Road to Empress – 100% Choices, Endings, and Achievements Guide

A complete guide to all choices, endings, and achievements for the interactive story game Road to Empress. Includes detailed walkthroughs for Chapters 1-13.

100% Choices, Endings, and Achievements Guide

Info + Misc Achievements

• At any point, from the Story Map, click on “Current” at the bottom to get the Golden Butterfly Chase achievement
• At most endings, there are Voice Messages. Listen to one voice message for Distant Echoes achievement
• At the end of a chapter, in the lower left, is the Trait Sketch. At any time, click on this for Starlit Skies achievement
• At any time, from the Storyline, click the “All Chapters” button in the lower right for History Buff achievement
• Started with Chapter 2, you can get bonus videos at the end of a chapter. Watch any video for Curious Cat achievement
• Certain choices will unlock Feats, which can be seen from the Main Menu in the upper right corner. After unlocking a Feat, click on it for World of Possibilities achievement
• From the Main Menu, go to Characters, then select a character and click on a Bonus Video for Treasure Trove Discovered achievement
• From the Main Menu, go to Leaderboard, and then View, and give a flower or egg to any character for The First Step achievement
• When you reach a Bad End, you can spend coins to immediately go back to the key choice. Do this for the first time for Time Rewind achievement
• By getting 50% or 75% on a chapter, you’ll unlock coins. You can also get coins by getting feats. And a 20,000 coin bonus via mail when first starting the game. Accumulate 100,000 coins for the Millionaire achievement. This unlocked around the end of Chapter 13 for me.

Chapter 1 – The Unfathomable Rear Palace

Enter Palace

Push and hold the door to get Nimble Moves achievement

Her Grace’s Favor

Claim it’s yours to win her favor -> To Gift or not
Say it fell from one of the sisters up ahead -> I’d Never Harm You
Say it belongs to Liu Xi – BE + All Part of the Experience achievement

To Gift or not

Agree-show goodwill – BE
Hesitate-it’s not mine – BE
Decline-gold dulls your complexion – BE + Style Icon achievement

I’d Never Harm You

I must have overthought it -> Choosing the Room
Did I say it was intentional? -> Boudoir Choices

Choosing the Room

Share a room with Liu Xi – BE
Refuse Liu Xi -> Boudoir Choices

Boudoir Choices

I’ll stay in the bloody handprint room – BE
Try to win over others – Chapter END + The Unfathomable Rear Palace achievement

Chapter 2 – A Frightful Banquet

Section 1: Dressing up for the Banquet

Bath in Hot Springs?

Try the grand palace bath -> Relaxing Bath Time
I’ll pass for now -> Which Dress to Wear?

Relaxing Bath Time

Soak a bit longer – BE
I’m done for now -> Which Dress to Wear?

Which Dress to Wear?

Choose This [Red] -> Section: Radiance
Choose This [Green] -> Section: Celestia
NOTE – You will then get the option to “I Like It” or “Let me try the other one”… try the other one 10 times to get the Wardrobe Indecision achievement
NOTE 2 – You have to pick each dress as your first selection. And then also have to pick each dress for “I Like It”

Section 2a: Celestia

Keeping Balance

Pass QTE -> Meeting Your Husband
Fail QTE – NE + Another Life achievement

Meeting Your Husband

Nervous
Excited
Fine

Banquet Performance

A simple dance
A stunning song
A terrible pipa performance – BE

Liu Xi’s Accusation

I knew nothing of Her Grace’s tastes -> On An Empty Stomach
Why would Her Grace punish Cairen Jiang -> Prove Yourself
I didn’t know Cairen Jiang was so gifted -> On An Empty Stomach

Prove Yourself

Investigate who Cairen Jiang met before she died -> On An Empty Stomach
Examine her body to find the cause of death -> Xu Hui’s Rise

On An Empty Stomach

Eat the flatbread – BE
Skip it -> Prison Dinner

Prison Dinner

Have the gruel – BE
Skip it – BE

Xu Hui’s Rise

Disappointed
Jealous
Unbothered
Happy for Her

Aunt’s Insights

What kind of women thrive here?
Any secret tips for surviving the palace?
Tell me about the princes
NOTE – You can pick all three and then “I’ve got it all figured out” for Chapter END + A Frightful Banquet achievement

