In this Road to Empress 2 guide, I cover every major choice, ending, achievement, pivotal decision, QTE result, and voice message reward from the Prologue through Side Chapters 17–23. This walkthrough helps me track each route, including Ganye Temple, No Escape, Dangerous Reunion, Beyond the Chains, and Another Life.
Table of Contents
- Endings, Choices and Achievements Guide
Endings, Choices and Achievements Guide
Before starting the route, I recommend checking the Mail from the main menu because it gives 5000 coins.
Menu Achievements
- History Buff: Click the All Chapters button in the lower right corner of the Storyline at any time.
- Golden Butterfly Chase: Click the Current button in the lower right corner of the Storyline at any time.
- Perfect for the Lazy: Click the Claim All button at the bottom of the All Chapters list to claim progression rewards. This can also be done from the Feats section.
- Master Detective: Enable Hint Mode by clicking the slider at the bottom of the Storyline.
Progression Achievements
- Lingering Echoes: Listen to 30 voice messages. This triggered for me in Chapter 18, Ganye Temple, No Escape 2.
- Spread the Word: Use the Share feature at the end of a main chapter. Click the button in the lower right corner, then click Save.
- Always Right: Use the Trait Sketch mechanic at the end of a main chapter. Click it in the lower left, then click Resume a few times.
- A Long Road Ahead: Get 50 endings. This triggered for me in Chapter 22, Another Life 1.
- Flow of the Past: Reach the Chapter Summary, which appears at any true ending of the Main or Side Stories.
Prologue: Make-or-Break Choice
Make or Break Choice
- Leave this place for another life → Liu Xi’s Terms
- Return to the palace and claw to the top → Chance to Meet Li Zhi
Liu Xi’s Terms
- Seize the hairpin and take Liu Xi out → Seize the Hairpin
- Beg her not to mess up your face → BE 1 + Achievement: All Part of the Experience
- Give up to keep the Prince of Wei safe → BE 2
Seize the Hairpin
- Pass QTE → Achievement: Nimble Moves
- Fail QTE → BE 5
Clutch Moment
- Pass QTE → Continue
- Fail QTE → BE 6
Liu Xi’s Death
- Finally, what a relief
- Bittersweet, can’t shake it off
- Couldn’t care less
What Now
- Stash her corpse
- Bolt out of here
- Make it look like an assassin’s work
After any of these choices, the route goes to Chapter 17: Ganye Temple, No Escape 1.
Chance to Meet Li Zhi
- Bust through → BE 3
- Slip the hairpin to the nun → BE 4
- Scream Li Zhi’s name → Never Another Chance
Never Another Chance
- Pass QTE → Chapter 17: A New Era
- Fail QTE → BE 7
Side Chapters 17 & 18: Ganye Temple, No Escape 1 & 2
Prince of Wei’s Promise
- Take me with you → BE 8 + 1 voice message + Achievement: Distant Echoes
- Kill him → Continue
Handle Liu Xi’s Death
- Hide the body and stay at Ganye Temple → BE 9 + 3 voice messages
- Shift the blame and call it an assassin’s work → BE 10 + 2 voice messages
- Dress as Liu Xi and slip away into the night → Continue
What Will You Leave Behind?
This is a pivotal choice.
- Amulet
- Sun and Moon Hairpin
- Soaring Red Kite
Danger Approaches
- Run / No Response → BE 11 + 1 voice message
- Pretend to be Liu Xi → Continue
There are three separate scenes at the well depending on which object I left behind in the pivotal choice.
Deal with Official Xia
- Push her into the well → BE 13 + 2 voice messages
- Force her to keep your secret → Continue
- Confess your identity and ask her to elope → BE 12 + 2 voice messages
Which Item to Pawn
This is a pivotal choice.
- Peony Hairpin → BE 14 + 2 voice messages
- Amulet → Loops back to the same choice
- Sun and Moon Hairpin → Continue
- Soaring Red Kite → Continue
I had to swap my choice at the prior pivotal choice because the item was not initially listed here.
