Background

It is not known when Li Song was born, but it is known that he was from Raoyang (饒陽, in modern Hengshui, Hebei). His father Li Shunqing (李舜卿) was the tactical officer at Shen Prefecture (深州, in modern Hengshui), which Raoyang belonged to. He had at least two younger brothers, Li Yu (李嶼) and Li Yi (李㠖). Li Shunqing was a descendant of Li Lin (李𬭸). Li Lin said to be 6th generation descendant of Li Yuanyi, Prince Zhenghui (鄭惠王, 李元懿), who was a 13th son of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. It was said that he was intelligent in his youth, and was writing artful texts even when he was in his teenage years, surprising his family members. Once he reached adulthood, he became an officer at Shen Prefecture. (Historical descriptions do not give dates, or even the sovereigns that he was under, during these events.)

During Later Tang

During Li Cunxus reign

However, it is known that by 923 — at which time Li Cunxu had declared himself emperor of a new Later Tang and had commissioned his oldest son Li Jiji the defender of Zhending (真定, in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) and the director of Xingsheng Palace — Li Song was serving on Li Jiji's staff as an officer. At that time, Li Jiji's secretary Li Rao (李蕘) was in charge of Li Jiji's correspondences. Li Song had seen some of Li Rao's writings and considered them poorly written, He secretly spoke with the head of Li Jiji's household, Lü Rou, stating, "The Lord Chancellor Li Jiji carried an honorary chancellor title) is the Emperor's son. The whole realm looks at him. Both his correspondences and his records need to be logically and properly written. The drafts written by Censor Li Li Rao carried an honorary censor title) lacked perfection." Lü asked Li Song to try to write for Li Jiji on a trial basis, and then showed what Li Song had written to Li Cunxu's secretaries Lu Zhi (盧質) and Feng Dao, both of whom praised Li Song's writing. Li Song was therefore soon promoted to be the surveying officer for Xingsheng Palace, and put in charge of Li Jiji's correspondences. After Li Cunxu conquered archrival Later Liang later in the year and made Luoyang his capital, he gave Li Song the title of Xielü Lang (協律郎).

In 925, Li Cunxu commissioned Li Jiji, who carried the title of Prince of Wei by that point, as the supreme commander of an army against Later Tang's southwestern neighbor Former Shu, with the major general Guo Chongtao serving as Li Jiji's deputy and actually in charge of the operation. Li Jiji made Li Song his secretary on the campaign. The Later Tang army was soon able to destroy Former Shu. However, after Former Shu's fall, both Li Cunxu and his wife (Li Jiji's mother) Empress Liu suspected Guo of plotting rebellion, and Empress Liu, even though she did not have agreement from Li Cunxu, issued an order to Li Jiji that he kill Guo. Li Jiji, after receiving her order, ambushed Guo and killed him. Hearing this, Li Song quickly went to see Li Jiji, lamenting to him, "Now the army is 3,000 li away from the capital. Why did Your Royal Highness carry out the dangerous act of killing a major general without an imperial edict? Why cannot you wait until getting back to Luoyang?" Li Jiji responded that he regretted the decision, but it had already been done. Li Song then summoned several scribes and secretly forged an imperial edict, using Li Jiji's seal to pretend to be an imperial seal in stamping the edict. Only after that did the army acquiesce.

The deaths of Guo and, subsequently, his ally and fellow major general Zhu Youqian, however, spawned a number of mutinies in the Later Tang army. In summer 926, Li Cunxu was killed in a mutiny at Luoyang itself. His adoptive brother Li Siyuan entered Luoyang and claimed the title of regent. Li Jiji, who was then withdrawing his army back from Former Shu's capital Chengdu back to Luoyang, headed for Luoyang, trying to contend for imperial title, but his army began to desert him. He committed suicide, and the army subsequently returned to Luoyang under the command of his general Ren Huan and submitted to Li Siyuan.

During Li Siyuans reign

Ren Huan subsequently became a chancellor for Li Siyuan. He also was in charge of the three financial agencies (taxation, treasury, and salt and iron monopolies), and he made Li Song his assistant for salt and iron monopolies. Later, when Li Song's mother died, Li Song left governmental service to observe a mourning period for her. After the mourning period was over, Fan Yanguang, who was then the military governor of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered at Zhending), made Li Song his secretary, in charge of the communications. When Fan was later recalled to the imperial government to serve as chief of staff (Shumishi), Li Song became a member of the office of chief of staff. While serving there, his title gradually rose from Shiyi (拾遺), to Bujue (補闕, both consultant titles), to imperial chronicler (起居郎, Qiju Lang), to a supervisory position at the executive bureau of government (尚書省, Shangshu Sheng). Near the end of Li Siyuan's Changxing era (930-933), Li Song became an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi).

