Without Cao Cao, there would have been no Wei and Jin dynasties in Chinese history. Cao Cao was a great statesman who, in times of turmoil, cut through thorns and thorns, strategized, and eventually achieved a great cause. Cao Cao is not only a talent, but also decisive in the case of never being soft.
The sentence that Cao Cao and Chen Gong said would rather I bear the world's people than let the people of the world bear me, just shows the complexity of other people's human nature. As an outstanding politician, a generation of supernatural masters or a traitorous Cao Cao, his personality is even more complex and multi-faceted. From Cao Cao's personality and Yang Xiu's personality, it is right or wrong to explore why Yang Xiu was killed by Cao Cao.
First, the talented Yang Xiu meets Cao Cao of realism and humanity
1. The mystery of Yang Xiu's life
Yang Xiu was born in a noble family, Yang Xiu was the son of Yang Biao, the grandson of The Great Wei, the ancestors of the fourth generation were all Tai Wei, was a famous family in the Eastern Han Dynasty, and the prestige of Yuan Shao's family was also not to be underestimated. Born in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, he was a talented strategist under Cao Cao.
According to historical records, after Cao Pi ascended the throne and became emperor, he still cared about the power of the scholar class, and in order to win people's hearts, he wanted Yang Biao to be a lieutenant, but Yang Biao categorically refused. However, this did not affect the appointment of Yang Biao to an important position as Guanglu Doctor. It can be seen that the yang family's power and influence at that time were great.
2. Why did Yang Xiu willingly fight for Cao Cao's life?
Yang Xiu was in the chaotic world of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Sun Cao and Liu Sanjia were fighting for hegemony, Yang Xiu, as a generation of celebrities, when the Han Dynasty could no longer bear the "Tao", he naturally shouldered the "Dao" on his body, and coldly observed sun Cao Liu Sanjia, which one of them had the ability and was entitled to the support of Yang Xiu, so as to revitalize the country and realize his political ideals. At this time, Yang Xiu had not yet found such a clear lord, there was no way to serve the country, and there was no way to realize the ideal, so he was sad in his heart.
When Yang Xiu found that Cao Cao had swept Guo Jia's tomb before his own sacrifice, Cao Cao's love for talent had already touched him, and when Cao Cao weifu talked to him, Yang Xiu felt that Cao Cao's sacrifice had swept Guo Jia's tomb, but when he was Yang Xiu, a sense of pleasure was valued, coupled with Cao Cao's "white bones exposed in the wild, there is no chicken chirping in a thousand miles" of worrying about the country and the people, which is in line with the political ideal of a scholar to save the country, all of which made Yang Xiu decide to serve Cao Cao and thus realize his ambitions.
Yang Xiu knew that he was facing Cao Cao, but he did not expose it, waiting for Cao Cao to speak out himself, on the one hand, it reflected the humbleness of the scholar in the face of power, on the other hand, Yang Xiu also intended to show his talent and political ideas in front of Cao Cao.
Yang Xiu, although he was talented and had a prophet in case of trouble, he was not shaped into Zhuge Liang like a half-immortal, and everything was in his hands. He was just a reader who was smarter than the average person and could use his brain. A military order was made, half a year was coming, there was no news from Kong Wendai, Yang Xiu, although pretending to be calm, was still anxious in his heart, he used medicine as wine in the garden, and Kong Xiandi had no news to make him xuanwang.
Second, what was the cause of Yang Xiu's death?
1. The death of Yang Xiu in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms
As for the cause of his death, in addition to the "chicken ribs" in the Book of Later Han, when Yang Xiu's death is written in the Romance of the Three Kingdoms, it seems to be trying to tell us that Yang Xiu's death was because Cao Cao was "jealous", which is actually not true. There is a scene where Cao Cao writes a "live" character on the garden door in order to show off his talents, and Yang Xiu does not give Cao Cao face, and Cao Cao holds a grudge.
There is also a scene where Cao Cao wanted to try Cao Zhi's talents, Yang Xiu showed his talent to teach Cao Zhi how to do it, and Yang Xiu's behavior was angry after Cao Cao knew about it. These incidents in which Yang Xiu was arrogant and did not look at others in the eyes just showed that he did not see himself in his eyes, and it also became an objective reason why Yang Xiu was killed by Cao Cao.
2. The real friction incident between Cao Yang and Cao Yang in history
Once, when Cao Cao gave him a golden robe, Yang Xiu had the pleasure of meeting the Lord. But when he learned that Kong Wendai was killed, his faith was shaken, the excuse for night dreaming to kill people was too unbelievable, Kong Wendai was recommended by Yang Xiu, killing Kong Wendai was a manifestation of distrust of him, the lord did not trust himself, then there were great ambitions, and how to talk about the disappointment that the ideal could not be realized, the dignity of the scholar was insulted, Yang Xiu had just met the Lord, the joy of realizing his ambitions, and instantly disappeared.
The landing of the golden robe also marked the first rift between Cao Cao and Yang Xiu, and this rift would grow larger and larger in the future, until both sides could not bear it, and Cao Cao would end all this by killing Yang Xiu.
Cao Cao's soldiers went out of the valley and could not retreat, Yang Xiu intended to retreat, and Cao Cao could not get over his face. At this time, Yang Xiu fully embodied the inner spirit of a scholar, and his standard of action only looked at right and wrong, as long as he thought that this was right, beneficial to the people's livelihood of the country, and conducive to the overall situation, he must do so, completely without regard to his own safety, and even less thinking about the face of the lord Cao Cao.
