Liang Ji
By 146, Liu Zhi had inherited his father's title and was betrothed to Liang Nüying, the younger sister of the regent Empress Dowager Liang Na and her violent and corrupt brother, Grand Marshal Liang Ji. That year, Liang Ji, bearing a grudge against the eight-year-old Emperor Zhi for calling him an "arrogant general," murdered the young emperor by poison. The officials largely favored Emperor Zhi's first cousin Liu Suan () the Prince of Qinghe, who was described as a solemn and proper man. Prince Suan's age was not given in history, though he appeared to be an adult by this time. However, Liang Ji was hesitant to yield authority to an able emperor. Because Marquess Zhi was betrothed to his sister and relatively young, Liang Ji felt that he could control him and insisted on making him emperor. Marquess Zhi took the throne later that year as Emperor Huan.