宗楚客
Early in the second reign of Emperor Gaozong's and Wu Zetian's son Emperor Zhongzong (705-710), the sorcerer Zheng Pusi 鄭普思, whose daughter was a concubine of Emperor Zhongzong's, was suspected of planning treason. As Zheng Pusi was favored by Emperor Zhongzong, Emperor Zhongzong initially ordered the investigations to halt, and it was said that it was Cui Riyong's insistence that further investigation was carried out, eventually leading to Zheng Pusi's exile. At that time, a court faction was forming around Emperor Zhongzong's powerful wife Empress Wei, including her lover Wu Sansi (Wu Zetian's nephew) the Prince of Dejing, Zong Chuke, and Wu Yanxiu (). It was said that Cui was a member of this faction as well, and was a result was promoted to be deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, "Bingbu Shilang") and made an imperial scholar at Institute for the Refinement of Letters ("xiuwen guan" 修文館). (It was said that he received the imperial scholar status only after making the request after a dance at an imperial feast.)