If you are playing Road to Empress Ⅱ and desperately searching for a way to rewrite history, you are not alone. The search for Li Tai route endings spikes daily as players hit the devastating final chapters of New One Studio’s cinematic interactive drama. Can you save the Prince of Wei from his lonely, tragic fate? The short answer is no. Because the game rigidly adheres to the historical realities of the Tang Dynasty, his downfall is locked. However, your choices dictate how he falls, what your final moments look like, and which crucial stat boosts you carry forward into your reign.
In this comprehensive guide, we will break down the exact dialogue branches, hidden storylines, and ruthless political calculations required to navigate his tragic narrative arc. If you are ready to face the music, here is everything you need to know about surviving the Prince of Wei's storyline.
The Reality of Li Tai Route Endings in Road to Empress Ⅱ
The brutal reality of the FMV (Full Motion Video) and interactive drama genre is that the illusion of choice often masks a fixed narrative destination. Historically, Li Tai was deeply favored by Emperor Taizong but ultimately lost the bitter succession battle to his brother, Li Zhi. This resulted in his demotion and permanent exile from the capital.
New One Studio did not pull punches when adapting this history. The game frames his route as a doomed romance from the very beginning. Unlike the first game, which occasionally indulged in fourth-wall-breaking or wildly divergent "what if" scenarios, Road to Empress Ⅱ forces you to play within the bounds of historical plausibility. The community reaction on platforms like Reddit has been visceral, with players lamenting the realization that his final moments are spent in total isolation, thinking only of Wu Yuanzhao.
While you cannot save him from exile, you have complete control over whether you exploit his downfall for political gain or offer him a fleeting moment of emotional closure. To understand how to manipulate these outcomes, we have to look at the mid-game flags that set his demise in motion.
Early Game Flags: The "Whose Hairpin?" Sequence
Before you even reach the devastating Li Tai route endings, you have to navigate the mid-game relationship flags. The most critical pivot occurs during the "Whose Hairpin?" event. This is where casual players often accidentally derail their playthroughs or lock themselves out of crucial perspective scenes.
You are presented with three targets: Li Shimin, Li Tai, and Li Zhi. Selecting Li Tai flags you for his specific narrative branch, immediately presenting the choice to either "Go and serve him" or "Find an excuse to skip it".
If you choose the latter, you unlock a [Hidden Storyline] that bypasses immediate danger and transitions directly into the "Their Perspectives" chapter. However, if you choose to serve him, you enter the dangerous "Bedchamber Duty" sequence. Here, selecting "I'll ensure he never forgets me" results in an abrupt Bad Ending (BE). The game punishes overt ambition in this specific moment; you must select "Just put up with it, can't leave anyway" to survive and unlock the option to "Take Li Tai's perspective".
Unlocking All Li Tai Route Endings: The Clash of Two Tigers
As you enter the final act on the Power path, the political landscape narrows. The conflict between the Prince of Wei and the entrenched nobility reaches its boiling point in the scenario aptly named "The Clash of Two Tigers". Here, the game strips away the romance and demands cold, calculated statesmanship.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
You are forced to make a definitive ruling on his political survival. The game presents three distinct options:
- "Use Zhangsun to remove Li Tai"
- "Use Li Tai to remove Zhangsun"
- "Stand aside and let the two destroy each other"
While the first two options offer immediate narrative satisfaction by actively eliminating a rival, they are statistically sub-optimal for an aspiring ruler. Choosing to stand aside yields a massive Strategy+ boost. It is a brilliant piece of ludonarrative dissonance: the mechanically correct choice for a future Empress is to coldly watch her former lover be devoured by the political machine. By refusing to intervene, you preserve your own influence while the two factions annihilate each other.
The Final Farewell: "Seeing Li Tai One Last Time"
The emotional core of all Li Tai route endings hinges on a single, final prompt: "Seeing Li Tai One Last Time". After his political defeat is cemented, he is marked for exile. The game gives you one agonizing last chance to visit him before the gates close forever.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Choosing "Go see him" unlocks the devastating "Prince of Wei's Obsession" scene. This is the cinematic climax that has dominated community discussions. We see the prince utterly isolated—abandoned by his friends, his family, and his political allies. During their final kiss, the dialogue makes it painfully clear: he desperately wants to beg Wu Yuanzhao to stay, but he holds back. He chooses to let her go so she can live the life she desires, sacrificing his own happiness for her ambition.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Conversely, choosing "I'm busy" is the min-maxer's dream. Denying him closure grants you Decisiveness+, Ambition+, Strategy+, and Prestige+, immediately triggering a Chapter End. It is a brutal transaction, trading the narrative's emotional payoff for the raw stats required to survive the endgame. The game forces you to decide what kind of Empress you want to be: one who honors her past, or one who ruthlessly optimizes for the future.
Li Tai Route Endings vs. Li Zhi: The Historical Path
To understand why the Li Tai route endings resonate so deeply with the player base, you have to compare them to the game's "true" trajectory. The "historical path" inherently belongs to Li Zhi. However, his route is a minefield of compromises and shared power.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Because Li Zhi has a legal wife in Empress Wang, any romance with Wu Meiniang is inextricably linked to vicious court maneuvering. You are not just fighting for his affection; you are fighting for survival against an established power structure.
Li Tai's route operates as a tragic emotional escape from this reality. Interestingly, sharp-eyed fans have noted that New One Studio synchronized elements of Li Ke's historical timeline into Li Tai's narrative to heighten the stakes. Where Li Zhi's love is tied to his imperial authority and the eventual elevation of Wu Meiniang to Empress, Li Tai's love is defined by his willingness to lose everything. He does not offer you a throne; he offers you an out, and when you refuse it, he accepts his exile without dragging you down with him.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Is there a secret good ending to save Li Tai? No. The game is strictly bound to its historical framework. His downfall and exile are fixed points in the narrative, regardless of your stat distribution or prior choices.
What happens if I choose "I'm busy" during the final farewell? You will miss the "Prince of Wei's Obsession" scene, which means you will not hear his final dialogue. However, you will receive massive boosts to Strategy, Ambition, Prestige, and Decisiveness, making the subsequent chapters significantly easier.
How do I unlock the "Golden Butterfly Chase" achievement on his route? This is a meta-achievement that can be unlocked regardless of your romantic path. At any point during the game, navigate to the Story Map and click on "Current" at the bottom of the screen.
Do I need to view his ending to get 100% completion? Yes. To achieve 100% completion and unlock all the post-game Voice Messages, you must view both the "Prince of Wei's Obsession" ending and the abrupt Bad Endings associated with his "Bedchamber Duty" sequence.
The Final Verdict
Road to Empress Ⅱ succeeds precisely because it refuses to give players the easy way out. The tragedy of the Prince of Wei is not a failure of game design; it is the entire point of his character arc. By forcing players to choose between emotional closure and political power, New One Studio perfectly encapsulates the ruthless reality of the imperial court. You cannot save him, but the choices you make in his final hours will define the ruler you become.