Chen Xinglin was a member of the Hanlin Academy who died of illness in the Imperial Prison the previous year. His death led to Chief Censor Wu carrying his family's ancestral tablets and impeaching Zhang Yao. The Emperor could not overrule the impeachment, so he ordered the Ministry of Justice to deliberate Zhang Yao's punishment, which resulted in Zhang Yao being sentenced to fifty strokes across the back at Shenwu Gate.
