Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei were all influential figures in the late Eastern Han Dynasty, and they were all top talents. But their sons' achievements are not the same, Cao Pi and Cao Zhi brothers are brilliant, Sun Ce and Sun Quan brothers are brave and strategic, but Liu Chan is called "Adou who can't be helped" by later generations. I think that the reason why Cao Cao, Sun Jian, and Liu Bei's sons have different talents and achievements has a lot to do with the women they marry.
Let's take a look at Cao Cao's wife, Mrs. Bian, who was born into a family of advocates (a family of musicians specializing in music and dance in the Han Dynasty). Such a background can be said to be very lowly, but Mrs. Bian is very virtuous and wise. Originally, Cao Cao's wife was Mrs. Ding, but because of Cao Ang's death, Mrs. Ding and Cao Cao broke up, and Mrs. Bian became Cao Cao's wife.
But Mrs. Bian knew that Cao Cao had always felt guilty about Mrs. Ding, so although Mrs. Ding had no good face for Mrs. Bian before, when Cao Cao invited Mrs. Ding to return to the palace for a banquet in the name of Mrs. Bian, Mrs. Bian always left the seat of the wife next to her husband to Mrs. Ding and retired to the concubine position herself.
Cao Cao had many children, and many of the children's mothers died early, so Cao Cao handed over these children to Mrs. Bian to raise, and Mrs. Bian devoted herself to raising and educating these children, which made Cao Cao very comforted.
After Cao Pi was confirmed as the heir, many people ran to Mrs. Bian to congratulate him, saying: "The whole world is happy that the general has been made the crown prince, and you should take out all the gold, silver and jade silk collected in the treasury for reward, queen." Mrs. Bian replied lightly: "Cao Pi is the eldest son, so he is the heir, and it is enough for me, as a mother, to be able to teach my son without fault." ”
Although Mrs. Bian came from a humble background, she did not fight in trouble, she was not jealous in her heart, she was angry and unpleasant, and she was happy. Advocating thrift and leading by example; Deeply understand the righteousness, virtuous and convincing people. Mrs. Bian had four sons, namely Cao Pi, Cao Zhang, Cao Zhi, and Cao Xiong. Needless to say, Cao Pi really established the Cao Wei regime; Cao Zhi's literary style has been passed down through the ages, and Cao Zhangyong is brave and capable of fighting, and he is a qualified general. Their achievements are probably inseparable from the upbringing and teaching of their mother, Mrs. Bian.
Sun Jian's experience of marrying a wife is quite legendary, and it can be said that he is a bully! Mrs. Wu was born in the Jiangdong family, but her parents died early, and she lived in Qiantang County, Wu County, with her younger brother Wu Jing. Later, Sun Jian heard that the Wu family was talented and beautiful, and wanted to marry her. Wu's relatives looked down on Sun Jian, thinking that he was frivolous and cunning, and Sun Jian felt very ashamed and resentful.
Wu knew that Sun Jian was not easy to mess with, so he said to his relatives: "Why do you want to cause trouble for the sake of cherishing my little woman? If he treats me badly, that's how I should be. ”
In order to preserve the family, Mrs. Wu married Sun Jian and began her own life of exile. We know that Sun Jian fought everywhere in the late Han Dynasty, so Mrs. Wu also took Sun Ce and Sun Quan's brothers to move around. In 191, Sun Jian died in the attack on Huangzu at the age of 36. Mrs. Wu had no choice but to move to Jiangdu with her children, raise young orphans, and strictly teach her sons.
Sun Ce inherited his father's business, but he was young and vigorous, and he was fierce and easy to kill. Sun Ce's Gong Cao Wei Teng made a mistake, and Sun Ce wanted to kill him. The doctors were worried and frightened, but nothing could be done. When Madame Wu found out, she leaned against a well and said to Sun Ce that now you have just conquered Jiangnan, and you have not yet succeeded completely, so you should treat the Magi with courtesy; Wei Teng is not wrong with Yu Gong, if you kill him, you will lose people's hearts; In the end, she said that if Sun Ce didn't listen to her, she would commit suicide by throwing herself into a well. Sun Ce was so shocked that he had to let Wei Teng go.
In 200 AD, Sun Ce died at the age of 25, and Mrs. Wu continued to support Sun Quan despite her grief. When Sun Quan inherited his father's and brother's inheritance, he was only 18 years old, and the history books recorded that "and the right of the young people to rule the industry, and his wife helped to govern the military state, which was very beneficial", Mrs. Wu was deeply worried about the hardships of the outside, and expressed her gratitude to Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao many times, and asked them to assist in the great righteousness. In the seventh year of Jian'an (202), Mrs. Wu died. Before dying, he summoned Zhang Zhao and others to entrust the future.
"Little Overlord" Sun Ce, give birth to a son like Sun Zhongmou! The growth of Sun Ce and Sun Quan brothers is inseparable from the teachings and support of Mrs. Wu. Throughout Mrs. Wu's life, it is very admirable. When he was a teenager, he took into account the overall situation and married Sun Jian to protect the family; Sun Jian was fighting in the south and the north, and Mrs. Wu kept moving and taking care of her children; Sun Jian died in the prime of life, and she took Sun Ce and Sun Quan brothers to exile. Support and help Sun Ce and Sun Quan to create a foundation. The establishment of the State of Wu should have Mrs. Wu's stroke in the credit book!
Mrs. Gan came from a poor background, and as she grew older, her physical characteristics became more and more special, and when she was eighteen years old, her skin was as white as jade, her posture was charming, and her appearance was beautiful. When Liu Bei lived in Xiaopei for Yuzhou, Mrs. Nagant was his concubine. Liu Bei was widowed many times in his early years, and the position of the main room was vacant, so Mrs. Gan often presided over housekeeping.
In the twelfth year of Jian'an (207), Mrs. Gan followed Liu Bei to Jingzhou and gave birth to her son Liu Chan. Liu Chan may not be so unbearable, but his talent is definitely not as good as the Cao family and the Sun brothers.
Cao Cao's wife, Mrs. Bian, and Sun Jian's wife, Mrs. Wu, are very virtuous regardless of their background, and they understand the general situation and take the overall situation into account. Therefore, Cao Cao and Sun Jian have no worries about fighting abroad, and more importantly, they raised sons like Cao Pi, Cao Zhi, Sun Ce, and Sun Quan. On the other hand, Liu Bei, perhaps because of his own upheaval, is often widowed, and only Mrs. Gan gave birth to Liu Chan, who is inferior to the Cao and Sun brothers in all aspects.
As the saying goes, marry a wife and marry a virtuous person, and take a concubine. A good woman can prosper for three generations, whether it is for ordinary people or heroes. Therefore, brothers who have not yet married a wife, you must pay attention, you must marry a virtuous helper, whether it is for your own career, or for the growth of your children in the future!
Reference: "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Zhang Dake "History of the Three Kingdoms"