at this point, territories that liu xiu controlled were already impressive, compared to any other regional power in the empire broken apart by civil war—but he still carried just the title prince of xiao (which gengshi emperor had created him) and still ostensibly was controlling those territories as gengshi emperor's deputy, even as he was already engaging militarily against some generals (e.g. xie gong – 謝躬) loyal to gengshi emperor (during this incident, liu xiu succeeded to persuade ma wu (馬武), who was the deputy of xie gong, to join him.). in summer 25, after repeated urging by his followers, he finally claimed the title of emperor and the right to succeed to the han throne—as emperor guangwu.