Li Baozhen
Li Baozhen believed that, eventually, there would be war against a number of circuits commanded by generals who nominally submitted to Tang authority—Pinglu (平盧, headquartered in modern Weifang, Shandong), Lulong (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), Weibo (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei), Chengde (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), Zhaoyi (昭義, headquartered in modern Anyang, Henan), and Shannan East (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei), believed that Zelu was in a strategic position and was vulnerable to attack. In the aftermaths of the Anshi Rebellion, however, the circuit was lacking in military manpower, and had no financial resources to recruit soldiers. He thus created an innovative program—he selected the strongest of farmers and waived their tax burdens; in exchange, they were to train in archery, and the most capable ones would receive rewards. In three years, he was able to train them sufficiently that he was then able to convert them to an army of 20,000 men. It was said at the time that no other infantry in the realm could rival Zelu's. In 776, after Zhaoyi Circuit was largely seized by Tian Chengsi, the military governor of Weibo Circuit, after the death of its military governor Xue Song, and after the succeeding military governor of the portion of Zhaoyi that came under imperial control, Li Chengzhao (), fell ill, Li Baozhen was given the deputy military governorship of Zhaoyi as well, and Zhaoyi and Zelu were merged. In 777, after Li Baoyu died, Li Baozhen continued to be in command of the merged Zhaoyi Circuit, but still carried the title of deputy military governor.