[3] When Li Fan was in his 40s, he was not yet serving as an official, and he was studying at Yang Prefecture (揚州, in modern Yangzhou, Jiangsu).
Li Fan knew that Linghu was innocent and argued on his behalf; when his arguments were rejected, he resigned.
When the real robber, Song Jutan (宋瞿曇), was eventually captured, Li Fan became famous.
[3] Later, Zhang Jianfeng the military governor (Jiedushi) of Xusihao Circuit (徐泗濠, headquartered in modern Xuzhou, Jiangsu) invited Li to serve on his staff.
Emperor Dezong, still not believing Li's faithfulness, summoned him to the capital Chang'an to meet him personally.
Meanwhile, Li's fellow junior officials Wang Zhongshu (王仲舒), Wei Chengji (韋成季), and Lü Dong (呂洞) were then having many associates and often met to drink.
Later in 809, based on the recommendations of Li and Pei, Emperor Xianzong entered into a peace treaty with Tufan.
[3] Also in 810, Wang E (王鍔) was set to be commissioned as the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi), and wanted an honorary chancellor title, so he bribed many of Emperor Xianzong's close associates.
Li drafted such an edict and then crossed out the words "and chancellor" in Wang's commission to show his opposition.
After Li's and Quan's oppositions were heard by Emperor Xianzong, the matter of giving Wang the honorary chancellor title was dropped.
After he arrived at Chang'an, while meeting Emperor Xianzong, he argued that, during the time that Li Fan was chancellor and following the death of Wu Shaocheng, it was inappropriate that the warlord Wu Shaoyang was allowed to inherit the military governorship of Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan).
[11] Several months later, Emperor Xianzong began to miss Li Fan and summoned him to have discussions with him.
In 811, Li Fan was made the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi), but before he could depart Chang'an, he died and was given posthumous honors.
The popular comment at the time was that he was not as capable as Pei and not as stern as Wei Guanzhi, but that he was nevertheless admired for his integrity.