Fan-made guide — content verified from public playthrough sources. Road to Empress is © New One Studio.
RtE II — Main

Chapter 23: First Among the Nine Consorts

The title of First Consort is within your grasp, but the poisoned tea incident, the jade piece mystery, and Ling Shuang's betrayal create a labyrinth of suspici…

Survival Rate40%
Choices16
Death Branches5
Favor CheckLi Zhi, Xu Minhui

Synopsis

The title of First Consort is within your grasp, but the poisoned tea incident, the jade piece mystery, and Ling Shuang's betrayal create a labyrinth of suspicion. Every ally could be an enemy, and Xu Minhui's arrival complicates the board further.

Choice-by-Choice Walkthrough

Choice 1

Someone tries to poison your tea at the consort ceremony. How do you handle it?

Publicly accuse the suspectRISKY
Dramatic but dangerous — if you're wrong, you've made a permanent enemy
Switch the cups silently and observe who reactsSAFE
Clever — you identify the culprit without exposing yourself
Choice 2

Xu Minhui arrives at the palace, bearing an uncanny resemblance to someone from your past. How do you treat her?

With warmth — she didn't choose to be the empress's pawnSAFE
Xu Minhui may become a genuine ally
With caution — she's clearly a planted spyNEUTRAL
Smart, but you miss the chance to win her over

Frequently Asked Questions

Who poisoned the tea?

The culprit varies based on your previous choices. The game dynamically assigns blame based on whose favor you've built and whose enmity you've earned. There's no single 'right' answer.

Is the jade piece important?

Extremely. The jade piece is a key item that reappears in later chapters. Failing to investigate it here locks you out of the true ending path.

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