As of 932, Later Tang's northern rival Khitan Empire was making repeated incursions into Later Tang territory. Li Siyuan wanted an appropriate military governor for Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) to combat the Khitan incursions. Li Siyuan's son-in-law Shi Jingtang, who wanted to avoid conflicts with Li Siyuan's oldest surviving son Li Congrong the Prince of Qin, wanted the Hedong military governorship, but Fan and his fellow chief of staff, Zhao Yanshou (also a son-in-law to Li Siyuan) wanted to commission the general Kang Yicheng (康義誠), and therefore the matter was unsettled for a while. During a meeting at the office of the chief of staff, it was Li Song who spoke up in favor of commissioning Shi. Li Siyuan happened to be sending emissaries to the meeting at that time to rush the decision, so Fan and Zhao acquiesced. Shi was then made the military governor of Hedong. When Shi became aware that it was Li Song who advocated for his commission, he sent Li Song a message of appreciation.

After Li Siyuans reign

Li Siyuan died in 933 (after a disturbance in which Li Congrong tried to seize power but was defeated and killed). Another of his sons, Li Conghou the Prince of Song, succeeded him as emperor. In 934, LI Siyuan's adoptive son Li Congke the Prince of Lu overthrew Li Conghou and became emperor. Li Song became one of the officials Li Congke frequently consulted, along with Li Zhuanmei (李專美), Lü Qi, Xue Wenyu (薛文遇), and Zhao Yan'ai.

Li Congke and Shi had long disliked each other. Li Congke frequently suspected Shi of plotting rebellion, and a major concern at the time in Li Congke's inner circle was that Shi would seek aid from the Khitan in such a rebellion. Li Song and Lü advocated entering into a peace treaty with the Khitan by returning a number of Khitan officers that Later Tang had earlier captured and giving a large amount of money to the Khitan. The chancellor Zhang Yanlang, who then oversaw the three financial agencies, supported the idea. Li Congke initially was in favor as well, and had Li Song and Lü draft a proposed letter to Khitan's Emperor Taizong to suggest the treaty. However, Xue opposed, and argued that the Khitan emperor would insist on having Li Congke's young daughter marry him (or his son). Li Congke thus changed his mind, and one day thereafter summoned Li Song and Lü to rebuke them. They apologized profusely and were spared, but their proposal was not considered again. Li Congke also distanced himself away from Lü, although apparently Li Song remained part of the inner circle.

Li Congke then considered moving Shi to another circuit. Then-chief of staff Fang Gao and Li Song (and Lü, prior to Lü's departure from his inner circle) all strenuously opposed, believing that would provoke Shi into a rebellion. However, one night, when Li Song was had the night off and Xue was on duty, Li Congke consulted Xue by himself, and Xue argued that Shi would eventually rebel anyway — that having him rebel earlier was better than having him rebel later. Li Congke agreed. Shortly after, he issued an edict moving Shi from Hedong to Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong). Shi, as expected, rebelled and sought aid from Khitan's Emperor Taizong. Emperor Taizong launched an army to aid him, and their joint forces defeated the Later Tang army Li Congke sent, under the command of the general Zhang Jingda. Zhang was killed by his deputy Yang Guangyuan, who then surrendered to the joint Khitan/Hedong forces. Emperor Taizong declared Shi the emperor of a new Later Jin, and they advanced south. Believing the situation to be hopeless, Li Congke committed suicide with his family, ending Later Tang. Shi entered Luoyang and took over Later Tang territory.

During Later Jin

During Shi Jingtangs reign

At the time that Shi Jingtang entered Luoyang, Li Song and Lü Qi hid themselves among the people at Yijue (伊闕, in modern Luoyang). Shi discovered this. He was still grateful to Li Song for having spoken for his military governorship at Hedong and also respected Lü for what he believed to be Lü's correct recommendation to Li Congke to enter into a peace treaty with the Khitan, and therefore restored both of them to governmental positions. In Li Song's case, he was made the deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and put in charge of taxation. Shortly after, he further promoted Li Song to be Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎, the deputy head of the legislative bureau (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng)) as well as chancellor, with the designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi. He was also made chief of staff, serving with Sang Weihan. However, this displeased Liu Churang (who wanted to be chief of staff) and Yang Guangyuan, who was then sieging Fan Yanguang at Tianxiong Circuit (天雄, headquartered in modern Handan, Hebei) as Fan had rebelled against Shi earlier in the year (as Sang was putting curbs on Yang's power). Yang thus submitted a petition arguing that chancellors should not also be chiefs of staff. Shi felt compelled to remove both Sang and Li Song as chiefs of staff. Li Song was given the additional title of minister of public works (工部尚書, Gongbu Shangshu), while Liu was made chief of staff.

In 941, Shi made his general Liu Zhiyuan, who was then the commander of the imperial guards, the military governor of Hedong. At the recommendations of Li Song and Feng Dao (who was then also chancellor), Shi's brother-in-law Du Chongwei, whom Liu despised, succeeded Liu as the commander of the imperial guards. It was said that Liu resented Li and Feng from this point on. Li accompanied Shi to Yedu (鄴都, i.e., Tianxiong's capital, also known as Wei Prefecture (魏州)) later in the year, as Shi was then anticipating a rebellion by An Chongrong the military governor of Chengde. Apparently while Li was at Yedu, his father died, and he left governmental service briefly to observe a mourning period, but Shi immediately recalled him to the imperial government without a lengthy mourning period.

During Shi Chongguis reign

Shi Jingtang died in summer 941 and was succeeded as emperor by his nephew Shi Chonggui the Prince of Qi. One immediate question was how the Later Jin court would report this news to Emperor Taizong (who had changed his state's name from Khitan to Liao by this point). Shi Jingtang had earlier, not only submitted to Liao as a subject, but referred to Emperor Taizong as "father emperor" while referring to himself as "son emperor." The officials largely wanted Shi Chonggui to submit a report (as a subject) and refer to himself as "subject." The general Jing Yanguang, who supported Shi Chonggui's ascendency and who was then made a chancellor as well, however, opposed, suggesting that Shi Chonggui merely write a letter (i.e., to show equality between the states, rather than submission) in which he would merely refer to himself as "grandson" and not subject. Li Song opposed Jing, pointing out that this would lead to discord and war between the two states. Feng Dao took no position, and Shi Chonggui eventually agreed with Jing. This led to Emperor Taizong to angrily respond, through an emissary, "How do you dare to take the throne without first reporting to me?" Jing authored the response, with rudeness, to that rebuke, precipitating an eventual war between Later Jin and Liao, particularly given that Zhao Yanshou, then a Liao general, was urging Emperor Taizong to wage a war, as he himself wanted to become emperor of China.

By 944, Sang Weihan was again chief of staff and chancellor, and was said to control the army with discipline, enabling its effectiveness in battles against Liao. Shi Chonggui's brother-in-law Feng Yu and another close associate, Li Yantao (李彥韜), however, disliked Sang, and frequently defamed him before Shi. Shi thus considered removing Sang, but did not do so, at the urging of Li Song and Liu Xu. However, he made Feng also a chief of staff, to divide Sang's power. In late 945, Shi finally removed Sang as chief of staff and chancellor, making him the mayor of then-capital Kaifeng. Li Song was made chief of staff to replace Sang in that capacity, while Zhao Ying, who already carried a chancellor title but was acting as mayor of Kaifeng, was made full chancellor to replace Sang in that capacity.

In 946, Emperor Taizong decided to create a trap for Later Jin. He spread false news that Zhao Yanshou was intending to defect to Later Jin, rumors that were believed by Feng and Li Song. They had Du Chongwei (whose name had been changed to Du Wei by that point due to naming taboo for Shi Chonggui's name), who was then the military governor of Tianxiong, write a secret letter to Zhao, to see if Zhao intended to defect. Zhao, who was part of Emperor Taizong's plan, wrote back and indicated that, indeed, he wanted to defect, along with his Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in Beijing — which had previously been Later Tang territory but which Shi Jingtang, as part of the agreement in which Emperor Taizong aided him to become emperor, ceded to Emperor Taizong); in his letter, he asked for a major Later Jin army to be launched to support his defection. After discussions between Shi Chonggui, Feng, and Li Song, it was agreed that a large army would be launched, commanded by Du, with Li Shouzhen serving as his deputy. (This was opposed by Zhao Ying, who believed that Du was untrustworthy due to his unthankful nature, but Zhao Ying was not listened to.)

Du's army was soon launched, but as it approached Liao territory, was met by a large, highly mobile Liao army commanded by Emperor Taizong himself. It tried to retreat, but became encircled by the Liao army at Zhongdu Bridge (中度橋, in modern Baoding, Hebei). After Emperor Taizong made a promise (which he would eventually repudiate) to have Du made emperor, Du and Li Shouzhen surrendered with their army. As virtually the entire Later Jin imperial army was under Du's command, Kaifeng was left defenseless, and the Liao army advanced quickly toward it. Shi Chonggui surrendered, ending Later Jin.

During Liao

After Kaifeng's fall to Liao, Shi Chonggui and his family (including Shi Jingtang's wife Empress Dowager Li) were put under house arrest by the Liao general (formerly a subordinate of Du Wei's), Zhang Yanze, whom Emperor Taizong sent as forward commander to take control of the city. Li Song took a dissociative approach as far as his former emperor was concerned — including finding excuses not to go when Shi requested the presence of both him and Li Yantao. Emperor Taizong soon arrived at Kaifeng and claimed to be the emperor of China as well. With both Zhao Yanshou and Zhang Li recommending Li Song for his talent, Emperor Taizong made Li Song a chief of staff, and also gave him the honorary title Taizi Taishi (太子太師). Emperor Taizong made the comment, "All I gained by destroying the southern dynasty was Li Song."

Meanwhile, Zhao, finally realizing that Emperor Taizong had no intent on fulfilling his promise to make Zhao emperor of China, had Li Song request, on his behalf, for him to be made crown prince. Emperor Taizong, citing the fact that the Crown Prince should be a son of the emperor, also refused that request, although he gave Zhao a number of additional honorary titles.

Initially, nearly all of Later Jin military governors submitted to Emperor Taizong, but with Emperor Taizong allowing the ethnic Khitan soldiers to pillage the Central Plains region, many Han rebellions soon overtook the territory. Tiring of dealing with these rebellions, he decided to leave his brother-in-law Xiao Han in charge at Kaifeng, while he himself headed back to Liao's main territory. On the way, however, he fell ill, and died near Chengde's capital Heng Prefecture (恆州, i.e., Zhending).

In the aftermaths of Emperor Taizong's death, Zhao wanted to seize what remained of Liao-controlled former Later Jin territory, but not wanting to yet break with Liao, he only claimed that Emperor Taizong left an edict authorizing him to oversee the southern court (i.e., the former Later Jin territory). At the same time, unknown to Zhao, the Khitan generals at Heng were secretly meeting and agreed to support Emperor Taizong's nephew Yelü Ruan the Prince of Yongkang as the new emperor. Unaware of this development, Zhao prepared to hold a semi-imperial ascension ceremony, in which the officials and generals would all bow to him. Li Song, pointing out to him that it was uncertain whether the Khitan generals would agree, persuaded him not to hold the ceremony. Shortly after, Yelü Ruan used trickery to arrest Zhao, and commented to Zhang Li that had Li Song not talked Zhao out of holding the ceremony, the Khitan army would have overrun the ceremony and killed everyone present. He then declared himself emperor (as Emperor Shizong).

Emperor Shizong's succession to the Liao throne was immediately contested by his grandmother (the mother of both Emperor Taizong and his father, Yelü Bei), who wanted another son of hers, Yelü Lihu, to succeed to the throne. Emperor Shizong headed back to Liao's main territory to engage his grandmother's army, while leaving a Khitan army, along with the remainder of the captured Han army, as well as most of the Han officials (including Li Song and fellow captured chancellors Feng Dao and He Ning), at Heng, leaving Emperor Taizong's cousin Yelü Mada (耶律麻荅) in charge at Heng. Yelü Mada mistreated both the people of the region and the Han soldiers. When Emperor Shizong subsequently sent emissaries to summon Feng, He, and Li Song to join him for Emperor Taizong's funeral, the Han soldiers decided to mutiny, and a street battle developed in Heng. The battle initially did not go well for the Han mutineers, but the official Li Gu persuaded Feng, Li Song, and He to appear at the battle. When the Han soldiers saw the chancellors, their morale was greatly increased, and they eventually defeated the Khitan soldiers under Yelü Mada, who fled back to Liao territory. In the aftermaths of the battle, the city became controlled by the officer Bai Zairong (白再榮), who had the soldiers surround Li Song's and He's residences, demanding treasury. Li Song and He surrendered all their treasure, but Bai then considered killing them to prevent reprisal later, but Li Gu talked him out of it, pointing out that the new emperor (i.e., Liu Zhiyuan, who had established Later Han and taken over the Central Plains by this point) would punish him if he frivolously killed the chancellors. Bai therefore did not kill them.

During Later Han

After the Heng mutiny, Li Song, along with Feng Dao and He Ning, returned to Kaifeng to submit to Liu Zhiyuan. None of them, however, was given a key position, but only honorific titles — in Li Song's case, Taizi Taifu (太子太傅).

