Wang Du
Meanwhile, for several years, Wang Du the military governor of Yiwu Circuit (義武, headquartered in modern Baoding) had been holding the circuit semi-independently, as the circuit had been for decades late in Tang Dynasty, including commissioning his own circuit prefects and keeping his own tax revenues. Emperor Mingzong, however, had long despised Wang Du for having taken over Yiwu after overthrowing his adoptive father Wang Chuzhi in 921. Further, Emperor Mingzong's chief of staff An Chonghui had been trying to reimpose imperial laws on Yiwu, leading to friction between the imperial government and Wang Du. Wang Du also feared the fact that Later Tang imperial troops were repeatedly passing through his circuit due to Khitan incursions, believing that he might himself be attacked one day. Wang Du therefore was trying to establish relationships with other military governors, trying to use the alliances to affirm his own independence. One of the military governors that he tried to contact was Wang Yanqiu, but Wang Yanqiu refused his overtures. He tried to use money to entice Wang Yanqiu's subordinates to assassinate Wang Yanqiu, and Wang Yanqiu discovered this and then submitted evidence to Emperor Mingzong. In summer 928, Emperor Mingzong ordered a general campaign against Wang Du, and shortly after put Wang Yanqiu in charge of the operations, assisted by An Shentong () the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei).