Emperor Huan of Han
Emperor Huan succeeded in removing Liang Ji in September 159 but this only caused an increase in the influence of these eunuchs over all aspects of the government.
In 166, university students rose up in protest against the government and called on Emperor Huan to eliminate all corrupt officials.
After Empress Dowager Deng died in April 121, Emperor An, bearing a grudge against Prince Yi, demoted him to the rank of Marquess of Duxiang and exiled him to his father's principality.
The officials largely favored Emperor Zhi's first cousin Liu Suan (劉蒜) the Prince of Qinghe, who was described as a solemn and proper man.
Because Marquess Zhi was betrothed to his sister and relatively young, Liang Ji felt that he could control him and insisted on making him emperor.
After Emperor Huan's ascension at age 14, Empress Dowager Liang continued to serve as regent.
That same year, Liang Ji, in conjunction with the eunuchs Tang Heng (唐衡) and Zuo Guan (左悺), but with Emperor Huan's clear approval, falsely accused the honest officials Li Gu (李固) and Du Qiao (杜喬) of conspiring to overthrow Emperor Huan and replace him with Prince Suan.
In 150, Empress Dowager Liang announced that she was retiring and returning imperial authority to Emperor Huan.
Zhu Mu (朱穆), the governor of Ji Province (modern central and northern Hebei) had found out that the father of the powerful eunuch Zhao Zhong (趙忠) had been improperly buried in a jade vest, an honor that was reserved to imperial princes.
Emperor Huan did not dare to react to her due to Liang Ji's power, but rarely had sexual relations with her.
He entered into a conspiracy with eunuchs Tang Heng, Zuo Guan, Shan Chao (單超), Xu Huang (徐璜), and Ju Yuan (具瑗) to overthrow Liang—sealing the oath by biting open Dan's arm and swearing by his blood.
A large number of officials were executed or deposed for close association with Liang—so many that the government was almost unable to function for some time.
Liang and Sun's properties were confiscated by the imperial treasury, which allowed the taxes to be reduced by 50% for one year.
Further, the five eunuch-marquesses openly engaged in massive corruption and became extremely wealthy with Emperor Huan's approval.
A song written about the four remaining eunuch-marquesses following Dan's death described them in this way: Emperor Huan himself was also corrupt and unwilling to accept any criticism.
"; despite intercessions by a number of officials and even some fair-minded eunuchs, had Li and his friend Du Zhong (杜眾) both executed.
He wanted to make another consort, Tian Sheng (田聖) empress, but officials opposed this on the basis that she was of lowly birth.
The governor of the capital province (modern western Henan and central Shaanxi), Li Ying, had arrested and executed a fortuneteller named Zhang Cheng (張成), who had had his son kill a man, having predicted that a general pardon was coming.
Only after about a year and Dou Wu's intercession were Li and the university students released, but all of them had their citizenship rights stripped.
She conducted a survey among the members of the imperial clan and decided on the 11-year-old Liu Hong (劉宏), the Marquess of Jieduting, who then ascended the throne as Emperor Ling.
