[3] Wang Bo was made an assistant at Jixian Institute (集賢院), and thereafter became an imperial censor, initially with the title Jiancha Yushi (監察御史) then Dianzhong Shiyushi (殿中侍御史).
Late in the Zhenyuan era, one of Emperor Dezong's favorite officials, Li Shi (李實) the mayor of Jingzhao Municipality (京兆, i.e., the region of the capital Chang'an), was arrogant, and once, when he encountered Wang on the street, instead of yielding to the censor as was appropriate under the regulations (due to the censors' having the responsibility of examining the officials' deeds), he refused to.
Emperor Dezong was about to promote him when his mother died, and he left governmental service to observe a mourning period for her.
There happened to be a famine in the region at the time, and it was said that it was because Wang brought it to the emperor's attentions that the people received disaster relief.
In 810, Wang became deputy chief imperial censor (御史中丞), replacing Li Yijian, and it was said that he worked hard to reestablish the authority of law.
[4] In 811, Wang was made the deputy minister of justice (刑部侍郎, Xingbu Shilang) as well as the director of salt and iron monopolies.
With the realm not peaceful at the time, there were many criminal cases to be judged, and Wang collected the prior rulings and placed them near his seat.
Subsequently, during Emperor Xianzong's campaign against the warlord Wu Yuanji, Cheng was sent out to the circuits to gather funds and was capable in doing so.
The request was accompanied by a large tribute, and Wang further sent bribes to the powerful eunuchs, hoping to be made chancellor.
Wang, while not made chancellor, was kept at Chang'an to serve as the minister of justice (刑部尚書) and again as the director of the salt and iron monopolies.
[6] Later in the year, Wang was made Zhongshu Shilang (中書侍郎), the deputy head of the legislative bureau of government (中書省), and chancellor de facto with the title Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事); he also remained as the director of salt and iron monopolies.
It was said that while serving as chancellor, Wang was only interested in flattering the emperor and did not speak of important matters of state.
[8] He was also given the honorific title of Yinqing Guanglu Daifu (銀青光祿大夫) and made acting Sikong (司空, one of the Three Excellencies).
When Emperor Jingzong brought this up at an imperial gathering, various advisorial officials, including Dugu Lang (獨孤朗), Zhang Zhongfang (張仲方), Kong Minxing (孔敏行), Liu Gongquan, Song Shenxi, Wei Renshi (韋仁實), Liu Dunru (劉敦儒), Li Jingrang (李景讓), and Xue Tinglao (薛廷老), argued that Wang Bo was evil.
It was said that Wang Bo, once he was the director again, was interested in ingratiating the emperor by submitting "surpluses" even though the regular revenues were lacking.
[8] However, he was credited for dredging the canals within Huainan's capital Yang Prefecture to allow proper shipment of supplies.