In summer 564, there were astrological signs that portended ill fortune for the emperor, and Emperor Wucheng thought of deflecting that ill fortune on his nephew Gao Bainian. At that same time, Gao Bainian's teacher Jia Dezhou (賈德冑) submitted several instances of the character "chi" (敕) -- a character that meant "imperial edict," and which only the emperor was supposed to use—that Gao Bainian had written, to Emperor Wucheng. Emperor Wucheng summoned Gao Bainian to the palace, and, after ordering him to write "chi" to make certain that the handwriting fit what Jia submitted, had his guards batter Gao Bainian severely, beheading him after he was already severely injured.