However, this is also the taboo of being an official, and to be an official is to be obedient to the intention of the leader, right or wrong is not important, and the satisfaction of the leader is important. Yang Xiucai wouldn't care about this, he said conceitedly, "I expect that he will not dare to kill me Yang Xiu." ”
A proud soldier jumped on the stage. Yang Xiu expected that Cao Cao was going to retire, although he had not yet said it, he was anxious to arrange the aftermath of the retreat, although he later proved to be right, but he repeatedly challenged Cao Cao's authority, which no powerful minister could tolerate.
The scholar is proud, Yang Xiu is conceited, and often does not tolerate others to talk about his behavior, as long as someone disagrees with his own views, that is, there is a problem with this person.
Yang Xiu's personality is beyond reproach in treating the same class or other strategists, but he is facing Cao Cao, Cao Cao's tolerance again and again, always being fooled by Yang Xiu is very inferior to the table, where is Cao Cao's majesty?
Third, the game of monarchs and sovereigns
1. Cao Cao's forbearance and Yang Xiu's ignorance of human feelings
Ming Junxian often leaned on each other, and loyal subjects always caught and killed each other. On the one hand, they rely on the disciples who defend the "Tao" to assist their rule and prove the legitimacy of their rule, on the other hand, when the two clash, they will hate the disciples so much that they will grit their teeth and endure it, so they will kill a hundred and maintain their authority.
Cao Cao was annoyed that Yang Xiu could not let go of his nostalgia for a long time, and he also wanted to show off his high talent. Yang Xiu wanted to force Cao Cao to admit his mistake and renegotiate the matter of sending troops, but he did not understand that for the powerful personality, anything can be discussed, and there is no need to discuss admitting mistakes, a king who admits mistakes when he has nothing to do, even if there is prestige to speak of.
Cao Cao's inner thoughts were never expressed on his face, and the mood of the scholar was often known at a glance. In the scene where Cao Cao leads Yang Xiu's horse, Cao Cao is angry under the horse, and Yang Xiu on the horse is better than he is also suffering. For a scholar, the number of ceremonies is not passable, but the dignity of the "Tao" requires him to sit down, and Yang Xiu is bitter that there is no suitable step for him to go down.
This is also the common weakness of the scholars, when upholding justice, often do not understand the human condition, blindly follow the Confucian Taoist thought, bind themselves and bind others, but also affect the communication and trust between people.
2. The heartfelt words of Yang Xiu and Cao Cao before their deaths
Before the execution, Cao Cao's intention to kill Xiu Xiu had already been decided, and he would no longer worry about the previous events with Yang Xiu, and Yang Xiu would no longer care about the difference between kings and subjects, and it was in such an environment that the two of them could open their hearts and make parting talks. Yang Xiu was originally a man of temperament, but Cao Cao, the minister of power, was different, if it were not for such an environment, if he was not facing the dying Yang Xiu, how could he put down his guard, abandon all kinds of scruples, and pour out his heartfelt words.
Cao Cao originally loved Yang Xiu's talent, and wanted to use his talent to become a great cause Yang Xiu also really had talent, hoping to invest in the Lord and realize his ambitions. Why did these two people who felt sorry for each other come to this step?
On the execution ground, Cao Cao was rewarded, and Zhuge Liang's plan to raid the grain and grass was resolved by Yang Xiu, and this situation once again stimulated the contradiction in Cao Cao's heart, he had been hesitating between killing and not killing, and his love for talent was always undiminished. At this time, Cao Cao's heart of pity for talent was dominant, but as an arbitrary, self-confident and vertical appearance, hindering face, and it was not easy to change his decision casually, he should know that changing his life was a taboo for officials.
Therefore, he hoped that someone could find a step for him to come down, so as to pardon Yang Xiu and leave this Qingtian Hand. But the reaction of the crowd stimulated Cao Cao, and all his confidants knelt on the ground to protect Yang Xiu, "in ordinary days, a piece of praise for Cao Mou", but such a scene had to make Cao Cao suspicious, was it Yang Xiu who was expected by everyone.
For Cao Cao, this crowd's approach shows that I was wrong to kill Yang Xiu? People can die, cities can be lost, battles can be lost, and the most taboo thing is that someone threatens their authority. At this time, Cao Cao's heart to kill Xiu was once again firm, and he withdrew from the crowd, wanting to talk to Yang Xiu in his heart and make a final farewell.
epilogue:
Cao Cao's powerful personality and Yang Xiu's scholarly spirit represent different groups of people in real society, and the tragic fate formed by the irreconcilable personality conflict between them can cause everyone to feel empathy to varying degrees.
Cao Cao really wanted to talk to Yang Xiu in his heart, in order to relieve his inner distress, and at the same time, he might still have a little hope in his heart, wanting to make one last effort to win Yang Xiu's heart, if Yang Xiu could ask Cao Cao to spare him from death, Cao Cao would definitely agree.
Yang Xiu didn't appreciate it at all, and was still peeling the scars in Cao Cao's heart little by little. They all understand in their hearts that the contradiction of personality determines the tragedy of this fate, and can only refer to each other without understanding, and finally the two people laugh from opposite to relative and cry, and the human character originally contains a variety of factors and faces new tests, so the factors that have not been revealed are prominently revealed, which is a complex and rich side of human nature.
bibliography:
Romance of the Three Kingdoms
Zizhi Tongjian