Emperor Jianwen
During Emperor Jianwen's reign, Hou was actually in control, although most Liang provincial governors refused to follow Hou's orders (issued as imperial edicts by Emperor Jianwen). When Hou was away from the capital to attack those provincial governors, Wang stayed in Jiankang to defend the capital. In 550, when Hou was away on one such campaign, Emperor Wu's grandson Xiao Huili () the Prince of Nankang tried to start a coup at Jiankang to kill Wang, but Wang discovered his plot and put him and his coconspirators to death. While Wang could not prove that Emperor Jianwen was involved, both he and Hou became more suspicious of Emperor Jianwen, notwithstanding that Hou had married Emperor Jianwen's daughter Princess Liyang. Nevertheless, Hou continued to favor Princess Liyang greatly, and Wang, feeling that he was spending too much time with her and not enough time on important matters of state, advised him to spend less time with her. However, this brought Wang into conflict with the princess, and she argued with him. Fearing that Hou would turn against him at the princess' urging, Wang instead advised Hou to get rid of the emperor.