Zhang Yizhi
As of 697, Li was serving as "Fengge Shilang"—the deputy head of the legislative bureau—when Wu Zetian gave him an unusual "assignment"—serving as the lover for her lover Zhang Yizhi or Zhang Changzong's mother Lady Zang. In 699, when Wu Zetian established a corps of imperial attendants, with Zhang Yizhi in charge and including such individuals as Zhang Yizhi, Zhang Changzong, Ji Xu, Tian Guidao (田歸道), Xue Ji, and Yuan Banqian (員半千), Li was also named one of the imperial attendants. During this time, he also successively served as minister of civil service affairs (天官尚書, "Tianguan Shangshu") and minister of defense (夏官尚書, "Xiaguan Shangshu").