Chapter 35 Chapter Thirty-Four

In September of the sixth year of Jiaping Cao Wei (AD 254), Sima Shi abolished Cao Fang and decided to let Pengcheng King Cao Ju succeed.After hearing this, Queen Mother Guo expressed displeasure, and said to Master Sima: "King Pengcheng is my uncle. If he is made emperor, what should I do? I think Cao Mao, the grandson of Emperor Wen, Gaogui Township, is gentle and frugal, so I can make him emperor." Be king." After hearing this, Master Sima felt that what the queen mother said made sense, so he changed Cao Mao to be emperor. Cao Mao (AD 241-260), courtesy name Yanshi, was the grandson of Cao Pi, Emperor Wen of Wei. He was only fourteen years old at the time. The struggle for power and profit between the Cao family and the Sima family, he is aware of the declining power of the Cao family and Sima's dictatorship.He thought, the power of the imperial court is now controlled by the Sima clan. Since Sima Shi can depose Cao Fang and make me the new king, he can also depose me and make someone else. How pitiful it is to be a king with only a name but no real power!Thinking of this, he tried his best to refuse the Queen Mother, but he was not allowed.So he ascended the throne and changed the sixth year of Jiaping to the first year of Zhengyuan.

After Cao Mao came to the throne, he advocated frugality, reduced public service and royal expenses, and reduced harem expenses. He sent servants to various places to observe folk customs, deal with injustice cases, and inspect the governance of local officials. It seems that he wanted to do something.At this time, some local pro-Cao forces raised troops one after another because they were dissatisfied with Sima's dictatorship, and started an armed struggle against Sima. In the first month of the second year of Zhengyuan (AD 25), Cao Weiqiujian, governor of Yangzhou and general of Zhendong, heard the news that Sima Shi had abolished Cao Fang and made Cao Mao king. He hated Sima Shi's arbitrary abolition and domination of government affairs.At this time, the eldest son Wu Qiudian said to his father: "Sima Shi abolished the lord's monopoly and the country was subverted. How can you be at ease?"Wen Qin was Cao Shuang's retainer, and he held a grudge against Sima Yi for killing Cao Shuang, and threatened to kill Sima's brothers to avenge Cao Shuang.After the two met, they hit it off.After raising funds, all the officers and soldiers of Huainan, large and small, were gathered in Shouchun, and issued a call to arms in all states and counties, swearing to attack the Sima Division.

The news of the southeast uprising spread to Luoyang.At this time, Master Sima had just cut off the tumor on his eye, and the pain was severe.However, he was worried about letting others lead the army. He was worried that if the Eastern Expedition failed, all previous efforts would be wasted.Therefore, his younger brother Sima Zhao was left to guard Luoyang and serve as the general regent.He himself took the disease and led the army to go out in person.After he led his army to Huainan, he quickly defeated the armies of Guanqiu Jian and Wen Qin, killed Guan Qiujian, and Wen Qin fled to Soochow.

After Sima Shi won the victory, he returned to Xuchang with pain in his eyes and a trance.Thinking that he was going to die soon, he summoned Sima Zhao from Luoyang to Xuchang, and told him: "I am carrying a heavy burden on my body. Although I want to take it off, it is impossible. You should be careful and vigilant! Don't entrust important matters lightly." Give it to others, or you will bring the disaster of genocide!" As soon as he finished speaking, his eyes burst into blood and he died.After that, Sima Zhao began to master the power of Cao Wei. After Sima Zhao took control of Cao Wei's power, he had the ambition to replace Wei, so he paid attention to the movements of various officials.He discovered that Zhuge Dan, the general who conquered the East, was an alien force, so he sent his confidant Jia Chong to investigate.In the second year of Wei Ganlu (257 A.D.), Jia Chong came to Huainan in the name of "consolation" to meet Zhuge Dan.Jia Chong tentatively said: "Many sages in the capital advocate the emperor's Zen throne to Sima. What do you think?" Zhuge Dan was furious and expressed his firm opposition.After Jia Chong went back, he told Sima Zhao the situation.Sima Zhao thought that Zhuge Dan was very popular in Yangzhou, and he would rise up against him sooner or later, so it is better to transfer him back to the capital, and encourage him to rebel early, so as to avoid future troubles.Therefore, Zhuge Dan was promoted to Sikong and called back to the capital.Zhuge Dan was really suspicious and frightened, so he killed the governor of Yangzhou, Shi Lelin, and raised troops against Sima Zhao.

