The game’s true brilliance, though, lies in its high-stakes choice-driven narrative. As Wu Yuanzhao, a new palace entrant, you’re not just picking dialogue options—you’re gambling with your life. A seemingly harmless choice to mention a hairpin’s owner can trigger a sudden poisoning; aligning with the wrong noble might land you in the cold palace . With over 300 story branches and 22 distinct endings (from regency to exile), every decision carries weight, turning “just one more playthrough” into hours of strategic trial and error. What makes this addictive, not frustrating, is the “death echo” system—even fatal mistakes unlock hidden NPC commentary, turning failures into clues for your next attempt .
