Chapter 34 Chapter 33 Qi Wang Cao Fang

On September 19th in the sixth year of Jiaping (254 A.D.), a Qinggai chariot dedicated to vassals, carrying the newly deposed Emperor Cao Wei, drove out of the palace slowly, followed by a guard, who were ordered to escort , in fact, escorted the unlucky emperor out of the palace and moved to another place. The deposed emperor was Cao Fang, the third emperor of Cao Wei. Cao Fang (231-274 A.D.), courtesy name Lanqing, was the adopted son of Emperor Wei Ming. It is unknown who his biological father was.In the first month of the third year of Jingchu (AD 239), Emperor Ming was critically ill. He made Cao Fang the crown prince, and asked Cao Shuang and Sima Yi to assist the government together.After the death of Emperor Ming, Cao Fang succeeded to the throne.At that time, Cao Fang was only 8 years old, and she was still an ignorant child. All political affairs were handled by Cao Shuang and Sima Yi.At this time, Cao Shuang and Sima Yi each led an army of 3,000 people to take turns on duty and stay in the palace.Sima Yi was born in Wen County, Hanoi (now Wen County, Henan Province). He was born in a family of bureaucratic landlords for generations. When Cao Cao was prime minister, he began to be an official and assisted Cao Cao in military affairs.Cao Cao’s early farms were mainly civilian villages. Sima Yi’s proposal to implement the military camp of “cultivating and defending” was adopted by Cao Cao.After Cao Pi became emperor, Sima Yi's status gradually improved, and his influence gradually increased.And Cao Shuang was appointed to assist the young master only because he was a child of the royal family.He was inferior to Sima Yi regardless of age, seniority and official position. He worried that the growth of Sima Yi's power would endanger Cao's rule, so he asked his advisers.Counselor He Yan came up with a plan: "Promote Sima Yi to the position of Grand Tutor. From now on, it is up to you to decide what to do in the book, and don't be restrained by Sima Yi. In this way, the power will not be left alone."

Cao Shuang thought this method was very good, so Cao Fang, the young master of the play, said: "Sima Yi has made great achievements and virtues, so he can be promoted to Taifu."The Taifu is the emperor's teacher, with a high status, but it is a idle job.Cao Shuang weakened Sima Yi's real power through this method.Then, Cao Shuang ordered his younger brother Cao Xi to be the leader of the army, Cao Xun to be the general of Wuwei, and Cao Yan to be the regular servant of Sanqi.Each of the three led 3,000 imperial guards to guard the palace, and they have monopolized power ever since.At this time, Cao Shuang thought that the world would be safe from now on, so he began to enjoy himself. He usually eats and clothes.Like the emperor, he secretly brought the singers and dancers of Emperor Ming home to have fun.His younger brother Cao Xi was deeply worried, and advised him, "Drinking and having fun every day like this is not a long-term solution!" How could Cao Shuang listen to the persuasion, and scolded him: "The military power is in my hands, who dares to rebel?"

Sima Yi was very dissatisfied with Cao Shuang's clique and dictatorship, but he was not strong enough to eliminate them.Therefore, he waived for the time being and wrote a letter to Cao Fang, saying that he was old and sick, and asked to resign and live in leisure. Cao Fang immediately agreed with Cao Shuang's instruction.After Sima Yi retired to the countryside, he refused to recover from his illness, but secretly contacted his confidants to plan a big fight with Cao Shuang. After Sima Yi returned home from illness, Cao Shuang, He Yan and others had no scruples, so they wanted to usurp the throne.But he is still worried about Sima Yi who is old and at home.At this time, it happened that his confidant Li Sheng was transferred to be the governor of Jingzhou, so he asked Li Sheng to inspect him in the name of saying goodbye.

Sima Yi was very clear about Li Sheng's intentions.So he pretended to be seriously ill, and asked two maidservants to help him to meet the guests.When talking to Li Sheng, he pretended to be delirious, and deliberately spoke upside down.When the maid was serving the porridge, he intentionally trembled and didn't hold it steady, making his body covered in porridge.Li Sheng believed all of this to be true.He went back and reported the meeting to Cao Shuang, saying: "Sima Gong's form and spirit have been separated, and there is only one breath left, so don't worry any more." After hearing this, Cao Shuang was very happy and no longer guarded against Sima Yi.How did he know that Sima Yi was preparing for a coup!

