背景

李崧生年不详，是深州饶阳县（今河北省衡水市饶阳县）人。他的父亲李舜卿担任深州录事参军。他有两个弟弟李屿、李㠖。李崧年幼时聪敏，十几岁时能写文章，被家人称异。弱冠为深州参军，李舜卿对同宗李鏻推荐儿子，想要李鏻多多教诲照顾。李鏻是唐朝的远支宗室（李元懿六世孙），在后唐担任宗正卿，说明李舜卿、李崧父子也是唐朝宗室。

后唐时代

唐庄宗时代

923年，唐庄宗李存勖建立后唐，派他的长子李继岌为兴圣宫使，兼领成德军节度使（治所在镇州真定县，今河北省石家庄市正定县）。李崧成为镇州参军。当时推官李荛负责文书起草，李崧见他的文字并不精美，于是对掌事吕柔说「令公是皇子，天下人仰慕。他的信函表章应该文理兼备。李荛李侍御的起草，没有尽善尽美。」吕柔让李崧试著代李荛起草。然后把李崧的文章给卢质和冯道看，两人赞扬了李崧的文笔。李崧很快被提升为为兴圣宫巡官，负责李继岌的文书。唐庄宗灭后梁，定都洛阳，任命李崧为太常寺协律郎。

925年，唐庄宗派魏王李继岌为都统，出征前蜀，枢密使郭崇韬作为李继岌的副手，负责实际工作。李继岌命李崧掌书记。后唐军队很快灭亡前蜀。唐庄宗和他的皇后刘玉娘猜忌郭崇韬涉嫌密谋叛乱。刘玉娘是李继岌的母亲，暗中派人取通知李继岌杀掉郭崇韬。李继岌于是杀害了郭崇韬。李崧得知后，很快去见李继岌，说：「现在军队离京五千里，殿下没有诏令，杀害重臣，就算你容不下郭崇韬，为什么不能等回到洛阳再杀不迟？」李继岌说自己也后悔这个决定，但事情已经酿成。李崧召集了几个书吏，秘密伪造诏令，登上楼，然后把梯子撤去，秘密伪造诏令，又用蜡摹刻了个印盖上，才对外宣谕，安定军心。

郭崇韬和朱友谦的死，造成后唐军心背离。926年夏天，唐庄宗死于兴教门之变。李嗣源进入洛阳，自称摄政。李继岌从前蜀的首都成都回到洛阳，以图争夺皇位，但军队并不拥护他。李继岌自杀，任圜带领军队回到洛阳，把军权交给李嗣源。

唐明宗时代

唐明宗李嗣源任命任圜以宰相判三司（户部、度支、盐铁）。任圜推荐李崧为盐铁判官。李崧的母亲去世，李崧回到家乡服丧。守丧完毕，成德节度使范延光命他掌书记。范延光回京担任枢密使李崧被任命为拾遗，直枢密院，升任补阙、起居郎、尚书省尚书郎。长兴末年，李崧成为翰林学士。

长兴三年（932年）冬季，契丹国侵犯后唐的云中，唐明宗想要派大将为河东节度使（治所在今山西省太原市）抵御契丹。唐明宗的女婿六军副使石敬瑭，那些想要避免和李嗣源现存长子秦王李从荣冲突，希望担任河东节度使。但是范延光和唐明宗另一个女婿赵延寿想让康义诚出任。李崧建言支持石敬瑭。唐明宗当时急于决定，范延光、赵延寿于是也同意了。石敬瑭成为河东节度使。当石敬瑭知道这是李崧的建议，亲自派人对他表示感谢。

唐末帝时代

933年，李从荣试图夺取政权，但失败被杀，随后，唐明宗去世。明宗的另一个儿子宋王李从厚继承皇位。934年，唐明宗的养子潞王李从珂推翻李从厚，成为皇帝（唐末帝）。唐末帝经常谘询李崧和端明殿学士李专美、知制诰吕琦、薛文遇、翰林天文赵延乂这些官员。

唐末帝和石敬瑭长期不和。唐末帝怀疑石敬瑭勾结契丹谋乱，与李崧等人商议。李崧和吕琦主张把逃亡后唐的耶律倍（辽太宗耶律德光的大哥）送回契丹、用大约值十多万缗的礼物、钱财议和契丹，让他不要帮助石敬瑭。宰相张延朗主管三司，也支持他们的意见。唐末帝最初同意，让李崧和吕琦起草《遗契丹书》来等待命令提出的条约。但是，薛文遇反对，认为辽太宗会让唐末帝的女儿嫁给他（或者他的儿子）进行和亲。唐末帝因此改变了看法，一天召见李崧、吕琦，责备他们。他们连声谢罪，末帝制止他们的叩拜，每人赐给一杯酒，但从此群臣不敢再提和亲的建议。末帝任用吕琦为御史中丞，以表示疏远。

