The struggle for the throne during the Jiajing reign

In the twenty-eighth year of the Jiajing reign of the Ming Dynasty, the Eastern Palace was suddenly emptied, and the Forbidden City was plunged into a life-or-death game, involving the lives and honors of countless people. On one side was Prince Yu, Zhu Zaiji, who, according to the order of seniority, had a court full of upright officials and used ancestral rules as a shield, and was regarded by the literati as the rightful heir apparent. On the other side was Prince Jing, Zhu Zaizhen, who was neither the eldest son nor the legitimate heir, but became a pawn for the Jiajing Emperor to check Prince Yu, and could only participate in this vortex of succession struggle. At this time, Zhang Juzheng and Gao Gong were still in the Hanlin Academy, and Hu Zongxian, Yu Dayou, Qi Jiguang, Zhao Zhenji, and Hai Rui had not yet ascended to high positions. The situation of the country was still uncertain, and the integrity of famous ministers had not yet been revealed. The Jiajing Emperor, who was obsessed with immortality, merely lowered his eyes and cast a cold scrutiny in the smoke of the alchemical furnace in the Western Garden.