The dream with Ling Qi and all of her friends living together hurt, so bravo to Ysillar. Like we were able to shake off the first Dream with Qi reliving leaving her mother because she knows it turned out to have been worth it.
So Zeqing throws us something that is impossible. A specter of the insight we had when we broke through to Yellow, that we will carry the weight of our bonds. In this dream though we are also given absolute freedom, which we have rejected as impossible.
Because this dream disregards the hopes, dreams, and wants of our friends in favor of what would be a dream come true for Ling Qi. Would Xiulan give up her dream of becoming clan head? Would Renxiang give up her desire to reform the Empire? Of course not.
Ling Qi is a selfish, greedy girl. But she will not trample over the wants and lives of her friends and family.
...I still wish we could load everyone and everything we care about on Zhengui and nope out of the Empire before it explodes.