Shi Hu
Shi Le's wife Empress Dowager Liu decided to take a chance. She conspired with Shi Le's adopted son Shi Kan (石堪) the Prince of Pengcheng to start a rebellion against Shi Hu, but Shi Kan was defeated and executed cruelly by burning. Empress Dowager Liu, after her role was discovered, was also executed. Shi Hong's mother Consort Cheng assumed the empress dowager title. Shi Hu also subsequently defeated the efforts by Shi Sheng (石生) the Prince of Hedong, Shi Lang (石朗), and Guo Quan (郭權) to overthrow him. In 334, unable to stand Shi Hu's persecution, Shi Hong personally visited Shi Hu and offered him the throne and the imperial seal, and Shi Hu refused—making it clear that it would be his initiative, not Shi Hong's, if he wanted the throne. Shi Hong returned to the palace and cried to Empress Dowager Cheng that the descendants of Shi Le would be exterminated. Soon thereafter, claiming that Shi Hong had violated the customs on mourning, Shi Hu deposed Shi Hong and demoted Shi Hong to the title of the Prince of Haiyang and imprisoned Shi Hong along with Empress Dowager Cheng and his brothers Shi Hong (石宏, note different character) the Prince of Qin and Shi Hui (石恢) the Prince of Nanyang in Chongxun Palace, and soon executed them. Shi Le's descendants were, by this point, exterminated by Shi Hu.