In the spring of the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an (220), Cao Cao died in Luoyang. The death of this powerful man brought a huge shock to the Wei State. As the crown prince, Cao Pi should have succeeded to the throne of Wei smoothly, but the situation is far from as simple as it seems. Cao Cao's attitude towards his sons was ambiguous and unclear during his lifetime, and he had intended to cultivate Cao Zhi, and he had urgently summoned Cao Zhang. This caused some generals to have doubts about the choice of heirs. The uproar of the Qingzhou soldiers pushed this uneasiness to a climax. In such a complex situation, how could Cao Pi stabilize the morale of the army and control the military power in a short period of time? And how did he deal with the potential threat from his brother? In the face of the competition of various forces, how will the young Cao Pi display his political wisdom?
In the twenty-fourth year of Jian'an (219), Guan Yu attacked Xiangyang and Fancheng, and Cao Cao personally led the army south to meet the battle. In this southern expedition, Cao Cao changed his previous strategy of employing people, and his attitude towards Zhuzi changed subtly.
First of all, Cao Cao crowned Cao Zhi as the general of Nanzhonglang, marched to capture the general, and ordered him to lead the army to rescue Cao Ren. This decision caused the surprise of many ministers of the DPRK and China. Although Cao Zhi was talented, he was never good at military affairs. Cao Cao's move was undoubtedly to take the opportunity to test this talented son. However, Cao Zhi was too drunk to make it to the front in time, much to Cao Cao's disappointment.
At the same time, Cao Cao did not hand over the main military power to the crown prince Cao Pi, but chose Cao Zhang, who was superior in martial arts. Cao Zhang has been good at shooting since he was a child, and his strength is outstanding, and he has fought with Cao Cao many times. In the twenty-third year of Jian'an (218), the northern Wuhuan Neng ministers rebelled, and Cao Zhang was ordered to quell the rebellion, not only quelling the rebellion, but also winning the surrender of the Xianbei Lord Kebineng by virtue of his personal bravery. Cao Cao's trust and reliance on Cao Zhang can be seen from this.
In the battle of Hanzhong, Cao Cao even released cruel words: "Sell your shoes, and make the fake son refuse to be public!" Wait for me to come and order it to be attacked. The "yellow beard" here refers to Cao Zhang. After returning from Hanzhong, Cao Cao ordered Cao Zhang to sit in Chang'an, which shows that he had high hopes for him.
However, just when Cao Cao was seriously ill, he suddenly summoned Cao Zhang to Luoyang. The move has sparked a lot of speculation. Some people believe that Cao Cao wanted Cao Zhang to assist Cao Pi in stabilizing the situation; There is also speculation that Cao Cao may have intended to change the heir. In any case, this decision undoubtedly exacerbated the contradictions between the sons.
At the same time, Cao Cao's strategy of employing people also led to the formation of various factions in the army. The generals under Cao Cao can be roughly divided into three categories: clan generals, military generals with foreign surnames, and literati groups. Clan generals such as Cao Ren and Cao Zhen were related to Cao Cao by blood and were often entrusted with important tasks. Military generals with foreign surnames, such as Xiahoudun and Zhang Liao, were Cao Cao's veterans who had fought for many years and had a very high prestige in the army. The literati group, represented by Xun Yu and Chen Qun, played an important role in military and political decision-making.
There is both cooperation and competition between the three factions. Clan generals are reused because of blood relations, but they often cause dissatisfaction among military generals with foreign surnames. Although military generals with foreign surnames have made outstanding achievements, they are often not fully trusted at critical moments. The literati clique, with their strategy and ingenuity, played a balancing role in the military.
Cao Cao's way of employing people has formed a delicate balance between the three factions. However, with Cao Cao's death, this balance is also at risk of collapsing. The factions are watching in the shadows, trying to gain more for themselves in the new political landscape.
In this complex situation, Cao Pi faces great challenges. He not only has to deal with potential threats from his brothers, but also has to balance the interests of various factions in the army and stabilize the morale of the army. More importantly, he also had to establish his authority and control the military power in the shortest possible time. This is undoubtedly a severe test for a young monarch who has just succeeded to the throne.
