History is the memory of things that have been said and done. —Carl Baker
In 1586, Princess Zheng Guifei, who was favored by Wanli, gave birth to a son, Zhu Changxun. Due to Wanli's different treatment of Wang Gongfei and Zheng Guifei, the decades-long "dispute over the foundation of the country" was thus unveiled.
Even before Chang Xun was born, Shoufu Shen Shixing had suggested that Wanli be made crown prince early. However, Wan Li was unwilling to make the son of a woman he did not like as the legitimate heir to the throne, so he used the excuse that the eldest son of the emperor was still young. When Zhu Changluo was 5 years old, Princess Wang Gongfei had not yet been crowned, and Zhu Changxun had just been born, and Zheng Guifei was named an imperial concubine, which could not but make those ministers who had long been suspicious suspect that Wanli was going to abolish Chang Liyou. They did not want to be recorded in history for their concessions on this matter, so that future generations would feel that there were no loyal and patriotic people in the DPRK.
Ever since the canonization of Concubine Zheng as an imperial concubine had aroused almost unanimous opposition from his courtiers, Wanli and his ministers had been quarreling and stalemate over the establishment of the crown prince.
At this time, Wanli's birth mother, Empress Dowager Cisheng, sided with Princess Wang Gongfei and her courtiers on this issue, feeling that it was time for her to intervene personally.
When Wan Li went to her deep palace to ask for peace, the old empress dowager asked solemnly, "Why did she delay in making Chang Luo the crown prince?" Perhaps because Empress Dowager Cisheng was still in a state of prestige, or maybe Wan Li was too flustered because she was not prepared in advance, and even blurted out a crucial wrong word: "Pi Du Ren Zi Ye."
In the Ming Dynasty, the palace called the palace women "Duren", and Wan Li actually forgot that her mother was also from the "Duren" origin. When Empress Dowager Cisheng angrily pointed at him and said, "Eryidu Son of Man," Wan Li suddenly woke up and was so frightened that she "did not dare to rise to the ground."
Wanli's mistakes intensified Empress Dowager Cisheng's resolve. In desperation, the Wanli Emperor had to make Zhu Changluo the "Crown Prince" in October 1601.
When Princess Zheng Guifei heard the news that Wanli wanted to make Zhu Changluo crown prince, although she felt that the general trend had gone, she still had to make a final attempt.
As early as a few years ago, in order to please Concubine Zheng, the Wanli Emperor had made a wish to make his son Zhu Changxun crown prince in the future. Princess Zheng Guifei showed her cleverness and asked the emperor to write down a handwritten edict, solemnly packed it in a brocade box, and placed it on the beam in her palace, thinking that it would be a credential for the future. Now that the time had come, she couldn't help but show this trump card to defeat her enemies. However, when Zheng Guifei opened the jin box with hope, she couldn't help but be surprised: a piece of handwriting made the yiyu (silverfish) bite to pieces, and the word "Chang Xun" also entered the belly of the yiyu.
The superstitious Wanli Emperor sighed, "This is Providence." Finally, despite Zheng Guifei's tearful eyes, Zhu Changluo was made "Prince" and Chang Xun was made "Fu Wang", and the fief was Luoyang.