In 549 AD, Emperor Wu of Liang was dying, and his heart was mixed. The Southern Liang Dynasty once rose to prominence under the leadership of Xiao Yan, but during the reign of Emperor Wu of Liang, it fell into internal and external difficulties and eventually collapsed. However, Emperor Wu of Liang longed for a bowl of honey water in his heart, but unfortunately his wish failed. In the Battle of Jinling, 300,000 Liang troops were sent to Beijing for reinforcements, but they created an opportunity for Hou Jing to counterattack because they were waiting and watching. This war not only destroyed the foundation of the Southern Dynasties, but also laid the groundwork for the rise of the Sui and Tang dynasties, however, the price paid was huge, and the people of Jiangnan suffered greatly.
After the outbreak of the Six Towns Uprising, the Northern Wei Dynasty was in civil strife, Er Zhurong rose, and Hou Jing also took the opportunity to intervene. Although Hou Jing was nominally Gao Huan's subordinate, he showed a strong sense of independence and had his own armed forces and Henan territory. Although Hou Jing is slightly inferior to Yu Wentai and Gao Huan in military affairs, he is very skilled in strategy and strategy. However, due to physical reasons, Hou Jing was unable to go into battle in person. During the struggle between the Eastern Wei and Western Wei, Yuwentai ambushed 10,000 elite soldiers in Shayuan, but Hou Jing's proposal to burn the reeds was not adopted. This mistake prevented Yuwentai from ending the fight when the time came. Hou Jing was in a semi-independent state, with a strong army and territory, so he was feared by Gao Huan.
In 547, Gao Huan died of illness, and his son Gao Cheng took over as prime minister, and his relationship with Hou Jing deteriorated sharply. Hou Jing realized that Gao Cheng posed a threat to him, so he decided to surrender to Yuwentai. However, Yuwentai did not actively support, which eventually led to the decline of Hou Jing's power. The situation in the Southern Dynasties resembled that of the Three Kingdoms period, with the Eastern Wei (later Northern Qi) being strong, the Western Wei (later Northern Zhou) having fewer troops but being united, and the Southern Dynasties having a strong economy but full of internal contradictions. Yuwentai skillfully exploited the contradictions between Hou Jing and Gao Cheng in an attempt to make them kill each other for his own benefit. However, Hou Jing saw through Yuwentai's calculations and finally chose to defect to Nanliang.
Although the ministers of the Southern Dynasty opposed the admission of Hou Jing, Xiao Yan decided to accommodate him, hoping to use Hou Jing's power to confront the Eastern Wei. 150,000 Liang troops went north to support Hou Jing, but suffered heavy losses under the command of Murong Shaozong. After Hou Jing came to the Southern Dynasty, there were only more than 800 people left under his command, and all the cities were lost. However, Xiao Yan did not take strong measures, but generously settled him, providing **, soldiers and horses, and money. In the process, Hou Jing expanded his power, while the Southern Dynasty failed to reap substantial rewards.
By 548, Xiao Yan tried to ease relations with the Eastern Wei and planned to "send" Hou Jing back in exchange for his son Xiao Yuanming. However, Hou Jing was dissatisfied with this arrangement and rebelled. Hou Jing's rebellion stemmed from his collusion with Xiao Zhengde, and they reached an agreement: Hou Jing would become the ruler of the empire, and Xiao Zhengde would become emperor. However, Hou Jing's ambitions were ultimately unfulfilled and he was eventually killed, plunging the Southern Dynasty into chaos. This turmoil led to the death of the five emperors of the Southern Dynasties, the demise of Emperor Wu of Liang, and the chaos and displacement of the Jiangnan region. At the same time, the Northern Qi and Yuwentai strengthened their power in this turmoil, creating conditions for the establishment of the Sui and Tang dynasties.