Xiao Baorong is proclaimed emperor (as Emperor He) in spring 501 but actual powers are in Xiao Yingzhou's hands.

While Xiao Yan's campaign east initially stalemates at Yingcheng (in modern Wuhan, Hubei), by fall 501 he has captured Yingcheng and continues to advance east.

He quickly arrives at the capital Jiankang, putting it under siege.

(During the siege of Jiankang, Xiao Yingzhou, anxious over the facts that Xiao Baojuan's general Xiao Gui is approaching Jianling and that Xiao Yan is so easily able to reach Jiankang and gain popularly support, dieds; from that point on, Emperor He is controlled by Xiao Yingzhou's lieutenant Xiahou Xiang and Xiao Yan's brother Xiao Dan, both of whom support Xiao Yan.)