After Cao Cao's death, Cao Pi, as the crown prince, should inherit the throne of Wei smoothly, but the reality is far more complicated than imagined. At this critical juncture, Cao Pi faced multiple challenges, the most difficult of which were the mutiny of the Qingzhou soldiers, the potential threat of Cao Zhang, and the attitude of the generals in the army.
The Qingzhou mutiny incident was undoubtedly the biggest crisis facing Cao Pi in the early days of his succession. According to the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms: The Biography of Zang Ba", the note "Wei Luo" recorded: "Hui Taizu collapsed, and the Basuo Department and the Qingzhou soldiers thought that the world would be chaotic, and they all beat the drums and went without permission. "The Qingzhou soldiers have always been known for their courage and good fighting, and they are one of the main armies of Cao Cao for many years. Their unauthorized departure not only seriously weakened the military strength of the Wei state, but also directly challenged the authority of the new monarch.
The roots of this mutiny can be traced back to the reign of Cao Cao. Most of the Qingzhou soldiers were Cao Cao's old subordinates when he raised the army, and they had a deep personal friendship with Cao Cao. Cao Cao's sudden death gave these soldiers a strong sense of insecurity. They are worried that after the new monarch comes to power, their status and treatment may be affected. At the same time, the long-term war life also made them yearn for a peaceful life. This complex psychology eventually led to the outbreak of mutiny.
Faced with this sudden incident, Cao Pi needed to act quickly. On the one hand, he sent his henchmen and generals to pacify, promising to retain the special status of Qingzhou soldiers; On the other hand, other armies were also ordered to stand by to prevent the mutiny from spreading further. The handling of this crisis has become the first difficulty in testing Cao Pi's leadership ability.
At the same time, Cao Zhang's existence also brought a lot of pressure to Cao Pi. As Cao Cao's fourth son, Cao Zhang was known for his bravery and prestige in the army. What's more, Cao Cao urgently summoned Cao Zhang back to Luoyang before his death, a move that sparked a lot of speculation. It has been suggested that Cao Cao may have intended for Cao Chang to assist Cao Pi in stabilizing the situation; But there are also suspicions that Cao Cao may have intended to change his heir.
The arrival of Cao Zhang undoubtedly exacerbated the uncertainty of inheritance. According to the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms: The Biography of the King of Rencheng", the note "Wei Luo" records: "Zhangzhi, it is said that the Marquis of Linzi said: 'The first king summoned me, and he wanted to establish you. Although the conversation ultimately failed to change the situation, it reflected Cao Zhang's support for Cao Zhi. For Cao Pi, how to appease Cao Zhang and prevent him from joining forces with Cao Zhi became a thorny problem.
In addition to the potential threat from his brothers, the attitude of the generals in the army is also something that Cao Pi needs to pay close attention to. The generals under Cao Cao can be roughly divided into three categories: clan generals, military generals with foreign surnames, and literati groups. These three groups formed a delicate balance during Cao Cao's time, but with Cao Cao's death, this balance was also at risk of collapsing.
Although the generals of the clan such as Cao Ren and Cao Zhen were related to Cao Pi, their attitude towards the new monarch was not entirely clear. Some may fear that Cao Pi's rise to power will weaken the power of the clan. Military generals with foreign surnames, such as Xiahoudun and Zhang Liao, are Cao Cao's veterans who have fought for many years and have a very high prestige in the army. Their attitude towards Xinjun is directly related to the stability of the army.
The literati group, represented by Xun Yu and Chen Qun, played an important role in military and political decision-making. Although they were less influential in military affairs than military generals, they held the administrative power of the imperial court. How to balance the interests of these three groups has become another major challenge for Cao Pi.
In addition, Cao Pi also needs to deal with threats from the outside. Although Liu Bei and Sun Quan showed no signs of a large-scale attack for the time being, they could take advantage of the transfer of power in Wei at any time to launch an attack. How to guard against external threats while stabilizing the internal is also an important issue for Cao Pi to consider.
In the face of these complex challenges, Cao Pi will need to demonstrate extraordinary political wisdom and leadership. He must stabilize the situation and establish his authority in the shortest possible time before he can truly take control of the power. This is not only related to his personal fate, but also related to the future direction of the entire Wei State.
