In winter 552, Xiao Yi declared himself emperor (as Emperor Yuan), but stayed in Jiangling rather than returning to Jiankang. He made Wang Sengbian the governor of Yang Province (揚州, modern southern Jiangsu and southern Anhui). Meanwhile, after Emperor Yuan put Wang Lin under arrest, Wang Lin's soldiers rebelled at Xiang Province, under the command of Wang Lin's lieutenant Lu Na (陸納), and Lu's forces were initially successful, capturing not only Xiang Province but other surrounding territories. Emperor Yuan summoned Wang Sengbian to rendezvous with his cousin Xiao Xun (蕭循) the Marquess of Yifeng to attack Lu. Wang and Xiao Xun were subsequently able to defeat Lu and put Changsha under siege, but were unable to capture it quickly. With Emperor Yuan's brother Xiao Ji the Prince of Wuling also having claimed imperial title and attacking him from the west, Emperor Yuan pardoned Wang Lin, and Lu surrendered to Wang Lin. (Subsequently, Emperor Yuan's forces, no longer divided on two fronts, defeated and killed Xiao Ji, who had earlier killed Wang Sengbian's brother Wang Senglüe when Wang Senglüe tried to persuade him not to claim imperial title.) Wang subsequently arrived at Jiangling to meet Emperor Yuan. In fall 553, Emperor Yuan returned him to his post at Jiankang and returned Chen Baxian, whom Wang had left in charge of Jiankang in his absence, back to Jingkou.