When the news reached Luoyang, Sima Zhao was eager to lead his troops to attack.At this time, Jia Chong said to him: "You have inherited the foundation of your father and brother, and you have not yet established merit. Today, if you leave the emperor in Luoyang and you go to Huainan to fight, once the court changes, you will regret it. It is better to invite the queen mother and The Son of Heaven goes out together, so that nothing will go wrong." Sima Zhao felt that this method was the most advisable, so he told the Queen Mother to go out together, and the Queen Mother had no choice but to obey.The next day, Sima Zhao invited Cao Mao to go out again.Cao Mao said: "Since the generals are in charge of the world's army and horses, why should I go out together?" Sima Zhao replied: "In the past, the ancestors of Wu traveled all over the world. Emperor Wen and Emperor Ming had to go out in person when they encountered major enemies. Your Majesty should follow the ancestors. Sweeping out the rebellion, how can you be afraid of such a moment?" Cao Mao was frightened by Sima Zhao's majesty, so he had to obey.Therefore, Sima Zhao led an army of 200,000 to march south with the empress dowager and the emperor.It took Sima Zhao a lot of effort to besiege Zhuge Dan in Shouchun, and the next year he broke through Shouchun and killed Zhuge Dan.

The two uprisings by the pro-Cao forces in the southeast were suppressed by Sima in this way.From then on, Sima Zhao completely concentrated Cao Wei's military and political power in his own hands.Emperor Cao Mao had only a false name but no real power, and he was resentful of Sima Zhao's dictatorship.However, with the Sima Group in control of Cao Wei's power, he could not change his situation.In the midst of depression, I wrote a poem "Poetry of Qianlong" by myself, which said: The sad dragon is trapped and cannot jump into the abyss. If you don't fly on the sky, you won't see the field when you go down.

The pan lives at the bottom of the well, and the eel dances in front of it. Hidden teeth and claws, so do I. He compared his situation to a dragon trapped in a well, alluding to the tyranny of the Sima Group. No, this poem brought disaster.Sima Zhao was very angry when he saw it, and said to his left and right: "He wants to imitate Cao Fang!" Immediately ordered Jia Chong to prepare to abolish the emperor. One day in April of the fifth year of Ganlu (260 A.D.), Sima Zhao went up to the temple with his sword on his shoulders. Cao Mao stared at him dissatisfiedly. Sima Zhao said angrily, "What are you looking at me for?" Cao Mao bowed his head and remained silent.At this time, the officials shouted loudly: "The general has outstanding merits and virtues, he should be the Duke of Jin." Cao Mao still bowed his head and did not answer.Sima Zhao sternly said: "My father and brother have made great contributions, and I can be named Duke of Jin. Is it still not allowed?" Cao Mao tremblingly replied: "Who would dare not follow?" In the poem, what does it mean to treat us as eels?" After hearing this, Cao Mao was sweating like rain, and Sima Zhao sneered and retreated to the hall.

After Cao Mao returned to the palace, he thought that what Sima Zhao had done was really deceiving the emperor too much, so he decided not to sit still and suffer humiliation.The next day, he summoned Wang Shen, Shangshu Wang Jing, and Sanqi Changshi Wangye into the harem, and said to them: "Sima Zhao's heart is well known to passers-by. I can't wait for the shame of being deposed, so please come with me." Let's attack him together." Wang Jing persuaded: "This is not possible. The Sima family has controlled the Cao Wei regime for a long time, and they are very powerful. How many people died because of opposing him. Now your Majesty's forbidden troops are weak, so no action can be taken. Ah!" Cao Mao did not listen to dissuasion, took out the edict from his bosom and threw it on the ground, saying, "I have decided to act, and I will die without hatred!" Seeing that the situation was not good, Wang Chen and Wang Ye rushed to report to Sima Zhao.

After a while, Cao Mao personally led the guards and palace servants and rushed out of the palace.Wang Jing cried and lay down in front of the chariot to remonstrate, but Cao Mao would not listen.At this time, I saw Jia Chong wearing armor and leading 3,000 iron-armored forbidden soldiers, clamoring in.Cao Mao scolded loudly: "I am the Son of Heaven, do you want to kill the king when you break into the palace?" The forbidden soldiers looked at each other and did not dare to move.Seeing this, Jia Chong shouted to Wu Daji who was beside him: "Sima Gong feeds you just for today. If today's matter fails, you and your family will be killed!" Cheng Ji turned around and asked Jia Chong: "Kill or bind?" Jia Chong said: "Sima Gong has an order, as long as he dies!" Cheng Ji rushed forward, Cao Ge stabbed Cao Mao twice, and Cao Mao died immediately beside the chariot.20 years old.The young emperor, who was trying to be the king of Zhongxing, finally couldn't compete with the powerful Sima clan, and failed to save the decline of Cao clan's power.

After Cao Mao's death, Sima Zhao killed the Chengji brothers and exterminated the three clans in order to appease the people.The queen mother was also ordered to enumerate Cao Mao's crimes and demote him as a commoner.Cao Mao reigned for 6 years.His posthumous title is "Gonggui Xianggong".