Qin Zongquan
It is not known when Zhao Deyin was born. His family was from Cai Prefecture (蔡州, in modern Zhumadian, Henan). At some point, he became an officer under Qin Zongquan, who was then the Tang military governor ("Jiedushi") of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered at Cai Prefecture). When Qin was involved in the Tang forces' campaigns against the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao, Zhao had battlefield accomplishments and was rewarded by being made the prefect of Shen Prefecture (申州, in modern Xinyang, Henan).