At that time, Sima Yi's son, Sima Shi, served as the Central Guard and controlled a part of the army. He also secretly raised 3,000 daredevils, and at the same time received the secret support of the veteran minister Taiwei Jiang Ji and others.Everything is ready and ready to move. In the first year of Jiaping (249 A.D.), Cao Fang went to visit Gaoping Mausoleum, the mausoleum of Emperor Ming, outside Luoyang City.Cao Shuang went with his brothers Cao Xi, Cao Xun, and Cao Yan, but the city of Luoyang was empty.Sima Yi took the opportunity to launch a coup and soon took control of Luoyang City.Sima Yi sent someone to send the Queen Mother's edict to remove Cao Shuang's military power outside the city. Cao Shuang panicked after reading it.At this time, Da Si Nong Huanfan escaped from Luoyang, came to see Cao Shuang, and persuaded them to take the emperor to Xuchang and send troops from other places to fight Sima Yi.Cao Shuang hesitated.Huan Fan said to Cao Xi: "Now you are with the Son of Heaven, commanding the world, who dares not to?" Cao Shuang said nothing.Huan Fan also said: "Let's go to Xuchang now, and we can arrive the next day. There are arsenals there, and we can arm the army. What we worry about is food, but I still have the seal of Da Si Nong." Brother Cao Shuang still didn't listen.At this time, Sima Yi sent someone to tell Cao Shuang that as long as he dismissed his troops and handed over his military power, he could return to the mansion and retain his title.

Cao Shuang listened to the advice of the visitors and said: "Sima Yi is just trying to seize my power. If I return to the mansion, I can still be a rich man." Cao Shuang finally refused to listen to Huan Fan's advice, handed over his military power, and returned to his home in Luoyang.Soon, Sima Yi executed Cao Shuang brothers, He Yan, Ding Mi, Bi Gui, Li Sheng, Huan Fan, etc. for more crimes, and exterminated the three clans.Cao Wei's military and political power has since been controlled by Sima Yi. However, the collapse of the Cao Shuang Group does not mean that the conflict between Sima and Cao has been resolved.Some pro-Cao forces with military and political strength raised troops against Sima.

In the third year of Jiaping (251 A.D.), Taiwei Wang Ling launched an attack in Yangzhou, plotting to overthrow Sima Yi, abolishing Emperor Cao Fang, and establishing Chu King Cao Biao as emperor. Due to the leak of the incident, Sima Yi preemptively led troops to march south. Wang Ling was caught off guard. , Defeated and committed suicide. Soon after Wang Ling was defeated, Sima Yi died of illness, and his son Sima Shi continued to specialize in government affairs. After Sima Shi assisted the government, he took over all the military and political powers, and he handled all the affairs of the court.One day, when Cao Fang set up a court, he saw Master Sima going up to the hall with a sword.Cao Fang was taken aback and hurried down to greet her.Sima Shi smiled and said, "Where is the etiquette for a king to welcome his ministers? Please sit still, Your Majesty. I'm just here to listen to the minister's performance."Cao Fang was full of resentment.

In the blink of an eye, Cao Fang has been on the throne for more than 10 years, from a child to a young man in his 20s.He is no longer reconciled to just being a display, but demands the right to handle state affairs.Therefore, he was extremely dissatisfied with Sima Shi's monopoly, so he complained to Zhongshuling Li Feng, Taichang Xia Houxuan, and Guanglu doctor Zhang Ji.Zhang Ji, the father of Empress Zhang, hated Sima Shi's monopoly.Xia Houxuan was Cao Shuang's aunt and cousin. After Cao Shuang's defeat, he was also deprived of military power and only got a too common title.After Sima Shi came to power, Li Feng was promoted to Zhongshuling, but Li Feng was always close to Zhang Ji and Xiahou Xuanfeng. Therefore, although Sima Shi promoted Li Feng's official position, Li Feng's heart belonged to Xiahouxuan.They often discussed together in secret to kill Sima Shi, avenge Cao Shuang, and regain power for Cao Fang.

Unexpectedly, the news leaked out, Sima Shi ordered Li Feng, Zhang Ji, Xia Houxuan to be killed and the three clans to be punished.Then, Master Sima entered the palace with a sword, saw Cao Fang, and asked, "Where is Zhang Ji's daughter?" Seeing that he was going to kill the queen, Cao Fang pleaded with him, saying, "Zhang Ji is guilty, and his daughter doesn't know about it." I hope the general will forgive me." Sima Shi didn't listen, and continued: "His father committed a heinous crime, even if she doesn't know the situation, how can she continue to be the mother of the country? She should be abolished immediately." Cao Fang had no choice but to bow her head in silence.Under Sima Shi's persecution, Empress Zhang had no choice but to leave the palace, and was killed by Sima Shi soon after.

On September 19th in the sixth year of Jiaping (AD 254), Sima Shi ordered a meeting of civil and military officials in the name of Empress Dowager Guo, declaring: Cao Fang is licentious and immoral, and is not qualified to continue to be emperor. He should be sent back to the original feudal country. Qi State.So Cao Fang was forced to leave the palace that day. Cao Fang reigned for 14 years from his succession at the age of 8 to his abdication at the age of 23.After abdicating, he lived in Qi State.After the establishment of the Western Jin Dynasty, he was granted the title of Duke Shaoling.He died in the tenth year of Taishi (274 A.D.) at the age of 43, with the posthumous title of "Duke Li".