唐末帝然后考虑让石敬瑭改任其他藩镇。房暠和李崧、吕琦都极力反对，认为会导致石敬瑭叛乱。936年五月初二夜间，李崧因有急事请假在外，薛文遇独自承值夜班，末帝谘询薛文遇，薛文遇认为河东的事，移镇也反，不移也要反，只是时间早晚，不如先下手为强。末帝于是同意。五月初三，任命石敬瑭为天平节度使（治今山东省泰安市东平县），任用马军都指挥使、河阳节度使宋审虔为河东节度使。石敬瑭于是反唐，向辽太宗求援。辽太宗发军援助，他们打败了后唐张敬达指挥的军队。唐将杨光远杀害张敬达，然后投降。唐末帝亲徵到河阳，认为李崧素来与天雄节度使范延光相友善，便召唤李崧来谋议。薛文遇也跟著进来，唐末帝发怒，李崧用脚踩薛文遇的脚，薛文遇才退去。唐末帝说：「我看见这东西肉就发颤，刚才几乎要拔刀刺他。」李崧说：「薛文遇是个小人，浅薄误国，杀了他更显得丑恶。」李崧因而劝唐末帝南还，唐末帝听从。辽太宗命令石敬瑭为大晋皇帝，建立后晋。后唐兵败，唐末帝自杀，后唐灭亡。石敬瑭进入洛阳，李崧、吕琦逃匿在伊阙民间。

后晋时代

晋高祖时代

晋高祖石敬瑭认为开始镇守河东时，李崧推举有功，心中感激；也认为吕琦和亲契丹是正确的建议，于是不责备吕琦。937年正月十二日，任用吕琦为秘书监；正月十三日，任用李崧为兵部侍郎、判理户部。正月廿五日，任用李崧为中书侍郎、同中书门下平章事，充枢密使，任用桑维翰兼枢密使。宣徽使刘处让对桑维翰、李崧不满。杨光远围攻天雄军节度使（治今河北省邯郸市大名县）范延光时，杨光远奏事超越本份，桑维翰按法规加以裁定和批驳。杨光远秘奏宰相不应该兼任枢密使。938年十月，晋高祖加官给桑维翰为兵部尚书，李崧为工部尚书，罢免了二人的枢密使；任命刘处让为枢密使。

940年九月初九，李崧奏言：「诸州的仓粮，在计账以外所盈馀的相当多。」晋高祖说：「法定之外向民众徵税，罪过可同枉法一样。仓库官吏特免其一死，但都要严惩。」

941年，冯道、李崧屡次推荐天平节度使兼侍卫亲军马步副都指挥使，同平章事杜重威为都指挥使、充当随驾御营使，代替刘知远。刘知远因此怀恨两个宰相。李崧陪同晋高祖到邺都魏州，在这时成德节度使安重荣作乱。李崧的父亲去世，李崧离任守丧，但晋高祖立即召他回朝。

晋出帝时代

942年，石敬瑭死后，他的侄子齐王石重贵即位为晋出帝。一个迫切的问题是后来后晋将如何向辽太宗报告这个消息石敬瑭尊辽太宗为「父皇帝」，自称「儿皇帝」。 朝中大臣商讨要向契丹奉表称臣报告先帝死亡之哀，景延广主张致书不上表，称孙不称臣。李崧反对：「屈身事胡是为了江山社稷，有什么可耻的！陛下这样做，他日必然落个亲披甲胄同契丹打仗，那时就悔之无益了。」景延广坚持己见力争，冯道含糊不表态，晋出帝听从了景延广的意见。辽太宗接信后大怒，派使者来质问责备：「为什么不先来禀告，自己便骤然称帝？」景延广又用不逊的话语回答辽使。卢龙节度使赵延寿想要代替后晋做中原的皇帝，多次劝说契丹进攻后晋，于是后晋和辽国的战争爆发。

