In 781, after Li Zhengji and fellow warlord Li Baochen, the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), died, Emperor Dezong refused to let their sons (Li Na and Li Weiyue, respectively) to inherit their posts. Li Na and Li Weiyue, along with their allies Tian Yue the military governor of Weibo Circuit (魏博, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) and Liang Chongyi the military governor of Shannan East Circuit (山南東道, headquartered in modern Xiangfan, Hubei), thereafter prepared for war against the imperial government. One of the main advocates for an immediate attack against Liang was Li Xilie, the military governor of Huaixi Circuit (淮西, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan), and Emperor Dezong put Li Xilie in charge of the campaign against Liang. Yang objected—pointing out that Li Xilie was himself disobedient of imperial edicts and had expelled his predecessor Li Zhongchen despite Li Zhongchen's kind treatment of him, and argued that if Li Xilie were successful, he would be so overconfident that the imperial government would no longer be able to control him. Emperor Dezong did not listen to Yang and became increasingly repulsed by Yang due to his opposition. When Li Xilie's army was not launched for sometime due to rain, Lu secretly suggested to Emperor Dezong that it was actually because Li Xilie was resentful of Yang and that Emperor Dezong should remove Yang to placate Li Xilie. Emperor Dezong agreed, and in fall 781, he made Yang "Zuo Pushe" (), one of the heads of the executive bureau, but no longer chancellor.