Zhenzhitang Guoxueguan: Cao Cao was an outstanding hero of the Three Kingdoms era. Cao Cao traveled all over the world during his lifetime, and after his death, his son Cao Pi established the Wei Dynasty and posthumously named Cao Cao Emperor Weiwu. Regarding Cao Cao's life, the average reader is not very clear. Only Cao Cao's grandfather, Cao Teng, was a eunuch. Cao Teng was a constant attendant of emperor Zhongshun of Han and emperor huan of Han. Fei Ting waits. We know that the ten permanent attendants of the Han Ling Emperor were later killed, so why was Cao Teng able to return to the countryside and get a good death, and his descendants were still so strong? By reading the Zizhi Tongjian, Zhenzhitang found the answer.
The Three Kingdoms (220-280) era refers to the period of history in the late Eastern Han Dynasty when the masses rose up together, chased the central plains, and finally gave birth to the three kingdoms of Wei, Shu and Wu.
About the heroes of the Three Kingdoms era, he wrote very eloquently in the novel "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", and many Three Kingdoms fans were born.
Cao Cao was the de facto ruler of the State of Wei, and he was known as the "Adulterous Hero" by the people of his time. However, throughout his life, Cao Cao did not usurp the throne and become emperor. Cao Cao once said, "If there is no one in the world alone, I don't know when a few people are called emperors and a few people are called kings." That's true.
We only know that Cao Cao is a typical second-generation official, so he is more cattle than Liu Bei, Sun Quan and others. In fact, if you carefully read the "Zizhi Tongjian", you will find that this is not the case. Although Cao Cao's success was shaded by his grandfather and father, he relied more on personal struggle. But his grandfather Cao Teng did help him a lot in his life.
Cao Cao's father, Cao Song, was able to enter the career path, which was related to his adoptive father Cao Teng. Cao Song inherited Cao Teng's title, and during the reign of Emperor Huan of Han, he was promoted to the rank of Grand Si Nong and ranked Ninth Qing.
Dasi Nong, that is, the history of the Han Jing Emperor," was mainly in charge of the state's financial revenue and expenditure such as taxes, money and grain, salt and iron, which was equivalent to the future minister of finance. The grade of Dasi Nong is Zhong2,000 stones, which is one of the nine secretaries second only to the three dukes of Wanshi Fenglu.
In fact, according to Cao Song's talent, Jiuqing should be the highest position he could reach in his life, but one of the things that the Eastern Han Ling Emperor did gave him the opportunity to ascend to the throne of the Three Dukes.
In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (178 AD), the Han Ling Emperor established the Western Residence and began to buy and sell official titles.
"It is the age, the first opening of the West Residence to sell officials, the income is different; 2,000 stones and 20 million... It is stored in the West Garden. "Zizhi Tongjian Han Ji Forty-Nine"
In the fourth year of the Eastern Han Dynasty's Ling Emperor Zhongping, in 187 AD, Cao Song, who was then serving as the Grand Si Nong, saw that the position of Tai Wei was vacant, and he spent money to buy a Tai Wei Dang.
"Song, emperor Of the Ling Dynasty, was a lieutenant in charge of goods and lost 100 million yuan to the West Garden, so he was appointed as a lieutenant." Book of the Later Han Dynasty In the fourth year of Zhongping, "In November, with Cao Song as the grand si nong... Zhongping 5th year "Summer april, Taiwei Cao Song resigned. "Zizhi Tongjian"
How much money is this? In ancient times, one hundred million was one hundred thousand, and one thousand dollars was consistent. Cao Song spent a million guan (about a million taels of silver) to buy himself a lieutenant. The wealth of Cao Cao's family can be seen from this. Cao Cao's later ability to destroy his family and raise an army had a lot to do with the Cao family's money.
However, Cao Song served as a lieutenant for less than half a year, and was deposed by Emperor Huan of Han, which was considered to have spent money to get over the addiction of returning to sangong.
Later, Cao Cao rebelled against Dong, and Cao Song did not want to follow him, and his younger son Cao Yi avoided chaos and lived in seclusion in Langya, Shandong. In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (194), Cao Song was killed by the Xuzhou Assassin Shi Tao on his way to Yanzhou to join Cao Cao.
We know that Cao Cao (155-220) was 20 years old when he entered the world. In 174 AD, Cao Cao had his first official position, a northern lieutenant in Luoyang of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
In 183 AD, in the sixth year of the Reign of Emperor Guang of Han, the Yellow Turban Rebellion led by Zhang Jiao broke out. At this time, Cao Song's official position was still that of a great si nong. The 29-year-old Cao Cao official bailed the lieutenant and participated in the crusade against the Yellow Turban. Due to merit, it was moved to Jinan Xiang. Later, the imperial court made him the Taishou of Dong Commandery, and for some reason, Cao Cao did not go to his post, but resigned and returned to Li. The history of Cao Cao's seclusion is unknown.
In April of the fifth year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (188), the eunuch Cao Song resigned and returned to his hometown, and in August of the same year, Cao Cao was promoted by the Han Ling Emperor to the rank of lieutenant of the Eighth Lieutenant of the West Garden. At this time, Cao Cao was 34 years old and began to appear on the political stage of the center of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Cao Cao's family lineage is really incomparable with Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu of the Fourth Dynasty and three dukes.
The reason why Cao Cao was able to ascend to the central political stage was mainly due to his grandfather Cao Teng.
Cao Song is Cao Teng's adopted son. Cao Teng, after four emperors in the Eastern Han Dynasty, did not fall, and when Emperor Huan of Han was named Fei Tinghou, the official was to the Great Changqiu, and the position was added to the special advance.
"Cao Tengzi Jixing, Pei Guo Chenren also... Moving to the middle of the constant waiter... Teng was the Marquis of Feiting, moved to Changqiu, and added a special position. "The Book of the Later Han Dynasty, The Biography of the Eunuchs"
We know that this Zhongchang attendant is the emperor's internal attendant, and the great Changqiu is the empress's internal attendant.
Great Long Autumn, official name. Han Zhi was the empress's close attendant, and the official was the will of Empress Xuanda, managing the affairs of the palace. "Hanshu Baiguan Gongqing Table": "General, Qin Official." Emperor Jing changed his name to Da Changqiu in the sixth year. “
Tejin, according to Ying Shao's "Han Guanyi", said, "The princes have merit and merit, and those who are respected by the imperial court are given the throne of Special Jin, under the three dukes." "
Cao Teng entered the inner court during the reign of Emperor An of Han, and accompanied the crown prince Han Shun Emperor, who immediately took the throne as a constant attendant.
After the death of Emperor Shun of Han, his son Emperor Chong of Han was only 2 years old and died after half a year on the throne. This was followed by Emperor Han, who ascended the throne at the age of eight and died after reigning for only a year. Then there was emperor Huan of Han.
Cao Teng was the companion eunuch of Emperor Hanshun, and was also a constant attendant of Emperor Hanshun's personal internal attendant, which can be described as a mighty and powerful person. However, why could he be enfeoffed? This has to start with the Han Shun Emperor.
Emperor Liu Bao of Han (115 – September 20, 144), ascended the throne at the age of 11 and died at the age of 30, leaving a 2-year-old son, Liu Bing, to succeed him as Emperor Chong of Han.
Emperor Liu Bing of Han (143 – 15 February 145), ascended the throne at the age of 2 and died less than 3 years old.
Emperor Liu Of Han (138 – 26 July 146), grandson of Emperor Zhang of Han, was the son of Liu Hong, the Prince of Bohai.
In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (145), under the support of the foreign minister Liang Ji (the brother of Empress Liang of the Han Shun Emperor), he became emperor. In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (146), he was poisoned by the great general Liang Ji at the age of nine.
Emperor Huan of Han (132 – 25 January 168), great-grandson of Emperor Liu Zhao of Han, grandson of Liu Kai the Prince of Hejian, son of Liu Yi the Marquis of Liwu,
In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (146), Emperor Han died, and Liu Zhi was welcomed as emperor by the general Liang Ji.
The reason why Emperor Huan of Han was made emperor was greatly related to Cao Cao's grandfather Cao Teng.
According to historical records, when Emperor Han died, officials led by The Eunuch Li Gu wanted to support Liu Garlic, the King of Qinghe, as emperor, but the general Liang Ji was more interested in Liu Zhi the Marquis of Liwu, who was fifteen years old at this time. Liu Garlic is older, more mature and stable.
"Gu, Guang, Jie, and Dahong Duqiao all thought that the King of Qinghe, Garlic Mingde, was the most respected relative, and it was advisable to establish himself as his heir, and the courtiers could not return to their hearts." Zizhi Tongjian Han Ji 45
Empress Liang had a younger sister, and she had a crush on Liu Zhi and wanted Liu Zhi to be her brother-in-law. However, in the face of the controversy of the court's important ministers supporting Liu Garlic, the great general Liang Ji was "indignant and unhappy, but did not take it." ”
At this juncture, Cao Teng visited the residence of the great general at night and said something to confirm the ascension of Emperor Huan of Han to the throne.
Cao Teng said this:
Cao Teng, hearing this, said in the night: "The king of Qinghe is strict, if he is fruitful, the general will soon suffer!" It is better to be a lily marquis, and the rich can be long-term. "Zizhi Tongjian Han Ji Forty-Five"
Just such a remark strengthened Liang Ji's determination to establish Liu Zhi as emperor. At the imperial meeting the next day, Empress Liang's brother Liang Jili (梁冀) made a decision to make Liu Zhi emperor. Liu Zhi, who was only fifteen years old, ascended the throne as Emperor Huan of Han.
After ascending the throne, Emperor Huan of Han made Liang empress.
In the first year of the Eastern Han Dynasty, 150 AD, Empress Dowager Liang. In the second year of the Eastern Han Dynasty (159), Liang Ji was captured by emperor Huan of Han. Forced suicide. Emperor Huan of Han, who had been in control of the government for more than a decade, finally regained power. But this also marked the beginning of the chaotic years at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty.
Liang Fei (梁妠) (106–150), empress dowager of the Eastern Han Dynasty. A native of the Wu clan of Anding (present-day northwest of Pingliang, Gansu). i.e. Empress Liang.
During the reign of Emperor Shun of the Eastern Han Dynasty, his father Liang Shang served as a general and in charge of the imperial government. Liang Shang died, and his brother Liang Ji succeeded him as a general. After Emperor Shun's death, she welcomed the three emperors Chong, Qian, and Huan and came to power. The Liang clan has power over the world.
Cao Teng, a companion of Emperor Shun of Han, was a zhongchang attendant, representing the eunuch class at that time. For Empress Liang, who lived in a deep palace, eunuchs and relatives were her right and left arms. What Cao Teng said at the residence of the great general Liang Ji was actually both his own heart and Empress Liang's will.
Empress Liang wanted her brother-in-law, Liu Zhi, who was only 15 years old, to ascend the throne as emperor, on the one hand, to facilitate the control of the emperor, and on the other hand, to make plans for her future. Cao Teng, on the other hand, was given the most important position after Liu Zhi ascended the throne as empress dowager, da changqiu (the head of the imperial palace attendants), which meant that he took the place of Empress Liang to spy on Liu Zhi and his wife.
This position seems to be less close than that of the Han Huan Emperor, but in fact it was the head of the eunuchs in the early years of the Han Huan Emperor. Cao Teng represented the de facto ruler Empress Liang.
When Cao Teng resigned from the government is not recorded in the history books. However, Cao Teng should have resigned his official post and gone into hiding 150 years after Empress Dowager Liang's death. Perhaps because of this, he escaped the liquidation of the great general Liang Ji by emperor Huan of Han in 159 and achieved a good death.
Cao Cao's later ability to sweep away the four kingdoms, pacify the world, and establish the state of Great Wei had a lot to do with his grandfather Cao Teng's ability to go through the four emperors' reigns of high power and not fall.
The Book of the Later Han Dynasty says: "Teng used the province for more than thirty years, serving the Four Emperors, and never tasted it." All of them are celebrities in the sea. ”
Later generations lamented that the founding of Cao Wei's state was actually because "since Cao Teng said Liang Ji, he was weak, and Wei Wu moved to Guiding because of this." ”
Cao Teng was later posthumously honored as Emperor Gao by The Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rui. It is the only person who has been revered as an emperor by eunuchs throughout the ages, and his wisdom is worthy of deep consideration and study by today's people. And these things are not clearly explained in the Book of the Later Han Dynasty and the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms. Only by reading the "Zizhi Tongjian" can we understand it.
The Zizhi Tongjian is a history book written and read by Sima Guang in the Song Dynasty specifically for the emperor, from the three branches of the Eastern Zhou Warring States period to the conquest of Huainan in the sixth year of The Sixth Year of Emperor Xiande of Zhou Shizong (959 AD) five generations later, with a history of more than 1,300 years.
Song Shenzong believed that this book "in view of the past, there are funds to govern the Tao", so it was named "Zizhi Tongjian". The Zizhi Tongjian is a must-read book for emperors of all ages in 294 volumes, with about 3 million words. It can also be said to be the first book of wisdom in the past and the present.
The Zizhi Tongjian is a treasure of wisdom in the true sense. Not only do we have to read it, but we have to read it to our children. In this way, they will go better, more steadily, and farther on the long road of life. This big book is by no means comparable to the current flood of chicken soup for the soul.
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