War erupts at the borders while enemies plot within the court. You must decide the fate of Xu Jingye, navigate a military stalemate, and choose how to deal with…
War erupts at the borders while enemies plot within the court. You must decide the fate of Xu Jingye, navigate a military stalemate, and choose how to deal with those who slandered you. Every path leads through intermediate endings — only the wisest choices reach the final achievement.
Strategy +, Prestige + — Diplomatic deterrence; recommended
Intermediate Ending 94 — Aggressive expansion leads to overreach + 1 voice message
Intermediate Ending 95 — Military adventurism backfires + 1 voice message
Resolve + — Decisive action; recommended for the main path
Intermediate Ending 97 — A war of attrition grinds you down + 1 voice message
Strategy + — Tactical innovation; recommended
Intermediate Ending 98 — The enemy doesn't take the bait + 1 voice message
Intermediate Ending 99 — A direct assault is too costly
Intermediate Ending 101 — His loyalty is unreliable + 3 voice messages
Resolve + — You make an example of a traitor; recommended
Intermediate Ending 100 — Humiliation breeds worse enemies + 2 voice messages
Intermediate Ending 102 — Purges create more enemies than they destroy + 1 voice message
Intermediate Ending 103 — Half-measures satisfy no one + 2 voice messages
Resilience +, Prestige +, then ALL five stats + and achievement The Emperor and the Empress — Forgiveness is the ultimate power move
In Chapter 31's 'Opportunity to Strengthen Power' scene, choose to act on your own authority rather than relying on Li Zhi. If you delegated power to him, the war path is automatically cut short with IE 96.
Yes — it's the only option that doesn't lead to an intermediate ending. It also grants a bonus to all five stats AND the 'The Emperor and the Empress' achievement. The game rewards magnanimity over vengeance in this pivotal moment.
Intermediate endings (IE) are story endpoints that occur mid-chapter, while bad endings (BE) are death/game-over states. IE 94-103 don't kill you but end the chapter prematurely. You need to avoid them to reach the true ending path.