In 559, Emperor Wu suffered a major illness and died quickly. At that time, Emperor Wu's nephew Chen Qian the Prince of Linchuan, the only close male relative of Emperor Wu then in Chen territory, was constructing a fort at Nanhuan (南皖, in modern Anqing, Anhui), and Empress Zhang, after consulting the officials Du Leng (杜稜) and Cai Jingli (蔡景歷), chose not to announce Emperor Wu's death, and they secretly summoned Chen Qian back from Nanhuan.
In 559, Emperor Wu fell ill severely and died quickly. At that time, Chen Qian, the Prince of Linchuan and Emperor Wu’s nephew, who was the sole close male relative in Chen territory at the time, was constructing a fort at Nanhuan (南皖, now in modern Anqing, Anhui). Empress Zhang, after consulting officials Du Leng and Cai Jingli, decided not to announce Emperor Wu's death and secretly summoned Chen Qian back from Nanhuan.