In 188 BC, his father Emperor Hui died, and he, who had been previously made crown prince, succeeded to the throne.
However, his grandmother, now Grand Empress Dowager Lü, publicly presided over all government affairs.
[3] Sometime in or before 184 BC, Emperor Qianshao discovered that he was not in fact now-Empress Dowager Zhang's son and that his mother had been put to death.
Grand Empress Dowager Lü, once she heard of this, had him secretly imprisoned within the palace and publicly announced that he was severely ill and unable to receive anyone.
After some time, she told the officials that he continued to be ill and incapable of governing, and that he had also suffered a psychosis.