Guo Chongtao
In 923, Li Cunxu declared himself the emperor of a new Later Tang (as Emperor Zhuangzong) at Wei Prefecture (which he renamed Xingtang Municipality (). As part of the orders commissioning various officers to imperial offices, he was considering whom to name as the director of material pricing (租庸使, "Zuyongshi") — i.e., the official in charge of the key functions of taxation, treasury, and salt and iron monopolies. Kong Qian considered himself capable and suitable for the position, but the popular sentiment among the officials at the time was that Kong was of too lowly birth and had insufficient previous accomplishments to serve in such a post, so Emperor Zhuangzong's chief of staff Guo Chongtao recommended the senior officer Zhang Xian () to serve in that office, with Kong serving as his deputy. This displeased Kong.