Northern Wei split into Eastern Wei and Western Wei, with Western Wei controlled by the Yuwentai family and Eastern Wei controlled by the Gao Huan family. After Gao Huan's death, his son Gao Cheng (高澄) controlled the imperial government. After Gao Cheng was assassinated, Gao Yang took control of the situation and forced the Eastern Wei Emperor Yuan Shan to take the throne.
Gao Yang succeeded to the throne and became the first emperor of Northern Qi, emperor Wenxuan of Northern Qi. Later, Gao Yang's sixth brother Gao Yan killed Gao Yang's son gao Yin and became the third emperor of Northern Qi, Emperor Xiaozhao of Northern Qi.
When Gao Yan became seriously ill, he feared that his son would be killed by his younger brother Gao Zhan, so he simply passed the throne to his younger brother and instructed his younger brother not to murder his son. Gao Zhan agreed, and he succeeded his brother to the throne and became the fourth emperor of Northern Qi, the Wucheng Emperor of Northern Qi.
However, Gao Yan's son Gao Bainian thought that his uncle Gao Zhan had robbed the throne that originally belonged to him, and he was upset, but he was helpless because he did not have the strength. Therefore, he did not go out all day, and alone on the paper scribbled the word "edict" that only the emperor could use. This incident was discovered by Gao Bainian's teacher Jia Dexin, who reported the situation to the then emperor Gao Zhan. And this day there were two long rainbows in the sky, Gao Zhan saw such a celestial phenomenon, thinking that this heralded the existence of two lords in the human world, at this time he happened to hear Jia Dexin's report, so he ordered someone to arrest his nephew Gao Bainian and ordered him to be beaten to death and throw the body into the pool.
That night, the rain was pouring down, lightning flashed and thundered, Gao Zhan thought that he had killed his nephew Gao Bainian, and the heavens were going to surrender to him, and his heart was weak, and he was frightened and prostrated his head to make reparations.
Although he felt weak in his heart when he killed his nephew, in order to consolidate the throne, Gao Zhan killed the princes and nobles who he considered to pose a threat to his throne, such as Gao Shaode, the son of Emperor Wenxuan Gao Yang, gao Xiaoyu and Gao Xiaowan, the sons of Emperor Wenxiang Gao Cheng, and Gao Xiaowan, and it is said that Gao Zhan's fourth brother Gao Yan was also poisoned by him.
Killing his nephew and brother is not counted, Gao Zhan also inherits his brother Gao Yang's absurd and tyrannical nature, indulging in beauty all day long. Gao Yang's wife, Li Zu'e, was beautiful, so he disregarded human morality and forced Li Zu'e to have an affair with him. When Li Zu'e did not comply, Gao Zhan threatened Li Zu'e's son Gao Shaode. Li Zu'e had no choice but to obey. Soon, Li Zu'e became pregnant and gave birth to a daughter, and she felt ashamed and secretly strangled the baby to death. When Gao Zhan learned of this, he was furious and ordered li Zu'e's son, his nephew Gao Shaode, to be killed. After that, Gao Zhan had Li Zu'e put it in a cloth bag and throw it into the canal.
The Emperor of Northern Qi was mad. After Gao Zhan's death, his son Gao Wei intensified and continued the absurdity and cruelty of his ancestors until Northern Qi was destroyed by Northern Zhou.