Xu Wen
In the aftermaths of Xu Zhixun's death, Xu Wen, seeing no other options (as his other sons were young), made Xu Zhigao junior regent at Guangling, and Xu Zhigao, by behaving humbly and reasonably, gradually won the hearts of the people. Yan, seeing this and believing that Xu Wen should eventually pass his powers to a biological son, repeatedly suggested to Xu Wen that he had another biological son, Xu Zhixun (younger), take over as junior regent. Knowing that Yan was against him, Xu Zhigao, in cooperation with Luo Zhixiang, tried to have Yan ejected from Guangling to serve as the prefect of Chu Prefecture (楚州, in modern Huai'an). When Yan received the order, however, he went to see Xu Wen. At the meeting, he pointed out that at that time, Wu's nominal ally and fellow rival to Later Liang, Jin, was winning victory after victory over Later Liang, and that Jin's prince Li Cunxu appeared to be posturing to claim the imperial title himself and claim lawful succession from the Tang emperors. Yan argued that, with that being the case, Wu's political structure was untenable since it, like Jin, had been claiming its desire to reestablish Tang. Yan instead suggested that Xu Wen advise Yang Longyan to claim imperial title as well and restructure the Wu political structure to cut off connections to Tang. Xu Wen agreed, and he kept Yan at Guangling to prepare for ceremonies for such a break with Tang. Xu Zhigao, seeing that he could not eliminate Yan, instead decided to make peace with Yan by giving a daughter in marriage to Yan's son Yan Xu.