[2] Lu Huaishen was said to be highly intelligent as a child, and he impressed his father's friend, the imperial censor (御史) Han Siyan (韓思彥).
Lu was eventually promoted to be Huangmen Shilang (黃門侍郎), the deputy head of the examination bureau of government (門下省, Menxia Sheng), and he was created the Count of Yuyang (渔阳伯).
In 710, Emperor Zhongzong died suddenly—a death that traditional historians believed was a poisoning by his powerful wife Empress Wei and daughter Li Guo'er the Princess Anle.
Around this time, Lu Huaishen was again Huangmen Shilang, and he, along with Wei Zhigu, were in charge of selecting officials at the eastern capital Luoyang.
In 716, when Guo Qianguan (郭乾瓘) the commander (jiedushi) of Longyou Circuit (隴右, headquartered in modern Haidong Prefecture, Qinghai), petitioned to have eight of his servants, whom he cited for contributions in a military campaign, made generals, Emperor Xuanzong was initially set to approve the commission.
The imperial scholar Zhang Xing (張星) submitted a petition pointing out Lu's honesty and contributions, and Emperor Xuanzong, in response, awarded silk and grain to his household.
Song dynasty historian Sima Guang and Ji Bingxuan, a politician of the People's Republic of China, praised Lu Huaishen for his willingness to compromise.
Sima and Ji both argue that by yielding to the authority of chancellor Yao Chong, who was more competent, Lu facilitated the works emperor Xuanzong's court.