He began to indulge himself in women and heavy drinking and paid little attention to affairs of state, instead leaving matters to corrupt eunuchs.
[4] Then-Prince Hu was born in 94, to Prince Liu Qing of Qinghe and his concubine, Consort Zuo Xiao E (左小娥).
As they grew older, they became known for beauty and talent and became ladies in waiting in Emperor He's palace; Xiao E was particularly known for her knowledge in history and poetry.
Most of Emperor He's brothers, including Prince Qing, remained in the palace at Luoyang but were ordered to report to their principalities.
However, Empress Deng had initially denied Prince Sheng the throne because she believed him to be frequently ill; she was concerned that he would bear a grudge against her.
She sent Consort Geng to join her husband in the Principality of Qinghe (in modern central Hebei) so that Emperor An had no real influence on the administration.
Meanwhile, he became heavily personally influenced by the eunuchs Jiang Jing (江京) and Li Run (李閏), and even more so by his wet nurse Wang Sheng (王聖).
Empress Dowager Deng was somewhat aware of these plans and was offended; she was also disappointed that Emperor An, who was considered a precocious and intelligent child, had neglected his studies and became only interested in drinking and women.
It is suspected that at some point, she even considered replacing the emperor with his cousin Liu Yi (劉翼), the Prince of Pingyuan.
Initially, Emperor An continued to follow Empress Dowager Deng's policies, including leaving members of her clan in important advisory positions.
However, his own close circle of associates, including Jiang, Li, Wang, and Empress Yan, were ready to act.
One of the most outspoken ones, Yang Zhen (楊震), the commander of the armed forces, was eventually removed from his post in 124 and committed suicide in protest.
In April 125, Emperor An was on a trip to Wancheng (宛城, in modern Nanyang, Henan) when he suddenly felt ill and decided to return to Luoyang.
He is generally believed to have been far younger than Prince Bao, who was ten years old at the time, though his actual age is not recorded in history.