Wang Sengbian
In spring 552, after Xiao Yi's generals Wang Sengbian and Chen Baxian reached Jiankang and defeated Hou, Wang Wei advised Hou to defend the palace against a potential siege, but Hou instead abandoned Jiankang and fled east. After Hou fled, Wang Wei fled separately with the generals Hou Zijian (侯子鑒) and Chen Qing (陳慶), trying to get to Guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) to join another general, Guo Yuanjian (). However, on the way, Wang Wei became lost and separated from Hou Zijian. He was instead captured by the army commander Huang Gongxi (黃公喜) and delivered to Jiankang. Wang Sengbian rebuked him for fleeing and not dying for his emperor, and Wang, alluding to an incident where Hou had allowed Wang Sengbian to flee, instead responded, "Success and failure had already been determined by heaven. If Hou had accepted my suggestion to detain you, how would you have this success?" Wang Sengbian laughed and was impressed with Wang Wei's fortitude in his response, and only imprisoned him, awaiting instructions from Xiao Yi on what to do. While imprisoned, Wang Wei wrote poems to Xiao Yi's associates and Xiao Yi himself, hoping that his talent could impress them enough to spare him. Xiao Yi was initially inclined to spare him, but Wang Wei's enemies instead told Xiao Yi to read one of the propaganda pieces that Wang Wei had written for Hou. Xiao Yi, who was blind in one eye and sensitive about his blind eye, read: