It was said that the governor of Gui District (桂管, headquartered in modern Guilin, Guangxi) Wang Gong (王拱) favored his talent and wanted to invite him to serve on staff.
Later, as Li Shuo (李說), Yan Shou (嚴綬), and Zheng Dan (鄭儋) successively served as the military governor (jiedushi) of Hedong Circuit (河東), headquartered at Taiyuan, they had high opinions of Linghu Chu and thus invited him to serve on staff, and he eventually rose to be the military governor's assistant.
In the middle of the night, a number of soldiers gathered and forced Linghu, under the threats by swords, to head to the headquarters.
He thereafter was summoned to the capital Chang'an to serve as You Shiyi (右拾遺), a low-level consultant at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng), and thereafter served as Taichang Boshi (太常博士), a consultant at the ministry of worship (太常寺, Taichang Si) and Libu Yuanwailang (禮部員外郎), a low-level official at the ministry of rites (禮部, Libu).
[3] As of 817, Emperor Xianzong was engaging a campaign against the warlord Wu Yuanji, who controlled Zhangyi Circuit (彰義, headquartered in modern Zhumadian, Henan).
[3][7] In summer 818, Linghu was sent out of Chang'an to serve as the prefect of Hua Prefecture (華州, in modern Weinan, Shaanxi).
[3] In winter 818, by which time Huangfu was a chancellor, Linghu was made the military governor of Heyang Circuit (河陽, headquartered in modern Jiaozuo, Henan), succeeding Wu Chongyin, who was made the military governor of Henghai Circuit (橫海, headquartered in modern Cangzhou, Hebei).
[8] Shortly after taking up his position, Linghu was presented with a collection of poetry written by the writer and poet Yuan Zhen.
[9] Late in the year, there was an incident in which his subordinate Wu Ruheng (武儒衡), who was much respected by Emperor Xianzong, was rumored to be ready to be chancellor.
Xiao Mian, whom Emperor Muzong made chancellor at Linghu's recommendation, interceded, however, along with eunuchs, and Huangfu was spared.
In 822, he was initially set to be made the governor of Shanguo Circuit (陝虢, headquartered in modern Sanmenxia, Henan) and the secretary general of its capital Shan Prefecture (陝州), when the advisorial officials submitted petitions arguing that due to Linghu's past faults, he should not be allowed to serve as a governor.
Later that year, he was made the military governor of Xuanwu Circuit (宣武, headquartered in modern Kaifeng, Henan) and the prefect of its capital Bian Prefecture (汴州).
Later that year, he was made the military governor of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong) as well as the prefect of its capital Yun Prefecture (鄆州).
In 836, he was made acting Zuo Pushe (左僕射), the other head of the executive bureau, and created the Duke of Pengyang.
[3] Later that year, when the Ganlu Incident erupted (as Emperor Wenzong's trusted chancellor Li Xun and close associate Zheng Zhu carried out a failed attempt to massacre the eunuchs and were themselves killed, along with the chancellors Wang Ya, Jia Su, and Shu Yuanyu on accusations of treason) Linghu and his Pushe colleague Zheng Tan were called to the palace.
As part of his responsibilities, he oversaw the collection of the tea tax that Zheng Zhu had instituted, which had drawn much resentment from the people.
Linghu, finding a feast to be inappropriate in light of the massacre of the officials that had just occurred, refused to attend by claiming an illness, and the popular sentiment at the time praised him.
[3] He also found a chance to get Emperor Wenzong to approve the burial of the bodies of Wang and the other officials killed in the Ganlu Incident—which had been exposed to the elements after their execution.
Soon thereafter, the military governor of Shannan West Circuit (山南西道, headquartered in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi), Li Guyan, was recalled to Chang'an to serve as chancellor, and Linghu was sent out to serve as the military governor of Shannan West as well as the mayor of its capital Xingyuan Municipality (興元).
It was said that even when he was near death, he behaved with elegance, and he submitted a final petition begging Emperor Wenzong (in reality, begging the eunuchs who by that point had Emperor Wenzong effectively under their control) for mercy on people who had been accused of crimes; in drafting his final petition, he was assisted by his staff member Li Shangyin.