If you are searching for the Road to Empress best ending, you have probably already discovered that this game does not make it obvious. With over fifty endings spread across the main story and side routes, many of them bad endings triggered by a single wrong choice, the question of which ending is actually worth your time is far from trivial. This guide cuts through the noise. Rather than listing every ending mechanically, it identifies the most narratively satisfying conclusions in both Road to Empress and Road to Empress 2, explains what makes each one the “best” for different play styles, and tells you exactly which critical choices lead there.
Before diving into specific endings, it helps to understand the three dimensions that separate a memorable conclusion from a forgettable one.
Narrative payoff. Road to Empress is a story about power, survival, and sacrifice. The best endings resolve these themes rather than cutting them short. An ending where Wu Yuanzhao’s decades of political maneuvering culminate in a meaningful transformation — whether that transformation is personal or imperial — carries far more weight than an ending where a single mistake sends her to the cold palace or worse.
Emotional resonance. This is an FMV game with real performances, and the writers clearly invested more in certain endings than others. The voice notes, the final scenes, the epilogue text — these vary dramatically in quality. The best endings feature the most emotionally charged performances and the most thought-provoking final lines.
Historical alignment. Because Road to Empress is based on the true story of Wu Zetian, endings that resonate with the historical record have a unique weight. When the game’s conclusion mirrors what actually happened in Tang Dynasty history, it delivers a satisfaction that purely fictional endings cannot match. For a deep dive into how the game connects to real history, see our Road to Empress real history guide.
With these criteria established, here are the endings that matter most.
Road to Empress 1 contains the original sixteen-chapter story of Wu Yuanzhao’s rise from Cairen to the heights of imperial power. Among its many endings, three stand above the rest.
Phoenix Over the Realm is widely considered the canonical best ending of Road to Empress 1, and for good reason. In this conclusion, Wu Yuanzhao ascends to become Empress in her own right, mirroring the historical achievement of Wu Zetian becoming the only female emperor in Chinese history. The ending delivers on every promise the game makes from chapter one: the palace intrigue, the sacrifices, the alliances built and betrayed — all of it culminates in Wu Yuanzhao claiming the throne.
What sets this ending apart narratively is that it does not present power as an unambiguously happy outcome. The final scenes acknowledge the cost of every alliance that was forged and every rival who was eliminated. The epilogue carries a weight that simpler “good endings” lack. It is the ending the game was designed to deliver, and it is the one most closely aligned with the historical record of Wu Zetian’s actual rise.
Key choices to reach Phoenix Over the Realm: You must consistently choose politically ambitious options throughout the mid-to-late chapters. Specifically, building Li Zhi’s trust while maintaining your own independence is critical. In the later chapters, choosing to consolidate power rather than retreat or compromise leads toward this ending. Avoid choices that show excessive mercy to political rivals, as they typically branch toward intermediate endings instead. For the full choice-by-choice walkthrough, see our Phoenix Over the Realm ending page.
Sun and Moon in Harmony is the second true ending, and it offers a fundamentally different resolution to Wu Yuanzhao’s story. Rather than ruling alone, this ending presents a partnership between Wu Yuanzhao and Li Zhi that redefines imperial power as shared rather than singular. Historically, this echoes the period of dual authority between Wu Zetian and Emperor Gaozong that historians call the “Two Sages” era — when Wu and Gaozong were described as being like the sun and moon shining together.
This ending is the best choice for players who prioritized the relationship with Li Zhi over raw political power. It is more emotionally intimate than Phoenix Over the Realm, with final scenes that emphasize the personal bond between the two characters. However, it can feel less dramatically conclusive because the power dynamic remains shared rather than resolved.
Key choices to reach Sun and Moon in Harmony: Throughout the game, consistently favor Li Zhi in decisions where his interests conflict with pure ambition. The critical branching points occur in chapters 7 through 10, where choosing to protect Li Zhi’s position rather than exploit his vulnerability keeps you on this path. See our Sun and Moon in Harmony ending page for the complete sequence.
Beyond the Chains is the most emotionally distinct of the major endings. Rather than claiming the throne or sharing it, Wu Yuanzhao breaks free from the palace entirely. This ending resonates with players who found the court politics suffocating and wanted a conclusion where Wu Yuanzhao chooses her own freedom over imperial power.
From a historical perspective, this is the most fictional ending of the three — Wu Zetian never walked away from power. But as a narrative statement about agency and self-determination, it is arguably the most powerful. The final scenes are among the best-acted in the entire game, with a sense of genuine liberation that the throne-focused endings cannot provide.
