In Road to Empress 2, there are two primary, mutually exclusive love interests whose routes are determined by the game's first pivotal choice: the ambitious Emperor Li Zhi and the freedom-seeking Prince Li Tai. This guide details the complete romance paths for both main suitors, as well as the requirements for the secret endings with secondary characters like Commander Ling Xiao and Xu Minhui.
Your journey to love or power is defined in the prologue. Choosing to "Return to the palace and claw to the top" sets you on the Empress Path to win over Li Zhi. Conversely, choosing to "Leave this place for another life" begins the Fugitive Path, a dangerous and intimate storyline with Li Tai. These paths do not cross, making your initial decision the most important one in the game.
Meet Your Suitors: A Quick Comparison
Before diving into the intricate steps of each romance, it helps to understand the fundamental differences between your two main options. Your choice isn't just about a person; it's about the entire direction of your life and the themes you want to explore.
| Feature | Emperor Li Zhi | Prince Li Tai |
|---|---|---|
| Title | The Third Emperor | The Prince of Wei |
| Core Theme | Power, Ambition, Duty | Freedom, Sacrifice, Escape |
| Associated Path | The Empress Path | The Fugitive Path |
| Key Attributes | Strategy, Ambition | Fortitude, Decisiveness |
| Key Location | The Imperial Palace | The Wilderness & Hideouts |
| End Goal | Become Empress | Forge a new life together |
The Emperor's Favor: Romancing Li Zhi
Choosing Li Zhi means committing to a life of political maneuvering, courtly intrigue, and the relentless pursuit of power. This is the path to becoming the Empress, but it requires sharp wits and a stomach for the games played in the palace. This route is defined by your ability to be a strategic asset.
The Empress Path: How to Start His Route
To begin Li Zhi's romance, you must make a critical choice in the Prologue, "Make-or-Break Choice." When presented with your options, you must select:
- Return to the palace and claw to the top.
This decision immediately places you on the main story path centered around the Imperial Court and locks you out of Li Tai's route for the remainder of the playthrough.
Key Stats and Early Impressions
Successfully navigating Li Zhi's route requires a high Ambition and Strategy score. Many dialogue choices will boost these stats. Early on, you need to prove your worth and catch his eye among the countless other women vying for his attention.
One of the earliest subtle influences is your choice of dress. While not a hard requirement, players have noted that the red dress makes you stand out more and causes Li Zhi's gaze to linger, creating a stronger first impression during early court scenes. Choices that show your intelligence and political acumen, such as offering a clever response to Empress Wang or Consort Xiao, will consistently raise Li Zhi's affection. For example, in Chapter 17, greeting him with "restrained grievance" provides a +2 boost with him while also increasing your Strategy.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Navigating a Treacherous Court
Romancing the Emperor is inseparable from politics. Your primary obstacles are the established powers in the harem: Empress Wang and Consort Xiao of Elegance. Winning Li Zhi's heart often involves helping him navigate the power struggles between their factions. You must prove you are more than just a romantic partner, but a capable political ally.
- Side with the correct faction at the right time. Sometimes this means helping Empress Wang to weaken Consort Xiao, and other times it means playing them against each other.
- Offer sound advice on memorials. When given the chance to review court documents, make choices that demonstrate wisdom and foresight. These actions directly impact Li Zhi's perception of you as a future ruler.
- Increase your own Prestige. Your personal power matters. Actions that make you a respected or feared figure in your own right will make you more attractive to an Emperor who values strength.
The Golden Age: Locking In the Ending
The final chapters of the main story, particularly "Claiming the Empress's Throne" and "Empress of the Realm," contain the lock-in points for Li Zhi's romance. By consistently supporting him, demonstrating your political skill, and accumulating high Ambition and Prestige, you will secure his proposal. The ultimate reward for this path is the "A Golden Age" ending, where you successfully become Empress and rule alongside him, having solidified your power and your relationship.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
A Life of Freedom: Romancing Li Tai
If the gilded cage of the palace is not for you, the alternative is a perilous life on the run with Li Tai, the Prince of Wei. This route abandons the quest for the throne in favor of a deeply personal and often tragic love story. This path is defined by your loyalty to one person against the world.
The Fugitive Path: How to Start His Route
To pursue a romance with Li Tai, you must make the opposite choice in the Prologue's "Make-or-Break Choice." You must select:
- Leave this place for another life.
This immediately triggers the side story, which is a completely separate narrative branch. You will not return to the main palace storyline in this playthrough.
