At the same time, Wang Lian also identified some of his subordinates with great potential, such as Lü Yi, Du Qi (杜祺) and Liu Gan (劉幹), and promoted them or recommended them to serve in higher positions.
[7][8][9][10][11] He was later given additional appointments as the Administrator (太守) of Shu Commandery (蜀郡; centred around present-day Chengdu, Sichuan) and General of Revival (興業將軍) while remaining in charge of the salt office.
[12][1] In 223, after Liu Shan became the emperor of the Shu Han state, Wang Lian was appointed as a Colonel of the Garrison Cavalry (屯騎校尉) and as the Chief Clerk (長史) of Zhuge Liang, the Imperial Chancellor (丞相), becoming a senior assistant to the most powerful official in the kingdom.
Wang Lian strongly objected and said that Zhuge Liang, given his important status, should not undertake the risk of going into the dangerous and distant Nanzhong region.
Like his father, Wang Shan served as an official in Shu and the highest appointment he held was Administrator of Jiangyang Commandery (江陽郡; around present-day Neijiang, Sichuan).