944年，桑维翰再次担任宰相、枢密使，控制军纪，使其有效的对辽战争。端明殿学士、户部侍郎冯玉，宣徽北院使、权侍卫马步都虞候太原李彦韬不喜欢桑维翰，经常向晋出帝诽谤他。晋出帝想罢免桑维翰的政务，李崧、刘昫坚持谏阻。桑维翰知道后，请求任用冯玉为枢密副使，冯玉很不平。945年二月廿九日，冯玉为户部尚书、枢密使。945年十二月廿五日，罢免桑维翰朝中的职务，让他作开封尹；任命赵莹为中书令，李崧为枢密使兼侍中。桑维翰于是称脚有病，很少再入朝谒见，谢绝宾客。

946年，辽太宗传播虚假消息，说卢龙节度使（治今北京市）赵延寿有意归顺后晋，枢密使李崧、冯玉相信了，命令天雄节度使杜威给赵延寿写信，赵延寿回信说：「久在异国他乡，很想回中原。恳求韩廷发大军接应，我将脱身南下。」冯玉、李崧都信以为真，准备派出大兵迎接赵延寿和瀛州刺史刘延祚。任命杜威为元帅，李守贞为副帅。赵莹私下对李崧、冯玉二人说：「杜威是皇帝的亲戚，心怀不满，怎能授予兵权！不如只委任李守贞一个人为好。」李崧、冯玉二人没有听从。

杜威的军队遭遇辽太宗率领的辽军。不敌撤退，被辽军包围在中度桥（今河北省保定市附近）。辽太宗许诺杜威当皇帝，杜威和李守贞率军投降。杜威带领辽军攻打后晋都城开封，晋出帝召李崧、冯玉、李彦韬到宫中议事，城中大乱，晋出帝投降，后晋灭亡。

辽朝统治

开封降辽后，张彦泽控制了晋出帝和他的家人。张彦泽以皇帝的命令召桑维翰入宫，桑维翰来到天街时，遇见李崧，对他说：「您这位侍中主持国政，现在国家灭亡，反而要让我去死，为什么呢？」李崧脸上露出惭愧的表情。晋出帝向李崧要酒，李崧也用其它原因推托不送来。他又想见李彦韬，李彦韬也推辞不来。辽太宗很快到达开封，自称是中原的皇帝。赵延寿和张砺推荐李崧，赞美他的才华，太宗让李崧充任枢密使，也给了他荣誉称号

太子太师。辽太宗对人说：「我这次南征，只是为了得到李崧一人而已。」

赵延寿因为辽太宗负约，心里愤闷不平，派李崧向辽太宗说：「我不敢奢望为汉人天子，但请求作个皇太子。」李崧不得已，把这话转告给辽太宗。辽太宗说：「我听说皇太子应当是天子的儿子才能当，哪能是燕王所能作的！」于是命令给燕王晋升官职。

辽太宗允许契丹士兵掠夺中原，汉族百姓纷纷起义反辽。辽太宗决定离开开封，让萧翰留守开封，自己返回契丹。他在路上得病，死亡在恒州附近杀胡林

。

赵延寿当天就领兵先进了恒州，耶律倍的儿子永康王耶律兀欲和南、北二王各自率领他们的军队相继进入恒州。赵延寿自称受辽太宗的遗诏，代理主持南朝军国事务。赵延寿要在下月初一在待贤馆举行仪式上书言事，接受文武官员的祝贺。礼仪是：宰相、枢密使在阶上叩拜，节度使以下在阶下叩拜。李崧认为契丹人意向不同，事情难测，竭力劝说赵延寿免行这个礼仪，此事才作罢。五月初一，永康王兀欲召请赵延寿及张砺、和凝、李崧、冯道等人到自己的馆舍饮酒。兀欲逮捕了赵延寿，笑著对李崧、张砺等人说：「燕王如果真的在这里行这种礼仪，我就将用铁甲骑兵包围此地，诸位也就难免遭殃了。」随后，兀欲即位为辽世宗。

辽世宗即位，被他的祖母述律平反对。述律平想要她的另一个儿子耶律李胡继位。辽世宗返回辽国本土争位。大多数的汉族官员，包括李崧、冯道和和凝留在恒州，命令耶律麻荅负责恒州。耶律麻荅虐待当地百姓和汉族士兵。用牒文命冯道兼判弘文馆，命李崧兼判史馆，命和凝兼判集贤馆，命刘昫兼判中书。辽世宗召前威胜节度使兼中书令冯道、枢密使李崧、左仆射和凝等，会同安葬先帝耶律德光于木叶山。还没有成行，汉族士兵决定兵变，巷战在恒州展开。前磁州刺史李谷说服李崧、冯道参加战斗。汉族士兵看到宰相，士气大大增加,他们最终击败了辽国士兵，耶律麻荅逃回辽国本土。后来，白再荣控制恒州，认为李崧、和凝等人久做宰相，家中殷富，派军士们包围二人的住宅，请求发赏钱，李崧、和凝各自拿出家财分给他们；但白再荣又想杀掉二人以灭口。李谷责备白再荣，现在刚刚脱离死境，就想杀戮宰相，新天子（建立后汉的刘知远）如果追究你擅杀大臣的罪过。所以白再荣没有杀死他们。

