1
Emperor Gong, whose personal name was You, was the son of the Yuande Crown Prince. His mother was Consort Wei. He was intelligent and quick-witted, with a dignified presence. In Daye year three, he was enfeoffed as Prince of Chen. A few years later he was transferred to the title of Prince of Dai, with a fief of ten thousand households. When Emperor Yang marched personally against Liaodong, he was left in the capital to manage all affairs of state. In year eleven he accompanied the court to Jinyang and was appointed governor of Taiyuan. Shortly thereafter he was stationed in the capital. When the volunteer army entered Chang'an, Emperor Yang was given the title of Retired Emperor, and Yang You was enthroned to continue the dynasty.
2
義寧元年十一月壬戌，上即皇帝位於大興殿。 詔曰：「王道喪亂，天步不康，古往今來，代有其事，屬之於朕，逢此百罹，彼蒼者天，胡寧斯忍！ 襁褓之歲，夙遭憫凶，孺子之辰，太上播越，興言感動，實疚于懷。 太尉唐公，膺期作宰，時稱舟楫，大拯橫流，糾合義兵，翼戴皇室，與國休戚，再匡區夏，爰奉明詔，弼予幼沖，顯命光臨，天威咫尺，對揚尊號，悼心失圖。 一人在遠，三讓不遂，僶俛南面，厝身無所，苟利社稷，莫敢或違，俯從羣議，奉遵聖旨。 可大赦天下，改大業十三年為義寧元年。 十一月十六日昧爽以前，大辟罪已下，皆赦除之； 常赦所不免者，不在赦限。」 甲子，以光祿大夫、大將軍、太尉唐公為假黃鉞、使持節、大都督內外諸軍事、尚書令、大丞相，進封唐王。 丙寅，詔曰：「朕惟孺子，未出深宮，太上遠巡，追蹤穆滿。 時逢多難，委當尊極，辭不獲免，恭己臨朝，若涉大川，罔知所濟，撫躬永歎，憂心孔棘。 民之情偽，曾未之聞，王業艱難，載云其易。 賴股肱戮力，上宰賢良，匡佐沖人，輔其不逮。 軍國機務，事無大小，文武設官，位無貴賤，憲章賞罰，咸歸相府，庶績其凝，責成斯屬，逖聽前史，茲為典故。 因循仍舊，非曰徒言，所存至公，無為讓德。」 己巳，以唐王子隴西公建成為唐國世子，敦煌公為京兆尹，[2]改封秦公，元吉為齊公，食邑各萬戶。 太原置鎮北府。 乙亥，張掖康老和舉兵反。
On renxu day in the eleventh month of Yining year one, the emperor ascended the throne in Daxing Hall. An edict proclaimed: "The royal Way lies in ruin and the steps of Heaven are unsteady. Every age, past and present, has seen such times—but that they should fall to me, that I should meet a hundred calamities—O azure Heaven, how can you be so merciless! Still in my swaddling clothes I suffered early bereavement; while still a child the Retired Emperor was driven into exile. The thought of it moves me, and the sorrow weighs ever on my heart. The Grand Marshal, the Duke of Tang, was born for the age and rose to lead the government—called the boat and oar of the realm, he rescued the nation from drowning waters, rallied the righteous armies, and upheld the imperial house, sharing its fortunes through good and ill and twice restoring order within the Four Seas. Now, bearing the bright edict, he assists my tender youth; his august commission shines upon us, Heaven's might is almost within reach. Facing him and accepting the honored title, my grieving heart knows no course. With one man still far away, thrice I declined and could not prevail; bowing low I take the south-facing throne with nowhere to rest myself. If the altars of state may benefit, I dare not refuse—humbly I follow the counsel of the assembly and obey the sacred command. A general amnesty is hereby granted throughout the realm, and the thirteenth year of Daye is renamed the first year of Yining. Before dawn on the sixteenth day of the eleventh month, all offenses from capital crimes downward shall be pardoned and remitted; Crimes ordinarily exempt from amnesty remain outside the scope of this pardon." On jiazi day, the Duke of Tang—holding the posts of Grand Master of Splendid Happiness, Grand General, and Grand Marshal—was given provisional authority over the yellow battle-axe, commissioned with imperial credentials as Grand Commander of all military affairs at home and abroad, made Director of the Department of State Affairs and Grand Chancellor, and advanced to the rank of Prince of Tang. On bingyin day an edict proclaimed: "I am but a child who has never left the inner palace; the Retired Emperor roams far abroad, following in the footsteps of King Mu of Zhou. In this age of many calamities the