Ruzi Ying - Brief "reign"

Brief "reign"

Several members of the imperial Liu clan were suspicious of Acting Emperor Wang's intentions. They started or assisted in several failed rebellions against Wang:

• In 6 AD, Liu Chong (劉崇), the Marquess of Anzhong, made an attack against Wancheng (宛城, in modern Nanyang, Henan). His attack failed, but historians did not specify what happened to him, other than that as punishment, Wang had his house filled with filthy water.
• In 7 AD, Zhai Yi (翟義), the governor of the Commandery of Dong (roughly modern Puyang, Henan) and Liu Xin (劉信), the Marquess of Yanxiang (and the father of Liu Kuang (劉匡), the Prince of Dongping (roughly modern Tai'an, Shandong) started the largest of these rebellions. They were joined by agrarian rebellion leaders Zhao Peng (趙朋) and Huo Hong (霍鴻) from the area immediately west of the capital Chang'an. They declared Liu Xin emperor. Wang Mang responded by sending messengers around the nation to pledge that he would in fact return the throne to Emperor Ruzi once Ruzi was adult. Wang's armies defeated Zhai and Liu's armies in the winter of 7 AD, and Zhai was captured and executed by drawing and quartering. Liu fled and was never captured. Zhao and Huo were also eventually defeated and executed.
• In 9 AD (after Wang Mang had usurped the throne—see below), Liu Kuai (劉快), the Marquess of Xuxiang, attacked the Fuchong dukedom of his brother Liu Ying (劉殷), the former Prince of Jiaodong. He was defeated and died while fleeing from the battle.

After Zhai and Liu Xin was defeated, Wang became even more convinced that the empire was entirely under his control, and decided to finally seize the throne and start a new dynasty. In the winter of 8 AD, a prophecy written on a casket was presented by Ai Zhang (哀章). The prophecy was said to be a divine decree from Emperor Gao (Liu Bang,) stating that the throne should be given to Wang, and that Empress Dowager Wang (who was Wang Mang's own daughter, but held authority) should follow this divine will. Wang issued a decree accepting the position of emperor and establishing the Xin (new) dynasty.