the Room
• Share a room with Liu Xi → BE
• Refuse Liu Xi → Boudoir Choices
Boudoir Choices
• I’ll stay in the bloody handprint room → BE
• Try to win over others → Chapter End + The Unfathomable Rear Palace
Chapter 2 — A Frightful Banquet
Section 1: Dressing for the Banquet
Bath in Hot Springs?
• Try the grand palace bath → Relaxing Bath Time
• I’ll pass for now → Which Dress to Wear?
Relaxing Bath Time
• Soak a bit longer → BE
• I’m done for now → Which Dress to Wear?
Which Dress to Wear?
• Choose [Red] → Radiance section
• Choose [Green] → Celestia section
Notes:
• When the “I like it / Let me try the other one” prompt appears, select “try the other one” ten times for Wardrobe Indecision.
• You must pick each dress once as your first selection, and also confirm each with “I like it” at least once.
Section 2a: Celestia
Keeping Balance
• Pass QTE → Meeting Your Husband
• Fail QTE → NE + Another Life
Meeting Your Husband
• Nervous / Excited / Fine (flavor only)
Banquet Performance
• A simple dance
• A stunning song
• A terrible pipa performance → BE
Liu Xi’s Accusation
• I knew nothing of Her Grace’s tastes → On An Empty Stomach
• Why would Her Grace punish Cairen Jiang → Prove Yourself
• I didn’t know Cairen Jiang was so gifted → On An Empty Stomach
Prove Yourself
• Investigate who she met before death → On An Empty Stomach
• Examine body to find cause → Xu Hui’s Rise
On An Empty Stomach
• Eat the flatbread → BE
• Skip it → Prison Dinner
Prison Dinner
• Have the gruel → BE
• Skip it → BE
Xu Hui’s Rise
• Disappointed / Jealous / Unbothered / Happy for her (flavor)
Aunt’s Insights
• You can select all three:
– What kind of women thrive here?
– Any secret tips for surviving the palace?
– Tell me about the princes
• Then choose “I’ve got it all figured out” → Chapter End + A Frightful Banquet
Section 2b: Radiance
Identical structure to Celestia with one key warning:
• If you chose “A stunning song,” you will hit a BE later in Prove Yourself.
Follow the same branches for Meeting Your Husband, Banquet Performance, Liu Xi’s Accusation, Prove Yourself, On An Empty Stomach, Prison Dinner, Xu Hui’s Rise, and Aunt’s Insights.
• End with “I’ve got it all figured out” → Chapter End.
Chapters 3 & 4 — Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma 1 & 2
Cairens’ Gossip
• Pause to eavesdrop
• Step forward and join
The Proposal
• Suggest he pick someone else → BE
• Pledge loyalty → Li Tai +1
The Guard’s Challenge
• Say it’s a physician sent by Prince of Wei
• Claim it’s a tutor sent by His Majesty → BE
• No Response → BE
Power Struggle
• Confess to the Emperor → BE
• Turn to your Aunt for help
Spotted By Aunt
• Grab her and flee together
• Run off alone → BE
• No Response → BE
Chamberlain’s Threat
• Pass QTE
• Fail QTE → BE
A Split‑Second Choice
• Scream for help → BE
• Fight back and kill her → Chapter End
• Knock her out → BE
• No Response → BE
Liu Xi’s Curiosity
• Get lost / None of your business (flavor)
The Missing Token
• Go back to look for it → BE
• Let it slide
Where’s the Token?
• Say Liu Xi stole it
• Claim you lent it to another chamberlain → BE
• Say you left it with His Majesty → BE
Scheme to Chengqian
• Push Crown Prince to rebel → Li Tai +1
• Stir trouble between Prince and ministers → BE
Yin’s Deadly Intent
• “Consort Yang’s my Aunt…” → BE
• “Is this really for your late husband?”
• No Response → BE
Yin’s Vulnerability
• Let the past stay in the past → BE
• You’re fooling yourself
• I can help you get revenge → BE
• No Response → BE
Run!
