Xiao Gou (Chinese: 蕭遘) (died April 6, 887[1][2]), courtesy name Desheng (得聖), was a politician of the late Tang dynasty, serving as a chancellor and senior financial official during the turbulent reign of Emperor Xizong.
A forceful politician and the scion of a prestigious aristocratic family, Xiao survived factional infighting that jeopardized his early career to become a ranking official at Emperor Xizong's court.
Xiao worked aggressively to reform the imperial government and strengthen its position, and remained chancellor when the court eventually returned to Chang'an, but clashed with the powerful palace eunuch Tian Lingzi and found many of his efforts frustrated.
When Emperor Xizong was once again ousted from the capital, a disillusioned Xiao declined to follow him into exile but also refused active service at the court of the pretender Li Yun.
[3][4] Xiao Gou himself passed the imperial examinations in the Jinshi class in 864, during the reign of Emperor Yizong, in the same year as fellow future chancellor Wei Baoheng.
He was then made Kaogong Yuanwailang (考功員外郎), a low-level official at the minister of civil service affairs (吏部, Lìbu, note different tone) and put in charge of drafting edicts.
Early in the Qianfu era (874–879), he was made an imperial scholar (翰林學士, Hanlin Xueshi) and Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人), a mid-level official at the legislative bureau.
He was eventually promoted to be deputy minister of census (戶部侍郎, Hubu Shilang) and chief imperial scholar (翰林學士承旨, Hanlin Xueshi Chengzhi).
At that time, as the imperial treasury in exile was lacking funds, Emperor Xizong made him deputy minister of defense (兵部侍郎, Bingbu Shilang) and acting director of finances.