Liu Zhiyuan
In 948, Liu Zhiyuan died and was succeeded by his son Liu Chengyou. Pursuant to instructions that Liu Zhiyuan left, a group of high-level officials and generals (Su Fengji, Yang Bin, Shi Hongzhao, and Guo Wei) were entrusted with the responsibilities of the imperial government. Liu Zhiyuan also left instructions to "defend against Du Chongwei," which these officials interpreted as an order to execute Du, and which they then carried out after Liu Zhiyuan's death. As Li was friendly with Du, and they had together surrendered to Liao previously, Li feared that he would be next, and therefore began to prepare for a campaign to resist the Later Han imperial government. He also believed that he was a senior general who had previously endeared himself to the Later Jin imperial guards (which Later Han had inherited) and therefore might be able to entice them to turn to him, and viewed the Later Han regents with contempt. He also sent secret letters to the Liao court (i.e., to Emperor Taizong's nephew and successor Emperor Shizong), but his letters were intercepted by the Later Han border guards, allowing the Later Han regents to be on alert. He was also encouraged by the Buddhist monk Zonglun (), who predicted that he would be emperor one day. Another fortuneteller also predicted that his daughter-in-law Lady Fu (the wife of his son Li Chongxun () and the daughter of fellow senior general Fu Yanqing) would be empress one day, further encouraging him.