with these engagements, emperor guangwu declined yet another foreign engagement. in 46, many xiyu (modern xinjiang and former soviet central asia) kingdoms were suffering under the hegemony of one of the kingdoms, shache (yarkand). they petitioned emperor guangwu to again reestablish the western han post of the governor of xiyu. emperor guangwu declined, stating that his empire was so lacking in strength at the time that he could not expend efforts to protect xiyu kingdoms. in response, the xiyu kingdoms submitted to xiongnu.