Xia rationalized the emperor's grand scheme for four separate sacrifices to Heaven, Earth, the Sun, and the Moon, and endorsed it.

When the Jiajing Emperor went back to Zhongxiang and prayed at Xianling Tomb, Yan Song requested to let officials convey their congratulations.

With his support, Xia Yan caused his political adversary Guo Xun (郭勛) to be imprisoned in 1541 until his death in the next year.

[4] Xia had previously disagreed with Guo Xun's proposal to move the crown prince into one of the two inner palaces that became vacated due to the deaths of two empresses.

But when the emperor consulted him, on the issue, Xia made self-contradictory comments that appeared to take Guo Xun's side in the end.

Finding it highly objectionable, the emperor began to suspect the censors involved in Guo's case.

On July 1542 the emperor asked several high-ranking officials to ride a horse to work, he also granted them xiangye jin (香葉巾; a special headgear as something between laurel wreath and kerchief for Taoist rituals, it may be made from leaves of Aquilaria sinensis[5]) to wear.

Xia Yan was the only one to refuse; he took a litter and wore the normal trappings, since he thought the wreath violated the rites.

Such significant military and political affairs related to national security, Xia actually made decisions at home in private.

The emperor gave another edict, blaming the officials' misconduct for the abnormal eclipse, and sanctioned Xia's resignation.

Thirteen officials were exiled in total, and Gao Shi was banished to the frontiers for his impeachment of Guo Xun.

Heard that he was implicated in Zeng's case as soon as he arrived in Tongzhou, Xia was so scared that fell off his carriage, saying "Alas!

[2] He fought to prove his innocence and affirmed that Yan set him up, but his letter to the emperor failed to redress.

Eventually, Xia was executed at the market publicly on 31 October 1548, following Zeng Xian's death in April.