in the spring of 6 ce, acting emperor wang selected ying—then just one year old—as the designated successor to emperor ping, claiming that soothsayers told him that ying was the candidate most favored by the gods. he gave ying the epithet "ruzi"—the same epithet that king cheng of zhou had when he was in his minority and under the regency of ji dan, the duke of zhou—to claim that he was as faithful as the duke of zhou. however, emperor ruzi did not ascend the throne, but was given the title of crown prince. empress wang, just a young girl at 13, was given the title empress dowager.