If you have spent any time with Road to Empress, you already know that surviving the Tang Dynasty court is not just about picking the “right” dialogue option and hoping for the best. The game tracks your relationships through a hidden-but-visible affinity system, and the numbers it quietly tallies behind the scenes determine which endings you can reach, which scenes unlock, and—most importantly—whether you live or die when a political trap snaps shut.
This guide breaks down how affinity works, who the core romanceable characters are, which choices matter most on each route, and how your relationships shape the ending you get. Whether you are chasing Li Zhi’s “emperor and empress” path or Li Tai’s escape-from-the-palace arc, this is the reference you keep open on your second monitor.
Road to Empress uses a straightforward numeric affinity system. When you make a choice that pleases or impresses a character, the game awards a flat bonus—typically +1, +2, +3, +5, +8, or +9. These numbers are not random. Smaller bonuses (+1, +2) usually come from conversational rapport or minor supportive gestures. The large spikes (+8, +9) appear at pivotal story moments where you demonstrate genuine loyalty or reveal deep emotional commitment.
You can check your current affinity with a character through the Characters page on the main menu. The game also flags significant affinity gains on-screen with a brief notification (for example, “Li Zhi +9”), so you always know when you have hit a major relationship milestone.
Here is the key thing most new players miss: affinity does not replace making the correct survival choices. You can max out Li Zhi’s affinity and still hit a Bad Ending in Chapter 5 because you picked the wrong option during a crisis. Affinity unlocks which ending is available to you once you reach the endgame. Surviving long enough to get there is a separate skill.
Li Zhi—historically the Emperor Gaozong—is the central romance of Road to Empress I and the backbone of the empress path. He enters the story as the young Prince of Jin and becomes the emperor whose trust and love propel Wu Yuanzhao from outcast nun back into the halls of power.
| Chapter | Decision Node | Best Choice | Affinity Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ch 3–4 | Ninth Prince’s Help | “I’ll repay you, Your Highness” | Li Zhi +8 |
| Ch 3–4 | Ninth Prince’s Help | “Aren’t you curious about what happened?” | Li Zhi +5 |
| Ch 5 | Poem as Approval | “Honestly, His Majesty hasn’t seen it” | Li Zhi +3 |
| Ch 5 | Poem as Approval | “I really like that painting” | Li Zhi +2 |
| Ch 10–11 | Li Zhi’s Support | Either option (both build rapport) | — |
| Ch 10–11 | Li Zhi Heading Out | “Tell him to stay” | — (unlocks variant scenes) |
| Ch 14–15 | Why Stick Around? | “It is Your Highness” | Li Zhi +9 |
The single most important Li Zhi affinity spike is the +9 in Chapter 14. When he asks why you are staying in the palace despite everything, choosing “It is Your Highness” is a straightforward confession of emotional commitment. This locks you into the romance-centric version of the late game and opens the “Chance to Meet Zhi” branch in Chapter 16.
The +8 in Chapter 3–4 is also critical because it establishes the foundation early. If you miss it, you can still recover through later choices, but the story beats feel noticeably different—Li Zhi treats you more formally rather than as someone he trusts implicitly.
Li Tai is the fourth son of Emperor Taizong, historically known as the Prince of Wei. In the game, he represents the alternative to palace power—a man who once coveted the throne but chose love over ambition. His route is the “leave the palace” path, and it culminates in Wu Yuanzhao walking away from imperial politics entirely.
| Chapter | Decision Node | Best Choice | Affinity Gain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ch 3–4 | The Proposal | “Pledge loyalty” | Li Tai +1 |
| Ch 3–4 | Scheme to Chengqian | “Push Crown Prince to rebel” | Li Tai +1 |
| Ch 6–7 | Your Pick | “Hoping Li Tai wins” | — (flavor) |
| Ch 6–7 | The Wild Steed | Grab whip, hammer, dagger | — (survival) |
| Ch 12–13 | Defying the Emperor | “I swore to keep Bianji safe for Gaoyang” | Li Tai +9 |
| Ch 16 | Make-or-Break Choice | “Leave and unlock a new adventure” | — (locks Li Tai route) |
The +9 in Chapter 12–13 is the moment that defines Li Tai’s arc. When the emperor orders Bianji’s execution and Wu Yuanzhao openly defies him, she earns Li Tai’s deepest respect and affection. This is also one of the most dangerous choices in the game—defying the emperor can easily spiral into a Bad Ending if you have not built up the right political support beforehand.