While Li Song was with the Liao army at Heng, however, Liu, apparently believing that both Feng and Li Song had turned their loyalty over to Liao, awarded their mansions at Kaifeng to his key followers (and by this point, chancellors) Su Yugui and Su Fengji, respectively. Su Fengji thus also took control of all of the precious items that Li Song had collected over the years, and further seized Li Song's mansion at Luoyang. After Li Song's return to Later Han, he knew that he lacked allies at the Later Han court, and therefore was carefully dealing with the new powerful Later Han officials with respect. However, his brothers Li Yu and Li Yi were not as careful, and, as they were colleagues at the Later Han court with Su Fengji's brothers and sons, they were occasionally drinking together, and they made such statements as, "You seized our houses and savings!" Su Fengji thus began to be apprehensive of Li Song. When Li Song then offered the deeds of the mansions to Su, rather than being soothed, Su was further displeased.

In 948, by which time Liu Zhiyuan had died, and his son Liu Chengyou was emperor, there was a time when Li Yu had discovered his servant Ge Yanyu (葛延遇) to be embezzling from him, and was trying to force Ge to return the embezzled funds. Ge thus decided to, in conjunction with Su's servant Li Cheng (李澄), accuse Li Yu of treason. Su then put Li Song under arrest as well. Subsequently, under torture, Li Yu wrote out a confession in which he implicated not only himself, but Li Song and Li Yi, as well as his nephew Wang Ning (王凝), of plotting a rebellion at Kaifeng, in conspiracy with Li Shouzhen, who had earlier rebelled at Huguo Circuit (護國, headquartered in modern Yuncheng, Shanxi), and Liao. Li Song, believing that he could not escape, also confessed. His entire family was executed, and the people lamented for them.

Notes and references

• Old History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 108.

• New History of the Five Dynasties, vol. 57.

• Zizhi Tongjian, vols. 274, 278, 279, 280, 281, 282, 283, 284, 285, 286, 287, 288.

背景

李崧生年不詳，是深州饒陽縣（今河北省衡水市饒陽縣）人。他的父親李舜卿擔任深州錄事參軍。他有兩個弟弟李嶼、李㠖。李崧年幼時聰敏，十幾歲時能寫文章，被家人稱異。弱冠為深州參軍，李舜卿對同宗李鏻推薦兒子，想要李鏻多多教誨照顧。李鏻是唐朝的遠支宗室（李元懿六世孫），在後唐擔任宗正卿，說明李舜卿、李崧父子也是唐朝宗室。

後唐時代

唐莊宗時代

923年，唐莊宗李存勖建立後唐，派他的長子李繼岌為興聖宮使，兼領成德軍節度使（治所在鎮州真定縣，今河北省石家莊市正定縣）。李崧成為鎮州參軍。當時推官李蕘負責文書起草，李崧見他的文字並不精美，于是對掌事呂柔說「令公是皇子，天下人仰慕。他的信函表章應該文理兼備。李蕘李侍御的起草，沒有盡善盡美。」呂柔讓李崧試著代李蕘起草。然後把李崧的文章給盧質和馮道看，兩人讚揚了李崧的文筆。李崧很快被提升為為興聖宮巡官，負責李繼岌的文書。唐莊宗滅後梁，定都洛陽，任命李崧為太常寺協律郎。

925年，唐莊宗派魏王李繼岌為都統，出征前蜀，樞密使郭崇韜作為李繼岌的副手，負責實際工作。李繼岌命李崧掌書記。後唐軍隊很快滅亡前蜀。唐莊宗和他的皇后劉玉娘猜忌郭崇韜涉嫌密謀叛亂。劉玉娘是李繼岌的母親，暗中派人取通知李繼岌殺掉郭崇韜。李繼岌于是殺害了郭崇韜。李崧得知後，很快去見李繼岌，說：「現在軍隊離京五千里，殿下沒有詔令，殺害重臣，就算你容不下郭崇韜，為什麼不能等回到洛陽再殺不遲？」李繼岌說自己也後悔這個決定，但事情已經釀成。李崧召集了幾個書吏，秘密偽造詔令，登上樓，然後把梯子撤去，秘密偽造詔令，又用蠟摹刻了個印蓋上，才對外宣諭，安定軍心。

郭崇韜和朱友謙的死，造成後唐軍心背離。926年夏天，唐莊宗死于興教門之變。李嗣源進入洛陽，自稱攝政。李繼岌從前蜀的首都成都回到洛陽，以圖爭奪皇位，但軍隊並不擁護他。李繼岌自殺，任圜帶領軍隊回到洛陽，把軍權交給李嗣源。

唐明宗時代

唐明宗李嗣源任命任圜以宰相判三司（戶部、度支、鹽鐵）。任圜推薦李崧為鹽鐵判官。李崧的母親去世，李崧回到家鄉服喪。守喪完畢，成德節度使范延光命他掌書記。范延光回京擔任樞密使李崧被任命為拾遺，直樞密院，升任補闕、起居郎、尚書省尚書郎。長興末年，李崧成為翰林學士。

長興三年（932年）冬季，契丹國侵犯後唐的雲中，唐明宗想要派大將為河東節度使（治所在今山西省太原市）抵禦契丹。唐明宗的女婿六軍副使石敬瑭，那些想要避免和李嗣源現存長子秦王李從榮衝突，希望擔任河東節度使。但是范延光和唐明宗另一個女婿趙延壽想讓康義誠出任。李崧建言支持石敬瑭。唐明宗當時急于決定，范延光、趙延壽于是也同意了。石敬瑭成為河東節度使。當石敬瑭知道這是李崧的建議，親自派人對他表示感謝。

唐末帝時代

933年，李從榮試圖奪取政權，但失敗被殺，隨後，唐明宗去世。明宗的另一個兒子宋王李從厚繼承皇位。934年，唐明宗的養子潞王李從珂推翻李從厚，成為皇帝（唐末帝）。唐末帝經常諮詢李崧和端明殿學士李專美、知制誥呂琦、薛文遇、翰林天文趙延乂這些官員。

唐末帝和石敬瑭長期不和。唐末帝懷疑石敬瑭勾結契丹謀亂，與李崧等人商議。李崧和呂琦主張把逃亡後唐的耶律倍（遼太宗耶律德光的大哥）送回契丹、用大約值十多萬緡的禮物、錢財議和契丹，讓他不要幫助石敬瑭。宰相張延朗主管三司，也支持他們的意見。唐末帝最初同意，讓李崧和呂琦起草《遺契丹書》來等待命令提出的條約。但是，薛文遇反對，認為遼太宗會讓唐末帝的女兒嫁給他（或者他的兒子）進行和親。唐末帝因此改變了看法，一天召見李崧、呂琦，責備他們。他們連聲謝罪，末帝制止他們的叩拜，每人賜給一杯酒，但從此群臣不敢再提和親的建議。末帝任用呂琦為御史中丞，以表示疏遠。

唐末帝然後考慮讓石敬瑭改任其他藩鎮。房暠和李崧、呂琦都極力反對，認為會導致石敬瑭叛亂。936年五月初二夜間，李崧因有急事請假在外，薛文遇獨自承值夜班，末帝諮詢薛文遇，薛文遇認為河東的事，移鎮也反，不移也要反，只是時間早晚，不如先下手為強。末帝于是同意。五月初三，任命石敬瑭為天平節度使（治今山東省泰安市東平縣），任用馬軍都指揮使、河陽節度使宋審虔為河東節度使。石敬瑭于是反唐，向遼太宗求援。遼太宗發軍援助，他們打敗了後唐張敬達指揮的軍隊。唐將楊光遠殺害張敬達，然後投降。唐末帝親徵到河陽，認為李崧素來與天雄節度使范延光相友善，便召喚李崧來謀議。薛文遇也跟著進來，唐末帝發怒，李崧用腳踩薛文遇的腳，薛文遇才退去。唐末帝說：「我看見這東西肉就發顫，剛才幾乎要拔刀刺他。」李崧說：「薛文遇是個小人，淺薄誤國，殺了他更顯得醜惡。」李崧因而勸唐末帝南還，唐末帝聽從。遼太宗命令石敬瑭為大晉皇帝，建立後晉。後唐兵敗，唐末帝自殺，後唐滅亡。石敬瑭進入洛陽，李崧、呂琦逃匿在伊闕民間。

後晉時代

晉高祖時代

晉高祖石敬瑭認為開始鎮守河東時，李崧推舉有功，心中感激；也認為呂琦和親契丹是正確的建議，于是不責備呂琦。937年正月十二日，任用呂琦為秘書監；正月十三日，任用李崧為兵部侍郎、判理戶部。正月廿五日，任用李崧為中書侍郎、同中書門下平章事，充樞密使，任用桑維翰兼樞密使。宣徽使劉處讓對桑維翰、李崧不滿。楊光遠圍攻天雄軍節度使（治今河北省邯鄲市大名縣）范延光時，楊光遠奏事超越本份，桑維翰按法規加以裁定和批駁。楊光遠秘奏宰相不應該兼任樞密使。938年十月，晉高祖加官給桑維翰為兵部尚書，李崧為工部尚書，罷免了二人的樞密使；任命劉處讓為樞密使。

