Zheng Xunyu - During Emperor Dezong's Reign

During Emperor Dezong's Reign

After Cui Youfu became chancellor in 779 during the reign of Emperor Daizong's son Emperor Dezong, Cui promoted Zheng Xunyu to be Zuo Bujue (左補闕), a low-level consultant at the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng). He later served as a secretary to the military governor (Jiedushi) of Jingxuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered in modern Pingliang, Gansu), and then returned to Chang'an to serve as an imperial censor with the title Shiyushi (侍御史) then Xingbu Yuanwailang (刑部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of justice (刑部, Xingbu). He later left governmental service to observe a mourning period for his mother when she died, and after the mourning period was over, he was moved to the ministry of civil service affairs (吏部, Libu). Early in Emperor Dezong's Zhenyuan era (785–805), he made an order that 10 central government officials be made magistrates of various counties in the Chang'an and Luoyang regions, and Zheng, while retaining his office, was made the magistrate of Fengxian County (奉先, near Chang'an). The next year, he was made the prefect of Rao Prefecture (饒州, in modern Shangrao, Jiangxi), and later returned to Chang'an to serve as Jianyi Daifu (諫議大夫), a high-level consultant; and then was made the deputy minister of civil service affairs (吏部侍郎, Libu Shilang).

Later, Zheng was made the mayor of Henan Municipality (河南, i.e., the Luoyang region). Before he could arrive at Henan, there was a birthday for Emperor Dezong, and it was customary for the mayors of the special municipalities to offer horses as tributes. A subordinate of Zheng's requested that he be permitted to fetch a horse to be offered, but Zheng refused, stating, "It is appropriate for someone who has not started serving to offer tributes?" It was also said that Zheng was serious and quiet in his character, and that he did not ask private favors of others; as a result, people did not dare to ask him for private favors. Once he arrived at Henan, he governed the city without much fanfare, and rested the people by lowering taxes and increasing stipends. At that time, the general Han Quanyi (韓全義) was in charge of attacking the rebel general Wu Shaocheng. Henan was responsible for shipping the army's supplies to Han, and Zheng responded by storing food at Yangzhai, reducing the burden of the people in shipping the supplies. Whenever Han and the eunuchs monitoring the army had demands on Henan, Zheng would not agree with those demands unless there were imperial edicts authorizing them. When his subordinates worried for him that this would offend Han and the eunuchs, Zheng responded:

When generals are on campaigns, they often use that as the excuse to make demands. If my refusal becomes a crime, I, as mayor, will bear the consequences. I will not waste the fruits of the 10,000 laborers.

Zheng's capability in governing the city was compared to a predecessor, Zhang Yanshang, but he was said to be more serious, lenient, and righteous than Zhang. He was later recalled to serve as deputy minister of civil service affairs again. In 803, he was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor, along with Gao Ying. At that time, one of Emperor Dezong's close associates, Li Shi (李實) the Prince of Dao, was the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region), and Li was well known for being harsh in his tax collections in order to offer tributes to Emperor Dezong. Zheng, disliking the practice, questioned him:

The revenues of a special municipality need to be properly detailed. Any surpluses should be submitted to the director of finances. Where did your tributes come from?

At that time, however, Li was trusted by Emperor Dezong, and therefore suffered no ill consequences from Zheng's investigation.