He served as the junior regent from 915 to his death in 918, with his father stationing himself at Jinling away from the capital Guangling (廣陵, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu).
As, in his youth, Xu Wen had already become the regent of Wu, he, based on his father's status, was carrying out improper actions with impunity.
[2] In 916, the Wu officers Ma Qian (馬謙) and Li Qiu (李球) tried to start a coup against Xu Zhixun.
Soon, relief forces launched by Xu Wen from Run Prefecture, commanded by the general Zhu Jin, arrived.
An Wu army was launched, with Xu Zhixun and Zhu in command, and they put Later Liang's Ying Prefecture (潁州, in modern Fuyang, Anhui) under siege.
On yet another occasion, when they were both watching flowers at Chanzhi Temple (禪智寺), Xu Zhixun was drunk and became very insulting toward Yang Longyan, such that the prince became fearful and began to cry.
On an occasion when he gathered the brothers for a feast, Xu Zhigao was unable to attend, causing him to make the remark, "The beggar does not want wine.
It was said that, among his staff members, only Diao dared to advise him to change his ways,[4] and that the reason why the Wu administration did not fall into complete disarray was because Xu Zhijian was assisting him in policy matters.
[2] By 918, Xu Zhixun, who then carried the titles of commander of all Huainan cavalry and infantry soldiers, military governor (Jiedushi) of Changhua Circuit (the location of which was not recorded in history), and the honorary chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), had also alienated Zhu Jin,[4] who had previously taught him military strategies.
He therefore established a Jinghuai Circuit (靜淮) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an) and made Zhu the military governor.
However, shortly after, Zhu, who failed in his attempt to solicit Yang Longyan's support for this action, was cornered by soldiers under Xu Wen's associate Zhai Qian (翟虔), and committed suicide.