After Chancellorship
Lu Yan appeared to have initially served at Xichuan with distinction, as he repaired the various passes which had been damaged during Dali incursions. When eight tribes became Tang vassals because of his efforts, he was given the honorific title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令) in 873, and created the Duke of Wei. After Emperor Yizong died later in 873 and was succeeded by his son Emperor Xizong, Lu was further given the honorific title of Shizhong (侍中).
However, Lu also continued to trust Bian Xian, as well as another attendant, Guo Chou (郭籌). It was said that the two effectively governed Xichuan, and the entire army was fearful of them. On one occasion, when Lu was examining the army, Bian and Guo were openly passing notes to each other and burning them after reading them. This led to immediate rumors that the two were planning a major conspiracy and caused the army to be disturbed. When the imperial government received word of this, it ordered that Lu be transferred to Jingnan Circuit (荊南, headquartered in modern Jingzhou, Hubei). Upon hearing of Lu's transfer order, Bian and Guo hid themselves and fled.
When Lu got to Jingnan's capital Jiangling, however, he was further demoted to be the prefect of Xin Prefecture (新洲, in modern Yunfu, Guangdong) — but it appeared that he was not even given an opportunity report there, but was instead detained at the Jiangling jail. Another edict was issued, exiling him to Dan Prefecture (儋州, roughly modern Danzhou, Hainan), and then another edict was issued ordering him to commit suicide. Pursuant to regulations that he himself had proposed to Emperor Yizong for those high-level officials ordered to commit suicide, a part of his trachea was removed from his body and sent back to Chang'an, to verify his death. After his death, Bian and Guo were captured and executed.
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