后汉时代

恒州兵变之后，李崧、冯道、和凝，回到开封参见后汉高祖刘知远。但他们没有继续担任宰相，李崧被任命为太子太傅。

刘知远把李崧的住宅赐给苏逢吉。李崧宅中埋藏的东西以及洛阳庄园，苏逢吉全都占了。李崧归顺后汉，自认为孤立而危险，事奉后汉权臣，经常小心谨慎，称病在家。他的两个弟弟李屿、李㠖有时趁饮酒后对苏逢吉子弟口出怨言，说「夺我住房、家财」。苏逢吉因此憎恶他们。不久，李崧又把两京住宅的房契献给苏逢吉，苏逢吉更加不高兴；翰林学士陶谷，早先被李崧荐举进用，又跟著说他的坏话。

948年，刘知远死后，其子刘承佑即位。李屿的仆人葛延遇为李屿贩卖东西，常常欺骗主人、藏匿钱财，被李屿鞭打。葛延遇和苏逢吉的仆人李澄，诬告李屿谋反。苏逢吉听说后把他引诱过来，于是召李崧来到家中，抓起来送入侍卫狱。李屿在狱中屈招说：「与兄李崧、弟李李㠖、外甥王凝及家僮共二十人，谋划乘皇帝灵柩发运时，纵火焚烧京城；派人带蜡丸密书到河中城，勾结护国军节度使（治所在河中府，今山西省运城市永济市）李守贞；又派人去招契丹兵。」在结案上报时，苏逢吉把「二十」改为「五十」。李崧叹道，自古没有不死之人，不亡之国十一月初九，刘承佑下诏诛杀李崧兄弟、家属以及供词涉及的人，都暴尸街头，当时人没有不觉得李氏冤枉的。不久，苏逢吉在权力斗争中被杀，后周建立后，李崧的好友徐台符为李崧报仇，上奏周太祖郭威，为李崧平反，诛杀了葛延遇、李澄。

Background

It is not known when Li Song was born, but it is known that he was from Raoyang (饶阳, in modern Hengshui, Hebei). His father Li Shunqing (李舜卿) was the tactical officer at Shen Prefecture (深州, in modern Hengshui), which Raoyang belonged to. He had at least two younger brothers, Li Yu (李屿) and Li Yi (李㠖). Li Shunqing was a descendant of Li Lin (李𬭸). Li Lin said to be 6th generation descendant of Li Yuanyi, Prince Zhenghui (郑惠王, 李元懿), who was a 13th son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. It was said that he was intelligent in his youth, and was writing artful texts even when he was in his teenage years, surprising his family members. Once he reached adulthood, he became an officer at Shen Prefecture. (Historical descriptions do not give dates, or even the sovereigns that he was under, during these events.)

During Later Tang

During Li Cunxus reign

However, it is known that by 923 — at which time Li Cunxu had declared himself emperor of a new Later Tang and had commissioned his oldest son Li Jiji the defender of Zhending (真定, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and the director of Xingsheng Palace — Li Song was serving on Li Jiji's staff as an officer. At that time, Li Jiji's secretary Li Rao (李荛) was in charge of Li Jiji's correspondences. Li Song had seen some of Li Rao's writings and considered them poorly written, He secretly spoke with the head of Li Jiji's household, Lü Rou, stating, "The Lord Chancellor Li Jiji carried an honorary chancellor title) is the Emperor's son. The whole realm looks at him. Both his correspondences and his records need to be logically and properly written. The drafts written by Censor Li Li Rao carried an honorary censor title) lacked perfection." Lü asked Li Song to try to write for Li Jiji on a trial basis, and then showed what Li Song had written to Li Cunxu's secretaries Lu Zhi (卢质) and Feng Dao, both of whom praised Li Song's writing. Li Song was therefore soon promoted to be the surveying officer for Xingsheng Palace, and put in charge of Li Jiji's correspondences. After Li Cunxu conquered archrival Later Liang later in the year and made Luoyang his capital, he gave Li Song the title of Xielü Lang (协律郎).

