Liu Chengyou
During this period there was also infighting within the court. Yang Bin, then one of the chiefs of staff ("Shumishi"), criticized Su Fengji, who was then the leading chancellor, over the fact that Su was filling many official positions that had long been left open. Yang believed that these were unnecessary positions and a waste of government resources. Another chancellor, Li Tao, submitted a petition to Liu Chengyou arguing that Yang and Guo, who was serving as Yang's deputy, should be relieved of their positions and made military governors of key circuits. He proposed that the chief of staff positions should be entrusted to Su Fengji and Su Yugui. Yang and Guo heard about Li Tao's petition and went to Empress Dowager Li, weeping. They said "Your subjects have followed the deceased emperor through difficult times. Now, the Son of Heaven is accepting the word of others and wants to send us away. Given that there are troubles west of the pass, how can we, your subjects and ignore the affairs of the state? If we are not to remain, we hope to at least remain until the deceased emperor's burial." Empress Dowager Li went to Liu Chengyou and said "These are the old and accomplished subjects of the state. Why are you listening to others and expelling them?" Liu Chengyou blamed the matter on the chancellors as a group, but Li Tao took the blame to himself and was relieved of his chancellor position. Later, Yang was given an additional chancellor position, while Guo was made co-chief of staff. Yang thus became the main decision-maker, with the two Su chancellors (along with the other chancellor Dou Zhengu) no longer having real chancellor authority.