Liu Jingxian - During Empress Dowager Wu's Regency

During Empress Dowager Wu's Regency

Around the new year 684, Liu Jingxian was made Shizhong (侍中) -- the head of the examination bureau and a post considered one for a chancellor. Soon thereafter, when Emperor Zhongzong showed signs that he would exercise independent powers, Empress Dowager Wu deposed him and replaced him with his brother Li Dan the Prince of Yu (as Emperor Ruizong), but held onto power even more firmly. As Pei Yan several times suggested that she return imperial powers to Emperor Ruizong, he soon drew her ire. After Li Jingye the Duke of Ying rose in rebellion later in 684, claiming to want to restore the emperor's powers, and Pei again proposed that Empress Dowager Wu return imperial powers to Emperor Ruizong to defuse the rebellion, Empress Dowager Wu accused him of treason and imprisoned him. While Pei was imprisoned and interrogated, a number of officials tried to intercede on his behalf—include Liu and his deputy Hu Yuanfan (胡元範). It was said that Liu and Hu said, "Pei Yan is a senior official to the state who had great accomplishments. The whole empire knows that he is careful in his service. We can guarantee that he was not treasonous." She responded, "There is evidence that he committed treason, and you do not know this." They responded, "If he is someone who would commit treason, then so are we." She responded, "I know that he committed treason, and I know that you did not commit treason." However, despite her comments, she soon arrested Liu and Hu as well. After Pei was executed later that year, Liu was demoted several times successively—to be prefect of Pu Prefecture (普州, roughly modern Ziyang, Sichuan), then the prefect of Chen Prefecture (辰州, roughly modern Huaihua, Hunan), finally the secretary general of Ji Prefecture (吉州, roughly modern Ji'an, Jiangxi). In 689, secret police in Empress Dowager Wu's administration accused Liu of crimes and arrested him. He committed suicide, and his assets were seized.