Yan Xu (嚴續) (910[1]–967[2][3]), courtesy name Xingzong (興宗), was an official of the Chinese Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms Period states Wu and Southern Tang, serving as a chancellor during the reigns of Southern Tang's last two emperors, Li Jing and Li Yu.
[1] After Xu Zhigao seized the throne in 937, ending Wu and starting Southern Tang (and subsequently changing his name to Li Bian),[5] Yan Xu was made the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and Shangshu Zuo Cheng (尚書左丞), one of the secretaries general at the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng).
Li Jing once spoke to Chang, stating, "Among the key officials, only Yan Xu is fair and independent, but he lacks abilities.
However, not long after, Chang was relieved of his duties of being in charge of the Xuanzheng Hall (宣政院), where he drafted edicts for Li Jing (albeit remaining as imperial scholar), and Yan was sent out of the imperial government to serve as the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Chi Prefecture (池州, in modern Chizhou, Anhui), such that Chang became distressed and no longer involved himself in affairs of state.
As a result of this public declaration, Song's partisans felt compelled to have Yan recalled back to the imperial government to again serve as Zhongshu Shilang and the director of the three financial agencies (taxation, treasury, and salt and iron monopolies).
However, he was later again sent out of the imperial government to serve as the military governor of Fenghua Circuit (奉化, headquartered in Jiujiang, Jiangxi).
[1] After Yan served for several years at Fenghua, he was again recalled to the imperial government to be Zhongshu Shilang and acting head of the executive bureau (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng).
[11] Li Yu gave Yan Xu the title of Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies) and again made him chancellor.
Sometime in or prior to 965, at Yan's request, he was made the military governor of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu).