Shen Youzhi often claimed that he had entered into a secret oath with Emperor Ming, written on white silk that he then sewed into his vest. Upon hearing of Emperor Houfei's death, his staff members Zong Yanzhi (宗儼之) and Zang Yin (臧寅) both tried to persuade him to start an uprising immediately against Xiao, but Shen failed to do so because his oldest son Shen Yuanyan (沈元琰) was still in Jiankang. Xiao then subsequently sent Shen Yuanyan to Shen Youzhi, along with weapons that Emperor Houfei had used to slice his victims open, to Shen Youzhi to explain the reasons why he had Emperor Houfei assassinated. However, Shen was still displeased that Xiao had taken over the government, and he stated that he would rather be like the Cao Wei general Wang Ling, who had unsuccessfully tried to overthrow Sima Yi, than be Jia Chong, who submitted to and served Sima Yi's sons Sima Shi and Sima Zhao and grandson Emperor Wu of Jin. However, he still could not immediately start his uprising, but kept Shen Yuanyan at Jing Province.