Witness Yue’s Crisis
This is a pivotal choice.
- Stay out of it / No Response → Continue
- Step in and save her daughter → Achievement: Time to Step In
A Choice Within
- Take Liu Xi’s hand and fall into the abyss → BE 15 + 1 voice message
- No way! I’m not giving up! → Continue
Mirage Pavilion’s Offer
- I’m worth more to them than the risk
- We’re tied together now
There is an auto-split depending on which item I traded. For Sun and Moon, the route goes to A Chance to Live. For Soaring Red Kite, the route goes to The Relationship.
A Chance to Live
- Agree → BE 16 + 3 voice messages
- Refuse → BE 17 + 3 voice messages + Achievement: Prerequisite Clue
The Relationship
- I’m carrying Li Tai’s baby → BE 18 & BE 19 + 3 voice messages each + Achievement: That Sounds Familiar
- He wronged me → BE 20 & BE 21 + 2 and 1 voice messages
- I wronged him → Continue
There are two endings for the Li Tai’s baby choice and the He wronged me choice, depending on whether I saved the daughter or not.
Did You Kill Her?
- I was set up for Liu Xi’s death → BE 22 + 2 voice messages
- I’ve taken more lives than I can count → Continue
- Liu Xi’s death was an accident → BE 23 + 2 voice messages
Reveal Her Identity?
This is a pivotal choice.
- Tell her
- Keep it from her
This path is only available if I saved the daughter. Otherwise, it skips straight to Assassin’s Blade.
Assassin’s Blade
- Don’t kill me, I can help you → Continue
- That won’t work, we don’t even look alike → Achievement: Not a Good Match
- He’s too clever to fall for something like that → Continue
There is an auto-split depending on whether I saved the daughter or not. If I saved her, the route goes to Cast It on Her. If I did not save her, it leads to BE 25 + 1 voice message.
Cast It on Her
- Pass QTE → Continue
- Fail QTE → BE 24 + 1 voice message
Fight Back
- Pass QTE → Chapter End + Achievement: Ganye Temple, No Escape
- Fail QTE → BE 26 + 1 voice message
Side Chapters 19 & 20: Dangerous Reunion 1 & 2
A Reason to Be Here
- I wanted to see what lies beyond the palace walls
- I wanted to meet Your Highness
- I came to see Your Highness one last time
Assassin’s Identity?
- She has admired the Prince of Wei for many years → BE 27 + 1 voice message
- One of Mirage Pavilion’s agents → Mirage Suspicion -1
- The less you know about me, the safer you’ll be → BE 28 + 1 voice message
Find a Way to Stay
- I don’t want to become someone from your past
- So am I already your past, Your Highness?
A Dagger That Kills
- No one’s around, perfect moment to kill him → BE 29 + 2 voice messages
- Your Highness, I like this dagger → Continue
Guard’s Suspicion
- We don’t just sell goods, we sell stories → Continue
- Careful. My true identity might scare you → BE 30 + 2 voice messages
- A small token of goodwill. Please accept it → BE 31 + 1 voice message
Gaoyang’s Interception
- A Calculated Retreat → Continue
- Gaoyang, come with me! → Li Tai +2
The A Calculated Retreat route has an auto-split depending on whether I left the Amulet or Sun and Moon Hairpin at the well in Chapter 17.
What Intel to Deliver
This is a pivotal choice.
…met General Yuan Lichen → Mirage Suspicion -1
…split into two groups → Mirage Suspicion -2
…personally killed Xiao Nian → Mirage Suspicion +9 + BE 32 + 2 voice messages
A Deadly Choice
- Leave now and trade news → BE 33 + 3 voice messages
- Honor your promise and help Li Tai → Continue
Your Dagger
- Strike at Yuan Lichen → BE 57
- Send a signal to the Prince of Wei → Continue
Deal with Yuan Lichen
- Run
- Stay
Scatter Dust
- Pass QTE → Continue
- Fail QTE → BE 34 + 2 voice messages
Throw the Wine Jug
- Pass QTE → Continue
- Fail QTE → BE 35 + 1 voice message
Win Over Yuan Lichen
- Harming a prince cost your life! → BE 36 + 1 voice message
- Have you forgotten your comrades? → Continue
Yuan Lichen’s Concerns
- Do not worry, I can win over Xu Xiaode → BE 37 + 1 voice message
- You should’ve said so sooner → Continue
Apply Medicine?
- Yes, this is a good chance to increase his Affinity
- Yes, he was injured because of me
- No, this is a rare chance to get some rest
There are additional scenes if I pick either Yes option.
Time to Deliver Intel
- Yuan Lichen set a trap → Mirage Suspicion +9 + BE 38 + 2 voice messages
- Prince of Wei and Yuan Lichen have formed an alliance → Mirage Suspicion -1
- Prince of Wei’s abs may drop → Mirage Suspicion +99 + BE 39 + 2 voice messages
There is an auto-split afterwards depending on which intel I previously delivered in Chapter 19.
Why Learn to Fight?
- To protect myself → Li Tai +1
- To protect you, Your Highness → Continue
- So I’d never need protection again → Li Tai +2
There is an auto-split depending on the intel I sent in Chapter 19. If I picked met General Yuan Lichen, the route goes to Li Tai’s Question. If I picked split into two groups, the route goes to BE 40 + 1 voice message.
Li Tai’s Question
- Because some people are worth everything → Li Tai +2
- Because you have something I want → Li Tai +1
Reveal His Whereabouts?
- Tell them → Mirage Suspicion -1
- Keep it to yourself → Mirage Suspicion +9 + BE 41 + 2 voice messages
Remind Prince of Wei?
- Show kindness → Li Tai +2
- Say nothing
- Why do you care so much about me → Li Tai +1
Side Chapter 21: Beyond the Chains
Ominous Dream
- Tell him about the dream → Li Tai +1
- Say nothing
A Proposal of Marriage
- Knock some sense into him → Li Tai +9 + BE 42 + 3 voice messages
- Ask Xu Minhui what she wants → Loops back
- Your Highness, maybe you should just accept it → Continue
The Prince of Wei’s Inquiry
- That sounds like a good thing
- No matter how much it hurts
- Your Highness, do you really care
The Guard Approaches
- Hide in a nearby crate → BE 43 + 2 voice messages
- Keep working → Continue
Knock Them Out
- Pass QTE → Continue
- Fail QTE → BE 44 + 1 voice message
Persuade Xu Minhui
- Your father misses you → BE 45 + 1 voice message
- The Prince of Wei is more appealing → BE 46 + 2 voice messages
- Don’t you want your family’s blessing? → Continue
- His Majesty is more appealing → BE 47 + 2 voice messages + Achievement: Raise Your Standards
- No response → BE 45 + 1 voice message
Minhui’s Resolve
- Persuade Xu Minhui to return home → BE 48 + 2 voice messages
- Let her go → Continue
The Letter to Xu Xiaode
- I am already with child → BE 49 + 1 voice message
- I am already married to Danlichi → Chapter End + Achievement: Beyond the Chains
Side Chapters 22 & 23: Another Life 1 & 2
To Be, Or Not To Be
This is a pivotal choice.
- Take the evidence → END 52 + 2 voice messages
- There is also a Yes / No split for Wei’s fate.
- Confess to Li Tai → BE 51 + 1 voice message
- Leave the evidence behind → BE 50 + 2 voice messages
- Risk it and make him hand over → Continue
- Achievement A Long Road Ahead unlocked for me here.
Feelings for Prince of Wei?
- Stay silent
- Always
- Does it matter, Your Highness?
The Antidote in Hand
- You’re truly moved
- You’re only pretending
After Rebirth
- I’m finally free to chase a new life → GOOD END + Achievement: Another Life
- I’ll help him, and wait for his return
