 Around the new year 684, Emperor Gaozong died, and formally on Pei's suggestion, Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), now empress dowager, took regent powers until a formal enthronement of Li Zhe (as Emperor Zhongzong).She made Pei "Zhongshu Ling" (中書令), the head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省, "Zhongshu Sheng").