After the deaths of Cao Ang and Cao Chong, Cao Zhang turned to the military, and the battle between the prince was actually the battle between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, in which Cao Zhi was talented and was once appreciated by Cao Cao, but in the end it was Cao Pi who became the prince of Wei.

[Cao Pi, who is looked down upon]

After Cao Ang's death, the Bian family ascended the throne, and Cao Pi became Cao Cao's eldest son, but Cao Cao did not attach much importance to Cao Pi. In the fifteenth year of Jian'an (210), Cao Pi was recommended by Situ Zhao Wen, but Cao Cao thought that Zhao Wen recommended his son not because of his true talent, so he made the servant Guanglu Xun Xi worry about holding the festival and removing Zhao Wen from his official position.

In the same year, Cao Cao's Tongque Terrace built in Yecheng was completed, and a group of scribes were summoned to "take the stage for the endowment", and Cao Zhi was among them. Among the crowds, Cao Zhi was the only one who put pen to paper and thought a little, waved it, and was the first to hand in the volume, and his text was called "Stage Fu". From then on, Cao Cao had high hopes for Cao Zhi, thinking that he was the person who could achieve great things.

However, Cao Cao still appointed Cao Pi as the general and deputy prime minister of the five officials in the following year, and Cao Zhi was also named the Marquis of Linzi in the same year. Cao Pi and Cao Zhi began the struggle for the son.

At that time, Cao Zhi was assisted by Ding Yi, Ding Xuan, Yang Xiu and others. Ding Yi's father, Ding Chong, was friendly with Cao Cao and made great contributions to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao has always been very grateful to Ding Chong. Ding Yi was a talented and beautiful person at that time, after Ding Chong's death, Cao Cao planned to marry his beloved daughter to Ding Yi, so he discussed this matter with Cao Pi, the eldest son who was also the general of the five senses, but Cao Pi was not optimistic about this marriage, and said: "Women still pay more attention to men's appearance, although Ding Yi is very talented, but his eyes are too small, I am really worried that your beloved daughter will not like him, I think it is better to marry Xiahou Mao, the son of Fubo General Xiahou Mao, so that it is more appropriate to kiss and kiss." Cao Cao agreed. married Princess Qinghe to Xiahou Mao.

At that time, Ding Yi was so hated Cao Pi that she gritted her teeth because she failed to marry Princess Qinghe, so she was more friendly with Cao Zhi, and often praised Cao Zhi in front of Cao Cao with Yang Xiu and others. Cao Cao was a little hesitant, and almost made Cao Zhi the crown prince several times.

[Ministers' opinions]

Since ancient times, China has had a tradition of establishing a long and a successor, so most of the ministers sided with Cao Pi, and Jia Xu, Cui Yan, Xing Hao, and Xin Bi and others all advised Cao Cao to establish Cao Pi as the prince.

Cao Cao asked Xing Hao about this matter at that time, and Xing Hao replied: "The ancestor who replaced the eldest with a concubine has an example as a warning in the previous generations. I hope Your Highness will think carefully! Cao Cao immediately understood what Xing Hao meant.

When Ding Yi and others advised Cao Cao to support Cao Zhi, Cao Cao was also very hesitant, so he sent a letter ordering a secret visit in other places. Among them, only Cui Yan replied without keeping his mouth shut: "I know that "Spring and Autumn" has the righteousness of the eldest son, and the five senses Zhonglang will Cao Piren and filial piety and wisdom, and should inherit the unification. Cui Yan will use his death to stick to this principle. ”

Later, Cao Cao privately asked Jia Xu what he thought of the heir, Jia Xu didn't answer, Cao Cao asked him why he didn't answer, Jia Xu said: "I'm thinking about Yuan Shao and Liu Biao." Cao Cao laughed, and finally made Cao Pi the crown prince that year.

After the death of Yuan Shao and Liu Biao in history, they were ultimately non-eldest sons, Yuan Shang was destroyed by Cao Cao because of infighting, and Liu Cong surrendered without a fight, so they were all taken as counterexamples by Jia Xu, but Yuan Shang and Liu Cong are actually not the heirs designated by their fathers, Yuan Shang forged Yuan Shao's suicide note to get the position, and Liu Cong was directly pushed up by the pro-Cao faction.

In the dispute between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi's sons, the reason why Cao Cao's ministers supported Cao Pi was not because of how strong Cao Pi's ability was, but mainly because Cao Pi was Cao Cao's eldest son, and he himself occupied morality, and Cao Zhi's talent could not be said to be able to convince the public, so everyone would support Cao Pi more.

It is said that at that time, Xinbi adhered to the etiquette of the national chief and resolutely supported the canonization of Cao Pi. The following year, after Cao Pi was made the crown prince of Wei, he got carried away, put his arms around Xin Bi's neck and said, "Mr. Xin, do you know? I'm so happy! Xin Bi couldn't help but be stunned by Cao Pi's actions.

