Chu Suiliang
Le Yanwei was from the Tang capital Chang'an. As of 656, he was serving as imperial attendant, when Liu Hongye (), the son of Liu Ji, a former chancellor who was accused of improprieties (comparing himself to historical regents Yi Yin and Huo Guang) and forced to commit suicide by Emperor Gaozong's father Emperor Taizong in 646, submitted a petition accusing the recently deposed chancellor Chu Suiliang of having falsely accused Liu Ji in 645. (Liu Hongye did so at the instigation of the chancellor Li Yifu, who was a political enemy of Chu and a former subordinate of Liu Ji.) Emperor Gaozong consulted his officials, and they, wanting to ingratiate themselves with Li Yifu, an ally to Emperor Gaozong's powerful wife Empress Wu (later known as Wu Zetian), all were in favor of reversing the judgment on Liu Ji. Le, however, opposed this, stating: