Princess Dowager Helan
Princess Dowager Helan , formally Empress Xianming, was, according to official history of the Xianbei-led Chinese Northern Wei dynasty, the mother of the founding emperor Emperor Daowu. Her husband was Tuoba Gui's father Tuoba Shi, the heir apparent of the Dai prince Tuoba Shiyiqian.
Dangerous times
Lady Helan was a daughter of the Helan tribal chief Helan Yegan, an important general under Tuoba Shiyiqian. Because of her beauty, Tuoba Shiyiqian selected her to be the wife of his son Tuoba Shi. In 371, when the general Baba Jin attempted to assassinate Tuoba Shiyiqian, Tuoba Shi took the brunt of the assault to protect his father, and he died later that year. After Tuoba Shi's death, Helan gave birth to Tuoba Gui. In 377, after Tuoba Shiyiqian was assassinated by his son Tuoba Shijun, Dai fell to Former Qin forces. Initially, she took Tuoba Gui to Helan tribe to be taken under the protection of her brother Helan Na, but later went to be under the protection of the Dugu chief Liu Kuren.Not much was known about Lady Helan or her son for a number of years. In 384, after Former Qin had begun to collapse in light of its defeat at the Battle of Fei River, Liu Kuren tried to aid the Former Qin prince Fu Pi, but was assassinated by his own general Muyu Chang. His son Liu Xian later tried to kill Tuoba Gui, but Lady Helan heard the news and allowed her son to flee. Later, both were again at Helan tribe, when similarly her brother Helan Rangan tried to kill Tuoba Gui, but stopped after she interceded.