• Escape
• No Response → BE
Ninth Prince’s Help
• I’ll repay you, Your Highness → Li Zhi +8
• Aren’t you curious about what happened? → Li Zhi +5
Before Yin Kills
• Tell His Majesty → BE
• Tell Consort Wei → BE
• Tell Consort Yang
Confess to Aunt
• Say only that Kindness plotted to kill the Emperor → Chapter End + Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma
• Lay out the whole story → BE
Chapter 5 — The Specter of the Cold Palace
Poem as Approval
• I really like that painting → Li Zhi +2
• Honestly, His Majesty hasn’t seen it → Li Zhi +3
Yin’s Sudden Death
• My Aunt pulled this off / Kindness reunited with her husband / Yin lost her patroness (flavor)
The Arrest Warrant
• Go along quietly
• Run to Aunt’s quarters
• Ask for proof
Mosquito Trouble
• Pass QTE
• Fail QTE twice, but the third must pass
• Note: Slightly different paths if you pass on the 1st vs 2nd attempt.
Chamberlain’s Offer
• Nice try, you’re not fooling me → BE
• Alright, I’ll try it
The Empress’s Cat
• Call it over
• Let it go → BE
Gaoyang’s Question
• Keep you young forever → BE
• Make you even prettier → BE
• Make your crush fall for you → Gaoyang +5, +9
Sent to Xianchi
• Maybe I’ll find my break / It’s a job / No way (all proceed)
The Crazed Lookalike
• Aunt, is that you? → BE
• Insult Consort Yang
Mad Aunt’s Question
• Just out of spite → BE
• To provoke Consort Yang
Mad Aunt’s Offer
• Stick around → Chapter End + The Specter of the Cold Palace
• Leave for now → BE
Chapters 6 & 7 — Southern Mountain Hunt 1 & 2
Your Pick
• Betting on Li Zhi / Hoping Li Tai wins / I’ll feel bad for the loser (flavor)
The Wild Steed
• Sing softly to calm it → BE
• Grab whip, hammer, dagger
Li Zhi’s in Trouble
• Rush in to save
• Hang back → BE
• No Response → BE
Knock Him Off
• Pass QTE
• Fail QTE → BE
Whose Hairpin?
• Li Shimin / Li Tai / Li Zhi (affects later variants)
Your Choices
• Go and serve him → Bedchamber Duty
• Find an excuse to skip (Hidden Storyline) → Their Perspectives
Bedchamber Duty
• Make him never forget me → BE
• Endure it → Their Perspectives
Their Perspectives
• View Li Zhi’s perspective
• View Li Tai’s perspective
• Continue
Notes:
• You can watch both princes’ scenes before continuing.
• The following scene shifts based on what you chose under Your Choices.
Prince of Wei
• Keep quiet and let him find Ling Xiao → BE
• Tip off Ling Xiao to hide
• No Response → BE
The Prince’s Doubts
• Explain honest mistake
• “Jin’s injury ruins plans” → Ling Xiao Suspicion +3
• “I want to get closer to Jin” → Suspicion +1
Note: Depending on Your Choices, you will go to Skipped Summon or directly to The Killing Intent.
Skipped Summon
• I’ve got someone I like → Your Crush
• I don’t want to stand out → The Killing Intent
Your Crush
• I can’t tell you → The Killing Intent
• It’s you → BE
The Killing Intent
• “Prince of Wei won’t let this slide” → BE
• “How is Prince of Jin stuck with you”
• “I saved Jin and you’ll kill me” → BE
Note: After this scene, players commonly receive Getting the Hang of It.
Handling Lingxiao
• Mess with him / Ignore him / Check in (flavor)
Fourth Prince…
• He’s attached to me / He’s using me / I don’t care (flavor)
→ Chapter End + Southern Mountain Hunt
Chapters 8 & 9 — The Ominous Prophecy 1 & 2
Fashion Faceoff
• I’ll disrobe. Rui’er, get up → NE
• If this reaches His Majesty → BE
• Next to Your Grace, I’m just a wannabe
Xi Xin’s Injury
• She is with Preciousness, do not interfere
• Stop her and ask if she is fine
Note: These two branches extend further than they appear. If you are stuck at 97%, replay both fully through Wu Clan’s Crisis.
