Cao Cao, a representative figure of the Three Kingdoms era, participated in many major events in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. However, no one is perfect, although Cao Cao was the overlord of the Three Kingdoms era, there was also a lot of blood of the innocent people in his hands.

【Representative Figures】

During the Three Kingdoms era, Cao Cao was one of the most representative figures, and he participated in almost all the major events in the last years of the Eastern Han Dynasty, which basically no one else could do.

These include the Yellow Turban Uprising, the Rebellion of the Ten Standing Servants, Dong Zhuo's entry into Beijing, the Kwantung princes' attack on Dong, the relocation of the capital to Xuchang by the Son of Heaven, the Battle of Guandu, the Battle of Chibi and the Battle of Xiangfan, etc., it can be said that Cao Cao has been in the whirlpool of the Three Kingdoms era, which even Liu Bei, Sun Quan and Yuan Shao have not been able to do.

【Butcher】

Cao Cao had a bad reputation in later generations, a large part of it was because he slaughtered too much, which others were almost occasional, but Cao Cao and Dong Zhuo were basically the norm, Dong Zhuo killed the people, killed soldiers, killed soldiers, killed officials, and Cao Cao also did it.

One of the most famous is the three slaughter of Xuzhou, the fourth year of the first peace (193), Cao Cao's father Cao Song was killed by Xuzhou soldiers, Cao Cao avenged his father, invaded Xuzhou on a large scale, the place passed, the blood flowed into a river, according to the record, "the dead are tens of thousands, Surabaya does not flow". In the following year (194), Cao Cao invaded Xuzhou again, "killing many people".

"Zizhi Tongjian" also has a record about this aspect: "In the event of a drill, hundreds of thousands of men and women were killed in Surabaya, and the water did not flow", "Attacking Ying, Suiling, and Xiaqiu, all of them were in the summer, and the chickens and dogs were exhausted, and there were no pedestrians in the ruins".

In the third year of Jian'an (198), when Cao Cao attacked Lü Bu, he slaughtered Pengcheng and "broke Si and Yishui to irrigate the city".

In the battle of Guandu, Cao Cao killed more than 70,000 people of Yuan Shao's army after the victory, "the remnants of the false surrender, all the pits", Pei Songzhi once said: "All books are Yungong pit Shaozhong 80,000, or 70,000 clouds." ”

In the tenth year of Jian'an (205), Gao Gan surrendered and rebelled, Cao Cao personally led the army to crusade against Huguan, Gao Gan was not there for help, Cao Cao ordered at that time: "After the city falls, the enemy army will be pitted." "The results have not been going on for months. Later, Cao Cao gave up this order under Cao Ren's persuasion and finally conquered Huguan.

In the twentieth year of Jian'an (215), Cao Cao sent troops to attack Hanzhong, "more than 10,000 people of Dou Mao, the king of Di, refused to accept the danger, and in May, the public attacked and slaughtered him."

In addition, there are many scholars who died in the hands of Cao Cao, in addition to Kong Rong, Xu You, Bian Rang, Xun Yu, Yang Xiu and others who have already been mentioned above, there are also Lou Gui, Cui Yan and so on.

Lou Gui is a native of Jingzhao, who had a friendship with Cao Cao when he was young, and once followed Cao Cao to pacify Jizhou, conquered Liu Biao in the south, defeated Ma Chao, and made meritorious contributions, and even Cao Cao once lamented his plan during the battle of Guanzhong. Later, Cao Cao went out with his sons, and Lou Gui accompanied him at that time. Because of his inappropriate words, he was considered by Cao Cao to be intentional to slander and was killed.

Cui Yan, whose name is Ji Jue, is a native of Dongwu City, Qinghe, a famous man in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the younger brother of Sikong Cui Lin, and a strategist under Cao Cao. Cui Yan is handsome and prestigious, Cao Cao is also in awe of him, Cao Cao was in charge of the conquest of the state, once left Cui Yan in Yecheng to assist Cao Pi, Cui Yan later recommended Yang Xun, a giant deer man, to Cao Cao.

