made the director of palace communications, and Zhang Tingfan, whom Zhu put in charge of the imperial guards. Through them, he also established a close relationship with Zhu, and therefore became the most powerful chancellor at court. He was there made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau, the acting director of taxation (Pan Hubu, 判戶部), and created the Baron of Hedong. Later in the year, Zhu had Emperor Zhaozong assassinated and replaced with his son Emperor Ai. Liu continued to serve as chancellor. In 905, Zhu became unhappy with Pei, whom he had previously had a good relationship with, when Pei refused to approve a commission of Zhang as the minister of worship (太常卿, Taichang Qing). Liu took this opportunity to falsely accuse Pei, as well as Dugu and Cui, all of whom he resented for disrespecting him. As a result, all three were removed from their chancellorships. At that time, Zhu was preparing to seize the throne himself, and there happened to be astrological signs that appeared to call for a slaughter. Both Liu and Zhu's close associate Li Zhen advocated slaughtering Tang officials who might oppose him. At their instigation, Zhu had Pei, Dugu, Cui, and some 30 other prominent Tang officials gathered at Baima Station (白馬驛, in modern Anyang, Henan) and ordered them to commit suicide. Their bodies were thrown into the Yellow River. It was said that Liu Can still had tens of officials on his list of executions, but fellow chancellor Zhang Wenwei persuaded him not to carry out those executions. Removal and death Meanwhile, Liu Can, along with Jiang Xuanhui and Zhang Tingfan, were meeting daily, preparing for plans to transition from Tang to Zhu Quanzhong's new dynasty. Believing that historical traditions called for the gradual promotion of Zhu to greater and greater honors, until eventually he receives the imperial throne, they first had Emperor Ai issue an edict making Zhu the generalissimo over all circuits. Zhu, who wanted the transition to proceed even quicker, was incensed. Jiang's deputies Wang Yin (王殷) and Zhao Yinheng, who were jealous of Zhu's trust (up to that point) of Jiang, then falsely accused Jiang and Liu of planning to extend Tang Dynasty's life. In particular, they accused Jiang, Liu, and Zhang of meeting with Emperor Ai's mother (Emperor Zhaozong's wife) Empress Dowager He to plan for Tang's revival, and also Jiang of having