In the autumn of 190 BC, Prime Minister Cao Shen died of illness. According to Liu Bang's instructions before his death, Wang Ling became the right prime minister, and Chen Ping was the left prime minister. A few months later, Liu Fei, the king of Qi, fell ill and died. Half a year later, Wuyang Hou Fan died of illness. In just one year, Dahan lost three heavyweights.

The young emperor Liu Ying is also about to come to the end of his life. In the spring and summer of 188 B.C., the sky was abnormal, and two solar eclipses occurred before and after. The ancients believed that the sun was a symbol of the monarch, and the eclipse was seen as a warning from heaven to the monarch. In the autumn of this year, Liu Ying died of illness in Weiyang Palace at the age of twenty-three.

In the past seven years, Liu Ying has often been under pressure from her mother, Empress Lü, who is the emperor's grievance. His father Liu Bang didn't look away, and Liu Ying's personality was not suitable for being an emperor. In other words, the emperor's job is really not done by people. Death may be a complete relief for Liu Ying.

Liu Ying died, leaving a vacancy on the throne. The father died and the son succeeded, and naturally the crown prince Liu Gong took over. The question is, Liu Gong is only four years old and is still in kindergarten, how can he manage the country. Empress Lu took this opportunity to come to the front and weigh the system as the empress dowager. When Liu Ying was there, many times Empress Lu only needed to command in the background, but now it is different, Liu Gong is too young, and the imperial power is directly in the hands of Empress Lu.

Empress Lu was not at ease.

When mourning for Liu Ying, "the Queen Mother cried and couldn't cry". There are tears and no tears, and there are no tears. Empress Lu was howling at this time. She didn't care about being sad, she was worried about whether she could hold on to power. It is difficult for ordinary people to understand that the only son died young, and the mother couldn't cry tears. It's cold in the heights. Ruthless is the most emperor's family!

Empress Lu's mind was guessed by a smart person. Zhang Liang's youngest son, Zhang Pijiang, was only fifteen years old this year, serving as a waiter, and he heard the mystery beside Empress Lu.

Zhang Pijiang went out to find Uncle Chen Ping, the prime minister of Zuo, and asked: "The queen mother only has one son of the first emperor, the first emperor died, but the queen mother couldn't cry, do you know what the reason is?" ”

Chen Ping became alert and asked rhetorically, "What is the reason?" ”

Zhang Pijiang replied: "The son of the first emperor is too young, and the queen mother is afraid of you ministers. You have to take the initiative to ask the Queen Mother to seal the people of the Lu family, and the Queen Mother will rest assured, and she will not trouble the ministers. ”

Chen Ping adopted Zhang Pijiang's suggestion and wrote to ask Empress Lü to appoint several nephews of her mother's family as generals to be in charge of palace guards. Empress Lu was very happy, feeling that the ministers were not distracted, so she relaxed, thinking of her son's early death, and cried sadly. (His weeping is mourning)

The Lü family followed Liu Bang to revolt, and the two elder brothers and several nephews of Empress Lü were successively named Hou, forming a force that should not be underestimated.

The dead Liu Ying did not get the temple number, but only the nickname: Xiaohui, known as Emperor Hui and Emperor Xiaohui in history. 'Filial piety' means that a filial son is good at inheriting his father's business. Starting from Liu Ying, the emperors of the Han Dynasty all had the word 'filial piety' in their nicknames, with the exception of Liu Xiu, the Guangwu Emperor, because he was the lord of Zhongxing. 'Hui' has the meaning of benevolence and suppleness, and it is said in the law that "softness and kindness are said to be benevolent". This nickname is clearly praised and depreciated, and the three famous Hui Emperors in history are all hard-working people, such as Zhu Yunwen, the Ming Hui Emperor, who was ousted from power by his own uncle.

The crown prince Liu Gong ascended the throne and still respected Empress Lu as the empress dowager, and Empress Zhang Yan was renamed Empress Xiaohui. The court is completely ordered by Empress Lu.