According to the Spring and Autumn Annals of the Ten Kingdoms, citing another work now lost, the Miscellaneous Records from a Blue Box (青箱雜記, Qingxiang Zaji), Ma Xichong was born in 912.
Ma Xichong governed based on his own likes and dislikes, causing the legal system to break down.
In fear, Ma Xichong sent emissaries to Liu, offering peace as coequal circuits — i.e., not asserting authority over Wuping.
He mobilized the people who lived in the territory into an army corps, and, along with Peng Shigao, declared Ma Xi'e the Prince of Hengshan.
[1] Meanwhile, upon his assumption of power, Ma Xichong also spent time feasting; he governed unfairly, and spoke arrogantly, leading the people not to support him.
Li Jing thereafter sent the Southern Tang general Bian Hao to take 10,000 men to head from Yuan Prefecture (袁州, in modern Yichun, Jiangxi) toward Changsha.
[1] As Bian approached Changsha, Ma Xichong first sent emissaries to welcome his army, and then sent the senior official Tuoba Heng (拓拔恆) to bear his letter of surrender to Bian, causing Tuoba to lament, "I lived too long without dying, such that I am bearing the surrender instrument for a child!
"[1] On November 16, 951,[2] Ma Xichong led a group of his younger brothers and nephews to welcome Bian outside the city, and they bowed as they saw the dust stirred up by the approaching army.
The next day, Bian led them back into the city and ascended the tower at Liuyang Gate (瀏陽門) to pronounce Southern Tang forces' arrival, signaling the end of the Ma family's rule.
However, the people of Changsha were resentful of Ma Xi'e's rule, and therefore submitted a petition that Bian be put in command.
Li therefore commissioned Bian as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Wu'an Circuit (武安, headquartered at Changsha).
Bian subsequently also sent the officer Li Chengjian (李承戩) to Mount Heng to order Ma Xi'e to report to Jinling as well.
[1] Sometime later, Ma Xichong and his family were settled at Yang Prefecture (揚州, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu).
Apparently in gratitude, Ma Xichong presented his concubine Lady Yang to the Later Zhou general Han Lingkun (韓令坤).