▁begin ▁their ▁education . ▁In ▁ 1 6 0 1 , ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ▁gave ▁in ▁to ▁pressure ▁from ▁his ▁minister s ▁and ▁more ▁important ly ▁from ▁the ▁em press ▁dow ager ▁and ▁a ▁ 1 9 - year - old ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang lu o ▁was ▁formally ▁inst ated ▁as ▁crown ▁prince ▁and ▁he ir ▁apparent . ▁However ▁this ▁formal ▁recognition ▁did ▁not ▁signal ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁court ▁intr ig ues . ▁Rum ours ▁of ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ' s ▁intention ▁to ▁replace ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang lu o ▁with ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang x un ▁continued ▁to ▁surface ▁through ▁the ▁years , ▁ ▁Palace ▁Ass ault ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 6 1 5 , ▁the ▁M ing ▁imperial ▁court ▁was ▁hit ▁by ▁a ▁myster ious ▁sc andal . ▁A ▁man ▁called ▁Z hang ▁Ch ai , ▁armed ▁only ▁with ▁a ▁wooden ▁staff , ▁managed ▁to ▁drive ▁away ▁the ▁e un uchs ▁guard ing ▁the ▁palace ▁gates ▁and ▁break ▁into ▁Ci q ing ▁Palace — then ▁the ▁crown ▁prince ' s ▁living ▁qu arters . ▁Z hang ▁Ch ai ▁was ▁eventually ▁sub du ed ▁and ▁thrown ▁in ▁prison . ▁Although ▁initial ▁investig ations ▁found ▁him ▁to ▁be ▁a ▁lun atic , ▁upon ▁further ▁investig ations ▁by ▁a ▁magistr ate ▁named ▁Wang ▁Zh ica i , ▁Z hang ▁Ch ai ▁conf essed ▁to ▁being ▁party ▁to ▁a ▁plot ▁inst ig ated ▁by ▁two ▁e un uchs ▁working ▁under ▁No ble ▁Cons ort ▁Zh eng . ▁According ▁to ▁Z