Xiao Baojuan is an arbitrary and violent ruler, and he often executes high level officials based on his perception of them as threats to his rule.

He executes his prime minister Xiao Yi in winter 500, and Xiao Yi's brother Xiao Yan, the governor of Yong Province (modern northwestern Hubei) declares a rebellion from the capital of Yong Province, Xiangyang (in modern Xiangfan, Hubei).

In response, Xiao Baojuan sends the general Liu Shanyang to Jing Province, ordering him to rendezvous with Xiao Yingzhou and then attack Xiangyang.

Xiao Yan, however, persuades Xiao Yingzhou that Liu's orders are to attack both Jing and Yong Provinces, and Xiao Yingzhou, after making Liu believe his good faith by executing Xiao Yan's messenger Wang Tianhu, surprises and kills Liu, seizing his forces.

He then openly declares rebellion and supports Xiao Baorong as nominal leader.

Xiao Yingzhou and Xiao Baorong remain at Jiangling (in modern Jingzhou, Hubei), the capital of Jing Province, which is then made into the provisional capital, while Xiao Yan advances east against Xiao Baojuan's forces.

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.)

Xiao Baojuan's forces, commanded by the generals Wang Zhenguo and Zhang Ji, are initially able to hold the defenses.

However, Xiao Baojuan's associates then tell him that they believe that the reason why Jiankang remains under siege is because Wang and Zhang are not fighting with all their strength—which lead Wang and Zhang to be apprehensive, and they assassinate Xiao Baojuan and surrender.