Emperor Ling, after the destruction of the Dou clan, honors his mother Consort Dong as an empress dowager in 169, but continues to also honor Empress Dowager Dou (now placed under house arrest by the eunuchs) as an empress dowager.

Members of the Dong clan begin to enter government, but do not have substantial influence.

Later this year, the eunuchs persuade Emperor Ling that the "partisans" (i.e., Confucian officials and Academy students who support them) are plotting against him, and a large number of partisans are arrested and killed; the others have their civil liberties stripped completely, in what later is known as the second Disaster of Partisan Prohibitions.