Section 2b: Radiance

Meeting Your Husband

Nervous
Excited
Fine

Banquet Performance

A simple dance
A stunning song
A terrible pipa performance – BE

Liu Xi’s Accusation

I knew nothing of Her Grace’s tastes -> On An Empty Stomach
Why would Her Grace punish Cairen Jiang -> Prove Yourself
I didn’t know Cairen Jiang was so gifted -> On An Empty Stomach

Prove Yourself

Investigate who Cairen Jiang met before she died -> On An Empty Stomach
Examine her body to find the cause of death -> Xu Hui’s Rise
NOTE – If you pick “A stunning song” earlier you will get a BE

On An Empty Stomach

Eat the flatbread – BE
Skip it -> Prison Dinner

Prison Dinner

Have the gruel – BE
Skip it – BE

Xu Hui’s Rise

Disappointed
Jealous
Unbothered
Happy for Her

Aunt’s Insights

What kind of women thrive here?
Any secret tips for surviving the palace?
Tell me about the princes
NOTE – You can pick all three and then “I’ve got it all figured out” for Chapter END

Chapter 3 & 4 – Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma 1 & 2

Cairens’ Gossip

Pause to eavesdrop on their conversation
Step forward and join their chat

The Proposal

Suggest he picks someone else – BE
Pledge your loyalty to him – Li Tai +1

The Guard’s Challenge

Say it’s a physician sent by Prince of Wei
Claim it’s a tutor sent by His Majesty – BE
No Response – BE

Power Struggle

Confess to the Emperor to make amends – BE
Turn to your Aunt for help

Spotted By Aunt

Grab her and flee together
Run off alone – BE
No Response – BE

Chamberlain’s Threat

Pass QTE
Fail QTE – BE

A Split-Second Choice

Scream for help – BE
Fight back and kill her – Chapter END
Knock her out – BE
No Response – BE

Liu Xi’s Curiosity

Get lost
None of your business

The Missing Token

Go back to look for it – BE
Let it slide

Where’s the Token?

Say Liu Xi stole it
Claim you lent it to another chamberlain – BE
Say you left it with His Majesty – BE

Scheme to Chengqian

Push Crown Prince to rebel – Li Tai +1
Stir up trouble between Prince and the ministers – BE

Yin’s Deadly Intent

Consort Yang’s my Aunt, dare you touch me? – BE
Is this really for your late husband?
No Response – BE

Yin’s Vulnerability

Let the past stay in the past – BE
You’re fooling yourself
I can help you get revenge – BE
No Response – BE

Run!

Escape
No Response – BE

Ninth Prince’s Help

I’ll repay you one day, Your Highness – Li Zhi +8
You’re not curious about what went down tonight? – Li Zhi +5

Before Yin Kills

Tell His Majesty – BE
Tell Consort Wei – BE
Tell Consort Yang

Confess to Aunt

Say only that Kindness plotted to kill the Emperor – Chapter END + Crown Prince’s Palace Enigma achievement
Lay out the whole story – BE

Chapter 5 – The Specter of the Cold Palace

Poem as Approval

I really like that painting – Li Zhi +2
Honestly, His Majesty hasn’t gotten to it – Li Zhi +3

Yin’s Sudden Death

My Aunt actually pulled this off
Kindness’s finally with her dead husband
Cairen Yin’s lost her patroness

The Arrest Warrant

Go along quietly
Make a break for you Aunt’s quarters
You got any proof for this?

Mosquito Trouble

Pass QTE
Fail QTE x2 and you can’t fail on 3rd scene
NOTE – different paths if you Pass on 1st or 2nd try as well

Chamberlain’s Offer

Nice try, but you’re not fooling me – BE
Alright, I’ll try it

The Empress’s Cat

Call it over
Let it go – BE

Gaoyang’s Question

It could keep you young forever – BE
It’d make you even prettier – BE
It might make your crush fall hard for you – Gaoyang +5, Gaoyang +9

Sent to Xianchi

Maybe I’ll find my lucky break
What’s the difference? A job is a job
No way, I’m not going to that hall