In 925, Li Cunxu commissioned Li Jiji, who carried the title of Prince of Wei by that point, as the supreme commander of an army against Later Tang's southwestern neighbor Former Shu, with the major general Guo Chongtao serving as Li Jiji's deputy and actually in charge of the operation. Li Jiji made Li Song his secretary on the campaign. The Later Tang army was soon able to destroy Former Shu. However, after Former Shu's fall, both Li Cunxu and his wife (Li Jiji's mother) Empress Liu suspected Guo of plotting rebellion, and Empress Liu, even though she did not have agreement from Li Cunxu, issued an order to Li Jiji that he kill Guo. Li Jiji, after receiving her order, ambushed Guo and killed him. Hearing this, Li Song quickly went to see Li Jiji, lamenting to him, "Now the army is 3,000 li away from the capital. Why did Your Royal Highness carry out the dangerous act of killing a major general without an imperial edict? Why cannot you wait until getting back to Luoyang?" Li Jiji responded that he regretted the decision, but it had already been done. Li Song then summoned several scribes and secretly forged an imperial edict, using Li Jiji's seal to pretend to be an imperial seal in stamping the edict. Only after that did the army acquiesce.

The deaths of Guo and, subsequently, his ally and fellow major general Zhu Youqian, however, spawned a number of mutinies in the Later Tang army. In summer 926, Li Cunxu was killed in a mutiny at Luoyang itself. His adoptive brother Li Siyuan entered Luoyang and claimed the title of regent. Li Jiji, who was then withdrawing his army back from Former Shu's capital Chengdu back to Luoyang, headed for Luoyang, trying to contend for imperial title, but his army began to desert him. He committed suicide, and the army subsequently returned to Luoyang under the command of his general Ren Huan and submitted to Li Siyuan.

During Li Siyuans reign

Ren Huan subsequently became a chancellor for Li Siyuan. He also was in charge of the three financial agencies (taxation, treasury, and salt and iron monopolies), and he made Li Song his assistant for salt and iron monopolies. Later, when Li Song's mother died, Li Song left governmental service to observe a mourning period for her. After the mourning period was over, Fan Yanguang, who was then the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered at Zhending), made Li Song his secretary, in charge of the communications. When Fan was later recalled to the imperial government to serve as chief of staff (Shumishi), Li Song became a member of the office of chief of staff. While serving there, his title gradually rose from Shiyi (拾遗), to Bujue (补阙, both consultant titles), to imperial chronicler (起居郎, Qiju Lang), to a supervisory position at the executive bureau of government (尚书省, Shangshu Sheng). Near the end of Li Siyuan's Changxing era (930-933), Li Song became an imperial scholar (翰林学士, Hanlin Xueshi).

As of 932, Later Tang's northern rival Khitan Empire was making repeated incursions into Later Tang territory. Li Siyuan wanted an appropriate military governor for Hedong Circuit (河东, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) to combat the Khitan incursions. Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, who wanted to avoid conflicts with Li Siyuan's oldest surviving son Li Congrong the Prince of Qin, wanted the Hedong military governorship, but Fan and his fellow chief of staff, Zhao Yanshou (also a son-in-law to Li Siyuan) wanted to commission the general Kang Yicheng (康义诚), and therefore the matter was unsettled for a while. During a meeting at the office of the chief of staff, it was Li Song who spoke up in favor of commissioning Shi. Li Siyuan happened to be sending emissaries to the meeting at that time to rush the decision, so Fan and Zhao acquiesced. Shi was then made the military governor of Hedong. When Shi became aware that it was Li Song who advocated for his commission, he sent Li Song a message of appreciation.

After Li Siyuans reign

Li Siyuan died in 933 (after a disturbance in which Li Congrong tried to seize power but was defeated and killed). Another of his sons, Li Conghou the Prince of Song, succeeded him as emperor. In 934, LI Siyuan's adoptive son Li Congke the Prince of Lu overthrew Li Conghou and became emperor. Li Song became one of the officials Li Congke frequently consulted, along with Li Zhuanmei (李专美), Lü Qi, Xue Wenyu (薛文遇), and Zhao Yan'ai.

