ou ▁C oup ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁with ▁the ▁aid ▁of ▁the ▁Em press ▁Dow agers ▁Ci ' an ▁and ▁C ix i ▁and ▁seized ▁power ▁from ▁a ▁group ▁of ▁eight ▁reg ents ▁appointed ▁by ▁the ▁X ian f eng ▁Emperor ▁on ▁his ▁death bed ▁to ▁assist ▁his ▁young ▁son ▁and ▁successor , ▁the ▁T ong z hi ▁Emperor . ▁After ▁the ▁coup , ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁Prince - Reg ent ▁from ▁ 1 8 6 1 – 6 5 ▁and ▁pres ided ▁over ▁the ▁re forms ▁implemented ▁during ▁the ▁T ong z hi ▁Rest oration ▁( 1 8 6 0 – 7 4 ). ▁Despite ▁his ▁dem ot ions ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 5 ▁and ▁ 1 8 7 4 ▁for ▁alleg ed ▁cor ruption ▁and ▁dis res pect ▁towards ▁the ▁Emperor , ▁Prince ▁G ong ▁continued ▁to ▁lead ▁the ▁Grand ▁Council ▁and ▁remain ▁a ▁highly ▁influ ential ▁figure ▁in ▁the ▁Q ing ▁government . ▁The ▁final ▁dec ades ▁of ▁Prince ▁G ong ' s ▁career , ▁under ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁his ▁nep hew ▁the ▁Gu ang x u ▁Emperor , ▁were ▁mar red ▁by ▁his ▁conflict ▁with ▁conserv ative ▁elements ▁in ▁the ▁Q ing ▁imperial ▁court ▁– ▁particularly ▁his ▁former ▁al ly ▁C ix i ▁– ▁and ▁ended ▁with ▁his ▁death ▁in ▁relative ▁dis gra ce . ▁ ▁Having ▁established ▁in ▁ 1 8 6 1 ▁the ▁Z ong li ▁Y amen , ▁the ▁Q ing ▁government ' s ▁de ▁fact o ▁foreign ▁affairs ▁min istry , ▁Prince