[5] In January 1584, the Wanli Emperor ordered the Ministry of Rites to confer the rank of Noble Consort upon Zheng,[6] to celebrate the birth of the Princess Yunhe.
His advisers argued that doing so was not appropriate, as this would raise her in status above Consort Gong, who had given birth to the emperor's eldest son.
Over the succeeding decade, the emperor's officials also attempted to persuade him that abandoning the tradition of primogeniture had made Zheng the object of anger and disgust, not only in the court, but also across the country.
[12] Finally, the emperor declared his eldest son heir apparent in 1601 and gave Zhu Changxun the title Prince of Fu (福).
[13] From 1613, the Wanli Emperor had persisted in making his disapproval of Zhu Changluo evident by preventing the burial of Crown Princess Guo in a manner befitting a crown princess — she was finally interred in 1615, after Noble Consort Zheng's son left the palace.