plan to overthrow Liu Can, and managed to persuade Liu Can, with the help of his two daughters (Empress Dowager Jin and Empress Jin) that several imperial princes and high-level officials were conspiring against him. With Liu Can's approval, those imperial princes and high-level officials were executed. Jin Zhun became in control of government, and, after putting his cousins Jin Ming (靳明) and Jin Kang (靳康) in command of the armies, carried out a coup against Liu Can, capturing and executing him. He then massacred all members of the imperial Liu clan whom he could capture—regardless of gender or age. He also dug up the graves of Liu Cong and the founding emperor, Liu Yuan, and burned the Han Zhao imperial temple. After the coup Jin claimed for himself the titles of supreme commander and (historical sources are in conflict) either "heavenly king" (天王) or "great king" (大王) of Han (the official state name for Han Zhao at the time). He acted in the role of an emperor, and he sent messengers to Emperor Yuan of Jin, claiming that he was about to revert to Jin Dynasty's rule. The Jin emperor believed him, and sent out an army to try to support him. Before that Jin army could come close to arriving, however, Jin Zhun was caught in a trap. The major Han Zhao generals Liu Yao, the Prince of Qin, who controlled the Chang'an region, and Shi Le, who controlled the eastern empire, both moved their troops against him. Shi Le, whose headquarters were closer at Xiangguo (襄國, in modern Xingtai, Hebei), quickly arrived near the capital Pingyang (平陽, in modern Linfen, Shanxi), but chose to not engage Jin Zhun immediately. In winter 318, Liu Yao, a cousin of Liu Cong, declared himself emperor, and advanced on Pingyang as well. Jin was caught between Liu Yao's and Shi's forces. Jin sent imperial garments and wagons to Shi, seeking peace. Shi, however, sent those, along with Jin's messenger, over to Liu Yao. Liu Yao claimed that he admired Jin for carrying out the coup that allowed him to be emperor, because the government had become so corrupt late in Liu Cong's and in Liu Can's reigns, and offered not only to spare his life but to continue to allow him to be an important official. Jin, however, distrusted Liu Yao's offer, because he had killed Liu Yao's mother and brother