This Road to Empress Guide provides a complete walkthrough for Road to Empress, covering every choice, ending, and achievement. Follow it step-by-step to achieve 100% exploration, unlock all endings, and experience every possible outcome.

Road to Empress is an interactive drama set in the heart of an imperial palace, where alliances, betrayal, and fate intertwine. Every choice shapes your relationships with key characters and influences which of the 110 possible endings you’ll receive.

Info + Misc Achievements

You can earn many achievements without replaying full routes. Here’s how to collect them efficiently:

Golden Butterfly Chase – From the Story Map, click “Current.”

Distant Echoes – Listen to one voice message at the end of any ending.

Master Listener – Listen to all voice messages across all 110 endings.

Starlit Skies – Click on the Trait Sketch icon at the end of a chapter.

History Buff – From the Storyline screen, select “All Chapters.”

Curious Cat – Watch a bonus video after completing any chapter from 2 onward.

World of Possibilities – Unlock a Feat and then view it from the Main Menu.

Treasure Trove Discovered – View any character’s bonus video in the Character menu.

The First Step – Send a flower or egg to a character from the Leaderboard menu.

Time Rewind – Use coins to replay after a Bad Ending.

Millionaire – Accumulate 100,000 coins (usually by Chapter 13).

The Secluded One – Obtain 5 normal endings.

Archivist Extraordinaire – Unlock all character videos (achieved by 100% exploration).

Flow of the Past – Click your Cleared Chapters Summary at game completion.

Personalized Touch – View your final Trait Sketch after any game ending.

High Roller – Complete all flower petal achievements (unlocks around full completion).

Chapter 1 – The Unfathomable Rear Palace

Your story begins at the gates of the Rear Palace, where your first choices set the tone for everything that follows.

Scene 1 – Entering the Palace

• Hold and push the door to unlock Nimble Moves.

Her Grace’s Favor

• Claim it’s yours → To Gift or Not
• Say it fell from a sister ahead → I’d Never Harm You
• Say it belongs to Liu Xi → Bad End + All Part of the Experience

To Gift or Not

• Agree and accept → Bad End
• Hesitate and deny → Bad End
• Decline with wit (“Gold dulls your complexion”) → Bad End + 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 with Liu Xi → Bad End
• Refuse → Boudoir Choices

Boudoir Choices

• “Stay in the bloody handprint room” → Bad End
• “Try to win others over” → Chapter End + The Unfathomable Rear Palace

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Chapter 2 – A Frightful Banquet

Your first major social test begins — choosing your attire and behavior determines how others view you.

Preparing for the Banquet

Bath in Hot Springs?

Take a bath → Relaxing Bath Time

Skip it → Which Dress to Wear?

Relaxing Bath Time

Stay longer → Bad End

Leave → Which Dress to Wear?

Which Dress to Wear?

Red Dress → Radiance Path

Green Dress → Celestia Path
Try both dresses ten times to earn Wardrobe Indecision.
You must pick each dress once as both your first and final choice.

Celestia Path

Keeping Balance (QTE)

Pass → Meeting Your Husband

Fail → Normal End + Another Life

Meeting Your Husband
Choose freely (Nervous / Excited / Fine).

Banquet Performance

Simple dance → Safe

Stunning song → Good path

Terrible pipa → Bad End

Liu Xi’s Accusation

“I knew nothing of Her Grace’s tastes” → On an Empty Stomach

“Why would she punish Cairen Jiang?” → Prove Yourself

“I didn’t know she was so gifted” → On an Empty Stomach

Prove Yourself

Investigate → On an Empty Stomach

Examine her body → Xu Hui’s Rise

On an Empty Stomach

Eat flatbread → Bad End

Skip it → Prison Dinner

Prison Dinner

Eat → Bad End

Skip → Bad End

Xu Hui’s Rise
Choose any emotional response.

Aunt’s Insights
Ask all three questions and finish with “I’ve got it all figured out.”
→ Chapter End + A Frightful Banquet

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Radiance Path

Identical to Celestia, except that choosing “A Stunning Song” here triggers a Bad End.
Complete the same sequence to finish normally.

Chapters 3 & 4 – Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma

The game’s political web begins to form.
Every move here influences your future alliances.