940年九月初九，李崧奏言：「諸州的倉糧，在計賬以外所盈餘的相當多。」晉高祖說：「法定之外向民眾徵稅，罪過可同枉法一樣。倉庫官吏特免其一死，但都要嚴懲。」

941年，馮道、李崧屢次推薦天平節度使兼侍衛親軍馬步副都指揮使，同平章事杜重威為都指揮使、充當隨駕御營使，代替劉知遠。劉知遠因此懷恨兩個宰相。李崧陪同晉高祖到鄴都魏州，在這時成德節度使安重榮作亂。李崧的父親去世，李崧離任守喪，但晉高祖立即召他回朝。

晉出帝時代

942年，石敬瑭死後，他的侄子齊王石重貴即位為晉出帝。一個迫切的問題是後來後晉將如何向遼太宗報告這個消息石敬瑭尊遼太宗為「父皇帝」，自稱「兒皇帝」。 朝中大臣商討要向契丹奉表稱臣報告先帝死亡之哀，景延廣主張致書不上表，稱孫不稱臣。李崧反對：「屈身事胡是為了江山社稷，有什麼可恥的！陛下這樣做，他日必然落個親披甲冑同契丹打仗，那時就悔之無益了。」景延廣堅持己見力爭，馮道含糊不表態，晉出帝聽從了景延廣的意見。遼太宗接信後大怒，派使者來質問責備：「為什麼不先來稟告，自己便驟然稱帝？」景延廣又用不遜的話語回答遼使。盧龍節度使趙延壽想要代替後晉做中原的皇帝，多次勸說契丹進攻後晉，于是後晉和遼國的戰爭爆發。

944年，桑維翰再次擔任宰相、樞密使，控制軍紀，使其有效的對遼戰爭。端明殿學士、戶部侍郎馮玉，宣徽北院使、權侍衛馬步都虞候太原李彥韜不喜歡桑維翰，經常向晉出帝誹謗他。晉出帝想罷免桑維翰的政務，李崧、劉昫堅持諫阻。桑維翰知道後，請求任用馮玉為樞密副使，馮玉很不平。945年二月廿九日，馮玉為戶部尚書、樞密使。945年十二月廿五日，罷免桑維翰朝中的職務，讓他作開封尹；任命趙瑩為中書令，李崧為樞密使兼侍中。桑維翰于是稱腳有病，很少再入朝謁見，謝絕賓客。

946年，遼太宗傳播虛假消息，說盧龍節度使（治今北京市）趙延壽有意歸順後晉，樞密使李崧、馮玉相信了，命令天雄節度使杜威給趙延壽寫信，趙延壽回信說：「久在異國他鄉，很想回中原。懇求韓廷發大軍接應，我將脫身南下。」馮玉、李崧都信以為真，準備派出大兵迎接趙延壽和瀛州刺史劉延祚。任命杜威為元帥，李守貞為副帥。趙瑩私下對李崧、馮玉二人說：「杜威是皇帝的親戚，心懷不滿，怎能授予兵權！不如只委任李守貞一個人為好。」李崧、馮玉二人沒有聽從。

杜威的軍隊遭遇遼太宗率領的遼軍。不敵撤退，被遼軍包圍在中度橋（今河北省保定市附近）。遼太宗許諾杜威當皇帝，杜威和李守貞率軍投降。杜威帶領遼軍攻打後晉都城開封，晉出帝召李崧、馮玉、李彥韜到宮中議事，城中大亂，晉出帝投降，後晉滅亡。

遼朝統治

開封降遼後，張彥澤控制了晉出帝和他的家人。張彥澤以皇帝的命令召桑維翰入宮，桑維翰來到天街時，遇見李崧，對他說：「您這位侍中主持國政，現在國家滅亡，反而要讓我去死，為什麼呢？」李崧臉上露出慚愧的表情。晉出帝向李崧要酒，李崧也用其它原因推託不送來。他又想見李彥韜，李彥韜也推辭不來。遼太宗很快到達開封，自稱是中原的皇帝。趙延壽和張礪推薦李崧，讚美他的才華，太宗讓李崧充任樞密使，也給了他榮譽稱號

太子太師。遼太宗對人說：「我這次南征，只是為了得到李崧一人而已。」

趙延壽因為遼太宗負約，心裡憤悶不平，派李崧向遼太宗說：「我不敢奢望為漢人天子，但請求作個皇太子。」李崧不得已，把這話轉告給遼太宗。遼太宗說：「我聽說皇太子應當是天子的兒子才能當，哪能是燕王所能作的！」于是命令給燕王晉升官職。

