Xu Wen
In 895, the major warlord Yang Xingmi the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) attacked Hao and captured it. Yang's soldiers took Li Bian captive. Yang, finding Li Bian's appearance to be unusual, wanted to take him in as an adoptive son, but Yang's oldest son Yang Wo disliked Li Bian. Yang therefore gave Li Bian to his officer Xu Wen, and Xu took Li Bian as an adoptive son and renamed him Xu Zhigao. As Xu Wen's wife Lady Li had the same surname and felt attached to Xu Zhigao, she cared for him well. It was said that Xu Zhigao served his father with greater filial piety than Xu Wen's other (biological) sons. One time, when he offended Xu Wen, Xu Wen caned him and chased him out of the house. However, when Xu Wen came home at night, Xu Zhigao was waiting at the door for him. Xu Wen asked, "Why are you still here?" Xu Zhigao wept and responded, "Where can a son go but to his parents? When father is angry, I go to mother. This is what human nature is." Xu Wen became even more loving of him, and often put him in charge of family matters. (Xu Wen had six biological sons known to history — Xu Zhixùn, Xu Zhixún, Xu Zhihui (), Xu Zhijian (), Xu Zhizheng (), and Xu Zhi'e (); and it appeared that at least five, if not all six, were younger than Xu Zhigao.) When Xu Zhigao grew older, he became known for calligraphy and archery; he was also intelligent and handsome. Yang Xingmi often told Xu Wen, "Xu Zhigao is capable. None of the older officers' sons can be compared to him."