Zetian wakes in full armor on her bed beside an unconscious Qin Zheng, his neck bandaged from Yizhi's attack. She briefly considers killing him, but he wakes and seizes her wrist. Sima Yi arrives to report Yizhi has escaped through the tunnels with Doctor Hua and his family, and that the rebellion is collapsing after Kong Zhuxi's capture. Sima Yi's resentful glance signals he never discovered Zetian's intercepted message, meaning her attempt to expose the gods failed.

Qin Zheng vows brutal vengeance on Yizhi and warns Zetian not to interfere again. After a charged near-kiss, Zetian convinces him to host an emergency court assembly. Qin Zheng broadcasts a denunciation framing Yizhi and Doctor Hua as assassins-rebels, dispelling rumors of his incapacity, and terrorizes the assembled officials in his newly freed state.

Afterward, Qin Zheng invites Zetian to drink lychee "wine" on the balcony. He muses about their shared soul shaped by different chains of gender, urging her to seize the present. He provokes her about her desires, using spirit metal to caress her through her armor. Zetian, conflicted and dizzy, eventually pulls him into a violent, hate-laced kiss that escalates against the balcony wall.

Before going further, Zetian halts him and uses the moment to extract concessions: abolish extended punishment to free Wan'er and others, appoint Wan'er as Imperial Secretary and Taiping as Minister of Finance. She argues the policies fuel rebellions and that they need stability before facing the gods. Qin Zheng reluctantly agrees to consider her demands. He then reveals the drink contained no alcohol, only lychee juice and ginger, demonstrating he cares more than she believes.