In 701, during the reign of Emperor Gaozong's wife Wu Zetian, she was traveling from then-capital Luoyang to the western capital Chang'an, and went through Shan Prefecture 陝州 (roughly modern Sanmenxia, Henan), which Ruicheng belonged to, and at that time, the former chancellor Zong Chuke, a son of a cousin of Wu Zetian, was prefect.
It was said that Cui was a member of this faction as well, and was a result was promoted to be deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and made an imperial scholar at Institute for the Refinement of Letters (xiuwen guan 修文館).
In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death traditional historians believed to be a poisoning carried out by Empress Wei and her daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle, so that Empress Wei could become "emperor" like Wu Zetian and Li Guo'er could become crown princess.
Cui was given the honorific title Yinqing Guanglu Daifu 銀青光祿大夫 and made Huangmen Shilang 黃門侍郎, the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng).
He was also given the designation Canzhi Jiwu 參知機務, making him a chancellor de facto, and created the Duke of Qi.
Emperor Ruizong, tired of their bickering, removed both of them from their chancellor posts, with Cui becoming the prefect of Wu Prefecture 婺州, roughly modern Jinhua, Zhejiang).
Emperor Xuanzong, who received similar advice from Wang Ju (王琚) and Zhang Shuo, agreed, and as part of the preparation, made Cui the secretary general of Yong Prefecture.
On July 29,[3] Emperor Xuanzong had Wang Maozhong take 300 soldiers to the imperial guard camp to behead Chang and Li Ci.
For his participation, Cui was made the minister of civil service affairs (吏部尚書, Libu Shangshu), but was rebuffed in his attempts to return to chancellorship.
Later, on the account of a brother or cousin's being punished,[4] Cui Riyong was demoted out of the capital to serve as the prefect of Chang Prefecture (常州, roughly modern Changzhou, Jiangsu), and his fief was reduced.