x ian . ▁ ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang lu o ▁spent ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁life ▁as ▁a ▁ha pl ess ▁pa wn ▁in ▁a ▁power ▁struggle ▁for ▁the ▁title ▁of ▁crown ▁prince . ▁The ▁W an li ▁Emperor ▁open ly ▁preferred ▁naming ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang x un , ▁his ▁younger ▁son ▁born ▁to ▁his ▁favour ite ▁cons ort ▁No ble ▁Cons ort ▁Zh eng ▁as ▁crown ▁prince ▁over ▁the ▁senior ity ▁of ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang lu o , ▁but ▁his ▁intention ▁was ▁met ▁with ▁veh ement ▁opposition ▁by ▁most ▁of ▁his ▁Conf u cian - ed uc ated ▁minister s ▁who ▁ins isted ▁that ▁the ▁Emperor ▁ad her ed ▁to ▁d yn astic ▁trad itions . ▁Fr ustr ated ▁by ▁the ▁multiple ▁pet itions ▁to ▁install ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang lu o ▁as ▁crown ▁prince , ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ▁decided ▁to ▁stone wall ▁the ▁issue ▁and ▁left ▁the ▁question ▁of ▁his ▁designated ▁he ir ▁in ▁susp ense . ▁Some ▁histor ians ▁have ▁suggested ▁that ▁the ▁imp asse ▁on ▁the ▁selection ▁of ▁crown ▁prince ▁was ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁cause ▁of ▁the ▁W an li ▁Emperor ' s ▁withdraw al ▁from ▁daily ▁government ▁administration . ▁ ▁C aught ▁in ▁this ▁political ▁lim bo , ▁Z hu ▁Ch ang lu o ▁was ▁deliber ately ▁not ▁assigned ▁a ▁regular ▁t utor ▁or ▁given ▁any ▁system atic ▁Conf u cian ▁education ▁even ▁after ▁he ▁started ▁school ▁at ▁the ▁age ▁of ▁ 1 3 , ▁an ▁unus ually ▁late ▁age ▁for ▁M ing ▁princes ▁to