Li Daozong - During Emperor Gaozong's Reign

During Emperor Gaozong's Reign

In 649, Emperor Taizong died and was succeeded by his second crown prince, Li Zhi (as Emperor Gaozong). Emperor Gaozong's uncle Zhangsun Wuji and Chu Suiliang served as the lead chancellors. In 652, a plot was discovered, centered around Empress Taizong's daughter Princess Gaoyang and her husband Fang Yi'ai that, allegedly, sought to install Emperor Taizong's brother Li Yuanjing (李元景) the Prince of Jing as emperor. Zhangsun expanded the scope of the investigations and, in spring 653, the co-conspirators were killed. However, as Zhangsun and Chu both had rivalries with Li Daozong, they exiled Li Daozong, as well as the chancellor Yuwen Jie and the general Zhishi Sili (執失思力), to Xiang Prefecture. Li Daozong died on the way to his place of exile, at the age of 53, probably in 656. Later, after Zhangsun's and Chu's own downfalls (at the hands of Emperor Gaozong's wife Empress Wu and her associates), Li Daozong's posts were posthumously restored.

It was said that late in his life, Li Daozong was studious and humble. The New Book of Tang praised Li Daozong and his cousin Li Xiaogong to be the most capable princes early in Tang history.