Road to Empress II begins at Ganye Temple, where Wu Yuanzhao has taken the veil after the Late Emperor’s death. Within the first two minutes, the game presents a single decision that determines whether you spend the next dozen chapters fighting for the throne or walking away from it entirely. This guide covers the escape route—how to unlock the side story, survive its opening gauntlet, and understand what awaits you on the path less travelled.
After a recap of the first game’s events, you speak with Xi Xin about your next move. The dialogue presents two options:
This is not a subtle fork. Your choice here determines the entire trajectory of your playthrough. If you want the side story—where Wu Yuanzhao abandons the imperial court and attempts to build a life outside the palace—you must choose to leave.
There is no way to switch between the main and side stories mid-run. However, the two tracks are completely independent. You can finish one, then use the Storyline Map to return to this prologue node and select the other option. Nothing carries over or conflicts.
Choosing to leave triggers the Liu Xi’s Terms branch. You find yourself scrubbing floors at the temple when Xiu Li—the newly appointed Shanggong, who is actually Liu Xi using a variant name—approaches to taunt you. She announces her intention to brand your forehead with her peony hairpin.
Your options here are critical:
Choosing to fight back initiates the Seize the Hairpin QTE sequence. This is a two-stage quick-time event:
Succeeding at both QTEs results in Liu Xi’s death. After this, you choose how Wu feels about the outcome—“Finally, what a relief,” “Bittersweet,” or “Couldn’t care less.” These are flavour choices that do not affect survival, so pick whatever resonates with your characterisation.
After Liu Xi dies, you face a new set of decisions about disposing of the evidence and escaping the temple. This section is dense with bad endings, so pay close attention.
Prince of Wei’s Promise: An impostor claiming to be the Prince of Wei offers to take you away. Do not accept—choosing “Take me with you” triggers Bad Ending 8. Instead, choose “Kill him” to reveal the impostor and continue.
Handle Liu Xi’s Death: You have three options:
This is the pivotal moment where Wu Yuanzhao literally assumes Liu Xi’s identity to escape. It is also thematically rich—becoming the person who tried to destroy you in order to survive.
What Will You Leave Behind? You need to plant evidence suggesting Wu fell into the well. Your options are the amulet, the Sun and Moon Hairpin, or the Soaring Red Kite. Choose the amulet—it is the least valuable item, and the other items have better uses later. This is a key choice that affects which items are available for pawning in the next chapter.
Danger Approaches: Official Xia discovers the scene. Do not run and do not stay silent—both are Bad Ending 11. Choose “Pretend to be Liu Xi” to maintain your cover.
Deal with Official Xia: Pushing her into the well is Bad Ending 13. Confessing your identity and suggesting elopement is Bad Ending 12. The correct choice is “Make her keep your secret”—blackmail is survival in this world.
After escaping the temple, you arrive at the Mirage Pavilion, where you need to pawn an item for cash and a new identity. The available items depend on what you left behind at the well:
If you left the amulet at the well as recommended, both the Sun and Moon Hairpin and the Soaring Red Kite remain available. The Kite is generally the more versatile choice for subsequent branches, but both paths converge before long.
The side story spans four major chapter blocks, each with its own themes and challenges:
This is the extended escape sequence described above, followed by deeper infiltration into the Mirage Pavilion. You encounter Xiao Nian, navigate the pavilion’s internal politics, and begin establishing your new identity. Key decisions include whether to intervene when you witness Yue’s daughter being sold (intervening unlocks the “Time to Step In” achievement) and the internal choice between giving up and pressing forward.
The Assassin’s Blade scene offers a choice that is worth noting: telling the assassin “That won’t work; we don’t even look alike” has no story penalty and unlocks an achievement. Other responses may lead to BEs or QTE failures.
Li Tai enters the side story properly here. You navigate the Mirage Pavilion’s intelligence network, encounter Gaoyang, and must decide whether to honour your promise and help Li Tai or abandon the mission. The correct survival choice is to honour your promise.
This section contains multiple QTE sequences—Scatter Dust, Throw the Wine Jug, and combat encounters with Yuan Lichen. Failing any of them drops you into Bad Endings 34–36. The key dialogue choice with Yuan Lichen is “Have you forgotten your comrades?” when trying to win him over.
This chapter deepens your relationship with Xu Minhui and the Prince of Wei. Key scenes include the Ominous Dream (tell him about the dream), A Proposal of Marriage (suggest he accept it), and a QTE where you must knock out approaching guards. Failing the Knock Them Out QTE is Bad Ending 44.
Persuading Xu Minhui is a multi-layered choice. Telling her that her father misses her or timing out both lead to Bad Ending 45. The correct approach depends on your prior relationship choices, but generally, acknowledging the complexity of the situation rather than pressuring her yields better outcomes.
The final chapters of the side story bring Wu Yuanzhao’s escape arc to its conclusion. You face decisions about evidence, confessions, and whether to involve Li Zhi in your new life. The key endings here include:
The side story introduces several characters who never appear on the main story path:
Several feats are only available on the side story path:
The most important thing to understand about the side story is that it is not a secondary experience. It is a fully realised narrative with its own arc, emotional beats, and satisfying conclusions. Wu Yuanzhao’s journey away from the palace is every bit as compelling as her journey toward the throne—they are simply different answers to the same question: what does freedom look like for someone who was never meant to have it?
Complete whichever path calls to you first. Then return to the prologue, make the other choice, and discover what you missed.