Building Trust Outside the Walls
This route favors Fortitude and Decisiveness. Li Tai is a man who has lost everything, and he values resilience and unwavering commitment. Your choices should reflect a desire for a simple life with him over any lingering ambition for power.
Similar to Li Zhi's route, attire can make a subtle difference. The cyan dress is more associated with Li Tai's aesthetic and personality. Throughout the side story, you will face constant threats. Key decisions involve:
- Trusting him completely. When he proposes a risky plan, agreeing without hesitation builds his affection.
- Making sacrifices for him. You may be asked to pawn valuable items. Choosing the correct one (like the Sun and Moon Hairpin) is critical for progressing the story.
- Defending him physically and verbally. You will encounter his enemies and must show that you are unequivocally on his side.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
The "Another Life" Arc and True Ending
The core of Li Tai's story unfolds across chapters like "Ganye Temple, No Escape" and "Another Life." It is a difficult path with many potential bad endings where one or both of you can die. Successfully navigating these challenges requires passing QTEs and making a series of correct pivotal choices.
The most coveted ending on this path involves a clever deception. By making all the right moves, you can help Li Tai fake his death, freeing you both from the political enemies hunting him. This allows you to escape and live a quiet life together, a stark contrast to the power and glory of the Empress Path but a true romantic victory in its own right.
Courting the Court: Secondary Characters
While Li Zhi and Li Tai are the only characters with fully developed, route-defining romances, you can achieve special endings with a few key allies, primarily on the Empress Path. These are less about romance and more about deep, loyal bonds that result in a unique epilogue.
The Loyal Protector: Commander Ling Xiao
As Li Zhi's personal guard, Ling Xiao is initially wary of you. However, by consistently demonstrating loyalty to the Emperor and proving your own strength and honor, you can earn his deep respect. If you cultivate a high-enough relationship with him through specific dialogue choices on the Empress Path, you can unlock an ending where he swears to be your personal protector for life, a bond of profound, non-romantic loyalty.
A Rekindled Friendship: Xu Minhui
Xu Minhui is the younger sister of your deceased friend, Xu Hui. By treating her with kindness and protecting her from the dangers of the court, you can forge a powerful friendship. This path can lead to a special ending where, should you decide against becoming Empress at the last moment, you can leave the palace with Xu Minhui to live a new life together. This is one of the game's potential same-sex endings.
Romance Mechanics Explained
Unlike traditional dating sims, romance in Road to Empress 2 is deeply integrated with its core political and narrative systems. Simply picking "nice" dialogue options is not enough.
Affection vs. Attributes
The game tracks a hidden affection score for major characters, but your five core attributes—Fortitude, Decisiveness, Strategy, Ambition, and Prestige—are far more important. A character's opinion of you is shaped by how your attributes align with their values. Li Zhi is impressed by high Ambition and Strategy, while Li Tai values Fortitude. Focusing on the right attributes for your chosen partner is the key to unlocking their best endings.
Road to Empress Ⅱ in-game screenshot
Pivotal Choices and Lock-ins
The storyline is a tree with many branches. At several points, you will face a "PIVOTAL CHOICE." These are decisions that have major, irreversible consequences, often determining which branch of the story you follow and locking you out of others permanently. The first and most important is the prologue choice between the palace and a new life. Always save before a pivotal choice, as it's the perfect place to backtrack from if you want to explore a different path later.
A Final Word
Ultimately, the romances in Road to Empress 2 serve the central question of the game: what kind of life do you want? Do you seek the power to shape an empire, standing beside a man who commands it? Or do you seek a life of freedom, defined only by your bond with the man who gave up everything for you? There is no single "best" romance, only the one that best fits the empress—or the woman—you choose to become.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: How many romanceable characters are in Road to Empress 2? A: There are two primary, full-path love interests: Emperor Li Zhi and Prince Li Tai. There are also three secondary characters (Commander Ling Xiao, Xu Minhui, Xi Xin) who offer special friendship-based or alternative endings rather than full romance routes.
Q: Can you romance multiple people at once? A: No. The routes for Li Zhi and Li Tai are mutually exclusive and are locked in by your very first choice in the prologue. You must commit to either the Empress Path or the Fugitive Path from the start.
Q: Are there any same-sex romance options? A: Yes, the game includes potential female romance endings. On the Empress Path, building a strong bond with Xu Minhui can lead to an ending where you leave the palace to live a new life with her.
Q: Who is the "best" romance in the game? A: This is entirely subjective and depends on your gameplay goals. If you want to achieve the game's primary goal of becoming the ruler, Li Zhi is the only option. If you prefer a more personal, character-driven story about love against all odds, Li Tai's route is the clear choice.