Throughout his reign, the governance of the Yang Wu state was under the effective control of the regent Xu Wen.
[9] In 908, Yang Wo — whose Hongnong state was effectively an independent state after rival warlord Zhu Quanzhong had seized the Tang throne in 907 and established a new Later Liang as its Emperor Taizu but whose legitimacy Yang Wo and several other regional warlords refused to acknowledge — was assassinated by the officers Zhang Hao and Xu Wen.
Shortly after, Xu assassinated Zhang and took over the regency by himself, reassuring an alarmed Lady Dowager Shi (who requested to yield the seat of power to Xu himself and have the Yang household return to their ancestral home of Lu Prefecture (廬州, in modern Hefei, Anhui)) that he had no intent to seize power.
Thereafter, the Wu officials met with Li Yan, the official representative that Emperor Zhaozong had sent to Huainan, and Li, in the name of the Tang emperor, made Yang Longyan the full military governor of Huainan, the supreme commander of the southeastern circuits, the Prince of Hongnong, and honorary chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi).
This led to resentment by a number of Wu's senior generals — Liu Wei (劉威) the military governor of Zhennan Circuit, Tao Ya (陶雅) the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of She Prefecture (歙州, in modern Huangshan, Anhui), Li Yu (李遇) the governor of Xuan Prefecture (宣州, in modern Xuancheng, Anhui), and Li Jian (李簡) the prefect of Chang Prefecture (常州, in modern Changzhou, Jiangsu) — each of whom had greater accomplishments and had higher standing in the army than Xu did when Yang Xingmi was alive.
Li Yu initially agreed, but Xu Jie inadvertently stated, "If you, Lord, do not do so, people will say that you are committing treason."
Liu, knowing this, followed the advice of his guest Huang Na (黃訥) and went to Guangling to pay homage to Yang Longyan.
Xu Wen showed the both of them great respect, acting as if they were Yang Xingmi, and also granted them additional honors.
[6] However, things changed in 915, when Xu Wen, who was then carrying the titles of military governor of Zhenhai Circuit (鎮海, headquartered at Run Prefecture (潤州) in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu) and Duke of Qi, left Guangling and established his headquarters at Run Prefecture.
[12] As junior regent, Xu Zhixun grew arrogant, alienating the Wu officials and officers.
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.
[6] In 916, the Wu officers Ma Qian (馬謙) and Li Qiu (李球) tried to start a coup against Xu Zhixun.
They seized Yang Longyan and ascended a tower, ordering the soldiers to attack Xu Zhixun.
Soon, relief forces launched by Xu Wen from Run Prefecture, commanded by the general Zhu Jin, arrived.
Yang's emissary delivered, as a gift, a kind of oil that, according to historical accounts, would make a fire that was set using it to be immune to being put out by water.
The Khitan emperor was pleased with the gift and immediately considering attacking Jin's You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing), using the oil, but was dissuaded by his wife Empress Shulü Ping.
He therefore established a Jinghuai Circuit (靜淮) at Si Prefecture (泗州, in modern Huai'an) and made Zhu the military governor.
Zhu then entered the palace and showed the head to Yang, stating, "I, your servant, have removed a harm to Your Majesty."
Shortly after, Zhu was cornered by soldiers under Xu Wen's associate Zhai Qian (翟虔), and committed suicide.
He put Li Yan and the general Mi Zhicheng (米志誠) to death and considered carrying out many more executions.