Emperor Wu chose his youngest son as heir and had the boy's mother put to death, according to a supplement to the Shiji

In 91 BC the witchcraft affair destroyed Emperor Wu's heir. Crown Prince Liu Ju killed his accuser Jiang Chong, raised troops and lost. Empress Wei was stripped of her seals and killed herself, and the Han History says the Wei family was wiped out. Wu's favourite remaining son was the child of Lady Zhao of the Gouyi Palace, born, the Han History says, after a 14-month pregnancy. Wu said the boy was "like me". The Han History says he hesitated because the boy was young and his mother young, and he feared a woman ruling. It records that Lady Gouyi was rebuked at Ganquan and "died of worry". The supplement to the Shiji by Chu Shaosun gives a harder account. Wu had a painting made of the Duke of Zhou carrying the boy king, and his officials understood. Days later he rebuked her and had her sent to the palace prison, saying, "Go quickly, you will not live." She died at Yunyang Palace, and her coffin was buried at night. Asked why he kept the son and removed the mother, Wu said states fell when "the ruler is young and the mother strong" and cited Empress Lü. Wu named the boy crown prince the day before he died in 87 BC and made Huo Guang regent. The new Emperor Zhao named his mother empress dowager and put 20,000 men to work on her tomb, Yunling.