Wang Zongbi
It was said that Wang Yan did not personally handle the affairs of state, instead entrusting all the important decisions to Wang Zongbi. Wang Zongbi, however, was corrupt and accepted many bribes, while Song Guangsi flattered both the emperor and him. This was seen as the beginning of the decline of the Former Shu state. It was also said that Wang Yan, Empress Dowager Xu, and Consort Dowager Xu often spent their times visiting the estates of officials and sceneries, drinking, and reciting poems, and the expenses for escorting them created a drain on the treasury. Further, Empress Dowager Xu and Consort Dowager Xu were also selling political offices, including offices as high as prefectural prefects, for money, further corrupting the political scene. Further, whenever Wang Yan's trusted officials and generals violated laws, he would not issue punishment, such that laws lost their powers.