Emperor An of Han spouse Empress Yan Ji
Early reign: regency by Empress Dowager Deng
After Emperor An ascended the throne, however, the real power remained in Empress Dowager Deng's hands. She sent Consort Geng to join her husband in the Principality of Qinghe (in modern central Hebei) so that Emperor An had no real influence on the administration.
Empress Dowager Deng was generally a capable ruler.  While there were natural disasters and wars with Qiang and South Xiongnu, she generally coped with those emergencies well.  She also carried out many criminal law reforms.  During her regency, Emperor An appeared to have minimal input into the affairs of state.  Meanwhile, he became heavily personally influenced by the eunuchs Jiang Jing (江京) and Li Run (李閏), and even more so by his wet nurse  Wang Sheng (王聖).  He also was heavily influenced by his favorite consorts, Empress Yan Ji (閻姬). He made Yan Ji empress in 115, even though she had poisoned one of his other consorts, Consort Li, who had given birth to his only son Liu Bao (劉保) earlier that year.  While these people lacked real power as long as Empress Dowager Deng lived, they were planning to take power as soon as she was no longer be on the scene.  Empress Dowager Deng was somewhat aware of these plans and was offended; she was also disappointed that Emperor An, who was considered a precocious and intelligent child, had neglected his studies and became only interested in drinking and women.  It is suspected that at some point, she even considered replacing the emperor with his cousin Liu Yi (劉翼), the Prince of Pingyuan. However, she eventually decided against it.
On 25 May 120, Emperor An named his only son, Prince Bao, crown prince.
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