The Phoenix Alliance's broadcast has an immediate impact: donations pour in until the platform crashes, and female Yellow Sashes mobilize, pressuring wealthy families—now afraid of Gewei Bu watch lists—to contribute. Zetian does a follow-up broadcast urging volunteers to register, both to organize the movement and guard against rebel double agents inciting violence. With the funds, the Alliance opens its first outpost in North Gate, Chang'an's largest slum, where residents are upgrading their own homes rather than being displaced.

Zetian travels to mountain villages distributing menstrual supplies, contraception, vaccines, and antibiotics, openly discussing female bodily functions to combat shame. In a Song province village, a man hurls a tomato-sauce projectile at her, denouncing the regime as laborist hypocrisy with a new ruling hierarchy. Zetian defuses the moment with laughter and a defiant speech, but orders him imprisoned, fearing his words could spread doubt. She decides not to tell Qin Zheng.

Zetian opens a second Chang'an branch near Tang Anding, hiring her as a receptionist so she can train her spirit sense to detect Shimin's signature. Taiping joins the Alliance's logistics. A Revolutionary Vanguard lieutenant storms in chasing his wife, who took shelter there after he beat and tried to rape her. When he reaches for his gun after seeing Wan'er filming and shoves Zetian, she beheads him with her Metal-charged scythe. Wan'er records the aftermath to support a self-defense narrative.

The killing causes some public outrage but doesn't halt the Alliance. Qieluo organizes combat training, recruiting Rongdi women and bouncers from Club Lily. Zetian sponsors the reopening of Club Lily and similar venues after persuading Qin Zheng to drop obscenity laws. The Alliance adopts uniforms—red tunics, maroon trousers, phoenix-feather shawls—and bamboo staffs, effectively forming Zetian's own militia: the Phoenix Ladies, a counterweight to Qin Zheng's Vanguards and Yizhi's Gewei Bu.