In 893, after Emperor Zhaozong's failed campaign against the warlords Wang Xingyu the military governor of Jingnan Circuit (靜難, headquartered in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi) and Li Maozhen the military governor of Fengxiang Circuit (鳳翔, headquartered in modern Baoji, Shaanxi) — a campaign that Du Rangneng had coordinated after Emperor Zhaozong ordered him to even though he was against the campaign — Wang and Li marched on the imperial capital Chang'an; under duress from them, Emperor Zhaozong was forced to order Du Rangneng to commit suicide.
[3] After Cui himself was removed (and later killed) by Zhu in 905,[5] Du lost his position as imperial scholar and was only serving as Shanbu Yuanwailang.
In 909, he was made the deputy minister of public works (工部侍郎, Gongbu Shilang) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
[3] That fall, he was made a chancellor with the designation Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), as well as the deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang).
[1] Zhu Yougui retained Du as a chancellor and gave him additional titles minister of rites (禮部尚書, Libu Shangshu) and grand scholar at Jixian Hall (集賢殿).