This led to the Wanli Emperor's intention to appoint Zhu Changxun as crown prince, but it faced strong opposition from the ministers.
In 1615, the court was rocked by an unusual scandal when a man named Zhang Chai armed himself with a wooden staff and broke into the Forbidden City, specifically targeting the Crown Prince's palace.
Although the Wanli Emperor initially wanted nothing to do with the child, Lady Li convinced him to acknowledge paternity by presenting records of his visits.
This caused a division among officials, with some advocating for the rights of the first son based on legal primogeniture, while others supported Lady Zheng.
However, this decision was met with opposition from Lady Zheng, causing controversy and, two years later, even arrests when a pamphlet was circulated in Beijing accusing her of conspiring against the emperor's eldest son with some high officials.
However, it was not until 1601, under pressure from further protests and requests, that the Wanli Emperor finally appointed Zhu Changluo as crown prince.
[4][7] At the same time, Zhu Changxun was given the title of Prince of Fu,[8] but he was kept in Beijing instead of being sent to the province as originally planned when he turned eighteen in 1604.
[9] It was not until 1614, after a long series of appeals and protests, that the emperor's mother intervened and insisted on sending Zhu Changxun to the provincial seat.
[12] However, prison official Wang Zhicai intervened and pushed for a public investigation involving representatives from the Ministry of Justice.
This new version of the case suggested that Zhang Chai was mentally sound and had been manipulated by two eunuchs close to Lady Zheng and her brother.
[13] The case caused a stir at court and the Wanli Emperor took the unprecedented step of summoning civil and military officials from the Beijing authorities for a meeting.
On 19 August, 1 million liang (37.3 tons) of silver from the palace treasury was sent to defend the northeastern borders, due to the critical situation in Liaodong, where Nurhaci's Jurchens were attacking.
[16] Zhu Changluo chose the name Taichang for his era, symbolizing peace and prosperity in contrast to the turmoil of the previous reign.
[18] The officials were concerned and when they heard that Cui Wensheng (崔文升), the eunuch in charge of the imperial clinic, had given the emperor a laxative, they accused him of incompetence.
[17] During a visit from concerned officials, led by Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe, on 25 September, the emperor requested red pills, which he had heard were being produced by Li Keshao, an assistant director in the Court of State Ceremonial.
[18] In the presence of the aforementioned (thirteen) officials, Li made the pills using lead, autumn mineral, human milk and cinnabar—all tonic drugs in traditional Chinese medicine—which were provided to him by the emperor's eunuchs.
[19] Some members of the Donglin movement accused Li Keshao and Grand Secretary Fang Congzhe of poisoning the emperor, while others among the thirteen officials present took a more cautious approach, attempting to absolve themselves of any negligence.
[17][19] After the Taichang Emperor's death, a power struggle emerged over the succession of his fourteen-year-old successor, Zhu Youjiao.