 Wei Zhongxian and Madame Ke could not attack Empress Zhang personally, but they attempted to cause her downfall by accusing her father of piracy, thereby indirectly pointing her out as the daughter of a criminal and therefore not suitable as Empress, undermining her position.The plot failed as it was opposed by court officials.In 1627, the Tianqi Emperor died without issue, all the pregnancies of his consorts and concubines having ended in miscarriages or deaths in infancy.