The Crazed Lookalike

Aunt, is that really you? – BE
Consort Yang’s just a lowly ♥♥♥♥♥

Mad Aunt’s Question

Just out of spite – BE
To provoke Consort Yang

Mad Aunt’s Offer

Stick around – Chapter END + The Specter of the Cold Palace achievement
Leave for now – BE

Chapters 6 & 7 – Southern Mountain Hunt 1 & 2

Your Pick

I’m betting on Li Zhi
I’m hoping Li Tai pulls it off
Honestly, I’ll feel bad for whoever loses

The Wild Steed

Sing a soft tuen in its ear to calm it down – BE
Grab a whip, hammer, and dagger

Li Zhi’s in Trouble

Rush in to save him
Hang back and see what happens – BE
No Response – BE

Knock Him Off

Pass QTE
Fail QTE – BE

Whose Hairpin?

Li Shimin
Li Tai
Li Zhi

Your Choices

Go and serve him -> Bedchamber Duty
Find an excuse to skip it [Hidden Storyline] -> Their Perspectives

Bedchamber Duty

I’ll ensure he never forgets me – BE
Just put up with it, can’t leave anyway -> Their Perspectives

Their Perspectives

Take Li Zhi’s perspective
Take Li Tai’s perspective
Continue
NOTE – You can view both prince’s scenes and then continue
NOTE 2 – The scene after “Continue” is different depending on your response from Your Choices

Prince of Wei

Keep quiet and let him find Ling Xiao – BE
Tip off Ling Xiao to hide
No Response – BE

The Prince’s Doublts

Explain it was an honest mistake
Prince of Jin’s injury would ruin his plans – Ling Xiao Suspicion +3
I want to get closer to Prince of Jin – Ling Xiao Suspicion +1
NOTE – Depending on your choice at Your Choices, you’ll go to Skipped Summon or straight to The Killing Intent

Skipped Summon

I’ve got someone I’m into -> Your Crush
I don’t want to stand out too much -> The Killing Intent

Your Crush

I can’t tell you -> The Killing Intent
It’s you – BE

The Killing Intent

Prince of Wei’s not gonna let this slide – BE
How’s Prince of Jin stuck with an idiot like you
I saved Prince of Jin, but you’re gonna kill me – BE
NOTE – After this scene, I received Getting the Hang of It achievement

Handling Lingxiao

Mess with him a bit
Ignore him
Check in on him

Fourth Prince…

He’s attached to me
He’s just making use of me
I don’t care what’s in his head
NOTE – After any choice, Chapter END + Southern Mountain Hunt achievement

Chapters 8 & 9 – The Ominous Prophecy 1 & 2

Fashion Faceoff

I’ll disrobe. Rui’er, get up – NE
If this gets to His Majesty – BE
Next to Your Grace, I’m just a wannabe

Xi Xin’s Injury

She’s with Preciousness, so don’t get involved
Stop her and ask if she’s okay
NOTE – The split between these 2 choices goes for longer than it seems; if you finish the chapter at 97%, come back and make sure you take both paths fully through Wu Clan’s Crisis

Wu Clan’s Crisis

Sit tight and do nothing
Team up with the other Wu women – BE

The Leaving Director

I know who the Woman Ruler Wu is
I’m the Woman Ruler Wu
You crooked jerk, toying with people’s lives – BE
No Response – BE

Win Over Li Chunfeng

This’ll hurt way too many innocent people – BE
A woman as emperor? Never happened – BE
Going against fate will bring divine wrath

Visitor in Prison

Consort Yang
Gaoyang
Li Zhi
Li Tai

Liu Xi’s Promise

Kneel down and kowtow
Refuse to kowtow

Ninth Prince’s Help

Track down the person tied to the prophecy
Find out who’s pulling the strings here – BE

Seeking the One

A woman bearing the surname Wu – BE
A female officer who knows Wushu – BE
A general with a feminine name

Consort Wei’s Invite

To buddy up with me
To take me out

Consort Wei’s Poison

Say you’ll do it -> Rival Sisters
Tell her no way – NE
Smash the vial on the floor -> Consrt Wei’s Rage
Chug the poison yourself – BE

Rival Sisters

You could let her go – BE
She’s gotta go – BE

Consort Wei’s Rage

I know about your secret daughter
I can help you become the empress – BE

Where is Yue

Somewhere between Yuan and Yi – BE
Somewhere between Yuan and Shao – BE
Somewhere between Yi and Shao

The Chosen One?

