The eunuch Zheng Zhong had served as the director of imperial gardens during the time of Empress Dowager Dou's regency over Emperor He, and had been among the eunuchs who had not endeared himself to Empress Dowager Dou's clan.

In 92, Emperor He, apparently dissatisfied with his suppression by the Dou clan, had plotted a coup d'etat with his brother Liu Qing the Prince of Qinghe, and Zheng.

They had been successful in carrying out the overthrow of the Dous, and as a reward, Emperor He had promoted Zheng to the post of the empress' palace's head of household.

Zheng had accepted the post but declined most of the monetary rewards that Emperor He gave him, a fact that made Emperor He even more impressed with him.

Emperor He often consulted with him on major affairs of state, and this started a precedent of eunuchs becoming involved in imperial governance.

In 102, breaking past precedent, Emperor He had created Zheng the Marquess of Chaoxiang, making him the first Eastern Han Dynasty eunuch to be created a marquess.

The first Han Dynasty eunuch with true power in government, Zheng has continued to be powerful after Emperor He's death, during the regency of Empress Deng Sui over Emperor Shang and Emperor An.

For his support, she adds three hundred households to his march in 107.

He dies later in the year.