559 A.D. The Four Kingdoms are established
Southern Liang: Five years of Dading, capital Jiangling (Jingzhou), Emperor Yuan of Liang, Xiao Xiao (cha, cha), 41 years old.
Southern Chen: Three years of Yongding, capital Jiankang (Nanjing), Chen Wudi, Chen Baxian, 57 years old.
Northern Qi: Ten years of Tianbao, capital Jianye (Linzhang County, Hebei Province), Emperor Wenxuan of Qi, Gao Yang, 31 years old.
Northern Zhou: Three years of Emperor Ming, capital Chang'an (Xi'an), Emperor Ming, Yuwen Yu, 26 years old.
1. Nan Chen attacked Wang Lin again
Nan Chen attacked Wang Lin again, but the battle at the front was ineffective, causing the centrist, Yuzhang (Nanchang, Jiangxi Province) Taishou Xiong Tanlang, to waver, and plotted to kill Zhou Wenyu and throw himself at Wang Lin. The generals under Zhou Wenyu received news in advance and persuaded Zhou Wenyu to strike first. But Zhou Wenyu believed: "No, I have few old soldiers and many guest troops, if I take the short-term and everyone is afraid, and I will die, it is better to push my heart to appease it." However, a few days later, when Zhou Wenyu came to Xiong Tanlang's camp, Xiong Tanlang couldn't help but say that he killed Zhou Wenyu at the banquet. Zhou Wenyu's death dealt a huge blow to Chen Baxian, and he, who was already physically sick, cried bitterly when Zhou Wenyu's coffin arrived in Jiankang. Only a day later, Chen Baxian suddenly became ill and died soon after at the age of fifty-seven, known as Emperor Wu.
Chen Baxian died suddenly, but his son Chen Chang was sent to Jiangling as a hostage in 552. Later, Jiangling fell, and Chen Chang was also taken captive to Chang'an, but has not been able to return. For a time, there was a vacuum in the supreme power of Southern Chen. In Jiankang City, only the central leader Du Jiao led the forbidden army and presided over the situation. Du Jiao consulted with Empress Zhang and others, and decided to hide the news of Chen Baxian's death first, and everything in the court was as usual. At the same time, he immediately sent people to summon Chen Qian, the king of Linchuan, to return to Jiankang. Hou Andu happened to be passing through Nanwan at this moment, and returned with Chen Qian. However, until Chen Qian's arrival in Jiankang, Empress Zhang still expected her son Chen Chang to have the opportunity to inherit the throne. Seeing this, Hou Andu took his sword to the hall and said to the secretaries: "The four sides are undecided, so why not go far!" The king of Linchuan has great merit to the world and must be established together. Today's things, those who should be cut off! Saying that, Hou Andu asked Empress Zhang to hand over the emperor's seal. Seeing that Hou Andu was so imposing, no one in the queen and the officials dared to have other intentions.
Chen Qian thus ascended the throne for Emperor Wen of Southern Chen.
Two months later, Yuwen Yu, the king of Northern Zhou, was also officially renamed emperor.
2. Gao Yang, emperor of Northern Qi, died of illness
Gao Yang, the emperor of Northern Qi who had been drinking heavily for a long time and hollowed out his body, was also on the verge of dying in November of that year. Before Gao Yang died, he said to Empress Li Zu'e: "Life must have death, how to pity!" But have mercy on Gao Yin and the young, and people will take the ears! Then he said to Gao Yan, the king of Changshan: "You can take the rivers and mountains, but don't kill Gao Yin!"
Gao Yang appointed Shang Shuling Yang Su, the leading general Gao Guiyan the Prince of Qin, Yan Zixian in the attendant, and Zheng Yi the Huangmen attendant to assist him, and then died of illness at the age of Chinese New Year's Eve.
After Gao Yang's death, the hundred officials cried loudly, but except for Yang Su, no one shed tears. The fifteen-year-old crown prince Gao Yin ascended the throne as emperor, and Gao Yang, under the planning of Yang Yu and Gao Dezheng of the Han clan, and with the support of his cousin Duan Shao, who held the heavy troops of Jinyang, he finally completed the feat of leading an army into Ye and changing the dynasty. From then on, Gao Yang won over the Jinyang Xungui Group on the one hand, and on the other hand, he also restricted the military and political power in the hands of the nobles by promoting the Gao clan and the Han clan. At the time of Gao Yang's death, Gao's clan already held most of the military and political power in Northern Qi.
However, when Gao Yin succeeded to the throne, Gao Yan and Gao Zhan held great power, which became the biggest threat to the Northern Qi imperial power.