[2][3] Throughout Emperor Min's reign, he constantly clashed with the Han-Zhao general Liu Yao but was ultimately unable to halt Han's advances into Chang'an.
After the fall of Chang'an in 316, Suo was executed for disloyalty, after he had used Emperor Min's surrender as a means to secure a high position for himself in the Han regime.
This feat earned him the reverence of the populace, and he soon found himself appointed to a succession of posts, all of which he served with distinction, with his most notable being Prefect of Chang'an.
That same year, Liu Cong attacked Sima Mo again, so Suo was appointed General Who Maintains The West and Administrator of Pingyi.
After Jia Ya defeated Liu Yao at Huangqiu (黃丘, in present-day Tai'erzhuang District, Shandong) and Liu Can was driven back from Xinfeng (新豐县, in Jingzhao, modern-day Shaanxi), many people around the Chang'an region surrendered to Jia Ya, and the city was reclaimed.
Both Suo Chen and Qu Yun feared that Yan Ding had grown too powerful, so they used Liang Zong's death as a pretext to attack him.
Yan Ding was defeated and fled to Yongzhou, where he was killed by the Di tribesman Dou Shou (竇首), who then sent his head back to Chang'an.
When news of his death reached Chang'an, Sima Ye mourned for him and soon assumed the imperial title for himself; he would be posthumously known as Emperor Min of Jin.
With Zhao Ran, he attacked Qu Yun at his base in Huangbai (黃白城, in present-day Xianyang, Shaanxi) defeating him several times.
For repelling Zhao Ran, Suo was further promoted to Grand General of the Agile Cavalry and Supervisor of the Left of the Masters of Writing.
Around the same time, Liu Yao was invading Beidi (北地, in present-day Qingyang, Gansu) and Qu Yun struggled to oppose him.
Qu Yun wished to bring Emperor Min over to Sima Bao in Qinzhou who had a stronger army and base to oppose Han.
His son told Liu Yao that Chang'an can still hold out for a year, but if he were to give his father a high position in Han's government, he will surrender the city.