In 691, he offended Wu Zetian by opposing the movement to declare her nephew Wu Chengsi crown prince (thus displacing the former Emperor Ruizong, whom she demoted to crown prince status in 690 after taking the throne herself), and he, along with his fellow chancellors Ge Fuyuan and Ouyang Tong, were accused of treason and executed.
As of 682, late in the reign of Emperor Gaozong, Cen Changqian was serving as the deputy minister of defense, when he was given the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), making him a chancellor de facto.
She encouraged people to submit signs of fortune and of Zhou's rise, and it was said that Cen Changqian, apprehensive of his situation, submitted a proposal to have Crown Prince Dan's surname changed from Li to Wu, which Wu Zetian accepted.
To reward Cen, she created him the Duke of Deng, and further bestowed on him the surname of Wu as well as the honorific title Tejin (特進).
Wu Zetian issued an edict that this find be commemorated by the construction of the impressive Dayun Temple (大雲寺).
One of Wu Zetian's favored secret police officials, Lai Junchen, then tortured Cen's son who was serving as Magistrate of Lingyuan (靈源) and obtained a confession implicating Ge and fellow chancellor Ouyang Tong, as well as a large group of other officials.