Zhang Wenli
Zhang Wenli (張文禮) (d. September 15, 921?), known as Wang Deming (王德明) during the time that he was an adoptive son of Wang Rong, was an army officer who initially served under the late Tang Dynasty warlord Liu Rengong and Liu Rengong's son Liu Shouwen, and later Wang Rong, the only prince of the early Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period state Zhao (also known as Chengde Circuit (成德)). Wang Rong favored him for his talent and adopted him as a son. However, in 921, he encouraged Wang Rong's guards to mutiny and slaughter the Wang clan. He then took over the Zhao lands. When Wang Rong's ally Li Cunxu the Prince of Jin attacked in response, he died in shock.
Prior to becoming Wang Rong's adoptive son
It is not known when Zhang Wenli was born, but it is known that he was originally from You Prefecture (幽州, in modern Beijing). At some point after Liu Rengong, then the military governor (Jiedushi) of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered at You Prefecture) conquered neighboring Yichang Circuit (義昌, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei) and made his son Liu Shouwen the military governor of Yichang, he sent Zhang to Yichang to serve under Liu Shouwen. On an occasion when Liu Shouwen was at You Prefecture to see his father, Zhang took over Yichang's capital Cang Prefecture (滄州) and refused to let Liu Shouwen return. However, the people of Cang Prefecture then rose against him, causing him to flee to neighboring Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei). Wang Rong, who was then the military governor of Chengde, was impressed by Zhang's speech and Zhang's claims about knowing how to lead an army, so he adopted Zhang as a son and changed his name to Wang Deming, entrusting much of the Chengde military affairs to him.
