of passage. Gao Wei was considered a young man of weak personality, and while Gao Wei was emperor, Emperor Wucheng and Retired Empress Hu both greatly favored his younger brother, Gao Yan the Prince of Dongping, honoring Gao Yan with many high offices and making sure that Gao Yan received all of the same supplies as his emperor brother did. Gao Yan was considered intelligent and decisive, and he once asked Emperor Wucheng, "My brother is weak in personality. How can he lead the empire?" Both Emperor Wucheng and Retired Empress Hu considered deposing Gao Wei and making Gao Yan emperor, but did not actually do so. Around the year 569, Emperor Wucheng suffered a major illness and died suddenly, after entrusting the important matters to He Shikai. He Shikai, after initially not announcing Emperor Wucheng's death, did after several days. Retired Empress Hu now carried the title of empress dowager. Middle reign After Emperor Wucheng's death, while Gao Wei formally took on imperial authorities himself, the government was led by a group of eight high-level officials—He Shikai, Lou Dingyuan (婁定遠), Zhao Yanshen (趙彥深), Gao Wenyao (高文遙), Tang Yong (唐邕), Qilian Meng (綦連猛), Gao Anagong, and Empress Dowager Hu's cousin Hu Changcan (胡長粲). However, infighting soon developed, as by spring 569, Emperor Wucheng's cousin Gao Rui (高叡) the Prince of Zhao Commandery, Emperor Wucheng's brother Gao Run (高潤) the Prince of Fengyi, Emperor Wucheng's nephew Gao Yanzong the Prince of Ande, Lou, and Gao Wenyao, were all recommending that He Shikai, who was clearly the most powerful of the eight, be made a provincial governor. Gao Rui, in particular, was most critical of He Shikai for being corrupt and immoral, as it was an open secret that He Shikai was having an affair with Empress Dowager Hu. Faced with the officials' pressure, He Shikai agreed to be sent out to the provinces (along with Gao Wenyao), and it was announced that after Emperor Wucheng's burial, He Shikai would be made the governor of Yan Province while Gao Wenyao would be made the governor of Western Yan Province (西兗州, roughly modern Anyang, Henan). After Emperor Wucheng's burial, Gao Rui pressured He Shikai to leave Yecheng as quickly as possible, despite Empress Dowager Hu's desire to keep He Shikai for 100 days after Emperor Wucheng's burial. He Shikai bribed Lou and was permitted to meet Empress Dowager Hu and Gao Wei once