Emperor Gaozu of Tang
Chen Yuan's mother Consort Zhang was executed by the Sui general Gao Jiong, who blamed her for Chen's collapse. Chen Shubao, however, was not harmed, and was taken to the Sui capital Chang'an as an honored guest of Emperor Wen of Sui. Chen Yuan followed his father to Chang'an. During the reign of Emperor Wen's son Emperor Yang of Sui, Chen Yuan was made the governor of Fuhan Commandery (枹罕, roughly modern Linxia, Gansu). By the time that Sui fell and was replaced by Tang Dynasty, however, he was back in Chang'an, and he served as a mid-level official early in the reign of Emperor Gaozu of Tang. He died early in Emperor Gaozu's reign (618-626), but the exact year is not known.