In May of the 25th year of Yuanping, the Governor of Yangzhou, Xu Qing, presented a memorial to the Emperor, alleging that the Deputy Governor of Jinyang Prefecture, Li Mubai, is using his forces to assert his own influence, imprisoning and harming the newly-appointed Prefect and Jinyang officials, overstepping rites and laws, worshiping the Evil God, among other eight major crimes, and requesting imperial orders to punish him.
In June, the imperial decree reached the State Mansion, commanding King Liang, Xiao Ye, to lead Yangzhou's military forces, to eradicate the rebels and redeem the crimes with merit.
King Liang accepted the command, mobilizing thirty thousand state soldiers along the Weishui River, directly targeting Qinghe, and issued a "Proclamation Against the Rebels" to inform the people of Jinyang.
