 He played close attention to his physical appearance, wanting to appear stern and well-dressed, and had many mirrors around.In 898, hearing of Zhu Quanzhong's defeat in late 897 in his failed attempt to conquer Yang Xingmi the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), Zhao secretly entered into an alliance with Yang, Cui Hong the military governor of Fengguo, and Li Keyong the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), against Zhu Quanzhong.Zhu discovered this when Zhao's officer Du Zhen (度軫) defected to Zhu and revealed the alliance.