It is not known when Huangfu Bo was born, but it is known that his family was from Jing Prefecture (涇州, in modern Pingliang, Gansu)[1] and traced its ancestry to the ducal house of the Spring and Autumn period state Song.
[2] Early in the Zhenyuan era (785–805) of Emperor Dezong, Huangfu Bo passed the imperial examinations in the class of examinees considered of good character with literary talents.
At that time, Emperor Xianzong was conducting a campaign against the warlord Wu Yuanji, who controlled Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan), and much revenue was needed.
He drew Emperor Xianzong's favor and was also given the additional title of chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu).
As both Huangfu Bo and the director of salt and iron monopolies Cheng Yi were considered capable in getting him revenues, he made both Huangfu and Cheng chancellors de facto with the title Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事), over the strenuous objections of Cui Qun and Pei Du.
Pei, indeed, wrote a harshly worded objection that criticized Cheng but even more so Huangfu, and he requested to resign rather than to serve with them.
[7] As, by this point, Emperor Xianzong favored alchemists who purportedly were capable of making medicines that brought immortality, Huangfu and another official, Li Daogu (李道古) recommended the alchemist Liu Mi (柳泌), who claimed to be able to make such medicines.
[6] In 819, it was said that because of Huangfu's machinations that Pei was sent out of the capital to serve as the military governor (jiedushi) of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi).
At that time, the troops sent to the borders with Tufan were receiving supplies of poor quality and were so displeased that they were on the verge of mutiny—so much so that their commander, the general Li Guangyan, was so distressed to consider suicide.
The governor of Zhedong Circuit (浙東, headquartered in modern Shaoxing, Zhejiang), which Tai Prefecture belonged to, arrested him and delivered him to the capital Chang'an.
Emperor Muzong immediately exiled Huangfu Bo to be the census officer at Yai Prefecture (崖州, in modern Haikou, Hainan).