 However, upon meeting Gao Yang, who made a display of force by having more than 8000 guards accompany him, Emperor Xiaojing saw that Gao Yang could not be easily dealt with.Meanwhile, Gao Yang headed for the Gaos' stronghold of Jinyang (晉陽, in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), and consolidated his military command there, quickly impressing the generals who had previously looked down on him with quick and careful decisions.In fall and winter 549, with rival Liang Dynasty under internal turmoil after the rebellion of Hou Jing (a former Eastern Wei general who had defected to Liang in 547), Gao Yang sent Peng Le to attack the Liang border provinces, taking over the region between the Huai River and Yangtze River with ease.