In the twenty-first year of Jian'an (216), Cao operated the king of Wei, and Yang Xun praised Cao Cao's exploits and praised Cao Cao's virtues. At that time, some people ridiculed Yang Xun for hypocritically pandering to the powerful, thinking that Cui Yan's recommendation was inappropriate. Cui Yan took a draft of the statement from Yang Xun and looked at it, and wrote to Yang Xun and said: "Reading the expression, it's just that things are done well!" Time, time, as time changes, the situation will definitely change! ”

Cui Yan's original intention was to satirize those critics, to condemn and reprimand, rather than to seek reason. Someone reported that Cui Yan's letter was a resentful curse from the world, and Cao Cao was angry and said: "The proverb says, 'But I gave birth to a daughter'." 'Ear' is not a good word. "There will be times when things change" means very disrespectful. From then on, Cui Yan was punished as a vain and sent someone to see him, Cui Yan's expression did not mean to give in at all. Cao Cao's edict said: "Although Cui Yan was tortured, he interacted with guests, and when he received guests, his beard was curled, and his eyes looked straight at him, as if he was resentful. So he ordered Cui Yan to die.

Compared with Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao is not as brutal as him, but the blood and life stained by Cao Cao's hands are probably beyond Dong Zhuo's reach.

【Cao Cao's Character】

Historically, Cao Cao's character is more complex and contradictory, but what impresses people the most is his suspicion and cunning.

We can see this from some allusions.

According to the "Shishuo Xinyu - Rongzhi", it is recorded that Cao Cao, the king of Wei, wanted to receive the envoy of the Xiongnu, and he himself thought that his appearance was not good-looking, and he could not use his majesty to shock the Xiongnu, so he asked Cui Yan to meet him instead, and he stood next to the couch with a knife as an attendant. After the meeting, he sent a spy to ask the Xiongnu envoy: "How is the King of Wei?" The Xiongnu envoy commented: "The elegant temperament of the King of Wei is unusual; But the man sitting on the edge of the couch with a knife is the real hero. When Cao Cao heard this, he sent people to chase him and kill the messenger.

There is also a record in "The New Language of the World", saying that once Cao Cao led his troops to go on an expedition, but he couldn't find a place with water on the way, and the soldiers were very thirsty. So Cao Cao asked his men to send a message to the soldiers, saying, "There is a large plum grove in front, which bears a lot of plums, sweet and sour, which can quench thirst." When the soldiers heard this, their mouths drooled. With this, they were able to reach a place where there was a water source ahead.

According to the "Biography of Cao Xuan", once Cao Cao led his army through the wheat field and ordered: "The soldiers should not break the wheat, and those who violate it will be executed!" All the people who rode horses in the army dismounted, and walked with each other's hands, but Cao Cao's horse actually ran into the wheat field, and invited his master book to judge the crime, and the master book responded with the allusion of the Spring and Autumn Period: Since ancient times, criminal law is not used on noble people. Cao Cao said: "How can you command your subordinates if you make your own laws and violate them yourself?" However, as the commander of an army, I cannot die, and I ask that a criminal law be imposed on me. So he took his sword, cut off his hair, and threw it at the ground.

【Cao Mengde in History】

Name: Cao Cao

Attributes: Leadership (A+) The founder of Cao Wei, a man who led his subordinates to dominate the north

Commander (A) Cao Cao's representation in military affairs was not perfect, but it was outstanding

Although there are many bonuses to strategists in this aspect of strategy, Cao Cao's own ability is not bad

Politics (B+) Cao Cao did not show much in terms of political ability

Diplomacy (C-) is poor

General Comment (S+) Cao Cao is a veritable first person in the Three Kingdoms era

Aliases (titles): the word Mengde, the number auspicious, the small character Apu

Gender: Male

Ethnicity: Han

Profession: politician, military strategist, writer, calligrapher, poet

Official position: Prime Minister

Nickname: Emperor Wu

Temple number: Taizu

Mausoleum: Gao Ling

Family background: Eunuch family

Born and died: 155-220

Place of birth: Peiguo County, Yuzhou

Main social relations: Adoptive grandfather: Cao Teng's father (Cao Song) son (Cao Ang, Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, Cao Zhi, etc.) relatives (Xiahou Xuan, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Cao Xiu, etc.)

Major Experiences:

From 155 to 184, he experienced the central and local governments, witnessed the decline of the Han Dynasty, and the eunuchs and heroes were unreasonable

From 184 to 191, he participated in the crusade against the Yellow Turbans and Dong Zhuo

From 191 to 196, he was listed by Yuan Shao as the Taishou of Dongjun, officially began his career as a prince, eliminated the Yellow Turban, defeated Yuan Shu, Tao Qian, and Lu Bu, and stood firm in Yanzhou

From 196 to 208, he coerced the Son of Heaven and ordered the princes, defeated Yuan Shao, and unified the north

From 208 to 220, he went south to pacify Jingzhou, and then Guandu was defeated. captured Guanzhong and Hanzhong, of which Hanzhong was later taken away by Liu Bei.

Summary: Cao Cao is a hero in troubled times, and his failure to dominate the world is his biggest regret.