Cui Ning - Retention By The Imperial Government

Retention By The Imperial Government

In 779, Emperor Daizong died and was succeeded by his son Emperor Dezong. After Emperor Dezong's ascension, Cui Ning went to Chang'an to pay homage to the new emperor, and was given several high honorific titles -- Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies), chancellor (同中書門下平章事, Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi), director for construction of Emperor Daizong's tomb (山陵使, Shanlingshi), and chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu). Treating his chief imperial censor title as not just honorary, however, Cui proposed that the subordinate imperial censors be recommended by the chief imperial censor (i.e., himself) rather than by chancellors—and this drew resentment from Yang Yan, who by that point had become the most powerful chancellor at court, despite the fact that they had a previous cordial relationship as fellow associates of Yuan Zai's. The relationship between Cui and Yang was further strained as Yang was repeatedly making accusations against another imperial official, Liu Yan, and Cui was defending Liu.

While Cui was at Chang'an, Tufan and Nanzhao forces launched a major joint attack against Xichuan Circuit, and Cui's subordinates were unable to fight them off. When the news arrived at Chang'an, Emperor Daizong was inclined to order Cui to return to Xichuan Circuit at once. Cui was set to depart, but Yang opposed—pointing out that during Cui's tenure, he had effectively turned Xichuan into an independent realm, not submitting taxes or other resources to the imperial government. Yang argued that even if Cui were able to successfully defeat Tufan and Nanzhao forces, it would be even more difficult to move him later on; instead, he suggested that imperial guard soldiers and elite soldiers from Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing) -- who had followed their military governor Zhu Ci to Chang'an when Zhu was made chancellor—be sent to fight the Tufan and Nanzhao forces, and once the campaign was over, Xichuan would be back in imperial control. Emperor Dezong agreed with Yang's proposal and kept Cui at Chang'an. Subsequently, Yang claimed that the northern border needed a senior general—someone like Cui—to defend it, and had Cui made the military governor of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, then headquartered in modern Yan'an, Shaanxi). Shuofang was normally a very important and powerful command. However, Yang weakened Cui's authority substantially by naming three deputies for Cui with independent authorities to act—Du Xiquan (杜希全), stationed at Ling Prefecture (靈州, in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia); Zhang Guangsheng (張光晟), stationed at Sui Prefecture (綏州, in modern Yulin, Shaanxi); and Li Jianhui (李建徽), stationed at Fang Prefecture (坊州, i.e., at Cui's headquarters). Yang secretly ordered the three of them to watch over Cui carefully. Nevertheless, Cui and his subordinate Lü Xiqian (呂希倩) -- whom Yang had commissioned as well—were successful in persuading many Dangxiang tribesmen to submit to Tang, and this drew further displeasure from Yang. He had Lü recalled to Chang'an under guise of a promotion and replaced Lü with Shi Changchun (時常春). Eventually, in 781, he also had Cui recalled to the capital, and Cui retained only his honorary title of Sikong but also had him serve as You Pushe (右僕射), one of the heads of the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng), but not chancellor.