Xin Bi later told his daughter Xianying about Cao Pi's performance, and Xianying, who was in her twenties at the time, sighed and said: "The crown prince is the person who replaces the king in charge of the temple society." How can a king act without worry, nor can he preside over the affairs of the state without being vigilant, and how can he be so joyful when he should be grieved? How could Wei prosper? ”

[Cao Zhi who died]

Cao Pi naturally spared no effort in order to defeat Cao Zhi, and he gathered Sima Yi, Wu Zhi, Chen Qun, Zhu Shuo and others around him, these four are also known as Cao Pi's "four friends".

Later, Cao Pi also sent someone to ask Jia Xu for advice, and Jia Xu said: "I hope that the general can promote morality, cultivate bearing, practice the responsibilities and obligations of scholars, be diligent, tireless, and do not do things that violate filial piety, and it will be fine." Cao Pi followed his advice and deliberately honed himself.

It is said that once Cao Cao led his troops to the battle, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi were sent to the side of the road together, Cao Zhi praised Cao Cao's merits, and the export became a chapter, and the people next to him were all appreciative, and Cao Cao himself was very happy. Cao Pi felt melancholy, and if he had lost something, Wu Zhen said in his ear: "When the King of Wei is about to go on the road, just cry and cry." When it was time to leave, Cao Pi cried and bowed, and Cao Cao and his subordinates were very sad. Therefore, everyone thinks that Cao Zhi's flowery rhetoric is more and less sincere than Cao Pi.

According to the record of "Shiyu", at the beginning, Yang Xiuguo, the chief secretary of the prime minister, and Ding Yi planned to establish Cao Zhi as the prince of Wei. Yang Xiu told Cao Cao, the king of Wei, about this, but Cao Cao had not yet investigated, and Cao Pi was frightened when he found out, so he told Wu Zhen. Wu Zhen said: "It doesn't matter. The next day, he entered Cao Pi's mansion with a bamboo box carrying silk, and Yang Xiu reported to Cao Cao again for inspection, but there was no one inside. Cao Cao was therefore suspicious of Yang Xiu and others.

Of course, Cao Pi can finally become the son of the world, and it has a lot to do with Cao Zhi's own death.

In the nineteenth year of Jian'an (214), Cao Zhi was renamed the Marquis of Linzi. In this year, Cao Cao went east to conquer Sun Quan, ordered Cao Zhi to stay in Yecheng, and warned him: "I was twenty-three years old when I served as the commander of Dunqiu, and I have never regretted what I did at that time. Now that you are also twenty-three years old, how can you not work hard! ”

It can be seen that Cao Cao has expectations for Cao Zhi, however, Cao Zhi's literary popularity and talent are too strong, and he often acts willfully, does not pay attention to grooming and restraining himself, drinks without restraint, and does several things that make Cao Cao very disappointed.

In the twenty-second year of Jian'an (217), when Cao Cao was out, Cao Zhi took advantage of the wine to sit on the royal carriage and horse, opened the gate of the palace Sima Gate, and galloped on the forbidden road that only the emperor could walk on the ceremony, and had fun until the Golden Gate, and he had forgotten Cao Cao's decree to the clouds. Cao Cao was furious and executed the bus order, who was in charge of the royal family's chariots and horses. Since then, the legal ban on the princes has been increased, and Cao Zhi has gradually lost Cao Cao's trust and favor because of this incident.

At that time, whenever Cao Cao went to Cao Zhi's place, he was worried that Cao Zhi was doing something inappropriate, so Yang Xiu guessed Cao Cao's intentions, drafted more than a dozen replies for Cao Zhi in advance, and told Cao Zhi's subordinates: "When the instructions of the King of Wei come, according to his questions, make corresponding answers." Therefore, as soon as Cao Cao, the king of Wei, received his teachings, Cao Zhi's reply had already been sent. Cao Cao felt strange about such a quick answer, and after questioning, the truth was leaked, and Cao Cao couldn't help but feel disappointed in Cao Zhi.

Since Cao Zhi was willful and did not hide his words and deeds, while Cao Pi used power techniques to cover up his true feelings and self-pretentiousness, most of the people in the palace and Cao Cao's subordinates said good things for him, so Cao Pi was finally established as the prince of Wei in the same year.

Two years later, Cao Ren was besieged by Guan Yu, and Cao Cao made Cao Zhi the general of Nanzhong Lang, and led the army to rescue Cao Ren. After the order was issued, Cao Zhi was too drunk to accept the order, so Cao Cao regretted it and stopped using him. In this regard, Cao Zhi completely said goodbye to the inheritance of Cao Wei's great cause.

In the first year of Yankang (220), Cao Cao died, and his son Cao Pi succeeded him as the king of Wei, the prime minister, and the pastor of Jizhou. In the same year, Emperor Chan of the Han Dynasty, Cao Pi Deng was called the emperor of Chantai, changed the Yuan Huang Chu, changed Luoyang to Luoyang, and granted amnesty to the world, Cao Pi was Emperor Wen of Wei and became the founding emperor of the Wei Dynasty.