Every ending in Road to Empress I & II — how to unlock them, how to avoid them, and what they mean.
110 endings total · 36 key endings detailed below
The major true ending of the Li Tai route in Chapter 16. After choosing to leave the palace and unlock a new adventure, you seize the hairpin, defeat Liu Xi in the Ultimate Showdown, and determine her fate once and for all.
The true ending of Road to Empress I. Wu Yuanzhao and Li Zhi rule together as equals — the first emperor and empress to genuinely share power. The prophecy is fulfilled, but on their terms.
The Chapters 10–11 ending where the protagonist strategically feeds Consort Wei's dream of becoming empress to orchestrate her downfall, earning both the Arrows at Wei and Consort of Preciousness's Downfall achievements.
The Chapter 5 ending where the protagonist survives the horrors of the Cold Palace by navigating Consort Yang's madness, passing the mosquito QTE, earning Gaoyang's trust, and choosing to stay with the mad aunt to uncover her secrets.
The Chapters 3–4 ending where the protagonist uncovers the Crown Prince's palace conspiracy, survives Yin's deadly intent, receives the Ninth Prince's help, and confesses the plot to Consort Yang to bring the truth to light.
The Li Zhi reunion ending in Chapter 16. After choosing to return to the palace, you shout Li Zhi's name and pass the final QTE to reunite with the Ninth Prince, securing a bittersweet but hopeful conclusion.
The Happy Ending achieved in Chapters 14–15 when the protagonist chooses to leave the palace life behind. When asked if you are ready to bail, saying yes leads to freedom and a life outside the rear palace's deadly politics.
A good ending in which the protagonist chooses to leave the palace and pursue freedom, available as a direct exit in Chapter 14 — one of the few unequivocally positive outcomes in the game.
The chapter completion ending for Chapters 14-15, marking the conclusion of one of the game's most intense arcs involving Consort Yang's demise, Consort Wei's final gambit, and the protagonist's ascent.
Wu Yuanzhao chooses to leave the palace on her own terms. Not defeated — freed. She walks away from the game of thrones entirely, finding peace in a life beyond the palace walls.
A chapter completion ending in Chapters 10-11 (Feast of Shadow) where Consort of Preciousness meets her downfall as the protagonist feeds Consort Wei's ambition rather than opposing her directly.
A neutral ending in which the protagonist yields to humiliation during the Fashion Faceoff, removing her garments rather than escalating the confrontation in Chapters 8–9.
A neutral ending in which the protagonist resigns herself to the path laid out for her, choosing passive acceptance over defiance in Chapter 16.
A neutral ending in which the protagonist, having agreed to Consort Wei's scheme, must decide the fate of a rival — and either choice leads to the same unsettling compromise in Chapters 8–9.
A neutral ending in which the protagonist chooses to remain and hone her skills rather than seize the moment to leave or return to the palace, a choice of discipline over ambition in Chapter 16.
The chapter completion ending for Chapters 8-9, earned by navigating the prophecy of the Woman Ruler Wu and ultimately choosing to congratulate the chosen one rather than claim the position yourself.
A neutral ending in which the protagonist accepts the palace's unwritten power dynamics with apparent nobility, sacrificing moral conviction for political safety in Chapter 16.
A neutral ending in which the protagonist accepts the dubious honour of being Consort Wei's chosen one, embracing favouritism over independence in Chapters 8–9.
Princess Gaoyang's character ending. You and Gaoyang form an unbreakable sisterhood that transcends palace politics. Neither romance nor alliance — something rarer: genuine trust between two women who refuse to be used.
A character achievement ending for completing the full Blossom exploration map, the game's most visually distinctive and mechanically intricate tracking system.
A character achievement ending awarded for passing every Quick Time Event across the entire game, demonstrating flawless reflexes and mastery of the game's action sequences.
A character achievement ending for achieving 100% exploration across all sixteen chapters, the ultimate completionist milestone in Road to Empress I.
A character achievement ending for accumulating 100,000 gold across a single playthrough, rewarding economic diligence and strategic resource management.
A character achievement ending unlocked by exhausting every possible method to save Bian Ji in Chapters 12–13, only to discover that all paths lead to failure — a testament to the game's insistence that some tragedies are inevitable.
Li Tai's character ending. After his political defeat, Li Tai is exiled — but Wu Yuanzhao ensures his exile is comfortable. They share one final conversation about what might have been.
A hidden easter-egg ending triggered by indecisively switching outfits ten times during the wardrobe selection in Chapter 2, a playful nod to players who refuse to commit to a look.
A bad ending during the Southern Mountain Hunt where the protagonist attempts to make the Emperor remember her through seduction in the bedchamber, a bold move that backfires catastrophically.
A political bad ending in which the protagonist confesses involvement in the palace power struggle directly to the Emperor, trusting imperial mercy that never comes.
A dramatic bad ending in which the protagonist drinks Consort Wei's poison vial herself rather than comply, resist, or smash it — a self-sacrificing gesture that achieves nothing.
Li Zhi becomes the tyrant everyone feared. In the final confrontation, you chose power over compassion — and Li Zhi followed your example. The empire is stable, but at a cost neither of you can bear.
A bad ending in which the protagonist eats the poisoned flatbread offered while imprisoned, a deceptively simple choice that turns a temporary setback into a permanent one.
A fatal bad ending in which the protagonist screams for help when attacked by Yin, alerting guards and ensuring her own demise instead of fighting back.
A devastating bad ending where Wu Yuanzhao is confined to the cold palace, abandoned and forgotten. The very walls that were meant to protect become her prison.
A chilling early bad ending in which the protagonist chooses to stay in the room marked with a bloody handprint, sealing her fate before the story truly begins.
An embarrassing and fatal bad ending triggered by performing a disastrously bad pipa routine at the imperial banquet, drawing the Emperor's wrath instead of his favor.
A bad ending during the Southern Mountain Hunt where attempting to calm a wild horse by singing softly results in being thrown and killed, punishing a gentle approach to a violent situation.
100+ endings total · 8 key endings detailed below
The true ending of Road to Empress II. Wu Yuanzhao and Li Zhi achieve what seemed impossible: genuine shared rule where the emperor and empress govern as equals, their combined wisdom creating an era of unprecedented prosperity.
The prologue ending of Road to Empress 2 where the protagonist chooses to return to the palace and reunites with Li Zhi by screaming his name and passing the critical QTE, leading into Chapter 17's A New Era route.
The Chapter 21 ending of Road to Empress 2 where the protagonist helps Li Tai escape his arranged marriage by declaring to Xu Xiaode that she is already married to Danlichi, securing freedom for both of them.
The Side Story's defining ending. Wu Yuanzhao and Yuan Lichen leave the palace behind entirely, choosing ordinary life over extraordinary power. They disappear into the countryside, nameless and free.
The chapter completion ending for Side Chapters 19-20 of Road to Empress II, where the protagonist reunites with Li Tai while operating as an undercover agent of Mirage Pavilion.
A hidden ending that can only be unlocked through the Side Story. Wu Yuanzhao returns to Ganye Temple not as a exile, but as its head — transforming the place of her imprisonment into a center of learning and quiet power.
A bad ending in Road to Empress II where the protagonist hides Liu Xi's body and stays at Ganye Temple instead of assuming her identity, leading to discovery and death.
The worst ending of Road to Empress II. Wu Yuanzhao overreaches, the court unites against her, and the very people she tried to protect turn away. She is stripped of all titles and exiled — this time, there is no return.