In the face of many challenges, Cao Pi has demonstrated extraordinary political wisdom and adaptability. He employed a series of ingenious tactics that not only quickly stabilized the situation, but also succeeded in taking control of the army.
First, Cao Pi adopted a strategy of rapid succession to the throne in order to establish his legitimacy. According to the records of the Three Kingdoms, the Book of Wei, and the Chronicles of Emperor Wen, the day after Cao Cao's death, Cao Pi inherited the throne of Wei with the support of his ministers. This swift move not only cut off hope for other potential heirs, but also sent a clear signal to the outside world that the transfer of power was complete and a new ruler was in place.
In order to further consolidate his position, Cao Pi also took a series of symbolic moves. He personally presided over Cao Cao's funeral, showing filial piety to his father; At the same time, he also ordered Cao Cao to be posthumously crowned Emperor Wu to demonstrate his legitimacy. These actions not only won the support of the courtiers, but also calmed the emotions of the officers and men in the army to a certain extent.
Secondly, Cao Pi set out to envelop the clan generals. He was well aware of the importance of clan generals in the army, so he adopted a strategy of equal emphasis on co-optation and checks and balances. On the one hand, he gave great use to the generals of the clan, such as appointing Cao Ren as the general and Cao Zhen as the general of the expedition to the west, to show his trust in the clan. On the other hand, he also took care to prevent the clan generals from having too much power. For example, he transferred Cao Chang away from the central government and entrusted him with important tasks, both as a sign of recognition of his abilities and as a threat he might pose to the capital.
At the same time, Cao Pi also reused military generals with foreign surnames to balance the power of the clan generals. He promoted a number of veterans with prestige in the army, such as appointing Xiahoudun as the Great Sima and Zhang Liao as the former general. These measures not only stabilized the morale of the military, but also formed a delicate balance between the clan and the generals with foreign surnames.
In terms of military management, Cao Pi formulated a new system. He established a five-battalion system, dividing the Central Forbidden Army into five battalions, each under the command of a major minister. This system not only strengthened the control of the forbidden army, but also avoided the risk of excessive concentration of military power. At the same time, he also implemented strict military discipline and severely punished those who left their posts without permission and were corrupt in order to maintain the army's discipline and combat effectiveness.
It is worth mentioning that Cao Pi also skillfully used his literary talents to rally the support of the literati. As a talented literary scholar, Cao Pi often exchanged poems and texts with literati and organized literary activities. His "Treatise on Classics" not only established his status in the literary world, but also won him the support of many literati. These literati not only held important positions in the imperial court, but also served as advisers in the army, and their support played an important role in Cao Pi's stability.
In dealing with the Qingzhou mutiny, Cao Pi showed superb political skill. He first sent his confidant ministers to pacify, promising to retain the special status and treatment of Qingzhou soldiers. At the same time, he also secretly mobilized other troops to prevent the mutiny from spreading further. In the end, he not only quelled the mutiny, but also reorganized the army through this crisis, further strengthening his control over the army.
Regarding Cao Zhang's potential threat, Cao Pi adopted a strategy of paying equal attention to softness and prevention. On the surface, he entrusted Cao Zhang with important tasks, but in fact he transferred him away from the central government and sent him to the frontier to guard. This move not only shows the recognition of Cao Zhang's ability, but also effectively defuses the threat it may bring.
Cao Pi behaved more cautiously in dealing with his relationship with Cao Zhi. Although he abolished Cao Zhi's status as prince, he did not crack down on him. On the contrary, he gave Cao Zhi a certain fief and title, allowing him to continue to engage in literary creation. This way of dealing with the situation not only maintained its own dominance, but also avoided the situation of fratricide and stabilized the situation to a certain extent.
Through this series of ingenious strategies, Cao Pi succeeded in stabilizing the situation in a short period of time and firmly controlling the military power. He not only defused the threat from his brothers, but also balanced the interests of the various factions in the army, laying a solid foundation for his rule.
Cao Pi's process of controlling military power was a complex and delicate power game. This process is not achieved overnight, but gradually through a series of clever strategies and actions.
