He initially served as military governor (Jiedushi) of Lulong Circuit (盧龍, headquartered in modern Beijing), but later became a general for the imperial government.
Zhu Ci claimed the title of acting military governor and sent messengers to the Tang capital Chang'an to report what had happened.
Emperor Daizong made Zhu Ci the military governor and created him the Prince of Huaining.
Emperor Daizong was very pleased, and he welcomed Zhu Tao in great feasts and gave him much reward.
Under Zhu Tao's subsequent suggestion—that going to Chang'an himself will show great faithfulness to the emperor—Zhu Ci himself offered to command the Lulong troops in fall defense in 774.
Emperor Daizong agreed, and further built a large mansion for Zhu Ci in anticipation of his arrival.
When he got to Wei Prefecture (蔚州, in modern Zhangjiakou, Hebei), he grew ill. His subordinates requested that he return to Lulong and wait until his illness got better.
In 775, Zhu Ci was put in charge of the defense post Fengtian (奉天, in modern Xianyang, Shaanxi), and in 776 was given the de jure chancellor designation of Tong Zhongshu Menxia Pingzhangshi (同中書門下平章事).
Chang considered this a sign of fortune and congratulated Emperor Daizong, but Chang's subordinate Cui Youfu, who was serving as Zhongshu Sheren (中書舍人, a mid-level official at the legislative bureau of government (中書省, Zhongshu Sheng)) disagreed, argued that this was against the cat's nature and was a sign that officials were not carrying out their responsibilities.
Emperor Dezong initially ordered that Cui be demoted to be the deputy mayor of the eastern capital Luoyang.
Emperor Dezong, who did not know that it was customary for chancellors to sign petitions for each other, believed Chang to have forged Guo's and Zhu's signatures, and, in anger, demoted Chang to be the prefect of the distant Chao Prefecture (潮州, roughly modern Chaozhou, Guangdong) and made Cui chancellor.
In 780, Yang Yan, then the most powerful chancellor in Emperor Dezong's administration, wanted to rebuild Yuan Prefecture (原州, in modern Guyuan, Gansu) -- which was formerly Tang territory but since then had become part of the no-man's land between Tang and Tufan—to serve as a forward advance post, and Yang was so intent on the project that when Duan Xiushi opposed, he had Duan removed from his post as military governor of Jingyuan Circuit (涇原, headquartered in modern Pingliang, Gansu) and replaced him with Li Huaiguang—a general known for his strictness and harshness.
He subsequently ordered Li Huaiguang, Cui Ning, and Zhu to command troops in the construction project.
Subsequently, Emperor Dezong gave Zhu the greater chancellor title of Zhongshu Ling (中書令), making him titularly the head of the legislative bureau.
In 782, Zhu Tao, angry that he was not given part of Chengde Circuit (成德, headquartered in modern Shijiazhuang, Hebei) after he, pursuant to imperial orders, had participated in the campaign that led to the death of Li Weiyue and had, briefly, returned Chengde to imperial control, rebelled against Emperor Dezong.
On November 2, 783,[9] Jingyuan soldiers, who had been summoned to Chang'an in preparation for deployment to the wars in the east (against rebellious military governors Zhu Tao, Wang Wujun, Li Na, and Tian Yue), were angered by a lack of rewards they were promised, and they mutinied and attacked the palace, defying their own commander Yao Lingyan (姚令言).
That night, Zhu moved into the palace and originally declared himself acting commander of the armed forces.
The next day, he issued a declaration that appeared to show intent to welcome Emperor Dezong back to Chang'an:[1] Jingyuan soldiers had long been on the border and not familiar with proper etiquette.
The Taiwei [(太尉, one of the Three Excellencies and one of the honorary titles that Zhu carried)] has temporarily taken command of the armed forces.
Also becoming close associates of Zhu were the chancellor Li Zhongchen and the minister Zhang Guangsheng (張光晟).
Meanwhile, Zhu had convened a meeting with Li Zhongchen, Yuan, Yao, and Duan, to discuss plans for him to take the throne.
He made Yao, Li Zhongchen, and Yuan his chancellors, and Zhu Tao crown prince.
[10] Zhu Ci made it a priority to capture Fengtian to extinguish the hopes of Emperor Dezong's being restored.
He left Li Zhongchen and Qiu Jingzhong (仇敬忠) in charge of Chang'an, and personally led his army, assisted by Yao Lingyan and Zhang Guangsheng, to Fengtian.
However, after Fengtian was under siege for more than a month, Li Huaiguang, who had been fighting Wang Wujun and Tian Yue to the east but immediately headed toward Chang'an upon hearing of Emperor Dezong's plight, arrived with his elite Shuofang Army.
Emperor Dezong, fearing the consequences of a joint attack by Li Huaiguang and Zhu, fled to Xingyuan (興元, in modern Hanzhong, Shaanxi).
When he reached Pengyuan (彭原, in modern Qingyang, Gansu), his subordinate Liang Tingfen (梁庭芬) suddenly hit him with an arrow, causing him to fall into a ditch.