Zhou Dewei
One of the first crises that Li Cunxu had to deal with was the siege that Later Liang forces were conducting against Zhaoyi's capital Lu Prefecture (), defended by Li Sizhao. Li Cunxu himself and Zhou Dewei commanded the subsequent successful relief mission to Lu, and Li Cunshen served under Zhou during the battle. After the battle, he was given the honorary title of acting "Situ" (司徒, one of the Three Excellencies), and made the prefect of Xin Prefecture (忻州, in modern Xinzhou, Shanxi) and the commander of all Han and non-Han cavalry and infantry forces. In 910, he was made acting "Taibao" () and the deputy overseer of all Han and non-Han. That year, when Li Cunxu himself went to the rescue of the former Later Liang vassal Wang Rong the Prince of Zhao, who was under attack by Later Liang forces, he put Li Cunshen in charge of Taiyuan. After defeating Later Liang forces, Li Cunxu put Li Cunshen in charge of the defense of the new southeastern border between Jin/Zhao and Later Liang, stationed at Zhao Prefecture (趙州, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei).