明帝
After Emperor Qianfei was assassinated by his attendants in 465, his uncle Liu Yu the Prince of Xiangdong succeeded him (as Emperor Ming). Because Emperor Ming and Chu Yuan were friends when Emperor Ming was still an imperial prince, he trusted Chu Yuan and continued to promote him, although in 471, when Emperor Ming grew ill, Chu was not at the capital but was the governor of Wu Commandery (roughly modern Suzhou, Jiangsu). Emperor Ming, wanting to entrust his son Liu Yu the Crown Prince (different character) to Chu, recalled him to the capital, and distrusting his brother Liu Xiuren (劉休仁) the Prince of Jian'an and the prime minister, plotted with Chu to have Liu Xiuren killed. (Initially, Chu opposed this, but when Emperor Ming got angry with him, Chu acquiesced.) Soon, Emperor Ming promoted Chu and Yuan Can to high level posts, preparing them to be in charge of the government after his death.