Casual Talk about Cao Pi (Also Answering Questions Regarding the Eldest and Second Eldest)

The writing is disorganized and lacks a coherent system; constructive criticism is welcome

Firstly, his extravagance was markedly different from Cao Cao's frugality. During the Battle of Huguan in Bingzhou, he even asked Cao Zhi to request jade from Zhong Yao. It is important to note that at that time, Zhong Yao was stationed in Guanzhong and was a prominent official, while he was merely in his youth, without any official title. Even his father, Cao Cao, was still facing a significant residual force in Hebei. Engaging in such actions at that critical moment was, at the very least, inappropriate.

Considering the above points, and perhaps more than just these, I do not have any fondness for this person. Therefore, categorizing him as an enemy that Cao Chong must confront seems reasonable.

As an individual, I believe he is a failure, and the following points can illustrate this

Cao Pi is a renowned literati, and I believe that even if I do not like him, this fact cannot be denied. After all, his poetry and prose, especially the "Dian Lun," are significant in the history of Chinese literature. The Jian'an style and the Three Caos of Jian'an cannot be overlooked in relation to him.

As a scholar, he is successful

What I want to say is that I refer to Cao Pi as "Elder Brother" in the book, which has nothing to do with my understanding of the Records of the Three Kingdoms. I simply feel that since Cao Ang has been dead for eleven years, it does not seem too unreasonable to elevate Cao Pi in this context. As for some readers who cannot agree with this, I can only express that there are differing opinions.

6. The promotion of Wu Zhi; Wu Zhi is a petty person, and specific accounts of his deeds can be referenced. I believe that the decision to promote this individual is closely related to Cao Pi's own character.

Furthermore, if reading "Records of the Three Kingdoms" twice is deemed sufficient to achieve mastery, then it is evident that I cannot claim to be proficient. This is partly due to my lack of strong memory, and partly because, in fact, the more I read, the more questions I find.

7, driving the Zhen family to despair. I believe I need not elaborate on this point; readers are already familiar with these stories. Initially regarded as a treasure, it now seems like a mere piece of grass, which appears rather unseemly

However, as a politician, he was largely unsuccessful

Finally, it can be observed that Cao Pi's hostility towards Cao Chong was evident even years later, and it may have been quite apparent at the time as well. However, this does not affect his outward display of affection. Whether one considers him hypocritical or believes that he was genuinely expressing his feelings is open to interpretation

4. Using Cao Cao's women, even his mother, Lady Bian, could not accept this, cursing him as someone unworthy of even a dog, refusing to attend his funeral. At that time, this was no small crime

3, suppressing his brother, leading to Cao Zhang's death. As a politician, he must secure his position, which is understandable, and even actions similar to those taken against Cao Zhi can be accepted (of course, if the story of the Seven Steps Poem is not valid). However, I clearly cannot accept that he poisoned Cao Zhang. Even if Cao Zhang held military power, he could have stripped him of that power, placed him under house arrest, or made him a nominal marquis; all of these would be understandable. Resorting to poison, however, is clearly excessive

He reigned for seven years. I believe that aside from resolving the chaos in Ye City and the Qing-Xu forces at the beginning of his reign, there is little to commend in his civil and military achievements. On the contrary, he formally brought the Nine Ranks System to the forefront, reinstating the gentry that Cao Cao had heavily suppressed back into the political elite. Particularly with the emergence of Sima Yi, he sowed the seeds of destruction for the Cao family.

This short article was prompted by numerous readers in the book review section questioning the author's understanding of the historical context of the "Records of the Three Kingdoms" due to the reference to Cao Pi as "big brother" in the book

Having finished the digression, I will now express my views on Cao Pi

Five, to force the assassination of Cao Hong. Cao Hong is an incompetent general, yet he has made significant contributions to the Cao family. He is being targeted merely because of a past grievance over a loan, which seems uncharacteristic of a politician with a modicum of conscience and insight. Furthermore, he pressured his mother, Lady Bian, to seek out Empress Guo to issue a warrant for his arrest, which ultimately saved Cao Hong's life. Although Cao Hong did not die, the old generals were deeply hurt. This was a miscalculation. He pressured his mother, Lady Bian, to seek out Empress Guo to issue a warrant for his arrest, which ultimately saved Cao Hong's life. Although Cao Hong did not die, the old generals were deeply hurt. This was a miscalculation.

5. The reuse of Xiahou Shang. The reuse of Xiahou Shang is not necessarily a bad thing; at least from the perspective of Xiahou Shang's actions, he does possess certain abilities. However, the statement he made, "to wield power and bring misfortune, to kill the living," is indeed a phrase that signifies the downfall of a nation.

Regarding this issue, I believe there is no need for further debate. However, I would still like to express my gratitude to readers such as Yanlong, Wushuang, and Tu. Although you mentioned that I am not generous, I find that somewhat inconsistent with the facts. I have always thought of myself as a person of integrity, even if I cannot claim to be noble. After all, there are times when I also appreciate being earnest, and therefore, I do not harbor any resentment towards those who are earnest.

First, I would like to clarify that I have read "Records of the Three Kingdoms" carefully twice. This is not something worth boasting about; I believe many who write about the Three Kingdoms can achieve this. Therefore, I will not use https://www.hetushu.com to brag.

Given the above points, I believe that Cao Cao's delay in appointing him as the heir apparent was, to some extent, not because he was not the first in line for succession (as evidenced by the attitudes of figures like Cui Yan, it is clear that Cao Pi was the primary heir at that time), but rather due to dissatisfaction with this individual. Unfortunately, Cao Chong died young, and Cao Zhi, with his overly literary demeanor, was not a match for the cunningly disguised Cao Pi. Coupled with the insistence of those loyal to the primogeniture system, it ultimately led to Cao Pi ascending to power. It must be said that this is quite a regrettable situation.

Furthermore, without needing to refer to the Records of the Three Kingdoms, I believe that the vast majority of people, based on their understanding of the stories of the Three Kingdoms, would know about the eldest son Cao Ang. After all, the Battle of Wancheng in the second year of Jian'an was not only a blemish on Cao Cao's military history but also the final battle of the fierce warrior Dian Wei, which is something I am certainly aware of

During the period of the Three Kingdoms when the nation was divided and the people's lives were difficult, he sought rare and precious items from Sun Quan, which caused Sun Quan to look down on him, indicating a lack of the demeanor of a statesman