Princess Taiping
In 712, Emperor Ruizong passed the throne to Li Longji, who was then crown prince, and Li Longji took the throne as Emperor Xuanzong. At the suggestion of Princess Taiping, however, Emperor Ruizong retained power as "Taishang Huang" (retired emperor), and Princess Taiping continued to be influential through Emperor Ruizong. Cen Xi was considered a member of her party. Later in 712, Emperor Xuanzong's associates, the chancellor Liu Youqiu and the general Zhang Wei (張暐), with Emperor Xuanzong's approval, planned to kill Cen and two other chancellors aligned with Princess Taiping -- Dou Huaizhen and Cui Shi—but the news was leaked after Zhang informed the plan to the official Deng Guangbin (鄧光賓). Liu, Zhang, and Deng were spared but exiled.