His mother, Noble Consort Zheng, was a favoured concubine and, in efforts to please her, the emperor attempted to have Zhu made heir apparent,[1] but failed to overturn the rule of primogeniture.
[9] Over the next decade, advisers also attempted to persuade the emperor 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] After his soldiers fell to Li's army, Zhu fled to Ying'en Temple (Chinese: 迎恩寺; pinyin: yíng'ēn sì) with his eldest son.
The next day, Zhu was executed in front of a large crowd, presided over by Li Zicheng, at Zhougong Temple (Chinese: 周公廟; pinyin: Zhōugōng miào).
Reports claim that Zhu was killed, then his body boiled with that of a deer to make stew, and his flesh was eaten by Li Zicheng and his soldiers.