李抱真
Around the same time, Han died, and both Zhang and the general Ma Sui, who also had a grudge against Li, advocated for peace for Tufan, which Li had opposed. Emperor Dezong, who personally favored an alliance with Tufan against Huige, used Li's opposition against the Tufan alliance to remove Li from his post at Fengxiang. Zhang recommended Zheng, but Emperor Dezong allowed Li to recommend his successor; Li recommended his officer Xing Junya (). Emperor Dezong recalled Li to Chang'an to serve as "Zhongshu Ling" and "Taiwei" (太尉, one of the Three Excellencies) and relieved him of all of his military duties. It was said that once Li returned to Chang'an, despite the suspicions that he was under, he nevertheless spoke honestly whenever he had opinions about the matters of state. In light of Zhang's involvement in Li's command being lifted, subsequently, when Zhang wanted Li Baozhen the military governor of Zhaoyi Circuit (昭義, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), and then Liu, to serve as the new commander of defense forces on the borders with Tufan, both Li Baozhen and Liu declined. Meanwhile, Zhang also drew resentment from other officials when he made major cuts into the ranks of prefectural and county officials — eliminating about 1,000 positions — hoping to use the savings in reduced salaries for military purposes, despite objections from Ma, Wei Lun (), and Bai Zhizhen ().