Li Congke and Shi had long disliked each other. Li Congke frequently suspected Shi of plotting rebellion, and a major concern at the time in Li Congke's inner circle was that Shi would seek aid from the Khitan in such a rebellion. Li Song and Lü advocated entering into a peace treaty with the Khitan by returning a number of Khitan officers that Later Tang had earlier captured and giving a large amount of money to the Khitan. The chancellor Zhang Yanlang, who then oversaw the three financial agencies, supported the idea. Li Congke initially was in favor as well, and had Li Song and Lü draft a proposed letter to Khitan's Emperor Taizong to suggest the treaty. However, Xue opposed, and argued that the Khitan emperor would insist on having Li Congke's young daughter marry him (or his son). Li Congke thus changed his mind, and one day thereafter summoned Li Song and Lü to rebuke them. They apologized profusely and were spared, but their proposal was not considered again. Li Congke also distanced himself away from Lü, although apparently Li Song remained part of the inner circle.

Li Congke then considered moving Shi to another circuit. Then-chief of staff Fang Gao and Li Song (and Lü, prior to Lü's departure from his inner circle) all strenuously opposed, believing that would provoke Shi into a rebellion. However, one night, when Li Song was had the night off and Xue was on duty, Li Congke consulted Xue by himself, and Xue argued that Shi would eventually rebel anyway — that having him rebel earlier was better than having him rebel later. Li Congke agreed. Shortly after, he issued an edict moving Shi from Hedong to Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong). Shi, as expected, rebelled and sought aid from Khitan's Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong launched an army to aid him, and their joint forces defeated the Later Tang army Li Congke sent, under the command of the general Zhang Jingda. Zhang was killed by his deputy Yang Guangyuan, who then surrendered to the joint Khitan/Hedong forces. Emperor Taizong declared Shi the emperor of a new Later Jin, and they advanced south. Believing the situation to be hopeless, Li Congke committed suicide with his family, ending Later Tang. Shi entered Luoyang and took over Later Tang territory.

During Later Jin

During Shi Jingtangs reign

At the time that Shi Jingtang entered Luoyang, Li Song and Lü Qi hid themselves among the people at Yijue (伊阙, in modern Luoyang). Shi discovered this. He was still grateful to Li Song for having spoken for his military governorship at Hedong and also respected Lü for what he believed to be Lü's correct recommendation to Li Congke to enter into a peace treaty with the Khitan, and therefore restored both of them to governmental positions. In Li Song's case, he was made the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and put in charge of taxation. Shortly after, he further promoted Li Song to be Zhongshu Shilang (中书侍郎, the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中书省, Zhongshu Sheng)) as well as chancellor, with the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. He was also made chief of staff, serving with Sang Weihan. However, this displeased Liu Churang (who wanted to be chief of staff) and Yang Guangyuan, who was then sieging Fan Yanguang at Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) as Fan had rebelled against Shi earlier in the year (as Sang was putting curbs on Yang's power). Yang thus submitted a petition arguing that chancellors should not also be chiefs of staff. Shi felt compelled to remove both Sang and Li Song as chiefs of staff. Li Song was given the additional title of minister of public works (工部尚书, Gongbu Shangshu), while Liu was made chief of staff.

In 941, Shi made his general Liu Zhiyuan, who was then the commander of the imperial guards, the military governor of Hedong. At the recommendations of Li Song and Feng Dao (who was then also chancellor), Shi's brother-in-law Du Chongwei, whom Liu despised, succeeded Liu as the commander of the imperial guards. It was said that Liu resented Li and Feng from this point on. Li accompanied Shi to Yedu (邺都, i.e., Tianxiong's capital, also known as Wei Prefecture (魏州)) later in the year, as Shi was then anticipating a rebellion by An Chongrong the military governor of Chengde. Apparently while Li was at Yedu, his father died, and he left governmental service briefly to observe a mourning period, but Shi immediately recalled him to the imperial government without a lengthy mourning period.

During Shi Chongguis reign

Shi Jingtang died in summer 941 and was succeeded as emperor by his nephew Shi Chonggui the Prince of Qi. One immediate question was how the Later Jin court would report this news to Emperor Taizong (who had changed his state's name from Khitan to Liao by this point). Shi Jingtang had earlier, not only submitted to Liao as a subject, but referred to Emperor Taizong as "father emperor" while referring to himself as "son emperor." The officials largely wanted Shi Chonggui to submit a report (as a subject) and refer to himself as "subject." The general Jing Yanguang, who supported Shi Chonggui's ascendency and who was then made a chancellor as well, however, opposed, suggesting that Shi Chonggui merely write a letter (i.e., to show equality between the states, rather than submission) in which he would merely refer to himself as "grandson" and not subject. Li Song opposed Jing, pointing out that this would lead to discord and war between the two states. Feng Dao took no position, and Shi Chonggui eventually agreed with Jing. This led to Emperor Taizong to angrily respond, through an emissary, "How do you dare to take the throne without first reporting to me?" Jing authored the response, with rudeness, to that rebuke, precipitating an eventual war between Later Jin and Liao, particularly given that Zhao Yanshou, then a Liao general, was urging Emperor Taizong to wage a war, as he himself wanted to become emperor of China.