Cairens’ Gossip

Eavesdrop → Safe

Join them → Safe

The Proposal

Suggest another woman → Bad End

Pledge loyalty → +1 Li Tai

The Guard’s Challenge

Physician from Prince of Wei → Safe

Tutor from His Majesty → Bad End

Stay silent → Bad End

Power Struggle

Confess to Emperor → Bad End

Seek Aunt’s help → Continue

Spotted by Aunt

Escape with her → Continue

Run off alone → Bad End

Stay silent → Bad End

Chamberlain’s Threat (QTE)

Pass → Continue

Fail → Bad End

A Split-Second Choice

Scream → Bad End

Fight back → Chapter End

Knock her out → Bad End

Liu Xi’s Curiosity
Either “Get lost” or “None of your business” is fine.

The Missing Token

Go back → Bad End

Let it slide → Safe

Where’s the Token?

Blame Liu Xi → Continue

Other options → Bad End

Scheme to Chengqian

Push rebellion → +1 Li Tai

Stir trouble → Bad End

Yin’s Deadly Intent

“She’s my Aunt” → Bad End

“Is this really for your husband?” → Safe

Silence → Bad End

Yin’s Vulnerability

“Let it go” → Bad End

“You’re fooling yourself” → Safe

“I can help you get revenge” → Bad End

Run!

Escape → Continue

Stay silent → Bad End

Ninth Prince’s Help

“I’ll repay you” → +8 Li Zhi

“Curious about what happened?” → +5 Li Zhi

Before Yin Kills

Tell His Majesty → Bad End

Tell Consort Wei → Bad End

Tell Consort Yang → Continue

Confess to Aunt

“Kindness plotted to kill the Emperor” → Chapter End + Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma

Reveal everything → Bad End

Chapter 5 – The Specter of the Cold Palace

The tone shifts sharply as the palace’s true dangers emerge.

Poem as Approval

“I really like that painting” → +2 Li Zhi

“His Majesty hasn’t gotten to it” → +3 Li Zhi

Yin’s Sudden Death
Choose any reaction (each gives new dialogue).

The Arrest Warrant

Go quietly → Safe

Run to Aunt’s quarters → Safe

Demand proof → Alternate path

Mosquito Trouble (QTE)
Pass any of three attempts. Fail all → Bad End.
Passing early unlocks minor variations.

Chamberlain’s Offer

“Nice try, not fooling me” → Bad End

“Alright, I’ll try it” → Continue

The Empress’s Cat

Call it over → Continue

Let it go → Bad End

Gaoyang’s Question

“It could keep you young forever” → Bad End

“It’ll make you prettier” → Bad End

“It might make your crush fall for you” → +5, +9 Gaoyang

Sent to Xianchi
Any response continues.

The Crazed Lookalike

“Aunt, is that really you?” → Bad End

“Consort Yang’s just a lowly woman” → Continue

Mad Aunt’s Question

“Out of spite” → Bad End

“To provoke Consort Yang” → Continue

Mad Aunt’s Offer

“Stick around” → Chapter End + The Specter of the Cold Palace

“Leave for now” → Bad End

Chapters 6 & 7 – Southern Mountain Hunt (Parts 1 & 2)

Competition, romance, and suspicion collide.
Your relationships with both princes deepen here.

Your Pick
Any answer works but alters future dialogue.

The Wild Steed

• Sing softly → Bad End
• Use whip, hammer, dagger → Continue

Li Zhi’s in Trouble

• Save him → Safe
• Wait and watch → Bad End
• Silence → Bad End

Knock Him Off (QTE)

• Pass → Continue
• Fail → Bad End

Whose Hairpin?
Your choice affects later chapters.

Your Choices

• Serve him → Bedchamber Duty
• Skip duty → Their Perspectives

Bedchamber Duty

• “Make him remember me” → Bad End
• “Endure it” → Their Perspectives

Their Perspectives
View both princes’ versions for 100% progress.

Prince of Wei

• Stay quiet → Bad End
• Warn Ling Xiao → Continue

The Prince’s Doubts
Each response changes suspicion level slightly.

