At some point, he became an officer under Qin Zongquan, who was then the Tang military governor (Jiedushi) of Fengguo Circuit (奉國, headquartered at Cai Prefecture).
When Qin was involved in the Tang forces' campaigns against the major agrarian rebel Huang Chao, Zhao had battlefield accomplishments and was rewarded by being made the prefect of Shen Prefecture (申州, in modern Xinyang, Henan).
When fellow renegade general Lu Yanhong attacked Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei) in winter 884, Qin sent Zhao and Qin Gao (秦誥) to join Lu in the attack, forcing the military governor of Shannan East, Liu Jurong (劉巨容) to abandon Shannan East's capital Xiang Prefecture (襄州) and flee to Chengdu.
Lu subsequently took over Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan), apparently allowing Zhao to take over Shannan East.
However, in summer 888, the Tang general Guo Yu attacked Jiangling and expelled Wang, taking over Jingnan Circuit.