Peng Yue
The Qin Empire was a unitary state following legalist policies but, upon establishing its Han successor, Liu Bang reïnstituted the previous fiefs and granted high titles to relatives and allies. In 202 BC, he created his general Peng Yue the first prince of Liang. Within five years, however, Peng was arrested on false charges of treason and executed. His title was then given to the emperor's son Liu Hui. As Liang was a rich and important patch of territory, its princes were powerful and prominent: many met with untimely deaths either because they began to covet the imperial throne or because they were feared to do so. A famous example apart from Peng Yue was Emperor Jing's younger brother Liu Wu, whose minions executed ten of the emperor's ministers for standing in his way. After the death of Liu Wu in 144 BC, his realm was divided among his five sons. Liu Pengli, the prince of Jidong, became a notorious serial killer and had his lands confiscated by Emperor Jing.