Back in Zetian's room after the meeting with Sima Yi, Qin Zheng pins her to the bed in fury over her near-revelation about the Hunduns to Qieluo. He demands she address him correctly and warns there will be no next time, barely restraining his Water qì before storming out. Zetian, terrified and humiliated, vows internally to learn his powers and destroy him.

The next day, the imperial wedding proceeds as a grim, ad-free spectacle, with Chang'an plastered in Qin Zheng's portraits and laborist slogans. While watching the bridal procession from the Chrysanthemum Room, the gods hijack the screen, ordering Zetian to be a dutiful wife and mother, then displaying Shimin alive and thrashing in his fluid tank. Devastated, Zetian smashes the screen with a vase, accidentally conducting Metal and Fire qì through her armor for the first time.

At the throne room, Sima Yi proclaims the restoration of Qin Zheng's rule. Flanked by the six Iron Princess pilots in laborist salute, Qin Zheng delivers a sweeping revolutionary speech: he condemns inequality, declares guaranteed housing and food, nationalizes banks and health care, cancels debts, opens education and careers to women, bans foot-binding, and calls for a general strike against "profitizers" and corrupt officials. Zetian recognizes his immense charismatic power and concedes that the masses will accept his agenda where they would reject hers.

Zetian kneels for her crowning, deciding to use Qin Zheng as a shield while she builds her own strength. As he begins the vow, Qin Zheng suddenly coughs blood violently and collapses into her arms. Yizhi yells to cut the feed. Zetian takes command, ordering the generals to put Qin Zheng on the throne, instructing Sima Yi to give a closing speech with Qin Zheng blurred in the background, and crowning herself empress to preserve the illusion of imperial strength.