Chapter 57 Chapter 9: The Millennium

After Guan Yu's death, Cao Jun's various ministries returned to the original defense line one after another. In December of the 24th year of Jian'an (219), Xu Huang returned to Shiwan County. Xu Huang raised his glass to persuade him to drink (raise wine to persuade Huang). Cao Cao said: "The preservation of Fancheng and Xiangyang is all due to the merits of the general!" Cao Cao also issued an order: "The enemy surrounded the ditch with ten heavy antlers. General Xu Huang won a complete victory, captured the bandit camp, and beheaded many captives. I have led troops for more than 30 years. I also heard that there were good soldiers in ancient times, but I didn't listen. It is said that he can drive straight into the enemy's camp. The battle of Fancheng and Xiangyang is better than that of Juxian and Jimo, and the contribution of General Xu Huang also surpassed that of Sun Wu and Rangju."

Cao Cao also specially ordered Huan Jie to be commended and appointed him as Shangshu. At this time, Zhang Liao's troops, who came from Juchao for reinforcements, arrived in Jingzhou. The war in Jingzhou was over, and Cao Cao ordered Zhang Liao to lead his troops to Mopi.When Zhang Liao was about to arrive, Cao Cao rode out of the camp to meet him. Some people who participated in the battle of Jingzhou arrived one after another, and Mopi suddenly became Cao Cao's big army camp (when all the troops gathered).Cao Cao kept coming out to the camps to condolences. Many new soldiers who joined the Cao camp had never seen the king of Wei. When Cao Cao condoled, they all rushed to see him. The ground did not move, Cao Cao praised: "General Xu has the demeanor of Zhou Yafu!"

Those soldiers who had followed Cao Cao in the South and North for many years, when they saw King Wei again at this time, they found that he was suddenly old, his movements had begun to slow down, and his eyes were not as sharp as before. After continuous blows and hard work day and night, they The current King Wei has completely become an old man. After the new year, Cao Cao will be sixty-six years old, which was considered an advanced age in that era. After several campaigns and rebellions, Cao Cao's original sphere of influence in Nanyang County and the northern part of Nanjun has become devastated, and people's livelihood is dying. It is difficult to restore vitality in a short period of time. Move to the interior.

Sima Yi thought it was inappropriate to do so. He said: "The situation in the Jingchu area has always been unstable. Guan Yu has just been defeated. Those who want to do evil are watching. If all the ordinary people are moved away, it will not only hurt the hearts of the people, but also make people feel sad." The situation in this area is even more difficult to deal with, and those who fled and now want to come back are afraid to come back." Cao Cao thought it was reasonable, so he stopped the relocation plan, and many people who fled to other places returned one after another.

In order to commend Sun Quan's contribution to the crusade against Guan Yu, Cao Cao presented the emperor and worshiped Sun Quan as a general of hussars.Sun Quan sent school lieutenant Liang Yu back to worship, and sent a letter to Cao Cao, saying that he would submit to Cao Cao in obedience to God's will (the letter proclaimed his minister Yu Cao, saying the destiny). Although Sun Quan won Jingzhou, he knew that he had caused a catastrophe. In order to deal with Liu Bei's upcoming revenge, he had to lower his posture in front of Cao Cao. Cao Cao showed Sun Quan's letter to everyone, and said, "This kid wants me to sit on the stove and roast (it's because he wants to sit on the stove and get evil)!"

However, Chen Qun, Shangshu Huanjie, and many other people believed: "Han Zuo is over, and it didn't start today. Your Highness's merits and virtues are so great that the world looks up to him, so Sun Quan voluntarily became a minister. This is the response of heaven and man, and the strange gas All in unison, Your Highness should be upright, what is there to hesitate about?" Xiahou and others also said: "Everyone in the world knows that the life span of the Han Dynasty is over, and a different generation will start. Since ancient times, the master of the world (that is, democracy) can eliminate the harm of the people and return it to the people. Your Highness joined the army at thirty For many years, the merits and virtues have been written by Li Shu, and they are owned by the world, and they should obey the sky and the people, so don't hesitate any longer!"

However, Cao Cao said: "If God really has this intention, I only want to be King Wen of Zhou." Cao Cao mentioned King Wen of Zhou many times throughout his life. It seems that he admired King Wen of Zhou for his achievements and moral character.King Wen of Zhou, named Ji Chang, was an aristocrat in the Shang Dynasty. He obeyed the laws of his ancestors, inherited his ancestors' achievements, respected the virtuous and corporal, and became stronger and stronger.At that time, King Zhou of Yin was in power and was cruel and innocent. He was afraid of Ji Chang and imprisoned him.But Ji Chang managed to regain his freedom, and then worked hard to develop his own strength and prepare for the crusade against King Zhou of Shang.Later, Ji Chang died, and his son Ji Fa succeeded to the throne, that is, King Wu of Zhou, and finally fulfilled his father's last wish of King Wen of Zhou to crusade against Shang Zhou.

