 In 1510 she was bestowed upon the titles of Cishou (慈寿皇太后).In 1521, the childless Zhengde Emperor died and his cousin, Zhu Houcong, ascended the throne as the Jiajing Emperor.It was thought that he would continue the line of succession in the role of the deceased emperor's adoptive younger brother and treat his aunt, Empress Zhang, and deceased uncle as father and mother.