Sima Yi shows Zetian and Qin Zheng a video from Zhuge Liang, the strategist who originally ordered Zetian and Shimin's deaths. Speaking before the White Lotus Flag, Zhuge Liang accuses Sima Yi and Wu Zetian of holding Qin Zheng hostage and feeding him lies, claiming the 'Temptress Wu' has seduced Sima Yi to impose reckless reforms that will collapse the economy. The video splices damning footage of Zetian and begs the emperor to denounce the thieves and pull back the reforms.

Qin Zheng rages at the reactionary framing. Yizhi reports that the video keeps reappearing on networks from untraceable sources and has aired on radio, despite his tech team's takedown efforts. Sima Yi acknowledges he betrayed his fellow strategists for divine-ordained reasons and explains they fled to the Han province, Zhuge Liang's home, where any household would shelter him. Qin Zheng orders a national warrant for Zhuge Liang's head.

Zetian suggests asking the gods for Zhuge Liang's location, since the gods can communicate through devices. Sima Yi hesitantly tries, but a ding turns out to be his wife asking about dinner—prompting Zetian's mockery and a brief, unwelcome pang of guilt over the families she destroyed in her rampage. The gods send no answer.

Yizhi proposes recording a rebuttal video using a green screen to edit Qin Zheng into the throne room, plus building a quarantine chamber disguised as bulletproof glass so he can hold court. Sima Yi advises a separate video instructing officials to keep silent about the 'poisoning.' When Zetian raises the problem of resentful officials potentially leaking the truth, Qin Zheng suggests executing them all; Sima Yi warns this would alienate the literati. Qin Zheng counters with a Marxist lecture on labor unity, then agrees they must instead frighten the officials. He hints at a chilling plan to use mass broadcasting for 'visual impact.'