Shaken from the charged encounter on the balcony, Zetian goes to Taiping with news of Wan'er's impending release. Taiping presses about Yizhi but Zetian warns her not to ask. The next morning at court, Qin Zheng formally abolishes extended punishment, issues a mass pardon, and appoints Taiping as Minister of Finance—the first woman in the central court in two centuries. Zetian vows to protect her from the inevitable backlash.

Zetian, Taiping, and Qieluo retrieve Wan'er and Auntie Kudi from the Tianlao, where Warden Lai's nervous obsequiousness fails to hide the torture inflicted on prisoners. Wan'er recounts sleep deprivation and abuse, and Zetian pledges accountability. Wan'er is relieved Zetian did not seize the throne, recognizing it would have doomed the revolution, and reaffirms her commitment to building a better society.

After recording her statement on the insurrection at the Alliance, Zetian returns to find her residence rearranged with Qin Zheng's belongings—and Yizhi's expropriated skin care. Grieving over Di Renjie's annotated books, she resolves that the truth about the Hundun must wait until the gods are dealt with, and hopes Qin Zheng never glimpses her treasonous memories.

That night, Qin Zheng waits in the bedchamber. Their tense flirtation escalates into a confrontation about consent and coercion. Qin Zheng insists his political agreements were not bartered for sex, establishes a safeword ("private property" / "common property"), and confesses that nightmares return when she's gone—she alone lets him sleep. He asks her to rule the world with him; she agrees.

Zetian makes him remove his half-mask, kissing his scars, and the encounter softens. She demands he use protection and forces him to kneel and apologize, which he does with wry compliance. She speaks the safe phrase to continue, and they consummate their relationship, Zetian surrendering to a bond she knows is dangerous but inescapable.