He played an important role in staving off the Palace's persecution of the Donglin faction under Tianqi until his resignation in 1624.

[1] Ye Xianggao passed the provincial exam in 1579 in Fujian and graduated as a jinshi in 1583, becoming a bachelor at the Hanlin Academy.

[3] In 1607, Ye was appointed as a Grand Secretary under the Wanli Emperor, a role he officially took on in the beginning of 1608.

Their concerns would prove misplaced, as Ye often stood up for Donglin officials in the face of increasing Palace persecution.

[9] After Palace eunuchs, in an unprecedented move, surrounded his house on August 4 believing he was harboring Lin Ruzhu, Ye lost all face.