Xianfeng Emperor
Following the death of the Daoguang Emperor in 1850, Yicong's fourth brother Yizhu succeeded their father and became historically known as the Xianfeng Emperor. When the Xianfeng Emperor died in 1861, Yicong and his seventh brother, Yixuan (Prince Chun), were both in Rehe Province with the emperor, while their sixth brother, Yixin (Prince Gong), was in the imperial capital, Beijing. Yicong supported Yixin in the Xinyou Coup of 1861 and helped him seize power from a group of eight regents appointed by the Xianfeng Emperor on his deathbed to assist his son, the Tongzhi Emperor. In 1865, Yicong was appointed as the head of the Imperial Clan Court.