Around this time, Zu Ting had been persuading He Shikai that his fortunes were tied to the emperor's -- and that if the emperor shall die, he would be in a desperate situation—and that he could solve this by suggesting Emperor Wucheng to pass the throne to Crown Prince Wei, so that both the crown prince and Empress Hu would be grateful to him as well. He Shikai agreed, and both he and Zu offered the suggestion to Emperor Wucheng—stating to him that astrological signs indicating that the imperial position would be changed was a sign that he should pass the throne, particularly because it would be even more honored to be the father of an emperor than to be an emperor. Emperor Wucheng agreed, and in summer 565, he passed the throne to the eight-year-old Crown Prince Wei, creating Gao Wei's wife Crown Princess Hulü (Hulü Guang's daughter) empress. Emperor Wucheng took the title "Taishang Huang" (retired emperor).