to have ended the Balhae state, even though Emperor Taizu did not at this time capture Balhae's capital Longquan.) Emperor Taizu set up a Dongdan Kingdom over the old Balhae territory, with its capital at Fuyu, and made Yelü Bei its king, with the title of "Imperial King of Man" (人皇王, Ren Huangwang), echoing the titles used by himself ("Imperial Emperor of Heaven," 天皇帝, Tian Huangdi) and his wife (Yelü Bei's mother) Empress Shulü ("Imperial Empress of Earth," 地皇后, Di Huanghou). He gave his second son (Yelü Bei's younger brother) Yelü Deguang the title of "Generalissimo Crown Prince" and made Yelü Deguang in charge of Linhuang, replacing Yelü Bei. Shortly after conquering Fuyu, however, Emperor Taizu fell ill and died while still at Fuyu. Empress Shulü took over effective leadership of the Khitan, and she and Yelü Bei began the trek of escorting Emperor Taizu's casket back to Linhuang, leaving one of Emperor Taizu's younger brother Yelü Anduan () temporarily in charge at Dongdan. Once then returned to Linhuang, she wanted to divert the succession away from Yelü Bei, as she had favored Yelü Deguang. However, formally, she called an assembly of the chieftains, along with Yelü Bei and Yelü Deguang, and stated to them, "I love both of my sons, and I do not know which one to make emperor. You can decide which one you wish to support by holding his rein." The chieftains, knowing that she favored Yelü Deguang, rushed to him and held to his rein. She thereafter declared him emperor (as Emperor Taizong). Yelü Bei, angry over this turn of events, took several hundred soldiers and wanted to flee to Later Tang (Jin's successor state), but was intercepted by Khitan border guards. Empress Shulü (now empress dowager) did not punish him, but sent him to Dongdan. Emperor Taizong, after becoming emperor, became suspicious as to whether his older brother intended to take back the throne, and therefore moved Dongdan's capital to Dongping (東平, in modern Liaoyang, Liaoning) and forcibly moved the former Balhae people to Dongping. He also put guards in place to monitor Yelü Bei's actions. When Emperor Mingzong of Later Tang heard this, he sent secret emissaries encouraging Yelü Bei to flee to Later Tang. Yelü Bei, commenting, "I yielded the empire to the Emperor, but now I am under suspicion. It is better that I go to another state so that I