By 944, Sang Weihan was again chief of staff and chancellor, and was said to control the army with discipline, enabling its effectiveness in battles against Liao. Shi Chonggui's brother-in-law Feng Yu and another close associate, Li Yantao (李彦韬), however, disliked Sang, and frequently defamed him before Shi. Shi thus considered removing Sang, but did not do so, at the urging of Li Song and Liu Xu. However, he made Feng also a chief of staff, to divide Sang's power. In late 945, Shi finally removed Sang as chief of staff and chancellor, making him the mayor of then-capital Kaifeng. Li Song was made chief of staff to replace Sang in that capacity, while Zhao Ying, who already carried a chancellor title but was acting as mayor of Kaifeng, was made full chancellor to replace Sang in that capacity.

In 946, Emperor Taizong decided to create a trap for Later Jin. He spread false news that Zhao Yanshou was intending to defect to Later Jin, rumors that were believed by Feng and Li Song. They had Du Chongwei (whose name had been changed to Du Wei by that point due to naming taboo for Shi Chonggui's name), who was then the military governor of Tianxiong, write a secret letter to Zhao, to see if Zhao intended to defect. Zhao, who was part of Emperor Taizong's plan, wrote back and indicated that, indeed, he wanted to defect, along with his Lulong Circuit (卢龙, headquartered in Beijing — which had previously been Later Tang territory but which Shi Jingtang, as part of the agreement in which Emperor Taizong aided him to become emperor, ceded to Emperor Taizong); in his letter, he asked for a major Later Jin army to be launched to support his defection. After discussions between Shi Chonggui, Feng, and Li Song, it was agreed that a large army would be launched, commanded by Du, with Li Shouzhen serving as his deputy. (This was opposed by Zhao Ying, who believed that Du was untrustworthy due to his unthankful nature, but Zhao Ying was not listened to.)

Du's army was soon launched, but as it approached Liao territory, was met by a large, highly mobile Liao army commanded by Emperor Taizong himself. It tried to retreat, but became encircled by the Liao army at Zhongdu Bridge (中度桥, in modern Baoding, Hebei). After Emperor Taizong made a promise (which he would eventually repudiate) to have Du made emperor, Du and Li Shouzhen surrendered with their army. As virtually the entire Later Jin imperial army was under Du's command, Kaifeng was left defenseless, and the Liao army advanced quickly toward it. Shi Chonggui surrendered, ending Later Jin.

During Liao

After Kaifeng's fall to Liao, Shi Chonggui and his family (including Shi Jingtang's wife Empress Dowager Li) were put under house arrest by the Liao general (formerly a subordinate of Du Wei's), Zhang Yanze, whom Emperor Taizong sent as forward commander to take control of the city. Li Song took a dissociative approach as far as his former emperor was concerned — including finding excuses not to go when Shi requested the presence of both him and Li Yantao. Emperor Taizong soon arrived at Kaifeng and claimed to be the emperor of China as well. With both Zhao Yanshou and Zhang Li recommending Li Song for his talent, Emperor Taizong made Li Song a chief of staff, and also gave him the honorary title Taizi Taishi (太子太师). Emperor Taizong made the comment, "All I gained by destroying the southern dynasty was Li Song."

Meanwhile, Zhao, finally realizing that Emperor Taizong had no intent on fulfilling his promise to make Zhao emperor of China, had Li Song request, on his behalf, for him to be made crown prince. Emperor Taizong, citing the fact that the Crown Prince should be a son of the emperor, also refused that request, although he gave Zhao a number of additional honorary titles.

Initially, nearly all of Later Jin military governors submitted to Emperor Taizong, but with Emperor Taizong allowing the ethnic Khitan soldiers to pillage the Central Plains region, many Han rebellions soon overtook the territory. Tiring of dealing with these rebellions, he decided to leave his brother-in-law Xiao Han in charge at Kaifeng, while he himself headed back to Liao's main territory. On the way, however, he fell ill, and died near Chengde's capital Heng Prefecture (恒州, i.e., Zhending).

