Tang dynasty
Zhu Wen, originally a salt smuggler who had served under the rebel Huang Chao, surrendered to Tang forces. By helping to defeat Huang, he was granted a series of rapid military promotions. In 907 the Tang dynasty was ended when Zhu Wen, now a military governor, deposed the last emperor of Tang, Emperor Ai of Tang, and took the throne for himself (known posthumously as Emperor Taizu of Later Liang). He established the Later Liang, which inaugurated the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period. A year later Zhu Wen had the deposed Emperor Ai poisoned to death.
Guo Chongtao
The last Tang emperor, Emperor Ai, was forced to yield the throne to the major warlord (and Li Keyong's archrival) Zhu Quanzhong the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) in 907, and Zhu declared himself emperor of a new Later Liang (as its Emperor Taizu). Li Keyong and several other major warlords (Li Maozhen, Wang Jian, and Yang Wo) refused to recognize the new Later Liang state, and effectively became rulers of their own states (in Li Keyong's case, Jin, as he carried the Tang-bestowed title of Prince of Jin). In 908, Li Keyong died and was succeeded as the Prince of Jin by his son Li Cunxu. Guo continued to serve Li Cunxu, and it was said that Li Cunxu valued his service.