At Shengle, Liwei submitted to the Cao Wei and later the Western Jin, and he began subjugating neighbouring tribes to expand his influence.

In 304, the tribes of the Five Divisions in Bing province rebelled and established the Han-Zhao dynasty while the Jin princes were in civil war.

Though divided, the Tuoba saw the newly-formed Han state as a common threat and thus cooperated with each other to provide Jin with cavalry support against them.

Yilu's nephew, Tuoba Pugen managed to kill Liuxiu and proclaimed himself the new Prince of Dai, but he was unable to put an end to the crisis.

As regent, Lady Qi submitted to the Later Zhao dynasty, whose people referred to Dai at the time as a "queendom" (女國).

Heru began exercising power in 324 and moved the capital to Mount Dongmugen (東木根山; northwest of present-day Xinghe County, Inner Mongolia), but he soon died in 325 and was succeeded by his brother, Tuoba Hena.

Shiyiqian ascended the throne north of Fanji (繁畤; in present-day Fanshi County, Shanxi), and he willingly split his domain with Tuoba Gu.

His territory supposedly spanned from the Yemaek in the east to the Fergana in the west, and from the Yin Mountains in the south to the northern edge of the desert.

Shiyiqian repeatedly defeated the Tiefu, but in 376, their chieftain, Liu Weichen persuaded the Former Qin to launch a campaign against Dai.

In 386, taking advantage of Former Qin's rapid decline that followed the Battle of Fei River, Tuoba Gui restored his family's state.