The very thing Emperor Chongzhen feared most had happened: trouble in the inner palace.
Why were so many Ming Dynasty emperors short-lived? Aside from genetics and lead poisoning from palace paint, artificial factors were highly probable. The various signs surrounding the death of Emperor Chongzhen’s fifth son, Zhu Cihuan, indicated that the nobility had long since extended their reach into the imperial palace. The eunuch responsible for serving Empress Zhou’s meals was killed for no other reason than to warn Emperor Chongzhen: do not move against the nobility. If he continued to target Marquis of Yangwu Xue Lian, the next person to meet with a mishap would likely be the Empress.
No, it was possible that Empress Zhou had already been poisoned.
Chapter 286