when her infant stepson emperor shang succeeded to the throne in 106, empress dowager deng kept the then-12-year-old crown prince liu hu in the capital luoyang as insurance against the infant emperor's death and the successor to the throne. prince hu ascended the throne and became emperor when emperor shang died in august or september 106; however, empress dowager deng still remained as the regent until her death in 121. thereafter, emperor an removed many of her relatives from government and many of them committed suicide, probably under duress.