supreme dignity has been laid upon me; though I decline I cannot be spared. Reverently holding myself in check I preside over court, as one crossing a great river without knowing how to reach the other shore. I sigh endlessly in self-reproach, and my heart is sorely troubled. I have never yet learned the ways of the people, yet I am told the royal enterprise is an easy thing! I rely on my ministers to exert their full strength, on wise and capable chief officials to support and counsel my youth and supply what I lack. All affairs of army and state, great and small alike; the appointment of civil and military officials regardless of rank; the statutes of reward and punishment—all shall lie with the chancellor's office, that achievements may be consolidated and responsibility fulfilled there. Listening to the records of antiquity, this is established precedent. Continuing as before is no empty formula—the aim is utter fairness, not a show of yielding virtue." On jisi day, the Duke of Tang's son, the Duke of Longxi (Jiancheng), was named heir to the State of Tang; the Duke of Dunhuang was appointed Governor of Jingzhao, [2] and re-enfeoffed as Duke of Qin; Yuanji was made Duke of Qi; each received a fief of ten thousand households. The Northern Garrison Office was established at Taiyuan. On yihai day, Kang Laohe of Zhangye raised an army in rebellion.
3
In the twelfth month, on guiwei day, Xue Ju declared himself emperor and attacked Fufeng. The Duke of Qin served as supreme commander and routed them. On dinghai day, Cao Wuche of Guiyang raised an army in rebellion and proclaimed the era Tongsheng. On dingyou day the volunteer army captured Valiant Guard General Qutu Tong at Wen Township and took tens of thousands of his troops prisoner. On yisi day the rebel leader Zhang Shan'an took Lujiang Commandery.
4
In spring of the second year, on dingwei day in the first month, the Prince of Tang was granted the privilege of wearing sword and shoes in the imperial hall, of walking at his own pace when attending court and of being addressed without his name in obeisance, and was given feather-canopied trumpets fore and aft. On renxu day General Wang Shichong was defeated by Li Mi; Meng Shanyi, Administrator-General of Henei, and the Brave Guard lieutenants Wang Bian, Yang Wei, Liu Changgong, Liang De, and Dong Zhitong all perished. On gengxu day, [3] Dugu Wudu, commandant of Heyang Commandery, surrendered to Li Mi.
5
In the third month, on bingchen day, Right Garrison Guard General Yuwen Huaji killed the Retired Emperor at the Jiangdu Palace; Right Imperial Guard General Dugu Sheng died defending him. Prince of Qi Yang Jian, Prince of Zhao Yang Gao, Prince of Yan Yang Dan, Yuwen Xie (Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and acting General-in-Chief of the Right Wing Guard), Yu Shiji (Palace Secretary), Pei Yun (Censor-in-Chief), and Xu Shanxin (Acting Recorder)—all were killed. Huaji enthroned Prince of Qin Yang Hao as emperor, styled himself Grand Chancellor, and all officials at court received appointments and titles from him. Mai Cai, Grand Master of Splendid Happiness and Duke of Su, and Shen Guang, vanguard lieutenant and Gentleman for Court Presentation, plotted together to attack the rebels; by night they raided Huaji's camp but were killed in turn. On wuchen day the Prince of Tang was granted the full Nine Bestowals—seal and ribbon, Far-Traveling Cap, and green cord with crimson sash—and his rank was placed above all feudal princes. For the State of Tang, offices from Grand Chancellor downward were established entirely according to precedent.
