During Emperor Ping's reign, Wang Mang served as regent, with Grand Empress Dowager Wang's support. When in her presence, he did everything he could to convince her of his faithfulness to the Han Dynasty and also flattered her, but at the same time continued to purge the government of potential enemies and getting his associates to use propaganda to create an aura of holiness about him. In 1, convinced of her nephew's faithfulness, Grand Empress Dowager Wang created him Duke of Anhan (安漢公, literally "Duke who made Han secure")—even though previously there had not been a single duke created in Han history. In 2, when selecting an empress for Emperor Ping, Grand Empress Dowager Wang initially ordered that girls from the Wang clan be excluded, but Wang Mang immediately mobilized a mass of petitioners to surround the palace, urging her to make his daughter empress. Grand Empress Dowager Wang relented and selected Wang Mang's daughter to be Emperor Ping's empress, and she was created as such in 4.