In Chapter 16, choosing to “leave and unlock a new adventure” sends you down Li Tai’s fate branch, which includes two consecutive QTE sequences and culminates in a deeply emotional departure from palace life.
Gaoyang is not a romance option, and that is exactly why her relationship track is so important. She is the emperor’s daughter, and your bond with her opens story branches that no romance path can reach—particularly the entire Bianji subplot in Chapters 12 and 13.
The standout Gaoyang moment comes in Chapter 5. When she asks what you would use magic for, the correct answer is “Make your crush fall for you,” which awards Gaoyang +5 and +9 in a single interaction. This is the largest single affinity gain for any non-romance character in the game, and it sets up the entire emotional weight of the Bianji crisis later.
Without sufficient Gaoyang affinity, you will find yourself locked out of the “Help save Bianji” option, which in turn prevents you from accessing some of the most narratively significant scenes in the mid-to-late game. Treat her friendship as seriously as you would any romance.
Liu Xi: Your childhood friend turned rival. She appears throughout the game as both a source of danger and, in Chapter 16, the final obstacle on the Li Tai escape route. There is no “Liu Xi affinity” per se—her hostility is largely fixed—but certain choices (such as how you handle the token in Ch 3–4) affect whether she helps or hinders you.
Consort Yang (Dowager): Your aunt and early protector. Losing her support through wrong choices can leave you dangerously exposed in the mid-game. Her storyline in the Cold Palace chapters is one of the most haunting arcs in the game.
Empress Wang: The political adversary who brings you back from Ganye Temple. She is not someone you befriend—she is someone you outmaneuver. Understanding her motivations is essential for the Consort Wei strategy in Chapters 10–11.
Xi Xin: A fiercely loyal ally whose brother’s fate becomes a major plot point. Giving Little Shui back to Xi Xin awards Xi Xin +9 and secures one of the most reliable allies in the game. Keeping Little Shui as leverage leads to a Bad Ending.
Consort Wei: The primary antagonist of the mid-game. You can earn Consort Wei +9 (satisfaction or regret) in Chapter 14–15, but these gains reflect a complicated dynamic rather than genuine alliance. Her storyline is about survival, not friendship.
Road to Empress I features 110 distinct endings. Your accumulated affinity with the core characters determines which of these endings become available:
The game does not require you to choose a route until the very late chapters. You can maintain positive affinity with both Li Zhi and Li Tai through most of the story. But the final branch in Chapter 16 forces a decision, and that decision—combined with your accumulated affinity—determines the ending you receive.
Yes, up to a point. Road to Empress allows you to accumulate affinity with both Li Zhi and Li Tai throughout Chapters 1–15 without penalty. You can earn the +8 from Li Zhi in Chapter 3–4 and the +9 from Li Tai in Chapter 12–13 on the same playthrough.
However, the Make-or-Break Choice in Chapter 16 is the fork where the game forces your hand. Choosing “Go back to the palace” commits you to the Li Zhi route. Choosing “Leave and unlock a new adventure” commits you to Li Tai’s path. There is no third option that satisfies both.
This means your first playthrough can sample both relationships, but your ending will ultimately reflect one commitment. If you want to see both endings, you will need to replay from Chapter 16—which the game’s Storyline Map makes easy, since you can jump directly to any previously unlocked node.
For detailed character bios and unlockable content, visit our Characters page.
This guide is based on gameplay data collected across multiple full playthroughs of Road to Empress I. Affinity values and choice outcomes have been verified against the in-game notifications and the Storyline Map.