the eastern han dynasty, after emperor zhang, would be plagued with internal strife between royal factions and eunuchs struggling for power. the people for the coming century and a half would yearn for the good days of emperors ming and zhang. (however, part of the strife came from the power obtained by consort clans – and the precedent was set by emperor zhang's bestowing of power on both his adoptive mother empress dowager ma's clan and his wife empress dou's clan.)