Li Fengji
In 822, Li Shen was made "Zhongshu Sheren" (), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau, and continued to be in charge of drafting edicts. Soon thereafter, Yuan was made chancellor but only served a short time before he was removed, allegedly at the machination of his fellow chancellor Li Fengji. It was further said that Li Fengji wanted Niu Sengru to be chancellor, and believed that Li Deyu and Li Shen would oppose, and therefore had Li Deyu sent out of Chang'an to serve as the governor (觀察使, "Guanchashi") of Zhexi Circuit (浙西, i.e., Zhenhai). However, he could not think of a way to remove Li Shen initially. In 823, the position of deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞, "Yushi Zhongcheng") was open, and Li Fengji recommended Li Shen for the post – and then manufactured a conflict between Li Shen and Han Yu the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the Chang'an region). (Per regulations, to honor the censors, the mayor of Jingzhao was supposed to pay tribute by visiting the Office of the Imperial Censors, but as Han was bestowed an honorary title as chief imperial censor, Li Fengji ordered that he did not have to carry out that regulation, leading to mutual accusations between Li Shen and Han of disrespect.) Li Fengji thus reported to Emperor Muzong that the two could not work with each other. As a result, Emperor Muzong made Han the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, "Bingbu Shilang") and Li Shen the governor of Jiangxi Circuit (江西, headquartered in modern Nanchang, Jiangxi). However, when Han and Li Shen went to visit Emperor Muzong to thank him for the commissions, he questioned them as to the nature of their conflict, and realized that Li Fengji had manufactured it. He thus kept Li Shen at Chang'an as the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, "Hubu Shilang").