Facing a No-Win Situation

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This page covers Chapter Twenty-Four: No Way to Win, a pivotal moment in the empress's struggle to survive both her enemies and her own court.

We'll break down what happens, why it matters, and what it reveals about the characters and themes.

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Summary

The chapter opens with Qin Zheng, the emperor, furiously demanding to know who leaked the footage that has stirred reactionary calls for the empress's execution. He confronts the empress, Yizhi, and Sima Yi inside his quarantine chamber, slapping the glass wall as he paces like a predator. Yizhi, trembling, promises that the Gewei Bu will investigate the production crew. Qin Zheng immediately suspects Yizhi, but the empress defends him, pointing out that she is the one whose blood the reactionaries want, so Yizhi would have no motive to leak the footage.

Qin Zheng accepts this but issues two brutal orders. First, he tells Yizhi to inform the crew that if they don't identify the culprit among themselves, all of their heads will be lopped off and displayed on pikes. Second, he orders Yizhi to draft an edict for the Ministry of Justice that organizes every five neighboring households into a collective unit responsible for monitoring each other for counter-revolutionary activities. Those who fail to report crimes within their unit will be punished alongside the culprits, while those who submit reports with sufficient proof will be handsomely rewarded. The empress is disturbed by this new level of surveillance and collective punishment, recognizing it as a drastic measure born of desperation.

Sima Yi then suggests a different approach to quell public opinion: the empress should become pregnant. He argues that no amount of battlefield posturing will calm the reactionaries as effectively as motherhood. The empress reacts with fury, pointing out the hypocrisy of Sima Yi's position—he is also being called out by the reactionaries, and with a surviving Sage (Kong Zhuxi) on their side, he has no right to remain Chairman. Sima Yi retorts that he doesn't care about power, only about what's good for Huaxia, and he would gladly yield his position to Sage Kong if it meant turning in the counter-revolutionary leaders. He then accuses the empress of being obsessed with irrational fears about something her body was made to do, and he dismisses the idea that mothers get to sit around and do nothing.

The empress fires back, describing the harsh reality of motherhood—the empty praise for suffering, the quick turn of public opinion when mothers are anything less than perfect and selfless, and the risk of bearing a daughter instead of a son, which would lead to pressure to try again. She recalls her own family's history, including the age difference between her and her little brother (less than eleven months), and her father's stories about families drowning second daughters in buckets to scare off female spirits. She wonders if her family regretted not doing the same when she faced them in the Yellow Dragon.

Qin Zheng intervenes, telling Sima Yi to speak to the empress with respect, but then he agrees with Sima Yi's underlying point: it is time for the empress to stop being stubborn. The empress's skin prickles as she remembers the so-called maidenhood examination she endured when she was first brought to the Great Wall—being opened with a cold steel tool and having a flashlight shone inside her. She realizes that a real pregnancy would mean going through that again, this time with doctors inseminating her.

In a desperate move, she blurts out a proposal: what if she faked a pregnancy? She argues that since Qin Zheng's concubines always miscarried, they could simply announce that she is pregnant to appease the reactionaries, then later claim she suffered a tragic miscarriage after they root out Zhuge Liang and Kong Zhuxi. She admits that some part of her wishes she could be the wicked villainess the reactionaries see her as, but she knows that faking motherhood is a concession—yet it's preferable to becoming a mother for real. She sees it as the most effective shield she can summon.

Sima Yi tries to argue that with modern medicine, a real pregnancy would be safer, but the empress snaps that if he puts a baby in her for real, she can guarantee it won't make it to term. She explains that a real pregnancy would affect her ability to pilot and generate tribute, and she tells Qin Zheng that he wouldn't want her as the mother of his children.

Qin Zheng, after a strange smile, asks Yizhi for his opinion. Yizhi agrees that a facade would be more productive, allowing the empress to battle at full capacity, and he notes that even the hardest hearts can't stay unmoved by the patriotism of a warrior mother. However, he advises waiting a few more weeks before making the announcement, to avoid any parentage doubts that the reactionaries could latch onto. Qin Zheng's smile fades at this, and the empress almost yells at Yizhi for bringing that up again.

Qin Zheng agrees to announce the pregnancy after the empress's next battle. The chapter ends with the empress putting her hand to her belly, breathing deeply, and reflecting that she is already telling so many lies to the masses—what's one more to gain their love and support?

Key Events

Qin Zheng confronts the empress, Yizhi, and Sima Yi about the leaked footage, demanding to know who leaked it.
Yizhi promises an investigation, but Qin Zheng threatens the production crew with execution if they don't identify the culprit.
Qin Zheng orders a new edict organizing households into mutual-monitoring units with collective punishment.
Sima Yi suggests the empress become pregnant to quell public opinion, leading to a heated argument.
The empress recalls her traumatic maidenhood examination and her family's history of female infanticide.
The empress proposes faking a pregnancy, then claiming a miscarriage later.
Yizhi supports the facade but advises waiting a few weeks to avoid parentage doubts.
Qin Zheng agrees to announce the pregnancy after the empress's next battle.
The empress reflects on the many lies she already tells and accepts this additional deception.

Character Development

The Empress (Zetian): This chapter deepens her pragmatism and her willingness to sacrifice pride for survival. She rejects real pregnancy not out of fear alone, but because it would compromise her ability to pilot and generate tribute—her primary sources of power. Her proposal to fake a pregnancy shows her strategic thinking, but also her internal conflict: she wishes she could be the villainess the reactionaries imagine, yet she concedes that conformity is sometimes necessary. Her memories of the maidenhood examination and her family's history of female infanticide highlight the trauma that shapes her resistance to motherhood.

Qin Zheng: The emperor is portrayed as a controlling and ruthless leader, willing to implement surveillance and collective punishment to maintain order. He is also shown to be somewhat conflicted—he defends the empress from Sima Yi's disrespect, but he ultimately pressures her to conform. His strange smile at the fake pregnancy idea suggests he might be amused or intrigued by her audacity, but he quickly returns to business.

Yizhi: He remains loyal to the empress, defending her and supporting her facade plan, but his bitterness is evident when he mentions waiting to avoid parentage doubts—a subtle reminder of his own feelings. He is caught between his duty to the emperor and his personal connection to the empress.

Sima Yi: He emerges as a pragmatic, even callous, political operator who prioritizes public opinion over the empress's autonomy. His willingness to yield his position to Sage Kong reveals his ideological commitment to Huaxia, but his dismissive attitude toward the empress's fears shows his lack of empathy.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

No-Win Situation: The chapter's title encapsulates the empress's dilemma. She cannot win by fighting alone, nor can she win by conforming to traditional gender roles. Every option seems to require a sacrifice of her autonomy or her principles.

Propaganda and Deception: The fake pregnancy is a deliberate lie designed to manipulate public opinion. The empress reflects on the many lies she already tells, highlighting the theme of truth versus narrative in a totalitarian state.

Surveillance and Collective Punishment: Qin Zheng's edict institutionalizes mutual monitoring, turning neighbors into informants. This echoes historical practices and underscores the regime's reliance on fear to maintain control.

Gender Expectations and Motherhood: The chapter critiques the ideal of the