Cui Xuanwei
Later, Lu was recalled to be the deputy minister of civil service affairs (天官侍郎, "Tianguan Shilang") and the minister of military supplies (司衛卿, "Siwei Qing"). On one occasion, he was accused of only selecting his friends to be officials, and Wu Zetian, in anger, formally removed him from his posts but let him continue to serve in acting capacity. Lu continued to recommend officials, and when Wu Zetian asked how he dared to do so, he responded, "Your subject only knows how to recommend people that he knows about; I do not care whether they are friend or foe." He further recommended his friend Cui Xuanwei, arguing that Cui had talent to be a chancellor. Wu Zetian by now was convinced that he was not personally biased. In 699, she again made him "Luantai Shilang" and chancellor with the "Tong Fengge Luantai Pingzhangshi" designation.