Wu Clan’s Crisis
• Sit tight
• Team up with other Wu women → BE
The Leaving Director
• I know who Woman Ruler Wu is
• I am the Woman Ruler Wu
• You crooked official → BE
• No Response → BE
Win Over Li Chunfeng
• Too many innocents will suffer → BE
• A woman as emperor never happened → BE
• Defying fate brings divine wrath
Visitor in Prison
• Consort Yang / Gaoyang / Li Zhi / Li Tai (flavor/affinity)
Liu Xi’s Promise
• Kneel and kowtow
• Refuse
Ninth Prince’s Help
• Track down the person tied to the prophecy
• Find who is pulling strings → BE
Seeking the One
• Surname Wu → BE
• Female officer who knows Wushu → BE
• General with a feminine name
Consort Wei’s Invite
• Buddy up with me
• Take me out
Consort Wei’s Poison
• Say you will do it → Rival Sisters
• Tell her no → NE
• Smash the vial → Consort Wei’s Rage
• Drink it yourself → BE
Rival Sisters
• Let her go → BE
• She must go → BE
Consort Wei’s Rage
• I know your secret daughter
• I can help you become empress → BE
Where is Yue
• Between Yuan and Yi → BE
• Between Yuan and Shao → BE
• Between Yi and Shao
The Chosen One?
• Yes, Her Grace chose me → NE
• Actually, congratulations to you → Chapter End + The Ominous Prophecy
Chapters 10 & 11 — Feast of Shadow 1 & 2
Consort Wei’s Circle
• Du Ruo
• Xi Xin
Note: You can interact with both; it advances automatically afterward.
Xi Xin or Du Ruo?
• Du Ruo → BE
• Xi Xin
Xi Xin’s Brother
• Have Rui’er swap the dregs of his medicine → BE
• Break him out → BE
• Kill him and frame Consort Wei
Kill or Fake It?
• Kill for real → BE
• Stage his death
Fate of the Brother
• Give Little Shui back to Xi Xin → Xi Xin +9
• Keep Little Shui as leverage → BE
Who’s the Snitch
• Du Ruo → BE
• Liu Xi → BE
• Du Ruo’s beau, Lan De
• Xi Xin has no clue → BE
Unlocking the Box
• You can input the correct code directly; no need to fail first.
Du Ruo’s Plea
• Keep her tied
• Let her go → BE
What You Think
• So what? No heart, no weakness
• She is mistaken
Li Zhi’s Support
• Not curious what is bothering me, Your Highness?
• What do you think I am like, Your Highness?
Li Zhi Heading Out
• Tell him to stay
• Let him leave
• No Response
Note: “Tell him to stay” has two possible scenes depending on your Whose Hairpin? choice in Chapter 7. This often explains a 97% hang.
Li Tai’s Back
• That is your opener after months?
• Are you jealous?
Impression of Li Zhi
• Only eyes for you
• Someone to watch
• Jin matters to me
• Mind your own business
Wei Clan’s Dirt
• Hand to His Majesty → BE
• Spread a bribery rumor
Consort Wei’s Charm
• Use His Majesty’s feelings for Xu Hui → BE
• Feed her dream of becoming empress → Chapter End + Arrows at Wei and Consort of Preciousness’s Downfall
• Stoke Aunt’s hatred of Consort Wei → BE
Chapters 12 & 13 — Love Under Imperial Tyranny 1 & 2
Xi Xin’s Request
• Approve → BE
• Decline
Gaoyang or Emperor?
• Gaoyang → Undoing the Marriage
• His Majesty → Engagement Delay
Undoing the Marriage
• Gaoyang is too young → BE
• The late Empress’s memorial is soon → Assisting Gaoyang
Engagement Delay
• Gaoyang is too young → BE
• The late Empress’s memorial is soon → Assisting Gaoyang
Assisting Gaoyang
• Say Father’s earrings are lost
• Slip away while he is distracted
Scaling the Wall
• Pass QTE
• Fail QTE until you pass (loops)
Li Tai’s Question
• Tell the truth
• We prayed for His Majesty
• We prayed for your match
Fang Yi’ai’s Order
• This place is unbearable
• What is that buzzing? It is you
Defying the Emperor
• I swore to keep Bianji safe for Gaoyang → Li Tai +9
• Keep quiet → BE
Confine Gaoyang
• Insist on seeing Gaoyang
• Stay away → BE
Gaoyang’s Plea
• Help save Bianji
• Refuse → Chapter End + Scholar Supreme and Love Under Imperial Tyranny
How to Save Bianji?
