Wucheng died. He Shikai continued to be the most powerful official at court, but, even though he defeated several officials who tried to have him removed in 569, he had to share power with a number of individuals, including several of the young emperor Gao Wei's favorites—his wet nurse Lu Lingxuan and her son Mu Tipo, the guard commander Han Zhangluan, and the official Gao Anagong. Also in 569, Gao Wei, remembering Zu's contribution to his becoming emperor, released Zu from the dungeon in Guang Province and made him the governor of Hai Province (海州, roughly modern Lianyungang, Jiangsu). Zu took the chance to ingratiate himself with Lu Lingxuan and her brother Lu Xida (陸悉達), suggesting that he would be willing to serve as their strategist—and at the same time, He Shikai also thought of the same idea, and therefore recalled Zu back to the capital and reconciled with him. When, subsequently, Gao Wei's uncle Hu Changren (胡長仁) the Prince of Longdong formed a failed plot to assassinate He Shikai, it was Zu who suggested citing the example of how Emperor Wen of Han forced his uncle Bo Zhao (薄昭) to commit suicide to persuade Gao Wei to force Hu to commit suicide, as Gao Wei eventually did. In 571, Gao Wei's younger brother Gao Yan the Prince of Langye, unable to stand the hold that He Shikai had on power, killed him by trickery, but subsequently failed in seizing power when the famed general Hulü Guang refused to side with him and was put under house arrest. After He Shikai's death, Zu formed a closer relationship with Lady Lu, and in winter 571, it was by her suggestion that Gao Wei removed Zhao Yanshen from his office and made him a provincial governor, replacing him with Zu. Subsequently, when Lady Lu, whom Gao Yan also targeted in his plot, suggested Gao Wei kill Gao Yan, Gao Wei took Zu into the palace and consulted him—and it was Zu, citing the example of the Duke of Zhou killing his treasonous brother the Ji Xian (姬鮮) the Lord of Guan and Ji You (姬友), a prince of Lu, poisoning his equally treasonous brother Ji Qingfu (姬慶父), who persuaded Gao Wei to have Gao Yan killed. Also in winter 571, after Gao Wei's mother Empress Dowager Hu was found to have carried on an affair with the Buddhist monk Tanxian (曇獻), Gao