In 223, Cao Rui, the King of Pingyuan, married Yu shi as a concubine. The Yu family is a large family in Hanoi, and Cao Pi specially designated this family affair, the main purpose of which is to pass the throne to Cao Rui, and the Yu family can help Cao Rui. Later, Cao Rui took Mao as a concubine, and Mao was also from Hanoi, but the family background was not as good as that of Yu.
Leaving aside the family background, mao is still very good in all aspects, regardless of appearance or personality, it is better than Yu's, so it is quite favored by Cao Rui. When Cao Rui went out, he often let Mao's companionship, and if he didn't know, he thought that Mao's wife was the right wife.
After Cao Pi's death, Cao Rui successfully succeeded to the throne as Emperor Ming of Wei. When Cao Pi first asked his son to marry Yu, he was interested in her family background. Logically, after Cao Rui ascended the throne, he should have established Yu Shi as empress. However, because he favored Mao more, he insisted on making Mao empress.
The so-called one person was promoted to heaven, and Mao was made empress, and his father and brother also followed suit. For a time, the Mao family's power rose, and the Yu family was full of jealousy and resentment for all this.
When the empress dowager saw Yu's situation, she couldn't bear it, so she specially comforted her. Unexpectedly, Yu Shi said in front of the empress dowager, "Cao Shi is self-righteous and unworthy, and there is no one who can act with righteousness." That is to say, the Cao family has always liked to set up a slut, and this sentence directly offended the empress dowager.
Empress Dowager Bian was originally Cao Cao's concubine and came from a very lowly background. Later, Cao Cao's wife Ding, due to a conflict with Cao Cao, divorced the two, and Lady Bian was able to help her. As soon as Yu Shi's words came out, it was equivalent to poking at the sore spot of the empress dowager.
The Yu clan not only offended the empress dowager, but also the empress dowager Guo. Empress Guo was originally only Cao Pi's concubine, and Cao Rui's birth mother, Zhen Shi, was the right wife. Later, Lady Zhen was given death by Cao Pi, and Empress Guo was able to straighten it out. Therefore, Yu's complaint really offended many people.
When Cao Rui found out, he demoted Yu to Yecheng and ordered him not to see him again. Here the Yu clan was completely out of favor, and Empress Mao was even more favored over there. Empress Mao's father and brothers were also constantly promoted by Cao Rui, who even married the princess to Empress Mao's brother.
Empress Mao's father, Mao Jia, did not have any ability of his own, but with his daughter favored, he held a high position in the court. Cao Rui even ordered the civil and military officials to go to Mao Jia to pay homage. After Mao Jia's death, Cao Rui buried him as a marquis and was given the title of "Marquis of Jie".
During Empress Mao's favor, it was true that the wind and rain were to be rainy, but Cao Rui, as an emperor, was never able to specialize in it. As Empress Mao grew old and faded, Cao Rui began to expand the harem, and even forcibly recruited folk women, regardless of whether the other party was married or not.
After these people were summoned to the palace, Cao Rui stayed with them all day, and the chancellor was dissatisfied with him, but did not dare to say it. Empress Mao also knew in her heart that sooner or later there would be such a day, and although she had resentment in her heart, she had no choice.
Among the many concubines, there was a Lady Guo who won the heart of Cao Rui the most. One day, Cao Rui set up a banquet to accompany the favored concubines, but he did not call Empress Mao. Lady Guo asked Cao Rui if she wanted to invite Empress Mao, but Cao Rui refused.
Soon, the news reached Empress Mao's ears, and her heart was both angry and sad. When she saw Cao Rui the next day, she asked, "Yesterday, I visited the North Garden of the Banquet, happy?" On the surface, this sentence seemed to be just a simple greeting, but Cao Rui was furious and immediately put Empress Mao to death.
Empress Mao was originally deeply favored by Cao Rui, even if she was now out of favor, she was also the empress of the Zhenggong Palace, why was she killed by Cao Rui just because of a greeting?
It turned out that at that time, Cao Rui refused to invite Empress Mao to the banquet, and also ordered everyone not to inform the empress of this matter. As a result, the next day the empress greeted him about the banquet, and Cao Rui blamed someone for leaking the news, and he executed all the retinues around him, but he was still angry, so he pointed the spearhead at the empress.
There is also the fact that Cao Rui has been nostalgic for the harem all day, which has long caused dissatisfaction among the courtiers. As an empress, Mao shi had a duty to advise the emperor, so it was inevitable that he would be loyal to him. Although Cao Rui's behavior was somewhat absurd, he was also a capable king, and he could not fail to see the thoughts of his subjects.
He gave the death of Empress Mao, first, because his feelings for her gradually faded, and there was no longer the slightest marital affection, and second, he wanted to kill chickens and scare monkeys, so that the courtiers did not dare to say anything more. Indeed, after Empress Mao was given a death, none of the courtiers dared to stand up and speak, and Cao Rui's purpose was achieved.
Therefore, Cao Rui buried Mao Hou with the courtesy of empress, and gave him the title of "Mourning Empress".
(References "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", "Zizhi Tongjian")