 He later served as a general under his father during the rebellion of Emperor Ming's brother Liu Xiufan (劉休範) the Prince of Guiyang in 474, early in the reign of Emperor Ming's son Emperor Houfei.By 477, the young but violent and arbitrary Emperor Houfei was universally feared by officials and the people, for he was in the habit of roving outside the palace with his guards, killing all humans or animals that they came in contact with.One night, Emperor Houfei and his guards descended on the Xiaos' old house in Qingxi (青溪), a suburb of the capital Jiankang, where Xiao Ni was residing.