Li Baozhen
After Emperor Suzong died in 762 and was succeeded by his son Emperor Daizong, Li Baoyu, who already had a command as a military governor ("Jiedushi"), was given the additional command of Zelu Circuit (澤潞, headquartered in modern Changzhi, Shanxi), and it was said that he valued Li Baozhen's service under him. At one point, Li Baozhen was made the secretary general of Fen Prefecture (汾州, in modern Linfen, Shanxi), when it appeared that the general Pugu Huai'en, who controlled the region and commanded the powerful army of Shuofang Circuit (朔方, headquartered in modern Yinchuan, Ningxia), was set on rebelling against Emperor Daizong. Li Baozhen slipped away in 764 and fled back to Chang'an. When Emperor Daizong asked him for his opinions on what to do with Pugu, Li Baozhen suggested that Emperor Daizong recommission the general Guo Ziyi, who was formerly Pugu's superior as the commander of the Shuofang army, arguing that such a move would undermine the morale of Pugu's army. Emperor Daizong agreed, and subsequently, Pugu did rebel but was unsuccessful. Emperor Daizong, crediting Li Baozhen for his opinions, made him the deputy military governor of both Zelu and Chenzheng (陳鄭, headquartered in modern Zhengzhou, Henan) Circuits, both of which were then under Li Baoyu's command. When Li Baozhen met Emperor Daizong to thank him, Li Baozhen, while thanking Emperor Daizong, stated, "Whether the people have to labor or can rest depends on their prefect. I would like to receive a prefecture to try myself." Emperor Daizong approved of his volunteering, and, in addition to making him the deputy military governor of Zelu and Chenzheng, also made him the prefect of Ze Prefecture (澤州, in modern Jincheng, Shanxi), one of the prefectures of Zelu Circuit. He served at Ze Prefecture for two years and then was moved to Huai Prefecture (懷州, in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), which was merged into Zelu. He served there for eight years. At that time, as Li Baoyu was at Fengxiang (鳳翔, in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) on the western border with Tufan, Li Baozhen was in effective command of Zelu.