Later, when he began to study, his teachers several times, after marveling at his talent, left their seats and stated, "You, son, have the ability to be a chancellor.
Wuyue's prince Qian Liu gave Wei Zaichang the title of deputy military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu) — an honorary title, because at that time Huainan was under Hongnong's control (and was, in fact, Hongnong's main circuit).
[4][1] It is not known when Yuan Dezhao entered governmental service, but it was said that he started as a surveyor for Qian Liu under Qian's role as the military governor (Jiedushi) of Zhendong Circuit (鎮東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), as well as the magistrate of Qiantang County (錢塘, in modern Hangzhou, Zhejiang), the county housing the Wuyue capital.
He later successively served as the military assistant to the prefect of Mu Prefecture (睦州, in modern Hangzhou); acting prefect of Tai Prefecture (台州, in modern Taizhou, Zhejiang); and the commander of Xinting Base (新亭).
[6] In 946, when Li Da, the former Min general then occupying Min's capital Fú Prefecture (福州, in modern Fuzhou, Jiangsu, note different tone than Yuan's ancestral prefecture) was being attacked by Southern Tang forces, sought aid from Qian Hongzuo, Qian Hongzuo decided to send an army to aid Li Da.
[1] Around the new year 948, Qian Hongzong considered killing the powerful guard general Hu Jinsi, but could not resolve to do so immediately.
Only after Hu exited from the screen (leaving Qian Hongchu inside alone) did Yuan bow to him.
The army officer Chen Man (陳滿) argued to Yuan's chancellor colleague Wu Cheng that Southern Tang was in shock over the Later Zhou invasion and that its important city Chang Prefecture (常州, in modern Changzhou, Jiangsu) would be defenseless and could easily be taken; subsequently, Chen falsely informed Wu that the Later Zhou emperor had already ordered Wuyue to attack.
The Southern Tang military prefect of Chang, Zhao Renze (趙仁澤), was captured by Wuyue forces and delivered to Qiantang.
When brought to Qian Hongchu, Zhao refused to bow to him and rebuked him for breaking the peace between Wuyue and Southern Tang.
When Yuan subsequently fell ill, he made preparations for his own burial and tomb inscriptions.