The Chen Dynasty was the last dynasty of the Southern Dynasty, and the founding emperor was Chen Baxian, the Emperor of Chen Wu. Emperor Chen Wu did not reign for a long time, less than three years. It is reasonable to say that after the death of the father and the succession of the son, after Chen Baxian's death, the throne should be inherited by his son, but it was Chen Baxian's nephew Chen Xuan who ascended the throne and became emperor. Chen Baxian's only living son, not only did not become emperor, but was pushed into the Yangtze River.
Chen Baxian had a total of six sons, but all five died prematurely, leaving only the sixth son, Chen Chang. During the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, Chen Baxian led an army to the south and left his wife and children in his hometown of Wuxing. During Hou Jing's rebellion, Chen Chang and his mother Zhang Yao'er were once imprisoned by Hou Jing. Later, Chen Baxian quelled Hou Jing's rebellion, and Emperor Yuan of Liang, while praising Chen Baxian, made the sixteen-year-old Chen Chang the Prince of the Great Wall and Wuxing Taishou.
Chen Chang, who "has a magnificent appearance, a beautiful look, an elegant and intelligent personality, and a clear understanding of political affairs", is not only very handsome, but also very intelligent and good at handling government affairs. Chen Baxian attached great importance to this only surviving son, and sent Xie Zhe of Chen County, Cai Jing of Jiyang to assist him, and also asked Du Zhiwei of Wu County to teach Chen Chang the Four Books and Five Classics. Chen Chang has a high talent, "reading at a glance and reciting, knowing righteousness, dissecting like a stream.". Chen Baxian was very satisfied with his son's performance, but then an accident occurred.
After Emperor Liang Yuan fixed the capital at Jiangling, he ordered Chen Baxian to send his son Chen Chang and nephew Chen Yan to Jingzhou, in effect as hostages. Later, Emperor Yuan of Liang appointed Chen Chang as a regular attendant of the Outer Scattered Horsemen, and Chen Yan as a general of the Zhige Cabinet. In 554, The Western Wei chancellor Yuwen Tai sent the generals Jin, Yang Zhong (Emperor Wen of Sui's father), and Yuwen Hu to lead 50,000 elite troops on a southern expedition. The Western Wei army, with the help of Emperor Wu of Liang's grandson Xiao Qi, attacked Jiangling in one fell swoop.
Emperor Yuan of Liang was smothered alive, and "the old and young in the city" were captured, including Chen Chang and Chen Yan. Western Wei knew that Chen Baxian was a powerful figure, so he treated Chen Chang with great courtesy. In the time that followed, Chen Ba attacked and killed Wang, repelled the Northern Qi army, and became a vassal of the Liang Dynasty. In 557, Chen Baxian became emperor and established the Chen Dynasty. On the one hand, Chen Baxian suppressed the rebellion in the country, and on the other hand, reconciled with Northern Zhou (western Wei had been replaced), and constantly sent emissaries to request the release of Chen Chang and Chen Yan.
Although the Northern Zhou side agreed to Chen Baxian's request, it kept delaying. In 559, Chen Baxian fell ill and died, and the news reached Northern Zhou, and they released Chen Chang. However, due to Wang Lin's rebellion, Chen Chang was blocked in the middle of the road. It was not until March 560 that it entered the territory of the Chen Dynasty. However, while crossing the river by boat, Chen Chang's boat overturned, and he was drowned in the Yangtze River. However, it turned out that Chen Chang was pushed into the Yangtze River, that is, he was killed by someone!
When Chen Baxian had just died, some people recommended that Chen Baxian's nephew Chen Xuan take the throne. Zhang Yao'er, who had become the empress dowager, refused to issue an edict because she wanted to establish her own son Chen Chang, and the courtiers were hesitant, after all, Chen Ba'er had a son first. However, the general Hou Andu publicly announced, "Now that the four sides are undecided, He Hui is far away, and the king of Linchuan has meritorious service to the world, and must be established together." Today's events, the latter should be cut off. Then he entered the palace with a sword in his hand, forcing the empress dowager to hand over the jade seal and install Chen Xuan on the throne.
When Chen Chang returned to the Chen Dynasty, he was made the Prince of Hengyang Commandery by his cousin Chen Xuan, the General of Hussars, and the Pastor of Xiangzhou. Chen Chang was very dissatisfied with this, and he wrote a letter to his cousin, "The resignation is not inferior." Chen Xuan was also very unhappy after seeing it, and said to Hou An: "The prince is coming, you must not ask for a single one, my old man." Hou Andu replied, "Has there been a son of heaven since ancient times?" Chen Yu did not dare to obey the edict", and then took the initiative to request to meet Chen Chang. Not long after, Chen Chang was killed in the Yangtze River and did not return to Jiankang alive.
References: 1. "Chen Shu"; 2. "Zizhi Tongjian"