joint leadership of Princess Taiping and Li Longji) rose on 21 July, first killing Wei Bo, Gao, and Empress Wei's cousin Wei Gui (韋璿). They then attacked the palace. Li Longji rushed directly into the heart of the enemy with 10,000 armed soldiers, and looked for Empress Dowager Wei and Li Guo'er. When Empress Dowager Wei panicked and fled to an imperial guard camp, a guard beheaded her. Li Guo'er, Wu Yanxiu, and Lady Helou were killed as well. Li Longji soon slaughtered a number of officials in Empress Dowager's faction as well as her clan, while displaying Empress Dowager Wei's body on the street. Thereafter, at the urging of Princess Taiping, Li Longji, and Li Longji's brother Li Chengqi the Prince of Song, Li Dan retook the throne. In fact, no one dared to praise or propose Li Dan as emperor, Princess Taiping did it first, and Princess Taiping summoned the courtiers and decided to transfer power from Emperor Shang to Li Dan and she was bold enough to told all the officials: she also tell the little emperor: Princess Taiping grabbed Emperor Shang's collar at the replacement ceremony and lowered him while he was still sitting on the throne, reducing Li Chongmao back to the title of Prince of Wen, and she ordered his arrest. She took Li Dan's hand and placed him on the throne, and following her actions, Li Longji also expressed his support and guaranteed his father reign. During Emperor Ruizong's second reign: Ruling an empire After Emperor Ruizong returned to the throne, she was awarded the unprecedented title of Zhenguo Taiping Gongzhu Wanhou (鎮國太平公主万侯) — literally "the Princess Taiping who secured the state and has the obedience of all." Against this backdrop, the following edict was issued in the name of Ruizong to reward Princess Taiping with additional households of income: The edict, together with the reward, was a part of the complicated negotiation at the heart of the delicate alliance between Li Longji and Princess Taiping. On its surface, the throne was using this edict to reward Princess Taiping; in reality, Princess Taiping was one of the real powerholders behind the throne, and her agency permeated every part of the imperial decision making. Indeed, the edict acknowledged, in the emperor's voice, that Princess Taiping supported "Us" as the emperor. In other words, the edict publicly proclaimed a version of history that featured Princess