[3][4] After Li Siyuan became emperor of Jin's successor state Later Tang in 926, Wang Jingchong became a protocol officer (通事舍人, Tongshi Sheren).
[3] During the time of Later Tang's successor state Later Jin, founded by Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, Wang Jingchong continued to serve the imperial government.
He left his brother-in-law Xiao Han in charge of the Later Jin capital Kaifeng (as military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武)).
Li Congyi subsequently submitted to Liu as well, allowing him to enter Kaifeng and take over control of the realm.
When he met Liu Zhiyuan to deliver the reports, he requested that he be allowed to remain in the imperial army and participate in the siege of Yedu.
[3] During the time of Du's resistance against Liu Zhiyuan (which was not successful, and Du eventually surrendered to Liu), two Liao-commissioned military governors to the west, Hou Yi (侯益) the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) and Zhao Kuangzan (趙匡贊) the military governor of Jinchang Circuit (晉昌, headquartered in modern Xi'an, Shaanxi), were unsure of how they would be received by the Later Han emperor, and therefore submitted their realms to Later Shu's emperor Meng Chang.
Liu Zhiyuan decided to dispatch Wang and another general, Qi Cangzhen (齊藏珍) to the region, ostensibly against Dangxiang tribesmen who were intercepting Huigu emissaries, but in reality to take control of Jinchang and Fengxiang.
Before Wang departed Kaifeng, Liu summoned him into the emperor's bedroom and stated to him privately:[7] It is yet to be seen what are in Zhao Kuangzan's and Hou Yi's hearts.
If they were trying to delay to see what the situation might be, you are authorized to take whatever necessary actions there may be.By the time that Wang and Qi arrived at Jinchang's capital Chang'an in spring 948, Zhao had already left for Kaifeng.
Wang mobilized the Jinchang troops, as well as Zhao's personal guards (which he left in Chang'an in order to alleviate fears about him), to prepare to resist Later Shu forces, although he was concerned that Zhao's personal guards might flee, and therefore considered tattooing their faces to mark them.
Wang quickly had the imperial guard soldiers under him take control of the city gates, and he considered, as his staff members suggested to him, killing Hou.
The imperial government, apprehensive about Wang Jingchong's intentions, refused, and issued orders transferring Wang Shou'en (王守恩) the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi) to Jinchang (which was renamed Yongxing (永興)) and Zhao Hui (趙暉) the military governor of Baoyi Circuit (保義, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) to Fengxiang.
[1] Wang Jingchong found excuses to delay his departure from Fengxiang, and for some time tried to order the Jingnan troops to join him.
Meanwhile, around the same time, Li Shouzhen the military governor of Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) rebelled and claimed the title of Prince of Qin.
[1] By late 949, Wang's potential allies were all destroyed or repelled – with Zhao Siwan's having first surrendered to Later Han but then reconsidering a rebellion, and then was killed; Li's city of Hezhong having fallen to Guo and Li's having committed suicide; and Later Shu forces making no inroads into aiding him.