6
On the first day of the fifth month (yisi), the Prince of Tang was granted a twelve-tasseled imperial cap, the emperor's banners and standards, outriders and imperial escort, the golden-root chariot with its five seasonal equipages, the Maotou and Yunhan chariots, eight rows of ritual dancers, and the full palace bell and stone chime ensemble. Titles and ranks for the prince's consort, sons, and daughters all followed the established canon. On wuwu day an edict proclaimed:
7
天禍隋國，大行太上皇遇盜江都，酷甚望夷，釁深驪北。 憫予小子，奄逮丕愆，哀號承感，心情糜潰，仰惟荼毒，仇復靡申，形影相弔，罔知啟處。
Heaven has calamitously struck the Sui state: the late Retired Emperor was murdered by bandits at Jiangdu—a cruelty surpassing the death at Wangyi, an outrage deeper than the killing at Mount Li. Pity this child of mine, suddenly burdened with grievous fault! Wailing I am seized by grief; my heart and spirit are shattered. Looking up at this bitter calamity, I have no way to fulfill revenge. Shadow and form mourn each other; I know not how to conduct myself.
8
The Chancellor of State, Prince of Tang, was born to answer the needs of the age. He has sustained those in peril and rescued those in distress; as he marched from north to south, the west longed for him when he campaigned in the east. He has gathered the lords nine times and set the realm to rights in one stroke, and won a hundred victories from a thousand li away. He has rallied non-Chinese and Chinese alike, sheltered the common people, and preserved my person. It is upon the prince that I rely. His virtue equals that of Heaven and Earth, his merit reaches the azure skies; the people turn their hearts to him and the mandate of succession is his—yet he remains in subject's garb, defying Heaven's decree. In ancient times Yu and Xia yielded the throne to one another—if not for Emperor Shun (Chonghua), who could have entrusted the mandate to Yu! Now the nine domains lie in ruin, the three spirits have changed their auguries, the great fortune has departed—I yield the path to the worthy. The auspices are cast and virtue proclaimed, yet looking upon myself I am not equal to the task. I have ordered my servants to prepare the carriage; I must return to my princely domain.
9
I was originally Prince of Dai—and now "Dai" has become "replacement." What Heaven casts aside, who could have foreseen such an end! May I rely on the sage who examines antiquity to punish the Four Evils; fortunate to receive the grace of the new dynasty, I may yet be counted among the Three Reverences. To avenge the wrong done my imperial forebear, to keep the ancestral rites as a filial grandson—if I heard of it at dawn and died at dusk I would die without regret down to the Yellow Springs. Now following precedent I yield the throne at my former residence. All officials and assembled lords: transfer your allegiance to the Tang dynasty; according to precedent, hasten to bestow the supreme title. As if casting off a heavy burden, I feel both peace and gratitude—through the hand of the true sovereign, may the vile rebels be destroyed. You many officers—surely you understand my intent.
10
He further instructed the responsible offices that all memorials and reports were not to be forwarded to him. On that day the emperor abdicated in favor of Great Tang and was enfeoffed as Duke of Xi. He died in summer of the fifth month of Wude year two, at the age of fifteen.
11
The historian writes: Emperor Gong was still in his tender youth when his house met calamity upon calamity—one man's loss of virtue brought the realm crumbling to ruin. Rebels swarmed like bees; wolves and jackals blocked every road—like King Jie they marched to South Nest, like King Li they never returned from exile. Having entered the era of cosmic calamity and personally tread the fortune of an exhausted mandate—the song of praise already had its object, the bells and flutes had changed their tune. Even had he wished not to follow in the footsteps of Yao and Shun, how could he have done otherwise!