遼太宗允許契丹士兵掠奪中原，漢族百姓紛紛起義反遼。遼太宗決定離開開封，讓蕭翰留守開封，自己返回契丹。他在路上得病，死亡在恆州附近殺胡林

。

趙延壽當天就領兵先進了恆州，耶律倍的兒子永康王耶律兀欲和南、北二王各自率領他們的軍隊相繼進入恆州。趙延壽自稱受遼太宗的遺詔，代理主持南朝軍國事務。趙延壽要在下月初一在待賢館舉行儀式上書言事，接受文武官員的祝賀。禮儀是：宰相、樞密使在階上叩拜，節度使以下在階下叩拜。李崧認為契丹人意向不同，事情難測，竭力勸說趙延壽免行這個禮儀，此事才作罷。五月初一，永康王兀欲召請趙延壽及張礪、和凝、李崧、馮道等人到自己的館舍飲酒。兀欲逮捕了趙延壽，笑著對李崧、張礪等人說：「燕王如果真的在這裡行這種禮儀，我就將用鐵甲騎兵包圍此地，諸位也就難免遭殃了。」隨後，兀欲即位為遼世宗。

遼世宗即位，被他的祖母述律平反對。述律平想要她的另一個兒子耶律李胡繼位。遼世宗返回遼國本土爭位。大多數的漢族官員，包括李崧、馮道和和凝留在恆州，命令耶律麻荅負責恆州。耶律麻荅虐待當地百姓和漢族士兵。用牒文命馮道兼判弘文館，命李崧兼判史館，命和凝兼判集賢館，命劉昫兼判中書。遼世宗召前威勝節度使兼中書令馮道、樞密使李崧、左僕射和凝等，會同安葬先帝耶律德光于木葉山。還沒有成行，漢族士兵決定兵變，巷戰在恆州展開。前磁州刺史李穀說服李崧、馮道參加戰鬥。漢族士兵看到宰相，士氣大大增加,他們最終擊敗了遼國士兵，耶律麻荅逃回遼國本土。後來，白再榮控制恆州，認為李崧、和凝等人久做宰相，家中殷富，派軍士們包圍二人的住宅，請求發賞錢，李崧、和凝各自拿出家財分給他們；但白再榮又想殺掉二人以滅口。李穀責備白再榮，現在剛剛脫離死境，就想殺戮宰相，新天子（建立後漢的劉知遠）如果追究你擅殺大臣的罪過。所以白再榮沒有殺死他們。

後漢時代

恆州兵變之後，李崧、馮道、和凝，回到開封參見後漢高祖劉知遠。但他們沒有繼續擔任宰相，李崧被任命為太子太傅。

劉知遠把李崧的住宅賜給蘇逢吉。李崧宅中埋藏的東西以及洛陽莊園，蘇逢吉全都占了。李崧歸順後漢，自認為孤立而危險，事奉後漢權臣，經常小心謹慎，稱病在家。他的兩個弟弟李嶼、李㠖有時趁飲酒後對蘇逢吉子弟口出怨言，說「奪我住房、家財」。蘇逢吉因此憎惡他們。不久，李崧又把兩京住宅的房契獻給蘇逢吉，蘇逢吉更加不高興；翰林學士陶谷，早先被李崧薦舉進用，又跟著說他的壞話。

948年，劉知遠死後，其子劉承祐即位。李嶼的僕人葛延遇為李嶼販賣東西，常常欺騙主人、藏匿錢財，被李嶼鞭打。葛延遇和蘇逢吉的僕人李澄，誣告李嶼謀反。蘇逢吉聽說後把他引誘過來，于是召李崧來到家中，抓起來送入侍衛獄。李嶼在獄中屈招說：「與兄李崧、弟李李㠖、外甥王凝及家僮共二十人，謀劃乘皇帝靈柩發運時，縱火焚燒京城；派人帶蠟丸密書到河中城，勾結護國軍節度使（治所在河中府，今山西省運城市永濟市）李守貞；又派人去招契丹兵。」在結案上報時，蘇逢吉把「二十」改為「五十」。李崧嘆道，自古沒有不死之人，不亡之國十一月初九，劉承祐下詔誅殺李崧兄弟、家屬以及供詞涉及的人，都暴尸街頭，當時人沒有不覺得李氏冤枉的。不久，蘇逢吉在權力鬥爭中被殺，後周建立後，李崧的好友徐台符為李崧報仇，上奏周太祖郭威，為李崧平反，誅殺了葛延遇、李澄。