Huan Xuan was so struck by the statement that he fell prostrate on the ground, fearing that Sima Daozi would kill him, and from this point he bore a grudge against the prince. Eventually, Huan Xuan became the governor of Yixing Commandery (義興, roughly modern Wuxi, Jiangsu), but felt that the post was not sufficient for his talent, and he therefore resigned and returned to his dukedom, and he wrote a report to Emperor Xiaowu that was highly accusatory in tone in which he claimed that Emperor Xiaowu had much to owe to Huan Wen, and Emperor Xiaowu ignored the report.
Huan Xuan's reaction to the statement led to a lasting rift between him and Sima Daozi, and he went on to become governor of Yixing Commandery (modern-day Wuxi, Jiangsu), but felt that his abilities were not being fully utilized. He subsequently resigned and wrote a report to Emperor Xiaowu, accusing him of owing great debt to Huan Wen, which the emperor chose to ignore.