her and stated that she was likeness of herself. Sometime after the end of exile, Li Guo'er married Wu Chongxun () the Prince of Gaoyang, the son of Wu Zetian's nephew Wu Sansi the Prince of Liang. During Emperor Zhongzong's second reign In 705, a coup led by Zhang Jianzhi, Cui Xuanwei, Jing Hui, Huan Yanfan, and Yuan Shuji overthrew Wu Zetian and restored Emperor Zhongzong to the throne. However, Wu Sansi, who was carrying on an affair with Empress Wei, became a trusted advisor of Emperor Zhongzong, and Zhang and his cohorts soon lost power (and eventually all were killed or died in exile in 706). Li Guo'er and Emperor Zhongzong's concubine Consort Shangguan Wan'er also became powerful figures. Li Guo'er, in particular, as she was favored by both Emperor Zhongzong and Empress Wei, was said to be powerful, arrogant, and corrupt. In spring 706, Emperor Zhongzong issued an edict that, in an unprecedented manner, established staffs for seven princesses: his sister Princess Taiping; his daughters Princesses Changning, Yicheng, Xindu, Ding'an, and Anle; and Princess Jincheng, the daughter of his cousin Li Shouli the Prince of Yong. It was said that among the seven, Li Guo'er had a particularly large staff, and she also sold governmental offices, even to people who were of low social stations, as long as they had the money. Because the offices she sold had their commissions placed in envelopes that were sealed in a slanted manner to indicate that they need not be approved by the examination bureau (, Menxia Sheng), they were known as the "slanted-sealed officials" (, xiefeng guan). She even murdered officials who opposed her, wrongfully occupied lands belonging to others, captured free people, especially children, as slaves, and engaged in other illegal activities. She spent money recklessly, building many magnificent buildings, palaces, parks, and temples on a large scale, especially on behalf of her father, which caused great strain on the imperial treasury and the burden of the common people. Although her father was aware of these violations, corruptions, and indiscretions, he refused to reprimand her. It was said that at times, she would even draft edicts for Emperor Zhongzong and then, covering the text of the edicts, ask him to sign them, and that he did so willingly. Also, many officials bribed her to be promoted to the emperor on her behalf or even to intercede for them to