Skipped Summon

• “I’ve got someone I’m into” → Your Crush
• “I don’t want to stand out” → The Killing Intent

Your Crush

• “Can’t tell you” → Continue
• “It’s you” → Bad End

The Killing Intent

• “Wei won’t let it slide” → Bad End
• “How’s Jin stuck with you?” → Continue
• “I saved him, and you’ll kill me?” → Bad End
  Unlock Getting the Hang of It.

Handling Lingxiao
Any response is fine.

Fourth Prince…
Choose any—this only affects dialogue flavor.

Chapter End + Southern Mountain Hunt

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Chapters 8 & 9 – The Ominous Prophecy (Parts 1 & 2)

Rumors of destiny, betrayal, and rebellion surface.

Fashion Faceoff

• “I’ll disrobe” → Normal End
• “If this gets to His Majesty” → Bad End
• “Next to you, I’m a wannabe” → Continue

Xi Xin’s Injury
Play both versions for full progress.

Wu Clan’s Crisis

• Stay quiet → Continue
• Team up with Wu women → Bad End

The Leaving Director
Only the first two choices continue; the third ends badly.

Win Over Li Chunfeng
Only the third response continues.

Visitor in Prison
Choose any visitor — all paths valid.

Liu Xi’s Promise

• Kneel → Continue
• Refuse → Alternate route

Ninth Prince’s Help

• Track down the person → Continue
• Find out who’s behind it → Bad End

Seeking the One
Only “General with feminine name” continues.

Consort Wei’s Invite
Choose either.

Consort Wei’s Poison

• Say you’ll do it → Rival Sisters
• Say no → Normal End
• Smash vial → Consort Wei’s Rage
• Drink it → Bad End

Rival Sisters
Both responses → Bad End

Consort Wei’s Rage
Only first option continues.

Where is Yue
Only third answer is correct.

The Chosen One?

• “Yes, she picked me” → Normal End
• “Congrats to you” → Chapter End + The Ominous Prophecy

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Chapters 10 & 11 – Feast of Shadow (Parts 1 & 2)

Dark politics reach a breaking point.
You’ll need to outmaneuver multiple threats.

Consort Wei’s Circle
You can talk to both Du Ruo and Xi Xin before proceeding.

Xi Xin or Du Ruo?

• Du Ruo → Bad End
• Xi Xin → Continue

Xi Xin’s Brother

• Swap medicine → Bad End
• Break him out → Bad End
• Kill and frame Wei → Continue

Kill or Fake It?

• Kill for real → Bad End
• Stage death → Continue

Fate of the Brother

• Return Little Shui → +9 Xi Xin
• Keep her → Bad End

Who’s the Snitch?
Only “Lan De” continues; others fail.

Unlocking the Box
Correct input only — no need to fail deliberately.

Du Ruo’s Plea

• Keep tied → Continue
• Let her go → Bad End

What You Think
Either option continues.

Li Zhi’s Support
Both lines advance differently but safely.

Li Zhi’s Departure
Two variations if “Tell him to stay,” depending on earlier chapters.

Li Tai’s Return
Either option safe.

Impression of Li Zhi
All valid but affect tone.

Wei Clan’s Dirt

• Give to Majesty → Bad End
• Spread rumor → Continue

Consort Wei’s Charm
Only “Feed her dream of being Empress” continues.
→ Chapter End + Arrows at Wei & Consort of Preciousness’s Downfall

Chapters 12 & 13 – Love Under Imperial Tyranny (Parts 1 & 2)

The emotional tension in the palace reaches its peak here.
Your alliances are tested, and both loyalty and defiance will determine your outcome.

Xi Xin’s Request

• Approve → Bad End
• Decline → Continue

Gaoyang or Emperor?

• Choose Gaoyang → Undoing the Marriage
• Choose His Majesty → Engagement Delay

Undoing the Marriage

• “Gaoyang’s too young for this” → Bad End
• “The late Empress’s memorial is near” → Assisting Gaoyang

Engagement Delay

• “Gaoyang’s too young” → Bad End
• “The late Empress’s memorial is near” → Assisting Gaoyang

Assisting Gaoyang

• “Say Father’s earrings are lost” → Continue
• “Slip away unnoticed” → Continue

Scaling the Wall (QTE)
Pass to continue; failure loops until successful.

