During Emperor Yang's Reign
Upon hearing Emperor Yang's ascension, Yang Liang, then the commandant at Bing Province (并州, roughly modern Taiyuan, Shanxi) and in control of the territory north of the Yellow River, rebelled -- inexplicably declaring, as his reason for rebelling, that Yang Su had committed treason. Emperor Yang sent Yang Su to attack Yang Liang, and Yang Su, after capturing Yang Liang's general Xiao Mohe, forced Yang Liang's surrender. For Yang Su's contributions, Emperor Yang gave his sons Yang Wandan (楊萬石), Yang Renxing (楊仁行), and Yang Xuanting (楊玄挺) all mid-level imperial posts and much treasure, previously owned by Yang Liang.
In spring 605, Emperor Yang began to expand Luoyang to serve as the eastern capital. Yang Su was commissioned to head the project.
It was said that although Yang Su had much contributions for him, Emperor Yang actually was very suspicious of Yang Su. When imperial astrologers informed Emperor Yang that the Sui region (central Hubei) would have a major funeral, Emperor Wen created Yang Su the Duke of Chu, technically a greater title -- believing that the Chu and Sui regions were close enough that he could use Yang Su to deflect the ill fortune. When Yang Su grew ill in 606, Yang Guang sent the imperial physicians, along with the most precious medicines, to treat Yang Su, but closely monitored Yang Su's conditions, hoping that Yang Su would die. Yang Su himself knew of Emperor Yang's intentions, and therefore refused all treatment and did not take good care of his own body, stating to Yang Yue, "Why should I want to live?" He died in fall 606, and Emperor Yang honored him with a magnificent funeral. After Yang Xuangan rebelled in 613, all of Yang Su's sons were killed. Yang Su's tomb was destroyed, and Yang Su's body was burned by the general Wei Wensheng (衛文昇). But one daughter of his would later become a concubine of Emperor Gaozu of Tang and bear him a son named Li Yuanxiang (李元祥) and titled Prince of Jiang.
It was said that one of Yang Su's favorite dishes was fried rice and that he popularized the dish.
Read more about this topic: Yang Su
Famous quotes containing the words emperor and/or reign:
“Let be be finale of seem.
The only emperor is the emperor of ice-cream.”
—Wallace Stevens (1879–1955)
“Without poets, without artists, men would soon weary of nature’s monotony. The sublime idea men have of the universe would collapse with dizzying speed. The order which we find in nature, and which is only an effect of art, would at once vanish. Everything would break up in chaos. There would be no seasons, no civilization, no thought, no humanity; even life would give way, and the impotent void would reign everywhere.”
—Guillaume Apollinaire (1880–1918)