Of the other chancellors, Doulu Zhuan had no real talents, so he followed whatever Lu decided. When Cui Hang had suggestions for the emperor, he was often dissuaded from making them by Doulu. Meanwhile, while Emperor Xizong continued to be not fully interested in an imperial marriage with Dali, under Lu's and Doulu's suggestion, he still sent the imperial prince Li Guinian (李龜年) the Prince of Cao and the official Xu Yunqian (徐雲虔) as emissaries to Dali to continue negotiations, to hold off potential Dali attacks. However, at this time, news arrived that in a major battle, Huang defeated and killed Zhang. Gao, fearful of Huang after Zhang's death, was unwilling to engage Huang, and in fact sent the imperial government urgent calls for help as Huang advanced north, across the Yangtze River, approaching his headquarters at Yang Prefecture (揚州). When Emperor Xizong rebuked Gao for having previously sent back reinforcements that other circuits had sent, Gao sent an irreverent response that satirized Emperor Xizong, and refused to follow further imperial orders to engage Huang. Huang was thus free to advance north, toward Luoyang and Chang'an. Lu, hearing repeated bad news, did not know how to react, and could only use his illness as his excuse to remain at home. When Huang captured Tong Pass around new year 881 and approached Chang'an, Tian, who was then planning an evacuation to Xichuan Circuit (where his brother Chen Jingxuan had been installed as military governor) with Emperor Xizong, blamed Lu for the disaster and had Lu again made an advisor to the Crown Prince; Wang Hui and Pei Che replaced him. That night, Lu committed suicide by poison. Once Emperor Xizong fled and Huang captured Chang'an, he had Lu's body exhumed and cut into pieces publicly. Notes and references Notes Bibliography Old Book of Tang, vol. 178. New Book of Tang, vol. 184. Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 252, 253, 254. 9th-century births 881 deaths Chancellors under Emperor Xizong of Tang Suicides by poison Lu clan of Fanyang Suicides in the Tang dynasty Posthumous executions