[6] However, because of the text's being lost, not much is known about Wei Yue's own early career, although in the biography of his later chancellor colleague Doulu Ge in the New History of the Five Dynasties, it was said that at one point in the very late Tang times, Wei served as an imperial censor with the title Dianzhong Shi Yushi (殿中侍御史), but was, for an unspecified fault, exiled to Guang Prefecture (廣州, in modern Guangzhou, Guangdong).
Later, after a general pardon was declared—unclear whether this would be in the very last days of Tang or early in its successor state Later Liang—Wei was able to leave his place of exile, and he took up residence at Jiangling, where he became friendly with the military governor of the region (Jingnan Circuit), Gao Jichang.
Wei's own biography portrayed him as being careful and, as a result, not assuming much actual responsibility as chancellor, leaving the matters of state to Guo.
In 924, at Guo's instigation, a major reform was carried out where some 90% of the certificates were deemed forged and cancelled, leading to much anger and grief among the prospective officials.
One of the generals who had previously rebelled against him, his adoptive brother Li Siyuan, quickly arrived at Luoyang and claimed imperial title.
Meanwhile, the official Xiao Xifu (蕭希甫) had long resented Doulu and Wei for having rejected his earlier proposed promotion to Jianyi Daifu (諫議大夫), and therefore decided to take vengeance.
He submitted a petition in which he not only accused Doulu and Wei of flattery and faithlessness to Li Cunxu, but further falsely accused Doulu of seizing people's farms and allowing his farmer tenants to kill others, and Wei of seizing a neighbor's well in order to steal the treasures that the neighbor's ancestors had hidden in the well.