[4] Li Yong himself passed the imperial examinations during the Dali era (766-779) of Emperor Daizong, and he scored high in the class of those who were capable of rendering legal judgments.
Subsequently, Emperor Dezong made Zhang Yin the military prefect (團練使, Tuanlianshi) of Xu Prefecture.
[8] After Li Yong's return to Chang'an, he was promoted to be Libu Shilang (吏部侍郎), a supervisorial official at the ministry of civil service affairs.
Li Yong found this to be inappropriate, and at his request, Emperor Xianzong did not give him the title of commander of Shence Army soldiers at Fengxiang.
[3] In 809, after the chancellor Pei Ji pointed out to Emperor Xianzong that Yan Shou (嚴綬) the military governor of Hedong Circuit (河東, headquartered in modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) was incompetent and recommended Li Yong as his replacement, Emperor Xianzong recalled Yan to Chang'an and made Li Yong the military governor of Hedong.
[10] He was later recalled to serve as the minister of justice (刑部尚書, Xingbu Shangshu), chief imperial censor (御史大夫, Yushi Daifu), and the director of the salt and iron monopolies and grain supplies.
[3] In 809, when Emperor Xianzong was set to commission the powerful eunuch Tutu Chengcui as the commander of the imperial forces against the warlord Wang Chengzong, who controlled Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei), Li Yong, along with other officials Li Yuansu (李元素), Xu Mengrong (許孟容), Li Yijian, Meng Jian (孟簡), Lü Yuanying (呂元膺), Mu Zhi (穆質), and Dugu Yu (獨孤郁) all opposed, and Emperor Xianzong, while still putting Tutu in command, reduced Tutu's title.
[11] In 810, Li Yong was made the military governor of Huainan Circuit (淮南, headquartered in modern Yangzhou) and the secretary general of its capital Yang Prefecture (揚州).
It was said that Li Yong did not serve long at either Fengxiang or Hedong because he was stern and often changed regulations, causing the people to be unsettled.
Further, at that time, as the imperial treasury was being depleted by the campaign against Wu, Emperor Xianzong sent the deputy director of monopolies, Cheng Yi to tour the circuits to look for additional sources of revenue.
When the staff members played music to celebrate, Li Yong wept and stated, "I like being secure in a circuit in my old age, and a chancellorship is not properly mine."
In spring 818, Emperor Xianzong made him the minister of census (戶部尚書, Hubu Shangshu) and removed him from his chancellor position, replacing him with Li Yijian.