In the aftermaths of Emperor Taizong's death, Zhao wanted to seize what remained of Liao-controlled former Later Jin territory, but not wanting to yet break with Liao, he only claimed that Emperor Taizong left an edict authorizing him to oversee the southern court (i.e., the former Later Jin territory). At the same time, unknown to Zhao, the Khitan generals at Heng were secretly meeting and agreed to support Emperor Taizong's nephew Yelü Ruan the Prince of Yongkang as the new emperor. Unaware of this development, Zhao prepared to hold a semi-imperial ascension ceremony, in which the officials and generals would all bow to him. Li Song, pointing out to him that it was uncertain whether the Khitan generals would agree, persuaded him not to hold the ceremony. Shortly after, Yelü Ruan used trickery to arrest Zhao, and commented to Zhang Li that had Li Song not talked Zhao out of holding the ceremony, the Khitan army would have overrun the ceremony and killed everyone present. He then declared himself emperor (as Emperor Shizong).

Emperor Shizong's succession to the Liao throne was immediately contested by his grandmother (the mother of both Emperor Taizong and his father, Yelü Bei), who wanted another son of hers, Yelü Lihu, to succeed to the throne. Emperor Shizong headed back to Liao's main territory to engage his grandmother's army, while leaving a Khitan army, along with the remainder of the captured Han army, as well as most of the Han officials (including Li Song and fellow captured chancellors Feng Dao and He Ning), at Heng, leaving Emperor Taizong's cousin Yelü Mada (耶律麻荅) in charge at Heng. Yelü Mada mistreated both the people of the region and the Han soldiers. When Emperor Shizong subsequently sent emissaries to summon Feng, He, and Li Song to join him for Emperor Taizong's funeral, the Han soldiers decided to mutiny, and a street battle developed in Heng. The battle initially did not go well for the Han mutineers, but the official Li Gu persuaded Feng, Li Song, and He to appear at the battle. When the Han soldiers saw the chancellors, their morale was greatly increased, and they eventually defeated the Khitan soldiers under Yelü Mada, who fled back to Liao territory. In the aftermaths of the battle, the city became controlled by the officer Bai Zairong (白再荣), who had the soldiers surround Li Song's and He's residences, demanding treasury. Li Song and He surrendered all their treasure, but Bai then considered killing them to prevent reprisal later, but Li Gu talked him out of it, pointing out that the new emperor (i.e., Liu Zhiyuan, who had established Later Han and taken over the Central Plains by this point) would punish him if he frivolously killed the chancellors. Bai therefore did not kill them.

During Later Han

After the Heng mutiny, Li Song, along with Feng Dao and He Ning, returned to Kaifeng to submit to Liu Zhiyuan. None of them, however, was given a key position, but only honorific titles — in Li Song's case, Taizi Taifu (太子太傅).

While Li Song was with the Liao army at Heng, however, Liu, apparently believing that both Feng and Li Song had turned their loyalty over to Liao, awarded their mansions at Kaifeng to his key followers (and by this point, chancellors) Su Yugui and Su Fengji, respectively. Su Fengji thus also took control of all of the precious items that Li Song had collected over the years, and further seized Li Song's mansion at Luoyang. After Li Song's return to Later Han, he knew that he lacked allies at the Later Han court, and therefore was carefully dealing with the new powerful Later Han officials with respect. However, his brothers Li Yu and Li Yi were not as careful, and, as they were colleagues at the Later Han court with Su Fengji's brothers and sons, they were occasionally drinking together, and they made such statements as, "You seized our houses and savings!" Su Fengji thus began to be apprehensive of Li Song. When Li Song then offered the deeds of the mansions to Su, rather than being soothed, Su was further displeased.

In 948, by which time Liu Zhiyuan had died, and his son Liu Chengyou was emperor, there was a time when Li Yu had discovered his servant Ge Yanyu (葛延遇) to be embezzling from him, and was trying to force Ge to return the embezzled funds. Ge thus decided to, in conjunction with Su's servant Li Cheng (李澄), accuse Li Yu of treason. Su then put Li Song under arrest as well. Subsequently, under torture, Li Yu wrote out a confession in which he implicated not only himself, but Li Song and Li Yi, as well as his nephew Wang Ning (王凝), of plotting a rebellion at Kaifeng, in conspiracy with Li Shouzhen, who had earlier rebelled at Huguo Circuit (护国, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), and Liao. Li Song, believing that he could not escape, also confessed. His entire family was executed, and the people lamented for them.

Notes and references

• Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 108.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 57.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 274, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288.