In 571, Gao Yan, offended by He Shikai, who feared his power and wanted to demote him to a provincial governorship, arrested He Shikai and executed him. However, when his associates, including Empress Dowager Hu's brother-in-law Feng Zicong (馮子琮), encouraged him to further seize the reins of imperial government, he hesitated—and his troops dissipated when the powerful general Hulü Guang, the father of Gao Wei's wife Empress Hulü, refused to side with him. Empress Dowager Hu had Feng executed, but tried to preserve Gao Yan's life by keeping him with her at all times. However, at Lu's instigation, Gao Wei decided to kill Gao Yan, and did so in winter 571 by tricking Empress Dowager Hu into believing that he was only inviting Gao Yan on a hunt. Subsequently, to placate Empress Dowager Hu, Gao Wei posthumously honored Gao Yan as "Emperor Gong'ai of Chu" and honored Gao Yan's wife Princess Li as the Empress of Chu.