Li Tai’s Question

• “Tell the truth” → Continue
• “We were praying for His Majesty” → Continue
• “We were praying for your perfect match” → Continue

Fang Yi’ai’s Order

• “This place is unbearable” → Continue
• “What’s that buzzing? Oh, it’s you” → Continue

Defying the Emperor

• “I swore to Gaoyang I’d keep him safe” → +9 Li Tai
• “Keep quiet” → Bad End

Confine Gaoyang

• “Insist on meeting her” → Continue
• “Stay away” → Bad End

Gaoyang’s Plea

• “Help save Bianji” → Chapter End + Love Under Imperial Tyranny & Scholar Supreme
• “Refuse to help” → Bad End

Chapter Continuation – How to Save Bianji

Depending on earlier choices, you’ll enter one of several sub-paths.

Hash it out with Li Zhi → How to Save Bianji? (Li Zhi)
Beg His Majesty to undo the order → Bad End
Plot with Li Tai → Bad End
Task Xi Xin with the prison heist → Continue

How to Save Bianji? (Li Zhi)

• “Play up omens of stars” → Bad End
• “Use His Majesty’s trusted chancellor” → Bad End

After exhausting these, you’ll earn the No Way Out achievement.

Chapters 14 & 15 – A Crucible of Life and Death (Parts 1 & 2)

These two chapters bring every thread of your story to a head.
Your loyalty, ambition, and morality will define your fate.

Ready to Bail Here?

• “Yes, I wish to leave” → Happy End (HE)
• “No, I have reasons to stay” → Continue

Why Stick Around?

• “It’s Your Highness” → +9 Li Zhi → Keeping It Real?
• “It’s me” → Alternative Keeping It Real?

Keeping It Real?

• “Yes” → Continue
• “No” → Continue

Heir Talk Trap

• “Consort of Elegance sent me” → Bad End
• “I know who’d be the perfect Crown Prince” → Bad End
• “I’m carrying Li Zhi’s child” → Bad End
• “Gaoyang told me to show up” → Continue

Yang’s Demise

• “Liu Xi, stewing in prison” → Loop
• “Consort Wei wasting away in Cold Palace” → Continue
• “Reony-carved Cairen Jiang’s family” → Bad End
• “His Majesty” → Loop

Vengeance Incoming

• “Get out of there” → Bad End
• “Act friendly with Consort Yang” → Continue
• “Stay silent” → Bad End

Yang’s Last Stand (QTE)

• Pass → Continue + Counterplay achievement
• Fail → Bad End

Different dress choices from Chapter 2 slightly alter this outcome.

Wei’s Daughter

• “Tell the truth” → +9 Consort Wei satisfaction → Climbing to the Top
• “Stay silent” → The Dying Consort

The Dying Consort

• “Turn away” → Climbing to the Top
• “Hit her sore spot” → +9 regret → Climbing to the Top

Climbing to the Top

• “I do” → Continue
• “Not my thing” → Continue

Bigger Baddies?

• “Maybe a little” → Continue
• “Not a chance” → Continue

Your Loved Ones?

• “If it’s gotta happen, yeah” → Continue
• “No way” → Continue

Got Any Regrets?

• “Yeah, a few” → Continue
• “None at all” → Continue

Completing either route grants A Crucible of Life and Death and Easter Egg Hunter (trigger conditions remain ambiguous).

Chapter 16 – Destiny Rekindled

The final chapter determines which ultimate ending you’ll receive.
Every major decision you’ve made across the story influences the tone and opening here.

Opening Variations
There are six possible intros depending on your Chapter 2 dress and emotional response to meeting the Emperor.

The Last Moment

• “Say you’ll call her” → Networking Pro
• “Hold back” → Networking Pro

Your Only Food

• “It’s gross now” → Continue
• “It’s fine, eat it” → Continue

Unspoken Rules

• “Agree like it’s noble” → Normal End
• “Hold up, this is a deal?” → Normal End
• “Slam the door” → Alternate path

Just Accept Your Fate?

• “Fine, I’ll roll with it” → Normal End
• “No way, I’m flipping the script” → Continue
  (Note: second option appears after a short pause.)

