Cui Shi - During Emperor Xuanzong's Reign

During Emperor Xuanzong's Reign

In 712, Emperor Ruizong passed the throne to Li Longji, who took the throne (as Emperor Xuanzong). Emperor Ruizong, however, retained actual power as Taishang Huang (retired emperor). Soon after Emperor Xuanzong's assumption of the throne, Cui Shi was made acting Zhongshu Ling (中書令), the head of the legislative bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. Soon, there was a plan by Liu Yiuqiu, who was a close associate of Emperor Xuanzong's, and the general Zhang Wei (張暐), to kill several chancellors associated with Princess Taiping - Cui, Dou Huaizhen, and Cen Xi. However, the plan was leaked by the censor Deng Guangbin (鄧光賓), who was part of the plot. Emperor Xuanzong disavowed knowledge of the plan, and Liu, Zhang, and Deng were exiled. After Liu was exiled to Feng Prefecture (封州, roughly modern Zhaoqing, Guangdong), Cui gave instructions to Zhou Lizhen, who was then serving as the commandant at Guang Prefecture (廣州, roughly modern Guangzhou, Guangdong), under whose area of responsibility Feng Prefecture was, to have Liu killed. Liu's friend Wang Jun, who was then the commandant at Gui Prefecture (桂州, roughly modern Guilin, Guangxi), heard of this secret instruction, and therefore, when Liu went through Gui Prefecture, detained him and refused to let him go on to Feng Prefecture. Zhou submitted accusations that Wang was disobeying an imperial edict, and Cui repeatedly tried to pressure Wang to release Liu to Feng Prefecture. Liu himself pointed out to Wang that he did not want to put Wang in danger as well, but Wang refused to let Liu go on, and Liu was spared from death.

By 713, it was said that Princess Taiping, Dou, Cen, Xiao Zhizhong, Cui; along with other officials Xue Ji, Li Jin (李晉) the Prince of Xinxing (a grandson of Li Deliang (李德良), a cousin of Tang's founder Emperor Gaozu), Li You (李猷), Jia Yingfu (賈膺福), Tang Jun (唐晙); the generals Chang Yuankai (常元楷), Li Ci (李慈), and Li Qin (李欽); and the monk Huifan (惠範), were plotting to overthrow Emperor Xuanzong. It was further said that they discussed, with the lady in waiting Lady Yuanto poison the gastrodia elata that Emperor Xuanzong routinely took as an aphrodisiac. When this alleged plot was reported to Emperor Xuanzong by Wei Zhigu, Emperor Xuanzong, who had already received advice from Wang Ju (王琚), Zhang Shuo, and Cui Riyong to act first, did so. He convened a meeting with his brothers Li Fan (李範) the Prince of Qi, Li Ye (李業) the Prince of Xue, Guo Yuanzhen, along with a number of his associates — the general Wang Maozhong (王毛仲), the officials Jiang Jiao (姜皎) and Li Lingwen (李令問), his brother-in-law Wang Shouyi (王守一), the eunuch Gao Lishi, and the military officer Li Shoude (李守德) — and decided to act first. On July 29, Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci. Then, Jia, Li You, Xiao, and Cen were arrested and executed as well. Dou and Princess Taiping committed suicide. Emperor Ruizong yielded powers to Emperor Xuanzong and no longer actively participated in policy decisions thereafter.

Before Emperor Xuanzong acted, he again tried to make Cui a member of his own faction by summoning him to a private meeting. Before Cui went to the meeting, Cui Di warned him that he should switch to Emperor Xuanzong's side, but Cui Shi took no heed. After Princess Taiping's death, Cui Shi and another lover of Princess Taiping's, Lu Cangyong (盧藏用), were both exiled—in Cui's case, to Dou Prefecture (竇州, roughly modern Maoming, Guangdong). However, Cui believed that he would soon be recalled, and therefore progressed slowly. Meanwhile, after he left, Li Jin, at his execution, proclaimed, "This plan was Cui Shi's, not mine. Now I am dying, and Cui Shi lives. How is this right?" Further, when Lady Yuan was interrogated, she stated that Cui Shi was the one who planned to poison Emperor Xuanzong. Emperor Xuanzong therefore issued an edict ordering Cui Shi to commit suicide. The edict reached Cui at Jing Prefecture (荊州, roughly modern Jingzhou, Hubei), and he committed suicide there.

It was said that Cui Shi was famed for both his literary talent and physical attractiveness. His brothers Cui Ye (崔液) and Cui Di and cousin Cui Huai (崔淮) were also known for their talent. Whenever they had feasts among themselves, Cui Shi would compare his own household to the Wang and Xie clans of the Southern Dynasties -- highly honored clans that were honored for generations. He also stated, "My household and experience can be said to be the highest there could be. A man should control key positions so that he can control others; how can he let others control him?" It was said this principle governed Cui's actions and ultimately led him to destructive ambitions.