Li Mian
However, before Li Yi could depart Chang'an, soldiers from Jingyuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered in modern Pingliang, Gansu), at Chang'an to await deployment to the east against Li Xilie or other warlords, mutinied after they were not awarded as they believed they deserved. Emperor Dezong fled to Fengtian (奉天, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi). Many officials followed him there, including Liu. The Jingyuan soldiers supported the general Zhu Ci as their leader, and Zhu soon claimed imperial title of his own state of Qin, competing with Emperor Dezong. While Emperor Dezong was thus kept at Fengtian, he made Liu the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, "Xingbu Shilang") and gave him the designation of "Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi" (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor "de facto", along with Xiao Fu and Jiang Gongfu. When Emperor Dezong was forced to further flee to Liang Prefecture (梁州, in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi) in 784, he made Liu "Zhongshu Shilang" (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, "Zhongshu Sheng"), and continued to have Liu serve as chancellor. It was said that Liu was much liked by Emperor Dezong and was known for being careful and virtuous personally, but did not help Emperor Dezong correct his ways. After the general Li Sheng destroyed Zhu's regime later in 784 and allowed Emperor Dezong to return to Chang'an, there was an incident in which Xiao, who had just returned from a mission to survey the southern circuits, recommended that Chen Shaoyou (陳少遊), the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu), who had submitted to Li Xilie during the time Emperor Dezong was away from Chang'an, be replaced by Wei Gao — a Fengxiang officer who had resisted Li Chulin. Emperor Dezong agreed. He sent the imperial eunuch messenger Ma Qinxu (馬欽緒) to inform Liu and ask Liu to discuss this matter with Xiao without consulting fellow chancellors Li Mian and Lu Han. However, Xiao was surprised by this, and, finding it inappropriate that Emperor Dezong was keeping secrets away from Li Mian and Lu, as fellow chancellors, stated: