During Li Bian's reign In 937, Yang Pu yielded the throne to Xu Zhigao, ending Wu. Xu Zhigao took the throne as emperor of a new state of
Southern Tang. He created Xu Jingsui, who had arrived at Jinling as part of the procession of Wu officials offering the throne to him on Yang's behalf, the Prince of Ji. He also commissioned Xu Jingsui the titles of
Shizhong (), defender of the eastern capital (as Jinling became the Southern Tang capital, with Guangling becoming the eastern capital with the name of Jiangdu (), and mayor of Jiangdu. He had Xu Jingsui lead the officials who were assigned offices in Jiangdu back to Jiangdu. In 938, Xu Zhigao recalled Xu Jingsui to Jinling, to participate in the matters of the office of chancellors, overseeing the executive bureau of government (尚書省,
Shangshu Sheng). When Yang died later in 938, it was Xu Jingsui that Xu Zhigao sent to attend to the funeral train. Xu Jingsui was overcome with grief, and those who saw him were touched. In 942, when the senior statesman
Song Qiqiu insisted on taking over the executive bureau, Li Bian had Li Jingsui yield the oversight of the executive bureau to him, and instead had Li Jingsui oversee the legislative (中書省,
Zhongshu Sheng) and examination (門下省,
Menxia Sheng) bureaus instead, but also having Li Jingsui's older brother Li Jingtong (whose name had been changed to Li Jing by this point) oversee all three bureaus. Shortly after, Song's close associate Xia Changtu () was involved in a corruption scandal, but Song initially did sentence him to death. Li Bian, in anger, personally ordered Xia's death. Song thus resigned his oversight over the executive bureau and was no longer meeting the emperor. Li Bian had to send Li Jingsui to his mansion to comfort him and promise to make him the military governor of Zhennan Circuit (鎮南, headquartered in modern
Nanchang,
Jiangxi) in order for him to come to the palace, upon which Song was given the Zhennan command.
During Li Jing's reign Li Bian died in 943. On a subsequent occasion, when Li Jing wanted to send Zhang on an embassy, over the sea, to
Liao, Li Jingsui personally wrote a petition to Li Jing urging against it, stating, "Zhang Yi is man who can support the state. He should be kept around to offer advice day and night. He should not be sent over the unpredictable sea." Li Jing, however, responded, "Zhang Yi is an unusual man, such that even the god of the sea would fear him." He sent Zhang on the embassy anyway. By 958, Southern Tang had lost a war against
Later Zhou (the successor state to
Later Han, which had succeeded Later Jin), and had been forced to cede its territory north of the
Yangtze River to Later Zhou, as well as formally submit as a subject). Li Jingsui used this opportunity to submit, 10 times, petitions offering to yield his crown prince position, particularly citing his own lack of contributions to the military effort and Li Hongji's contributions in repelling the attack of Later Zhou's vassal state
Wuyue during the war. Li Jing accepted his petition and created Li Hongji Crown Prince to succeed him. Li Jingsui was created the Prince of Jin, and was given the additional titles of
Tiance Shangjiangjun (), generalissimo of Jiangnan West Circuit (i.e., Zhennan, but Li Jing intentionally using the more archaic
Tang title for it for impressive effect), grand commandant of Zhennan's capital Hong Prefecture (),
Taiwei (), and
Shangshu Ling (). Upon Li Jingsui's arrival at Zhennan, he, citing the fact that, given the recent losses to Later Zhou, Zhennan was now potentially exposed to war as well, requested an official as his deputy. Li Jing thus sent Li Zhenggu () to Zhennan to serve as his deputy military governor. However, Li Zhenggu was arrogant and dominant, such that even though Li Jingsui was himself magnanimous and relaxed, he became unable to bear Li Zhenggu as time went by. He considered killing Li Zhenggu and then report to Li Jing to confess, but was urged not to by his close associates. He became unhappy, however. Meanwhile, Li Hongji, as crown prince, had sometimes carried out unlawful deeds. Li Jing, angry, had once caned Li Hongji, and, as he did, stated, "I will summon Jingsui back!" There also happened be a time when false accusations were laid against the son of Li Jingsui's staff member Yuan Congfan (), such that Li Jingsui was considering executing Yuan's son. When Li Hongji heard of this, he secretly sent Yuan poison to encourage Yuan to poison Li Jingsui. On a day after Li Jingsui returned to his mansion after playing polo and was thirsty, Yuan gave him milk laced with poison. Li Jingsui drank it and died. Li Jing was greatly saddened. His servants, wanting to lessen his sadness, falsely stated to him that when Li Jingsui fell ill, he stated, "
Shangdi is having me replace Xu Jingyang (i.e., the
Taoist deity Xu Xun)." Li Jing believed them, and did not look into the matter further. He posthumously honored Li Jingsui as a crown prince. == Notes and references ==