First of all, Cao Pi took advantage of the favorable opportunity in the early days of his succession. After Cao Cao's death, the officers and men in the army were generally in a state of losing their backbone. Cao Pi seized the opportunity and acted quickly. On the day of his succession, he summoned the generals of various ministries and announced a series of pacification policies. According to the records of the Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, the Book of Wei, and the Chronicles of Emperor Wen, Cao Pi promised to inherit his father's legacy, maintain a preferential policy for the army, and said that he would reuse meritorious officials. This move immediately won the support of most of the generals.
Subsequently, Cao Pi began to adjust the personnel layout of the army. He first arranged for a group of generals who were loyal to him to take important positions. For example, he appointed Xiahoudun as the Great Sima to lead the Central Forbidden Army. As Cao Cao's old subordinate, Xiahoudun had a high prestige in the army, and his support was crucial to Cao Pi's control of the army. At the same time, Cao Pi also promoted some young and promising generals, such as Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu, who were both capable and loyal to Cao Pi.
In dealing with the generals of the clan, Cao Pi showed a superb art of balance. He reused clan veterans such as Cao Ren and Cao Hong, but at the same time, he also took care to prevent them from having too much power. For example, he sent Cao Ren to Xiangyang to guard the town, which was both reuse and a disguised surveillance. For members of the clan who might pose a threat, such as Cao Zhang, Cao Pi adopted the strategy of transferring them away from the central government, entrusting them with important tasks but actually marginalizing them.
Cao Pi also paid special attention to winning over those generals who had important influence in the army. For example, he treated Zhang Liao with special favor. Zhang Liao defeated Sun Quan in the Battle of Hefei, and his prestige spread far and wide. Cao Pi not only confirmed Zhang Liao's position as a former general, but also granted him special courtesy. According to the "Chronicles of the Three Kingdoms, Wei Shu, Zhang Liao's Biography", Cao Pi even allowed Zhang Liao to "enter the court without tending to enter the court, and go to the palace with a sword", which is a very high honor. In this way, Cao Pi succeeded in gaining Zhang Liao's loyalty.
In terms of the military management system, Cao Pi carried out a series of reforms. He established a five-battalion system, dividing the Central Forbidden Army into five battalions, each under the command of a major minister. This system not only strengthened the control of the forbidden army, but also avoided the risk of excessive concentration of military power. At the same time, he also imposed strict military discipline and severely punished those who left their posts without permission and embezzled and corrupt. These measures not only improved the combat effectiveness of the army, but also strengthened Cao Pi's control over the army.
When dealing with the Qingzhou mutiny, Cao Pi showed superb crisis management ability. On the one hand, he sent his confidant ministers to pacify, promising to retain the special status of Qingzhou soldiers; On the other hand, other armies were also ordered to stand by to prevent the mutiny from spreading further. In the end, he not only quelled the mutiny, but also took the opportunity to reorganize the Qingzhou soldiers and disperse them into various units, effectively weakening the independence of the Qingzhou soldiers.
Cao Pi also paid special attention to the control of the frontier army. He adopted the strategy of "commanding the army with generals" and sent his trusted generals to serve as the governor of the frontier. For example, he sent Cao Zhen to guard Guanzhong and Cao Xiu to guard Huainan. These generals are not only responsible for military defense, but also have the task of monitoring the locality. In this way, Cao Pi not only strengthened his control over the frontier, but also prevented local forces from gaining momentum.
In order to further consolidate his position, Cao Pi also took a series of symbolic moves. He personally inspected the troops, expressed his condolences to the officers and soldiers, and participated in military exercises. These actions not only showed his image as a commander-in-chief, but also brought him closer to the army.
At the same time, Cao Pi also paid attention to the use of cultural means to unite the morale of the military. He often discussed the art of war with his generals and compiled military works. It is recorded that he personally compiled the Taihe Discipline, which contains a great deal of military management experience. These actions not only improved the tactical level of the army, but also strengthened the sense of identification with him among the soldiers.
