Background
Xiao Xian was a great-grandson of Emperor Xuan of Western Liang, a vassal of Western Wei and Northern Zhou, who claimed Liang imperial title under the support from those states with his capital at Jiangling. His throne passed for two more generations, to Emperor Jing (Xiao Cong), until it was abolished by Emperor Wen of Sui in 587. That year, Xiao Xian's grandfather and Emperor Jing's uncle Xiao Yan (蕭巖) the Prince of Anping and Emperor Jing's brother Xiao Huan (蕭瓛) the Prince of Yixing, believing that the Sui general Cui Hongdu (崔弘度) was about to launch a surprise attack on Jiangling with Emperor Jing away at the Sui capital Chang'an to pay homage to Emperor Wen, surrendered to Chen Dynasty with the people of Jiangling, an act that directly led to Emperor Wen's decision to abolish Western Liang notwithstanding Emperor Jing's submissiveness. In 589, after Emperor Wen conquered Chen, he largely spared Chen officials, but as he bore a grudge against Xiao Yan and Xiao Huan for rebelling against him, he had them executed even after they surrendered.
As a result of Xiao Yan's death by execution, his family, unlike the rest of the Xiaos, was not treated well by Sui authorities. Xiao Xian himself was poor in his youth, supporting himself and his mother by serving as a scribe. He was known for being filially pious to his mother. During the reign of Emperor Yang, because Emperor Yang's wife Empress Xiao was a sister of Emperor Jing's, her relatives were generally given governmental offices, and Xiao Xian was made the county magistrate of Luochuan (羅川, in modern Yueyang, Hunan).
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