when emperor he died in 106, his infant son, emperor shang, ascended the throne. most of emperor he's brothers, including prince qing, remained in the palace at luoyang but were ordered to report to their principalities. as an insurance measure, emperor he's wife, empress dowager deng, kept prince qing's wife and 12-year-old son (prince hu). when emperor shang died later in 106, the officials largely wanted to make emperor shang's brother, prince sheng (劉勝) of pingyuan, emperor. however, empress deng had initially denied prince sheng the throne because she believed him to be frequently ill; she was concerned that he would bear a grudge against her. at her insistence, prince hu ascended the throne as emperor an.