In 266, the last emperor of Cao Wei, Cao Yi, was forced to abdicate the throne, and Sima Yi's grandson Sima Yan took the throne to establish the Western Jin Dynasty. It is reasonable to say that the Cao family was terminated, and their clan should be dissatisfied, but no one expected that one of Cao Cao's grandsons actually became a loyal vassal of the Western Jin Dynasty and was also favored by Sima Yan, the emperor of the Jin Dynasty, and the relationship between the two was very good. So who is this person? What kind of legendary life did he have?
1. King of Jibei
This person's name was Cao Zhi (曹志), the character Yungong,and he was the grandson of Emperor Cao Cao of Weiwu, and his father was none other than the famous Cao Zhi the Prince of Chensi! According to historical records, Cao Zhi was influenced by his father, liked to read since childhood, and when he was a teenager, he was known for his talent and character, and he was also "generous and generous, and good at riding and shooting", and was a man of both literature and martial arts. However, at that time, Cao Wei implemented a policy of restricting the clan office, and Cao Zhikong had a talent, but there was no place to show it.
Cao Zhi admired Cao Zhi very much, and once said: "This bao family lord also" and made him an heir. In 232, Cao Zhi fell ill and died, and Cao Zhi inherited the title and was renamed the King of Jibei. In 260, the Wei lord Cao Huan was killed, and Sima Yan was ordered to go to Yecheng to welcome Cao Huan, the Duke of ChangdaoXiang, as emperor. Cao Zhi visited Sima Yan at night, and the two of them saw each other as they were, chatting from night to day, "Emperor (referring to Sima Yan) and language, since twilight, very strange."
2. Juancheng County
Six years later, Sima Yan declared himself emperor, but he did not kill Cao Wei's clansmen, but only, as was customary, demoted their titles and appointed them. Cao Zhi's title was also demoted by one level and he became the Duke of Juancheng County. During the reign of Cao Wei, Cao Pi and Cao Rui's father and son implemented a policy of restricting the clan, and those members of the clan were basically political prisoners, and even those who had no personal freedom, even those who were talented, could not come out to become officials.
At the beginning of Sima Yan's reign as emperor, he issued an edict stating that he would appoint the sages in The Imperial Household of Cao Wei, and the first person he appointed was Cao Zhi, "Cao Zhi, the former king of Northern Ji, was pure in virtue, high in his deeds, good in ancient history, wei Zongying, and Jiazhi, who regarded Zhi as Leping Taishou." But Cao Zhi was cao Cao's grandson after all, and in order to avoid suspicion, he "did not take political affairs as his intention, but traveled during the day, recited "poems" and "books" at night, and entertained himself with sound and color."
3. Offend the Emperor
Later, Emperor Wu of Jin once again issued an edict, "Cao Zhi, Duke of Juancheng, Duke of Juancheng, Duke of Juancheng, Duke of Jucheng, Master of Learning, Suitable for Rulin, Teaching of Hongzi, and His Zhi as a Scattered Rider Changshi and Dr. Guozi", and transferred Cao Zhi to his side and served as the emperor's attendant. Although Sima Yan greatly admired Cao Zhi, Cao Zhi was not a courtier, and as a result, he offended Emperor Wu of Jin because of his blunt letter. The matter was related to Sima You, the King of Qi, who was planning to drive Sima You to the feudal state.
Seeing Sima You, Cao Zhi thought of his father Cao Zhi and sighed: "An has such a talent, such a relative, not to help the tree, but far out of the sea?" The long of the Jin Dynasty, its devastation! So Cao Zhi wrote to advise. Cao Zhi's cousin said after seeing the recital: "Brother is very serious, after a hundred years, he will write the history of Jin, and now he will see the blame for evil." Emperor Wu of Jin was really angry, "Cao Zhi still doesn't know my heart, the situation is all over the world!" As a result, the relevant departments arrested Cao Zhi and others.
4. Western Jin Dynasty loyalists
However, Sima Yan was not bad, but he dismissed Cao Zhi from his official position and "returned the first with justice", while the others were punished. Not long after, Sima Yan resumed Cao Zhishan's position as a regular attendant. Later, Cao Zhi's mother died, and during the mourning period, he "lived in mourning ceremonies, so he fell ill and was moody." In 288, Cao Zhi fell ill and died, and was deposed as a prisoner.
Although Cao Zhi was Cao Zhi's son and cao Wei's clan, he became famous because of his status as a loyal vassal of the Western Jin Dynasty. During the period of Cao Wei, Cao Zhi, like his father, lived a very depressed life and did not dare to say anything. After the change of dynasty, Cao Zhi dared to speak his mind, and was not even afraid of offending the emperor. More than two hundred years later, Emperor Xiao Yan of Liangwu said: "Cao Zhi, grandson of Emperor Wu of Wei, is a loyal subject of jin."
References: 1. Book of Jin, 2. Zizhi Tongjian, 3. Romance of the Three Kingdoms