Wang Shichong
Wang Shichong's brother Wang Shiyun () the Prince of Qi persuaded Wang Shichong that in order to avoid a repeat of the plot, he needed to put Yang Dong to death. Wang Shichong agreed, and he sent his nephew Wang Renze () the Prince of Tang and his servant Liang Bainian () to force Yang Dong to drink poison. Yang Dong made one last plea, pointing out that Wang Shichong had previously promised to keep him alive. Liang considered requesting confirmation from Wang Shichong, but Wang Shiyun refused. Yang Dong set sacrifices to Buddha and prayed, "May it be that I will no longer again be reborn into an imperial household." He drank poison, but initially did not die. Wang Shiyun ordered that he be strangled. Wang Shichong posthumously honored Yang Dong as "Emperor Gong", the same posthumous name that Tang later gave Yang Dong's brother Yang You, but as Sui's official history, the "Book of Sui" was written during Tang, Yang You was recognized as Emperor Gong, while Yang Dong's status as a Sui emperor became ambiguous in traditional histories.