Yeah, Her Grace picked me – NE
Actually, congrats to you – Chapter END + The Ominous Prophecy achievement

Chapters 10 & 11 – Feast of Shadow 1 & 2

Consort Wei’s Circle

Du Ruo
Xi Xin
NOTE – You can interact with both and then it’ll move on automatically

Xi Xin or Du Ruo?

Du Ruo – BE
Xi Xin

Xi Xin’s Brother

Get Rui’er to swip the dregs of his medicine – BE
Break her brother out – BE
Kill her brother and frame Consort Wei

Kill or Fake It?

Do it for real – BE
Stage his death

Fate of the Brother

Give Little Shui back to Xi Xin – Xi Xin +9
Keep Little Shui as your leverage – BE

Who’s the Snitch

Du Ruo – BE
Liu Xi – BE
Du Ruo’s beau, Lan De
Xi Xin’s got no clue – BE

Unlocking the Box

NOTE – You do not have to input an incorrect code to the box

Du Ruo’s Plea

Keep her tied
Let her go – BE

What You Think

So what? No heart, no weakness
She’s got it wrong

Li Zhi’s Support

Your Highness, you’re not curious about what’s bugging me?
Your Highness, what do you think I’m like?

Li Zhi’s Heading Out

Tell him to stay
Let him walk away
No Response
NOTE – There are 2 different scenes for “Tell him to stay” response, depending on your pick for “Whose Hairpin?” in Chapter 7, so if you are at 97% for this chapter, that’s why

Li Tai’s Back

Months apart, and that’s what you lead with?
Are you jealous much?

Impression of Li Zhi

I only have eyes for you right now
Someone you need to keep an eye on
Prince of Jin’s the one who matters to me
Mind your own business

Wei Clan’s Dirt

Hand them over to His Majesty – BE
Spread a rumon about the Wei clan’s bribe deals

Consort Wei’s Charm

Lean on His Majesty’s feelings for Xu Hui – BE
Feed Consort Wei’s dream of being the empress – Chapter END + Arrows at Wei achievement and Consort of Preciousness’s Downfall achievement
Fan your Aunt’s hatred for Consort Wei – BE

Chapter 12 & 13 – Love Under Imperial Tyranny 1 & 2

Xi Xin’s Request

Approve – BE
Decline

Gaoyang or Emperor?

Gaoyang -> Undoing the Marriage
His Majesty -> Engagement Delay

Undoing the Marriage

Princess Gaoyang’s way too young for this – BE
The late Empress’ memorial is right around the corner -> Assisting Gaoyang

Engagement Delay

Princess Gaoyang’s way too young for this – BE
The late Empress’ memorial is right around the corner -> Assisting Gaoyang

Assisting Gaoyang

Say Father’s earrings are lost
Slip away when he’s not watching

Scaling the Wall

Pass QTE
Fail QTE – Loops until you Pass

Li Tai’s Question

Tell the truth
We were praying for His Majesty
We were praying for your perfect match

Fang Yi’ai’s Order

This place is indeed unbearable
What’s that buzzing? Oh, it’s you

Defying the Emperor

I swore to Gaoyang I’d keep him safe – Li Tai +9
Keep quiet and cease your efforts – BE

Confine Gaoyang

Insist on meeting Gaoyang
Stay away from Gaoyang – BE

Gaoyang’s Plea

Help Gaoyang save Bianji
Say no to helping her – Chapter END + Scholar Supreme achievement and Love Under Imperial Tyranny achievement

How to Save Bianji?

Hash it out with Li Zhi -> How to Save Bianji? [Li Zhi]
Beg His Majesty to undo his order – BE
Plot with Li Tai – BE
Task Xi Xin with the prison heist

How to Save Bianji? [Li Zhi]

Play up the omens of stars – BE
Use His Majesty’s most trusted chancellor – BE
NOTE – After trying all 5 of the above BE routes, get No Way Out achievement

By tasselfoot

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• Road to Empress – Walkthrough for the Entire Route
• Road To Empress – Changing language, Saving, Fast-forwarding, and Basic Controls.