Key choices to reach Beyond the Chains: This ending requires specific choices in the late chapters that prioritize personal freedom over political consolidation. It is easy to miss because several of the required choices appear to be “weaker” options in the moment. Our Beyond the Chains ending page provides the exact decision points.
Road to Empress 2 dramatically expands the scope, with over one hundred numbered endings in the main story alone. Most of these are bad endings or intermediate conclusions, but several stand out as genuinely worth pursuing. The game’s main story and side story each have their own best conclusions.
The main story of Road to Empress 2 continues Wu Yuanzhao’s journey after she has secured her position at court. The best endings on this path are the ones where she either solidifies her rule as the supreme power behind the throne (echoing Wu Zetian’s role during Gaozong’s later years) or ultimately claims the title of emperor outright (mirroring Wu Zetian’s establishment of the Zhou Dynasty in 690 CE).
Ending 124, where Wu Yuanzhao ascends alone without installing a puppet emperor, is the most narratively ambitious conclusion. It directly parallels Wu Zetian’s declaration of the Zhou Dynasty and carries the same historical weight that makes Phoenix Over the Realm so satisfying in the first game. The epilogue in this ending is the longest and most detailed in the entire game, covering the consequences of a woman ruling as emperor in a dynasty that never intended such a thing.
How to reach the best main story endings: The main story branches depend heavily on how you handle three critical story arcs: the clan purges (chapters 25-28), the succession crisis (chapters 32-36), and the final power consolidation (chapters 37-40). Consistently choosing to centralize power rather than delegate it leads toward the empress ascendant path. The Memorial Review system in Road to Empress 2 is crucial here — your decisions on petitions and reports directly shape which faction holds influence, which in turn determines which endings are available. For a detailed breakdown of every chapter’s critical choices, see our chapter guides.
The side story in Road to Empress 2 is accessed by choosing to leave the palace at the prologue’s “Make or Break” decision point. This route follows Wu Yuanzhao as she escapes court life entirely and builds a new identity, ultimately leading to the “Another Life” good ending where she finds peace outside the imperial system.
This ending is the emotional counterpart to the empress ascendant path. Where the main story best ending is about supreme power, the side story best ending is about supreme freedom. Both are valid conclusions to Wu Yuanzhao’s story, and both are worth playing. The side story also features Li Tai’s most developed characterization — his route through the countryside is where the game gives him the most screen time and emotional depth.
How to reach Another Life: At the prologue, choose “Leave this place and start a new life” to enter the side story. From there, the path requires surviving several QTE sequences and making choices that prioritize personal connections over political calculations. Failing any QTE drops you into a bad ending, so be prepared. The side story is shorter than the main campaign but densely packed with meaningful decisions. See our Another Life ending page for the complete walkthrough.
For more on the character who drives the side story’s emotional core, visit our Li Tai character page.
The answer depends on what drew you to Road to Empress in the first place.
If you are here for the history: Start with Phoenix Over the Realm in RtE 1, then pursue the Empress Ascendant path in RtE 2’s main story. These endings most closely mirror Wu Zetian’s actual historical trajectory and deliver the most satisfying payoff for players interested in the game’s real-world inspiration.
If you are here for the romance: Sun and Moon in Harmony should be your first target. It is the most emotionally satisfying ending for players who invested in the Li Zhi relationship, and it provides a conclusion that the purely power-focused endings cannot match.
If you are here for the drama of choice: Beyond the Chains and the Another Life side story ending are the most dramatically distinct conclusions. They reject the premise that imperial power is the only meaningful outcome, and they deliver some of the game’s best performances.
If you want to see everything: Start with Phoenix Over the Realm, then use the Storyline map to jump back to key branching points and work toward the other endings. Road to Empress 2’s node-based story map makes this significantly easier than replaying from the beginning each time. The game tracks your progress through achievements and feat milestones, so you can confirm when you have cleared all the major endings.
No matter which path you choose, remember that Road to Empress is designed to be replayed. The bad endings are not punishments — they are alternative scenes with unique voice notes and story content that you cannot see any other way. Treat every ending as a piece of the larger story, and you will get the most out of this remarkable game.
You can verify your ending progress through the in-game achievement tracker or via the Road to Empress Steam page, where Steam achievements sync automatically. For official character bios and story details, the Road to Empress official site provides the developers’ own descriptions of every major character.
For the complete list of every ending in both games, visit our endings directory. To understand the real history that inspired these stories, read our real history comparison guide.