Yang Xingmi
Zhang Hao's activities over the next 12 years were not recorded in history, but by 905, by which time Yang Xingmi had come to control the territory between Huai River and Lake Tai and carried the Tang-bestowed title of Prince of Wu, Zhang was serving as the commander of the right guard corps (with another officer of Yang's, Xu Wen, serving as the commander of the left guard corps). In 905, when Yang grew extremely ill, Yang's oldest son Yang Wo, who was not well-respected by his officers, was serving as the governor (觀察使, "Guanchashi") of Xuan Prefecture. Yang Xingmi instructed his secretary Zhou Yin () to summon Yang Wo, preparing to transfer authorities to him; Zhou opposed this, arguing that Yang Wo was frivolous and an alcoholic, instead suggesting that Yang Xingmi entrust his domain to Liu Wei (), who was then serving as the prefect of Lu Prefecture, instead. Yang Xingmi was shocked by this proposal, and when Xu and Zhang heard of it, they opposed as well on the grounds that Yang Xingmi built his domain and should transfer it to a son; Yang Xingmi agreed. (Subsequently, when Xu and Yan Keqiu realized that Zhou had not sent the order to summon Yang Wo, they took the order and sent it; Yang Wo then returned to Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture (). Yang Xingmi transferred his authorities to Yang Wo, and then died. Yang Wo succeeded him and used the lesser title (bestowed by Emperor Zhaozong's emissary Li Yan) the Prince of Hongnong.