[1] The Tianqi Emperor, who has been described as badly educated and possibly mentally deficient, was deeply dependent upon the wet nurse Madame Ke and the eunuch Wei Zhongxian, and Empress Zhang is known to have opposed their influence.
[3] In one incident, she subtly compared Wei Zhongxian to the eunuch Zhao Gao, who was blamed for bringing about the end of the Qin dynasty.
[5] Wei Zhongxian reportedly induced miscarriages among the consorts and concubines of the emperor, while Madame Ke is said to have caused the deaths of some of the women themselves.
[6] Empress Zhang herself became pregnant in 1623, but her pregnancy ended in a miscarriage, which was reportedly caused by a plot between Madame Ke and some of the palace women.
The Chongzhen Emperor ordered the crown prince and his two brothers to hide in the home of relatives, and summoned the rest of his family.