李德裕
In 847, when Wu Xiang's brother Wu Runa (吳汝納) submitted a petition proclaiming that Wu Xiang was executed even though he had committed no capital crimes and further accusing Li Shen and Li Deyu of conspiring to achieve the unjust result, Emperor Xuānzong ordered an investigation by the Office of the Imperial Censors (御史臺, "Yushi Tai"). After the investigation, Li Deyu was exiled to Chao Prefecture to serve as the military advisor to its prefect. Emperor Xuānzong also demoted other officials who were considered complicit or negligent in Wu Xiang's death, and posthumously stripped Li Shen's offices. Emperor Xuānzong's dislike for Li Deyu was so intense that when the imperial official Ding Rouli (丁柔立), whom Li Deyu had not favored, submitted a petition to defend Li Deyu, Ding was nevertheless considered an associate of Li Deyu's and demoted to be a county sheriff, while Cui Jia (崔嘏), whose draft of the imperial edict condemning Li Deyu was considered to be insufficiently harsh in its wording, was demoted to be a prefectural prefect. Further, the general Shi Xiong, whom Li Deyu had recommended during the campaign against Liu Zhen, was denied a military governor position when he requested one because of his association with Li Deyu. By this point, the factional struggles between the Niu and Li Factions are considered to have largely come to their end.