The Red Pill Case was a court case that occurred in the first year of Taichang (1620). Zhu Changluo, Emperor Guangzong of Ming Dynasty, died mysteriously after taking red pills. Because there are many doubts about this case, it is collectively known as the "Three Major Cases in the Late Ming Dynasty" together with the Palace Relocation Case and the Fence Attack Case. [6]
In the first year of Taichang (1620), Zhu Changluo ascended the throne. Only ten days after he ascended the throne, he summoned the imperial doctor for treatment because of his indulgence in the holy body. Cui Wensheng's condition worsened after taking laxatives from Tai Hospital. Li Kezhuo, the Prime Minister of Honglu Temple, presented a red pill [1]. Zhu Changluo was relieved after taking it for the first time. He took another pill in the afternoon of that day and died in the early morning of the next day. Because the pills he took were called "Red Pills," the incident became known as the "Red Pill Case." On the day of Zhu Changluo's death, Fang Congzhe, the first assistant, drafted a posthumous decree to reward Li Kezhuo for presenting the red pill. Someone contacted Wanli's old story and suspected that Concubine Zheng was instigating the poisoning, and immediately launched a series of actions to trace the culprit. During this period, party strife and personal hatred were mixed in, and many people died in consecutive crimes. [2] Zhu Youxiao, Emperor Xizong of the Ming Dynasty, ascended the throne, dismissed Fang Congzhe, the chief minister of the cabinet, who did not dissuade Li Kezhuo from donating medicine, sent Cui Wensheng of Taiyuan Hospital to Nanjing, and demoted Li Kezhuo to the army. At this point, the "Red Pill Case" is closed. [6]
The "Red Pill Case" led to Zhu Changluo's sudden death and Zhu Youxiao's accession to the throne at a young age, which laid hidden dangers for the later eunuch rule and the Donglin Party Struggle, and became the cause of the Party Struggle. [5]
Intention: youth