The final battle between emperor and empress. Shangguan Yi's death, Li Hong's desperate obstruction, and the ultimate question: will you remove your phoenix cro…
The final battle between emperor and empress. Shangguan Yi's death, Li Hong's desperate obstruction, and the ultimate question: will you remove your phoenix crown as a strategic retreat, or fight for the throne head-on? Nine bad endings and multiple prerequisite chains make this the most complex chapter in the game.
BE 107 — Assassination leaves questions that fester
BE 108 — A political frame job that unravels under scrutiny
Resolve + — Main path; public spectacle eliminates doubt
BE 109 — Resilience +, but His Majesty sees through the fabrication
Resolve +, Strategy + — Main path; seize the moment while he's vulnerable. Prerequisite: Scene 145 choice (kill or spare Li Zhong) affects this option
BE 110 — Resolve +, Prestige +, but threatening the crown prince is political suicide
Ambition +, Resolve +, Strategy +, Prestige + — Main path; you make the consequences personal
BE 111 — Emotional manipulation that destroys your credibility
Ambition +, Resolve + — You lead with strength
Resilience + — You lead with empathy
Resilience + — A gentle answer for a child
Prerequisite: Scene 143 (Consort Xiao) + Scene 147 (Empress Wang) choices determine four differential scenes before Scene 168
BE 112 — Nostalgia won't save your throne
BE 113 or Scene 169 — If you didn't plead for Li Yifu at Scene 161, enters Scene 169; otherwise BE 113
BE 114 — Emotional appeals fail when power is at stake
Ambition +, Resilience +, Strategy + — Main path; the ultimate power move is surrendering power
BE 115 — You yield when you shouldn't
Ambition + — Main path. Prerequisite chain: Scene 137 Silence + Scene 143 Don't kill Consort Xiao + Scene 147 Don't kill Empress Wang + Scene 162 Political enemy's memorial → differential scene
Chapter complete — Partnership and co-rule
Chapter complete — Solo supremacy
The full chain: (1) Scene 137: Choose Silence, (2) Scene 143: Don't kill Consort Xiao, (3) Scene 147: Don't kill Empress Wang, (4) Scene 161: Don't plead for Li Yifu, (5) Scene 162: Send political enemy's memorial. Missing any of these may close off the best options.
It's the ultimate strategic retreat — by offering to give up everything, you force Li Zhi to confront what the empire would be without you. It's not surrender; it's a demonstration that your value is irreplaceable.
Both are valid endings. 'Walk together' is the partnership/co-rule ending. 'Make the rules' is the supreme power ending. Your choice throughout the game determines which feels more authentic to your playthrough.