Plotting to gain Zhejiang's independence from the warlord regime of Sun Chuanfang, Xia launched a rebellion in 1926, but was captured and summarily executed.

[8] By the time China's first president Yuan Shikai declared himself emperor in 1916, Xia had risen to chief of the provincial and metropolitan police in Zhejiang.

[9] Many military and civilian leaders around China were opposed to Yuan's monarchism, resulting in rebellions against the Chinese government that culminated in the National Protection War.

[5] With the end of Yuan's regime, Lu Gongwang was appointed as new military governor of Zhejiang,[10] while Shen Dingyi became president of the province's provincial assembly.

[9] As governor, Lu initially had the upper hand in the power struggle, and started to undermine Xia by abolishing the provincial police.

[10] It is likely that Xia was extremely opposed to Fu's accession not just because he wanted to maintain his power, but also due to his fear that his misappropriation of funds could be uncovered.

[12] Though the intervention of assembly president Shen Dingyi prevented bloodshed,[14] the deteriorating political situation in Zhejiang caused the new central government in Beijing to appoint Yang Shande as military governor.

By backing Yang and Lu, Xia did not just maintain his own power, but also managed to make himself irreplaceable as middleman between the military governors and the provincial natives.

[18] In 1924, Xia and other Zhejiang officials cooperated with Zhili clique leaders Wu Peifu and Sun Chuanfang to overthrow Lu.

Xia was required to act as Sun's vice-commander during the fighting, removing him from his power base, while the warlord placed a garrison loyal to himself in Hangzhou.

He welcomed Lu upon his arrival, threw an "impressive" party for him, and even declared an official holiday in his honor, ensuring that the newly appointed military commander-in-chief accepted Xia's submission and kept him in his position.

[25] Furthermore, the Kuomintang's National Revolutionary Army (NRA) under Zhejiang native Chiang Kai-shek had launched the Northern Expedition to reunify China.

[28][29] The civil governor promised to defect if the NRA managed to defeat Wu Peifu at Wuchang (which they did on 10 October), while regional Kuomintang representative Niu Yongjian assured him that an uprising would break out in Shanghai to support him against Sun.

Even though Sun had detected Xia's plans days earlier,[28][29] he had few troops to spare in the defense of Shanghai and thus ordered the railway to the city from Hangzhou torn up.

[26][29][31] Nevertheless, the promised uprising in Shanghai failed to materialize, as the local Communist Party and Kuomintang leaders still debated about the course and chances of success for a rebellion in the city.

[31] The warlord soldiers were let loose on Xia's provisional capital, looting the city while carrying out a "terrible massacre" among its civilian population.