Consort Feng Yuan - Death

Death

Prince Jizi was born with a heart ailment, which when afflicting him, caused him to have circulation problems, manifesting itself outwardly as having his lips and appendages turn blue. Princess Dowager Feng raised him personally. She also often prayed to the gods. In 6 BC, Emperor Ai, hearing about his cousin's illness, sent imperial physicians along with his attendant Zhang You (張由) to go to Zhongshan to treat Prince Jizi. This, however, would have dire consequences of Princess Dowager Feng.

When the imperial attendant Zhang got to Zhongshan, suddenly, in a rage, left there and returned to the capital Chang'an. Once he did and was ordered to explain his conduct, he made up a false reason that he had discovered that Princess Dowager Feng was using witchcraft to curse Emperor Ai and his grandmother, Consort Fu, who by now carried the title empress dowager. Empress Dowager Fu, still resentful of Princess Dowager Feng from the days when they were romantic rivals, decided to use this opportunity to strike at Princess Dowager Feng. She sent a eunuch, Shi Li (史立), to serve as investigator, and Shi tortured a good number of Princess Dowager Feng's relations (including her sister Feng Xi (馮習) and her sister-in-law Junzhi (君之), Feng Li's wife), some to death, but still could not build a solid case against Princess Dowager Feng. Shi Li decided to show Princess Dowager Feng who was actually behind the investigation, by referring to an incident in which then-Consort Feng defended Emperor Yuan against a bear which had broken loose. Princess Dowager Feng, realizing that Empress Dowager Fu was behind the investigation, went back to her palace and committed suicide. In total, 17 members of the Feng clan died as a result of the investigations. Prince Jizi, then still a toddler, was spared.

Before she committed suicide, Princess Dowager Feng reportedly said the following:

That incident (involving the bear) happened deep in the palace and long ago, during a previous reign. How could this minor official know about it? It is clear that someone wants me dead, and would not stop until I am.

In 1 BC, after the deaths of Empress Dowager Fu and Emperor Ai, and after Emperor Yuan's wife Grand Empress Dowager Wang had seized power back from Emperor Ai's male favorite (and probable lover) Dong Xian, Princess Dowager Feng's reputation was restored. Later that year, her grandson Prince Jizi would become emperor, although as effectively a young puppet of Grand Empress Dowager Wang's nephew Wang Mang. Wang Mang would eventually murder him in 5 CE and usurp the Han throne in 8.