Emperor Taizuwu, a native of Peiguo County, surnamed Cao Ming (曹名操字孟德), was a descendant of Cao Shan of the Western Han Dynasty.
Taizu was clever and clever from an early age, and had the wisdom of adapting to changes, but he was good at being angry and righteous, willful and indulgent, and never paid attention to morality, cultivation and study. Liang Guoren QiaoXuan, Nanyang people He Yi felt that Taizu was not ordinary, Qiao Xuan said: "The world is in chaos, there is no talent in the state and the world can not reverse the situation, can not be said to be able to settle the world is you."
In the last year of the Reign of Emperor Guang of Han, the Yellow Turban rebelled, and Taizu was appointed as a knight lieutenant to fight against yingchuan's thieves.
The Jincheng people BianZhang, Han Sui killed Shi Shi and Taishou to launch a rebellion, with more than 100,000 troops, and the imperial court summoned Taizu as a lieutenant of the military academy.
Emperor Hanling died, the crown prince took the throne, the empress dowager listened to the government, the generals He Jin and Yuan Shao plotted to kill the eunuchs, and the empress dowager did not agree. He Jin summoned Dong Zhuo to beijing and tried to intimidate the empress dowager by force, but Dong Zhuo was killed by eunuchs before He Jin arrived. Dong Zhuo entered the capital, deposed the Young Emperor, and established another Han Emperor, and the capital Luoyang was in chaos. Dong Zhuo intended to summon Taizu to discuss the affairs of the dynasty, but Taizu changed his name and surname to return to Tan Commandery from Xiaolu, by which time Dong Zhuo had already killed the empress dowager and King Hongnong. Taizu returned to Chen Liu to gather volunteer soldiers against Dong Zhuo.
In the spring of the first year of Chuping, the later generals Yuan Shu, Jizhou Mu Hanfu, Yuzhou Thorn Shi Kong Yu, Chongzhou Thorn Shi Liu Dai, Hanoi Taishou Wang Kuang, Bohai Taishou Yuan Shao, Chen Liu Taishou Zhang Miao, DongJun Taishou Qiao Mao, Shanxi Taishou Yuan Yi, each with tens of thousands of troops against Dong Zhuo, Taizu acted on behalf of the general Fenwu.
In February, Dong Zhuo heard about the strange soldiers from all over the world, and he threatened the Han Emperor to move the capital to Chang'an, and he himself stayed in Luoyang and burned the Han palace. At this time, Yuan Shao led the coalition army to garrison near Luoyang. Dong Zhuo's troops were strong and strong, and the coalition army did not dare to act rashly, Taizu said: "The righteous soldiers have risen to fight the riots, and the large armies have been assembled, what are you still hesitating about?" Dong Zhuo burned the palace and robbed the emperor, and the whole country was shocked, this is exactly what the heavens want him to perish, but we can't lose this good opportunity" So Taizu led his army to attack Chengpu in the west, but when he marched to Rongyang, he encountered Dong Zhuo's general Xu Rong, and Taizu escaped overnight without defeating Xu Rong.
When Taizu returned to the sour dates, the various armies had gathered more than 100,000 people, but they set up wine and banquets every day, and did not consider the matter of entering the army at all. Taizu blamed them and offered advice, but Yuan Shao did not adopt Taizu's strategy at all, so Taizu and Xiahou Huan went to Yangzhou to recruit troops.
Yuan Shao's coalition forces were in civil strife and fighting each other, and Yuan Shao plotted to establish Liu Yu as emperor of Youzhou, and Taizu strongly opposed it.
In the spring of the second year of Chuping, Yuan Shaoli liu Yu became emperor, liu Yu refused, Dong Zhuo led his troops back to Chang'an, and Yuan Shao captured Jizhou.
Thieves were rampant in the Black Mountains, and Taizu led his troops to defeat the thieves, and Yuan Shao recommended Taizu as the Taishou of Dong Commandery.
In April, Situ Wang Yun and Lü Bu killed Dong Zhuo, and Dong Zhuo's generals Li Dai and others killed Wang Yun to attack Lü Bu, and Lü Bu fled in defeat.
A million people of the Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou entered the territory of Chongzhou and prepared to attack Liu Dai, and the Minister of State Bao Xin advised Liu Dai not to attack, but Liu Dai did not listen to the need to fight with the Yellow Turban Army, and as a result, he was killed, and Bao Xin could only ask Taizu to concurrently serve as The Pastor of Yunzhou. Taizu led the army to attack the Yellow Turban Army, Bao Xin fought and died, Taizu defeated the Yellow Turban Army, and won more than 300,000 troops, Taizu offered a reward to find Bao Xin's body, but did not find it, so he used wood carved into the form of Bao Xin to worship for three days.
Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao had a conflict, and Yuan Shu asked Gongsun For help, and Gongsun Zhan sent Liu Bei to garrison Gao Tang and Tao Qian to garrison Fa Gan to threaten Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao and Taizu attacked at the same time, defeating them one by one.
