王宗弼
As of 918, Wang Zongbi was serving as the commander of the forces against Qi, when Wang Jian became seriously ill. Because Wang Jian considered Wang Zongbi to be calm and full of strategies, he judged Wang Zongbi as an appropriate assistant to his designated heir, the Crown Prince Wang Zongyan, in ruling the state. He thus summoned Wang Zongbi back from the northern border with Qi and put him in command of the palace guards. While Wang Jian was near death, his overseer of imperial stables, Tang Wenyi () tried to start a coup to monopolize power, but Tang's plot was reported to Wang Zongbi and the other senior officials by Tang's subordinate Pan Zaiying (). As a result, Tang was exiled (and later executed), and Wang Jian subsequently entrusted Wang Zongyan to four of his adopted sons – Wang Zongbi, Wang Zongyao, Wang Zongwan () and Wang Zongkui () – and the eunuch Song Guangsi (). He then died, and Wang Zongyan took the throne under the name Wang Yan.