Emperor Jianwen
Hou did not act against Emperor Jianwen immediately, but in autumn 551, after his campaign against Emperor Jianwen's brother Xiao Yi the Prince of Xiangdong – then the strongest remaining Liang prince – ended in disaster, he feared for his safety and wanted to seize the throne immediately. Wang persuaded him that before doing so, he needed to demonstrate his power by deposing the emperor. Hou therefore did so, replacing Emperor Jianwen with his grandnephew Xiao Dong, the Prince of Yuzhang. One and a half months later, at Wang's urging, Hou sent Wang to kill Emperor Jianwen. Wang carried it out by first feasting with Emperor Jianwen (who had already known his intent), and then, after Emperor Jianwen became drunk, suffocating him. A month later, Hou forced Xiao Dong to yield the throne to him, establishing a state of Han. Wang was made the prime minister, and it was at his urging that Hou built temples to worship his ancestors, pursuant to Confucian tradition. Because Hou did not know his ancestors' names beyond his grandfather's, Wang had to make up names for them. Wang also tried to curb Hou's frivolous behavior, although this made Hou depressed.