Tian Hongzheng
Eventually, He Jintao settled at Weibo's capital Wei Prefecture (), and came to serve in the Weibo army, under then-military governor Tian Hongzheng, who was obedient to the imperial government. In a campaign that Tian waged against Wang Chengzong, the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), when Wang was resisting the imperial government, there was a night when Weibo forces conducted a night raid against Chengde's capital Heng Prefecture (). Wang responded by sending an officer in an iron mask, commanding 1,000 cavalry soldiers, to counterattack against the Weibo forces. He Jintao engaged the Chengde cavalry soldiers and defeated them, almost capturing the officer in iron mask, causing much apprehension among the Chengde soldiers. After a subsequent campaign that Tian conducted against Li Shidao the military governor of Pinglu Circuit (平盧, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong), in which He Jintao made contributions, He Jintao was given the honorary imperial censor title of "Shiyushi" ().