Emperor Ai of Tang
Li Zuo was born in 892, at the main palace at the Tang imperial capital Chang'an. His father Emperor Zhaozong was already emperor at that point, and he was Emperor Zhaozong's ninth son. His mother was Consort He, who had previously given birth to an older brother of his, Li Yu, Prince of De, who was Emperor Zhaozong's oldest son.
Wang Zhang
In 936, during the reign of Later Tang's last emperor Li Congke (Li Cunxu's adoptive nephew), the officer Zhang Lingzhao (張令昭) mutinied at Tianxiong, expelled the military governor Liu Yanhao, and claimed the title of acting military governor. Wang served as the public works officer (in addition to being the treasurer) under Zhang during Zhang's mutiny. Soon, Li Congke sent the general Fan Yanguang to suppress Zhang's mutiny, and Fan quickly captured Tianxiong's capital Wei Prefecture (魏州) and executed Zhang. He also sought to find and execute Zhang's followers. As Bai Wenke was friendly with Fan's deputy Li Zhou (李周), Bai asked Li Zhou to save Wang. Li Zhou thus located and hid Wang, and had him delivered to Li Zhou's mansion at the capital Luoyang in secret and continued to hide him there.