• Discuss with Li Zhi → How to Save Bianji? [Li Zhi]
• Beg His Majesty → BE
• Plot with Li Tai → BE
• Task Xi Xin with the prison heist
How to Save Bianji? [Li Zhi]
• Play up star omens → BE
• Use His Majesty’s most trusted chancellor → BE
Note: After attempting all five BE routes across this segment, you earn No Way Out.
Chapters 14 & 15 — A Crucible of Life and Death 1 & 2
Ready to Bail Here?
• Yes, I wish to leave → HE
• No, I have reasons to stay
Why Stick Around?
• It is Your Highness → Li Zhi +9 → Keeping It Real?
• It is me → proceeds after Keeping It Real?
Keeping It Real?
• Yes
• No
Note: The follow‑up scene depends on your answer in Why Stick Around?
Heir Talk Trap
• Consort of Elegance sent me → BE
• I know the perfect Crown Prince → BE
• I am carrying Li Zhi’s child → BE
• Gaoyang told me to appear
Yang’s Demise
• Liu Xi, stewing in prison → Loop scene
• Reony‑carved Cairen Jiang’s family → BE
• Consort Wei in the Cold Palace → proceeds
• His Majesty → Loop scene
Vengeance Incoming
• Get out now → BE
• Act friendly with Consort Yang
• No Response → BE
Yang’s Last Stand
• Pass QTE → Counterplay
• Fail QTE → BE
Note: Post‑QTE variant depends on which dress you chose in Chapter 2.
Wei’s Daughter
• Tell the truth → Consort Wei +9 satisfaction → Climbing to the Top
• Keep quiet → The Dying Consort
The Dying Consort
• Turn away → Climbing to the Top
• Hit her sore spot → Consort Wei +9 regret → Climbing to the Top
Climbing to the Top
• I do
• Not my thing
Bigger Baddies?
• Maybe a little
• Not a chance
Your Loved Ones?
• If it must happen, yes
• No way
Got Any Regrets?
• Yes, a few
• Not a single one
→ Chapter End + A Crucible of Life and Death and Easter Egg Hunter
(Note: The exact trigger for Easter Egg Hunter is opaque, but it consistently unlocks here with full exploration.)
Chapter 16 — Destiny Rekindled
There are six unique openings based on Chapter 2 selections (dress) and your chosen emotion when meeting the Emperor.
The Last Moment
• Say you will call her
• Hold back and waver
→ Either choice unlocks Networking Pro.
Your Only Food
• It is gross now
• It is fine; pick it up and eat
Unspoken Rules
• Agree like it is noble → NE
• Hold on, this is a deal? → NE
• Slam the door on it
Just Accept Your Fate?
• Fine, I will go along → NE
• No, I will flip the script
Note: Wait a few seconds for the second option to appear.
Make‑or‑Break Choice
• Leave and unlock a new adventure → Li Tai’s Fate
• Go back to the palace → Chance to Meet Zhi
• Stay and practice → NE
Li Tai’s Fate
• Seize the hairpin and take Liu Xi out → Ultimate Showdown
• Beg her not to ruin your face → BE
• Give up to protect Prince of Wei → BE
Ultimate Showdown
• Pass QTE → Liu Xi’s Death
• Fail QTE → BE
Note: There are two QTE rounds with distinct fail scenes.
Liu Xi’s Death
• Celebrate / Feel odd / Stay calm (flavor)
What Now?
• Hide the body
• Run
• Stage it as an assassination
→ Any choice leads to Chapter/Game End + Destiny Rekindled.
Chance to Meet Zhi
• Bust through → BE
• Give the hairpin to the nun for Li Zhi → BE
• Shout Li Zhi’s name → Never Another Chance
Never Another Chance
• Pass QTE → Chapter/Game End
• Fail QTE → BE
Notes:
• Martial Arts Master unlocks after you have passed all QTEs here and in prior chapters.
• With all chapters at 100%, you also receive Master of All.