Cui Shi
Meanwhile, Princess Taiping continued to be highly much influential in governmental matters Management through Emperor Ruizong, and most chancellors were her associates. Liu and the general Zhang Wei (), with Emperor Xuanzong's approval, planned to mobilize the imperial guards to kill several of those chancellors—Dou Huaizhen, Cui Shi and Cen Xi. However, after Zhang told the plan to the imperial censor Deng Guangbin (), the news was leaked. Liu was arrested, and initially set to be executed. Emperor Xuanzong interceded on his behalf with Emperor Ruizong, and Liu, Zhang, and Deng were spared but exiled—in Liu's case, to Feng Prefecture (封州, roughly modern Zhaoqing, Guangdong). Cui subsequently gave instructions to Zhou Lizhen () the commandant at Guang Prefecture (廣州, roughly modern Guangzhou, Guangdong), under whose area of responsibility Feng Prefecture was, to have Liu killed. Liu's friend Wang Jun, who was then the commandant at Gui Prefecture (桂州, roughly modern Guilin, Guangxi), heard of this secret instruction, and therefore, when Liu went through Gui Prefecture, detained him and refused to let him go on to Feng Prefecture. Zhou submitted accusations that Wang was disobeying an imperial edict, and Cui repeatedly tried to pressure Wang to release Liu to Feng Prefecture. Liu himself pointed out to Wang that he did not want to put Wang in danger as well, but Wang refused to let Liu go on, and Liu was spared from death.