Make-or-Break Choice

• “Ditch this place and unlock a new adventure” → Li Tai’s Fate
• “Go back to the palace” → Chance to Meet Zhi
• “Stay and practice” → Normal End

Li Tai’s Fate

Seize the Hairpin → Ultimate Showdown
Beg her not to ruin your face → Bad End
Give up to protect Prince of Wei → Bad End

Ultimate Showdown (QTE)
There are two separate QTE rounds.

• Pass both → Liu Xi’s Death
• Fail either → Bad End

Liu Xi’s Death

• “Good riddance”
• “Feels strange”
• “Whatever, I’m cool”

What Now?

• “Hide her corpse”
• “Run away”
• “Make it look like an assassin’s work”

Any of the above leads to the Game End and Destiny Rekindled achievement.

Chance to Meet Zhi

Choices:

• “Bust through” → Bad End
• “Slip hairpin to nun” → Bad End
• “Scream Li Zhi’s name” → Never Another Chance

Never Another Chance (QTE)

• Pass → Final Ending
• Fail → Bad End

Completing all QTEs across the story unlocks Martial Arts Master.
If you achieved full 100% exploration, you’ll also receive Master of All here.

Endgame Summary & Completion

Once you’ve reached your final ending, you’ll see two summary screens:

• Cleared Chapters Summary → Click it to unlock Flow of the Past.
• Trait Sketch Completion → Click to unlock Personalized Touch.

If you’ve completed all 16 chapters with full branching coverage and QTE success, you’ll have every major achievement, including:

• Master of All
• Archivist Extraordinaire
• High Roller
• Networking Pro
• Destiny Rekindled

Achievement Completion Order

Achievement	Description	Unlock Timing
Nimble Moves	Push the door in Chapter 1	Chapter 1
All Part of the Experience	Trigger Liu Xi’s early Bad End	Chapter 1
Style Icon	Reject gift with clever remark	Chapter 1
The Unfathomable Rear Palace	Finish Chapter 1	Chapter 1
Another Life	Fail first QTE	Chapter 2
Wardrobe Indecision	Try both dresses 10 times	Chapter 2
A Frightful Banquet	Complete Chapter 2	Chapter 2
Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma	Finish Chapters 3–4	Chapter 4
Getting the Hang of It	Survive Lingxiao’s attack	Chapter 7
Southern Mountain Hunt	Complete Chapters 6–7	Chapter 7
The Specter of the Cold Palace	Finish Chapter 5	Chapter 5
The Ominous Prophecy	Complete Chapters 8–9	Chapter 9
Arrows at Wei	Survive Wei’s downfall	Chapter 11
Consort of Preciousness’s Downfall	Chapter 11 finale	Chapter 11
Love Under Imperial Tyranny	Complete Chapters 12–13	Chapter 13
Scholar Supreme	Aid Gaoyang successfully	Chapter 13
No Way Out	Fail all five Bianji save attempts	Chapter 13
A Crucible of Life and Death	Complete Chapters 14–15	Chapter 15
Counterplay	Win QTE against Consort Yang	Chapter 15
Easter Egg Hunter	Unknown trigger (end of Chapter 15)	Chapter 15
Destiny Rekindled	Finish Chapter 16	Chapter 16
Networking Pro	Final dialogue in Chapter 16	Chapter 16
Martial Arts Master	Pass all QTEs across game	Chapter 16
Master of All	Reach 100% exploration	Chapter 16
Archivist Extraordinaire	Unlock all videos	Endgame
Flow of the Past	Click Cleared Chapter Summary	Endgame
Personalized Touch	Click Trait Sketch at end	Endgame
High Roller	Complete all flower petals	Endgame

Listen to every available voice message across endings to unlock both Distant Echoes and Master Listener.

Revisit chapters using the Story Map to clean up missing branches or QTEs.

“Millionaire” coins accumulate naturally through exploration and feats; no grinding is required.

After five normal endings, The Secluded One will automatically trigger.

If you view all bonus videos and character clips, you’ll finish with Archivist Extraordinaire before Chapter 16.

Reaching full completion in Road to Empress means exploring every moral path — kindness, ambition, betrayal, and resilience.