武承嗣
By 698, Wu Chengsi and Wu Sansi were both again making designs on becoming crown prince, and they often had people tell Wu Zetian, "Throughout the ages, no emperor has ever made a person of a different clan crown prince." She hesitated. However, Di, who by this point had been recalled and was again chancellor, constantly advocated for Wu Zetian's sons, including advising her to recall Li Zhe, the former Emperor Zhongzong, from exile. With the other chancellors Wang Fangqing and Wang Jishan, as well as Wu Zetian's close advisor Ji Xu and her lovers Zhang Yizhi and Zhang Changzong advocating the same, Li Zhe was recalled from exile. Wu Chengsi, seeing his chances of being crown prince slipping away, died later that year in distress.