During Emperor Gaozu's Reign
It is not clear what Xu Jingzong's activities were initially after becoming a subject of Tang Dynasty (then under the reign of Emperor Gaozu), but it is known that in 621, by which time Tang had prevailed over most, but not all, of its rivals in its campaign to reunify China after Sui's collapse, Xu was set to be sent to Lian Prefecture (漣州, roughly modern Huai'an, Jiangsu) to serve as its prefect's chief advisor, when Emperor Gaozu's son Li Shimin the Prince of Qin, hearing that he was literarily talented, kept him in the capital to serve as a member of his literary staff at a mansion where he retained the best literary talent and served them with the best food and wine. (Xu also carried the title of census officer of Song Prefecture (宋州, roughly modern Shangqiu, Henan) during this time, but appeared to not report to Song Prefecture at all.)
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