Lu Shang - During Emperor Wenzong's and Emperor Wuzong's Reigns

During Emperor Wenzong's and Emperor Wuzong's Reigns

In 835, during the reign of Emperor Xianzhong's grandson Emperor Wenzong, Lu was made the deputy mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region) and acting chief judge (大理卿, Dali Qing) of the supreme court (大理寺, Dali Si). Early in Emperor Wenzong's Kaicheng era (836-840), he was sent out of the capital to serve as the prefect of Su Prefecture (蘇州, in modern Suzhou, Jiangsu). Su Prefecture was a salt-producing prefecture, but at that time, the regulations on the sale of salt was complex, and the administrators were using this opportunity to embezzle profits from the fishermen who produced salt. When Lu reached Su Prefecture, he met with the fishermen personally and simplified the regulations, allowing them to sell as much salt as they could properly produce, rather than set quotas, and this benefited the people greatly. It was said that, as a result, the taxation the government received from the salt monopoly at Su Prefecture was doubled. The chancellor in charge of the monopoly at the time was impressed, and he had Lu made the governor (觀察使, Guanchashi) of Zhexi Circuit (浙西, headquartered in modern Zhenjiang, Jiangsu), as well as the prefect of its capital Run Prefecture (潤州). Later, Lu was recalled to be the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang), and then the mayor of Jingzhao.

In 843, when Emperor Wenzong's brother and successor Emperor Wuzong was conducting a campaign against the warlord Liu Zhen, Lu served as the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎) and acting director of finances, and also was in charge of supplying the troops. It was said that as a result of his work, the army did not lack supplies. After Liu was defeated, Lu was made the military governor of Dongchuan Circuit (東川, headquartered in modern Mianyang, Sichuan, as well as the prefect of its capital Zi Prefecture (梓州).