at the age of 41, empress guo had lost favor, and her constant complaints angered emperor guangwu. in 41, he deposed her and made duke yang's mother consort yin empress instead. all of the imperial dukes were promoted to princes to accommodate emperor guangwu's new title for empress guo—princess dowager of zhongshan (after appointing her son liu fu (劉輔) the prince of zhongshan); duke yang was created the prince of donghai.