In the spring of the fourth year of Chuping, Taizu garrisoned Yicheng, and Liu Biao, the mu of Jingzhou, cut off Yuan Shu's Liang Dao, and Yuan Shu could only enter Chen Liu. Yuan Shu Liu Shu garrisoned, Taizu defeated Liu Shu, Yuan Shu rushed to the rescue, Taizu and Yuan Shu fought, Taizu defeated Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu fled to Fengqiu, Taizu was preparing to attack Fengqiu, Yuan Shu fled to Jiujiang, and Taizu returned to Dingtao. In the autumn, Taizu conquered Tao Qian and captured more than ten cities in a row, but Tao Qian insisted on not daring to fight. In this year, Yuan Shu sent Sun Jian to cross the Yangtze River.
In the spring of the first year of Xingping, Taizu returned to Xuzhou to avenge Tao Qian's killing of his father, and Taizu sent Xun Yu to garrison Yicheng, personally attacking Tao Qian, and ordering that there was no grass wherever he went.
At the same time, Zhang Mi and Chen Gong rebelled and invited Lü Bu to attack Yecheng together, Xun Yu insisted on not fighting, Taizu led his army back to garrison Puyang, Taizu said: "Lü Bu suddenly got a state but did not occupy Dongping, nor did he rely on the dangerous terrain to intercept us, I concluded that he could do nothing." So Taizu led an army to attack Lü Bu, and Lü Bu used cavalry to raid the Qingzhou soldiers, and the Qingzhou soldiers were defeated, and Taizu could only return to Yecheng in a panic, so he and Lü Bu were deadlocked for more than a hundred days.
In the autumn of September, Lü Bu attacked Chengxian County, but was defeated by the local Li Jin, and Lü Bu could only garrison Shanyang. Yuan Shao wanted to unite with Taizu, and Taizu reluctantly agreed for the sake of military pay.
In this year, Tao Qian died, and Liu Bei succeeded him as Xuzhou Mu.
In the spring of the second year of Xingping, Taizu attacked Dingtao, but did not attack, at this time Lü Bu also came to attack Dingtao, and Taizu defeated Lü Bu.
Lü Bu's generals Xue Lan and Li Feng garrisoned Juye, Taizu attacked Juye, Lü Bu supported, Xue Lan was defeated, Lü Bu fled, and Taizu killed Xue Lan. Lü Bu and Chen Gong also led 10,000 troops to pursue Taizu, Taizu had few soldiers, set up an ambush to defeat Lü Bu with surprise troops, Taizu occupied Dingtao, and then divided the troops into counties. Lü Bu defected to Liu Bei. Emperor Xian of Han appointed Taizu as the pastor of Chongzhou. In December, Taizu exterminated the three tribes of Zhang Miao, and Zhang Miao escaped and was killed by his own generals.
In this year, the Chang'an rioted, and the Han XianDi moved east.
In the first month of the first year of Jian'an, Taizu's army arrived in Wuping.
Taizu wanted to greet Emperor Xian of Han, and many generals expressed doubts, and Xun Yu encouraged Taizu, so Taizu sent Cao Hong to lead an army to meet Emperor Xian of Han, but was stopped by Dong Cheng's and Yuan Shu's generals.
Ru Nan, He Yi of Yingchuan, Liu Pei, Huang Shao, and He Man led the Yellow Turban Army to attach themselves to Sun Jian. Taizu led an army to fight them and kill them, and He Yi and his troops would submit. Emperor Xian of Han appointed Taizu as the general of Jiande, and he also promoted the general of Zhendong to the title of Marquis of Feiting.
Emperor Xian of Han moved east, Yang Feng planned to send troops to block it, and in the winter of October, Taizu rebelled against Yang Feng, and Yang Fengnan fled to Yuan Shu. At this time, the imperial court made Yuan Shao a lieutenant, and Yuan Shao felt that his position was behind Taizu, and he felt resentful, and Taizu ceded the position of general to Yuan Shao.
Lü Bu attacked Liu Bei and captured Xiafu Pi, Liu Bei defected to Taizu, and Cheng Yu advised Taizu: "I see that Liu Bei has great talent, so it is better to get rid of him as soon as possible." Taizu said: "Now is the time to recruit heroes, killing one person will lose the hearts of the people of the world." After Zhang Ji's death, his nephew Zhang Xiu commanded his army. In the second year of Jian'an, Taizu entered Wancheng, Zhang Xiu surrendered, but Taizu did bad things, Zhang Xiu rebelled, fortunately Dianwei struggled to protect Taizu, Taizu's eldest son Cao Ang, and nephew Cao Anmin were killed. Taizu led his troops back to Wuyin, Zhang Xiu led an army to attack, Taizu defeated him, and Zhang Xiu fled to unite with Liu Biao. Taizu assured the generals that they would not make such a mistake.