He was thereafter made the deputy military prefect (團練副使, Tuanlian Fushi) of Shou Prefecture (壽州, in modern Lu'an, Anhui).
[3] During the middle of the Huichang era (841–846) of Emperor Wenzong's brother Emperor Wuzong, Ma Zhi was recalled to the capital Chang'an to serve as the minister of palace supplies (光祿卿, Guanglu Qing), and later became Dali Qing (大理卿), the chief judge at the supreme court (大理寺, Dali Si).
Ma objected and submitted a petition to Emperor Xuānzong arguing that that leniency would have the opposite effect of drawing further divine displeasure.
It was said that because of efforts by Bai, who often promoted those people he felt slighted by Li Deyu, Ma's petition was accepted, and Lu was subsequently demoted.
The next day, Emperor Xuānzong removed Ma Zhi from his chancellor post and made him the military governor (jiedushi) of Tianping Circuit (天平, headquartered in modern Tai'an, Shandong).
[3][8] Several years later, he was made the military governor of Zhongwu Circuit (忠武, headquartered in modern Xuchang, Henan) and the prefect of its capital Xu Prefecture (許州).
Toward the end of Emperor Xuānzong's Dazhong era (847–860), 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), and he died while serving there.