Touman is the earliest named Xiongnu chanyu (匈奴單于), reigning from c. 220–209 BCE. For his succession, Touman favored a younger son from another concubine. To get rid of his eldest son, Modu (冒頓) sent him to the Yuezhi as a hostage, and then made a sudden attack on them. In retaliation the Yuezhi prepared to kill Modu, but he managed to steal a horse and escape back to the Xiongnu. Touman was impressed with his bravery and Modu in command of a force of 10,000 horsemen. Modu was very successful in training his men to obey him absolutely. In 209 BCE, Modu commanded his men to shoot his father, killing him as well as his stepmother, younger brother, and the high officials who refused to take orders from him. Thereafter, Modu became chanyu.