In 2 AD, Wang Mang decided to cement his position by having his daughter married to Emperor Ping.
He declared, in accordance with ancient customs, that Emperor Ping would have one wife and 11 concubines, and started a selection process by identifying eligible noble young ladies.
After a few days of suffering, Emperor Ping died making Empress Wang a widow at the age of 13.
Traditional historical accounts describe Empress Wang as an unhappy widow during her father's reign, still retaining her loyalty to the overthrown Han dynasty.
Wang Mang, believing that he could solve her unhappiness by having her remarry, changed her title from Duchess Dowager of Ding'an to Princess Huanghuang in c.December 10 AD,[8] terminating her formal linkage with the Han dynasty.
He instructed Sun Jian's son to dress himself well and accompany physicians to go visit Princess Huanghuang.
Wang Mang, although displeased, decided to go along with this prophecy, and in fact commissioned Zhen Feng and Ping as viceroys.
Wang Mang decided to take this chance to suppress all prophecies that did not come from him, and ordered that Zhen Xun be arrested.
In 11 AD, he was finally arrested and exiled to Sanwei (三危, in modern Jiuquan, Gansu).