remained a provincial governor. Eventually, in 345, that role went to Emperor Mu's granduncle Sima Yu the Prince of Kuaiji. After He Chong's death in 346, the authority was shared between Sima Yu and Cai Mo. After the general Huan Wen conquered Cheng Han in 347, effectively, the imperial government lost authority over the western provinces, with Huan being only nominally submissive. In response, Sima Yu invited the equally renowned Yin Hao to join as a key advisor to the empress dowager. In 348, after he led a failed campaign against the collapsing Later Zhao with major losses, Chu Pou died in humiliation on 1 Jan 350. During the next few years, however, without major campaigns on Jin's part, many of Later Zhao's southern provinces switched their allegiance to Jin, but not firmly so. Huan repeatedly requested permission to march north, but was constantly rebuffed by Sima Yu and Yin, who were concerned that he would be even harder to control if he recovered central and northern China for Jin. In 350, when Empress Dowager Chu was bestowing a greater honor on Cai, Cai repeatedly declined—so much so that, as the emperor, the empress dowager, and the officials waited at the palace for the messengers that the empress dowager sent to his home to return with him, they waited from morning to evening, causing the seven-year-old emperor to be drained. Yin used this opportunity to accuse Cai of disrespect and had him excluded from government and reduced to commoner status. In 352 and 353, Yin made two failed attempts at northern expeditions against Former Yan and Former Qin—and after the second failure, which was caused by Yin's arrogance toward one of the former Later Zhao generals who surrendered to Jin, Yao Xiang (姚襄), causing Yao to rebel in fear and anger—Huan submitted a petition accusing Yin of crimes, and with popular sentiment against Yin, Sima Yu was forced to exile Yin. From that point on, the imperial government rarely went against Huan's wishes. In 354, Huan attacked Former Qin and enjoyed some initial successes, moving within miles of the Former Qin capital Chang'an, but eventually hesitated when he was close, and Former Qin fought back and forced him to retreat. In 356, Huan marched north again and was able to force Yao out of the Luoyang region, which he had occupied, and this allowed Jin to regain control of the