Doulu Qinwang - During Emperor Zhongzong's Second Reign

During Emperor Zhongzong's Second Reign

In 705, Wu Zetian was overthrown in a coup, and Li Xian was restored to the throne (as Emperor Zhongzong). He made Doulu Qinwang a head of the executive bureau (now renamed Shangshu Sheng (尚書省)) again—now with the title changed to Pushe (僕射). However, this created an ambiguity as to whether Doulu was a chancellor, as, while officials serving as Pushe had, in the reigns of Emperor Gaozu and his son Emperor Taizong, been considered chancellors, during Emperor Gaozong's reign, he rarely had them serve without also the de facto chancellor designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin (同中書門下三品) (later changed by Wu Zetian to Tong Fengge Luantai Sanpin), thus creating a question whether Pushe without such designation were still chancellors. (The Pushe during Emperor Gaozong's reign would therefore generally rule on exclusively executive bureau jurisdiction matters in the morning and rule on national matters in the afternoon.) Doulu's colleague as Pushe, Tang Xiujing, carried the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Sanpin, but Doulu did not, and he therefore did not dare to involve himself in national affairs discussions. Emperor Zhongzong had to clarify the situation by shortly issuing an edict clarifying that Doulu had the authority to serve as a chancellor. However, this edict also appeared to have the effect that, from this point on, heads of the executive bureau who did not carry de facto chancellor designations were no longer considered chancellors.

In 706, Doulu received the honorific title of Kaifu YItong Sansi (開府儀同三司) and assumed the additional responsibility as secretary general to Li Dan, then the Prince of Xiang. In 708, he requested retirement, but the request was rejected. He died later that year and was buried with honors near the tomb of Emperor Gaozong and Wu Zetian.

It was said that while serving as chancellor during Wu Zetian's and Emperor Zhongzong's reigns, Doulu was careful in his own behavior and did not dare to curb the powers of Wu Zetian's lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong, as well as Wu Zetian's nephew Wu Sansi the Prince of Dejing, who became exceedingly powerful in Emperor Zhongzong's reign due to his personal influence on Emperor Zhongzong and his affair with Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei. Doulu was much criticized by popular opinion at the time.