Chapter 36 Chapter 35 Yuan Emperor Cao Huan

In the fifth year of Ganlu (260 A.D.), after Cao Mao was killed, Sima Zhao made 14-year-old Cao Huan emperor.Like Cao Mao, Cao Huan had only a false name but no real power. The power of Cao Wei was still in the hands of Sima Zhao. Cao Huan had only been emperor for less than six years. The last emperor of Cao Wei. Cao Huan (246-302 AD), styled Jingming, was the grandson of Cao Cao and the son of Cao Yu, king of Yan.As soon as the little emperor came to the throne, he was frightened by Sima Zhao's power and named him Duke of Jin, Xiangguo, and Jia Jiuxi.But at this time Sima Zhao had already looked down on this title. He wanted to be emperor, so he refused to accept it.In order to gain more political capital, Sima Zhao decided to send troops to destroy Shu.

In the fourth year of Jingyuan (AD 263), Sima Zhao ordered Deng Ai, Zhong Hui, and Zhuge Xu to lead three armies to attack Shu.Shu general Jiang Wei led his troops back to Jiange.Jiange is known as "one man guards the gate, and ten thousand men cannot open it". Jiang Wei guarded it against danger, but Zhong Hui couldn't attack for a long time, and he had nothing to do.At this time, Deng Ai made a suggestion to him: "We should avoid Jiange, sneak across the Yinping trail, attack Fucheng (now east of Mianyang, Sichuan), and rush into the heart of Shu." Zhong Hui agreed with him.Therefore, Deng Ai led his army to sneak across Yinping.They walked more than 700 miles in the uninhabited mountainous area, overcoming thorns and thorns along the way, building bridges when encountering water, and digging mountains when encountering mountains, which was very difficult.After overcoming many difficulties, he finally passed Yinping.

After sneaking across Yinping, Deng Ai led his army straight to Jiangyou (now Jiangyou, Sichuan).Jiangyou guard Ma Miao surrendered.Deng Ai then captured Fucheng and marched into Chengdu. The court and the people of Shu were in chaos, and Liu Chan, the cowardly and incompetent Shu empress, decided to surrender.On the one hand, he sent his eunuch Jiang Xian to bring the imperial edict, ordering Jiang Wei to surrender to Zhonghui nearby; on the other hand, he sent Shang Shulang Li Hu to deliver the national household registration files to Deng Ai. With the destruction of the Shu Kingdom and the elimination of Zhong Hui, who had ambitions for rebellion, the Sima Clan became more powerful and its prestige further improved.The Cao family headed by Cao Huan is even more lonely, and it is impossible to pose much threat.Therefore, it became a major event for Sima Zhao to win the support of public opinion from leading intellectuals.

Celebrities have always been attached to the Cao family and opposed the Sima group.Since the Sima Group took control of Cao Wei's real power, many celebrities still adopted a non-cooperative attitude. They did not dare to directly resist for fear of being killed.As a result, he despised etiquette, indulged in drinking, cynical, and tried to escape the real struggle.Ruan Ji, Ji Kang, Shan Tao, Wang Rong, Liu Ling, Ruan Xian, and Xiang Xiu, known as the "Seven Sages of the Bamboo Grove", are their representatives.Under Sima Zhao's disintegration and threats, Ruan Ji, Shan Tao, Xiang Xiu and others among the seven sages took refuge in Sima Zhao.

After Sima Zhao won the support of some celebrities in Pingshuhe, the conditions for usurping the throne were ripe, so that in March of the fifth year of Jingyuan (AD 264), he was promoted to Jinwang in the name of the emperor. Sima Zhao proclaimed himself emperor on behalf of Wei as soon as possible.He also asked Emperor Wei to give special treatment. His concubine was called queen, and his son was called prince, which was the same as the emperor's treatment.Just when he was actively preparing to usurp the throne, in August of the second year of Xianxi (265 A.D.), he suffered a stroke suddenly, and his condition deteriorated rapidly. Soon, he died, and finally he was no longer addicted to the emperor.After Sima Zhao's death, Sima Yan succeeded him as Prime Minister and King of Jin.Jia Chong and others persuaded him to follow Cao Pi and proclaim himself emperor on Wei's behalf.

In December of this year, after careful preparation, Sima Yan imitated the story of Cao Pi on behalf of the Han, accepted the abdication of Wei Emperor Cao Huan, named Cao Huan the King of Chenliu, changed the name of the country to Jin, and the Wei State fell. When Cao Huan abdicated, he was only 20 years old. Sima Yan treated him fairly leniently, allowing him to spend his life in peace until he was 56 years old, that is, the first year of Da'an in the Western Jin Dynasty (302 A.D.).The posthumous posthumous title is "Yuan Emperor".