 In 515, Emperor Xuanwu died suddenly, and Yuan Xu succeeded him (as Emperor Xiaoming).The official Yu Zhong and the imperial princes Yuan Yong the Prince of Gaoyang and Yuan Cheng () the Prince of Rencheng seized power from Empress Gao and, after ambushing and killing Gao Zhao, replaced Empress Gao as empress dowager with Consort Hu.Empress Dowager Hu became regent over the five-year-old emperor.