Through this series of elaborate strategies and actions, Cao Pi gradually took control of Wei's military power. He not only stabilized the central army, but also effectively controlled the frontier troops. More importantly, he managed to establish his prestige in the army and win the loyalty of his soldiers. This laid a solid military foundation for his later claim to be emperor.
Cao Pi's success in taking control of military power had a profound impact on the political landscape of Wei and the situation in the Three Kingdoms. This series of measures not only consolidated Cao Pi's dominance, but also laid a solid foundation for the development of the Wei state.
First of all, Cao Pi's control of military power directly led to the change of Wei's political system. With the support of the army, Cao Pi was able to successfully complete the historic transformation of the Wei dynasty and the Han dynasty. In the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an (220), Cao Pi accepted the Chan concession of Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty under the support of his ministers and formally established the Wei Dynasty. This move not only ended the more than 400-year rule of the Han Dynasty, but also marked the formal formation of the pattern of the Three Kingdoms.
After the establishment of the Wei State, Cao Pi further adjusted the military and political system. He set up Shangshutai and strengthened the central government's management of the army. At the same time, he also implemented the Jiupin Zhongzheng system, through which Cao Pi was able to bring military generals into the civilian system, further strengthening his control over the army. These institutional changes laid the foundation for the long-term stability of the Wei state.
In terms of military strategy, after Cao Pi took control of the military power, Wei's military operations became more flexible and changeable. He made full use of Wei's military superiority and launched several attacks on Wu and Shu. For example, in the twenty-sixth year of Jian'an (221), Cao Pi personally led his army south to attack Wu, and although it ultimately failed to achieve a decisive victory, this operation effectively dealt a blow to Wu's arrogance and consolidated Wei's dominance in the Central Plains.
At the same time, Cao Pi also paid attention to defensive strategies. He strengthened the defense of the frontier areas, especially the defense of important strategic areas such as Guanzhong and Huainan. For example, he sent Cao Zhen to guard Guanzhong against an attack by Shu; Cao Xiu was sent to guard Huainan to defend against the threat of Wu. These measures effectively safeguarded the territorial integrity of the Wei state.
In terms of foreign relations, after Cao Pi took control of military power, Wei's foreign policy also changed. He adopted a more proactive diplomatic strategy, trying to weaken the hostile forces through diplomatic means. For example, he sent envoys to Wu several times in an attempt to drive a wedge between Sun Quan and Liu Bei. Although these diplomatic moves did not produce immediate results, they did buy Wei valuable time for development.
Cao Pi's control of military power also had a positive impact on Wei's economic development. Under the protection of the army, the Central Plains was able to recuperate and recuperate, and agricultural production gradually resumed. Cao Pi also implemented a series of economic policies, such as encouraging tuntian and developing handicrafts, which accumulated a large amount of material wealth for the Wei state and provided strong logistical support for subsequent military operations.
In terms of culture, after Cao Pi took control of the military power, the cultural undertakings of Wei also flourished. As a talented writer, Cao Pi attaches great importance to cultural construction. He often exchanged poems and texts with scholars and organized literary events. This not only improved the cultural soft power of Wei, but also played an important role in rallying the hearts of the people.
However, Cao Pi's control of military power also had some negative effects. First of all, in order to consolidate his rule, Cao Pi had to suppress some meritorious officials, which weakened the military strength of Wei to a certain extent. For example, his prevention and suppression of Cao Zhang, although he eliminated a potential political threat, also lost a general who could fight well.
Second, Cao Pi's tight control over the army also brought some problems. Over-centralization of military power, while conducive to maintaining rule, can also lead to a lack of vitality in the military. Some generals may have been afraid to take the initiative for fear of suspicion, as was reflected in later military operations.
In addition, after Cao Pi took control of the military, Wei's military operations became more flexible, but also more conservative. Especially in the strategy of Wu and Shu, Cao Pi mostly took a defensive position and rarely launched large-scale attacks. Although this strategy maintained the security of Wei in the short term, in the long run, it lost the opportunity for further expansion.
Overall, Cao Pi's successful control of military power was an important turning point in the historical development of the Wei state. It not only consolidated Cao Pi's dominance, but also laid the foundation for the development of the Wei state. However, this process also brought with it some negative effects, which gradually became apparent in the later history of the Wei state.