In spring 711, Song and Yao suggested to Emperor Ruizong that the way to stop the rumors about Li Longji's being replaced would be to send Princess Taiping and her husband Wu Youji to live in Luoyang, while sending Li Chengqi and Li Shouli out of the capital Chang'an to be prefectural prefects. Emperor Ruizong initially agreed (with the exception that he believed that Luoyang was too far, and therefore was ready to send Princess Taiping to Wu Youji to Pu Prefecture (蒲州, roughly modern Yuncheng, Shanxi) instead), but after Princess Taiping found out and objected vehemently, Li Longji, fearful of consequences, disavowed and denounced Song and Yao. Emperor Ruizong removed both from their chancellor positions and demoted them to be prefectural prefects—in Song's case, to be the prefect of Chu Prefecture (楚州, roughly modern Huai'an, Jiangsu). He later served successively as the prefect of Yan Prefecture (兗州, roughly modern Jining, Shandong), Ji Prefecture (冀州, roughly modern Hengshui, Hebei), and Wei Prefecture (魏州, in modern Handan); the examiner of Hebei Circuit (河北, roughly modern Hebei, Beijing, and Tianjin); the commandant at You Prefecture (幽州, roughly modern Beijing); and principal of the imperial university (國子祭酒, "Guozi Jijiu"), being in charge of Luoyang. He was then recalled to Chang'an to serve as the secretary general of the capital prefecture Yong Prefecture (雍州, roughly modern Xi'an, Shaanxi).