Cao Cao told everyone clearly that he didn't want to be called emperor when he was alive, and if the Cao family could replace the Liu family to inherit the world, it would be done in the hands of his children and grandchildren. This passage is from "Wei's Spring and Autumn Annals". There has never been much criticism for Cao Cao's straightforward talk about the succession of dynasties, and even comparing Liu Han to King Zhou of Yin. , Now it is indeed in a precarious state, and everyone would think that it is a matter of course for Cao's to replace Liu's. Cao Cao didn't want to be emperor, not because he felt that he didn't have the strength, nor because he didn't have such an idea, but because he felt that he was really old.He wants to leave that matter to his children and grandchildren, this is his sincere words.

Cao Cao spent the last New Year of his life in Mopi, and then ordered to return to Yecheng. He did not stay in Xu County, but went to Luoyang by detour. On the 23rd of the first lunar month, Wei Wang Cao Cao and his party arrived in Luoyang. A few months ago, when he came back from Hanzhong leading an army, he also stopped in Luoyang. He had lived in this city for many years, and it was from Luoyang that he started his official career at the age of twenty.What a wonderful time, even though he was just a small Luoyang Beibei captain, his life at that time was full of passion and expectation.

Right now, Luoyang is dilapidated. After the baptism of war, especially after Dong Zhuo’s arson, Luoyang has almost become ruins. Most of the buildings including Cao’s old house have become piles of rubble, but Cao Cao is still full of love for this place. Feelings, according to the "Cao Man Biography", Cao Cao ordered the relevant departments to restore the original Luoyang Northern Lieutenant Office, and especially emphasized that the repair is more magnificent than the original. This once again proves that Cao Cao is indeed old, and only old people are more nostalgic and reminisce about their past.

This time he came to Luoyang from Mopi, and Cao Cao planned to live here for a while. He ordered the construction of a palace in Luoyang, and the palace was named Jianshi Palace.However, during the construction process, ominous things happened one after another. According to the records of "Shiyu", in order to build the Shidian, the craftsmen cut down the trees in the Zhuolong Temple, but a strange thing happened. .According to the "Cao Man Biography", Cao Cao ordered Su Yue, the person in charge of the project, to move a pear tree away, and the tree also shed blood when digging the roots.Su Yue reported the situation to Cao Cao, and Cao Cao went to check it himself. Sure enough, when he saw the bleeding from the tree roots, he was very disgusted and thought it was an ominous omen. Cao Cao suddenly fell ill. On the twenty-third day of the first lunar month in the twenty-fifth year of Jian'an (220), Wei Wang Cao Cao died of illness in Luoyang at the age of sixty-six. Cao Cao was born in the first year of Yongshou (155) of Emperor Huan of the Han Dynasty. He became an official at the age of 20. He caught up with the Yellow Turban Uprising at the age of 30 and entered the stage of history step by step in the process of suppressing the Yellow Turban Army.At the age of thirty-five, Cao Cao rebelled against Dong Zhuo. After ten years of hard work, he became a prince on one side.At the age of forty-two, Cao Cao welcomed the Han emperor to Xu County, and at the age of forty-six he defeated Yuan Shao in the battle of Guandu.At the age of forty-eight, Cao Cao won the expedition to Wuhuan and basically unified the north, but suffered defeat in Chibi the next year. At the age of forty-two Cao Cao served as Sikong of the Han Dynasty, at the age of fifty-four he was the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, at the age of fifty-nine he became the Duke of Wei, and at the age of sixty-two he became the King of Wei.When Cao Cao died of illness, his son Cao Pi proclaimed himself emperor on behalf of Han, and he was honored as Emperor Wu of Wei. Cao Cao spent most of his life in the South and North Wars. Compared with Liu Bang in the early Western Han Dynasty and Liu Xiu in the early Eastern Han Dynasty, Cao Cao may have sighed that his life was not at the right time.Liu Bang won the world in only six years, Liu Xiu took less than four years, and Cao Cao fought for more than 30 years, and he was still fighting around until his death. Cao Cao had a magnificent life, outstanding achievements, complex and charming personality.He was a great strategist, known as the Sun Wu and Wu Qi of that era, and he was also a great writer, known as "the history of poetry" and "the patriarch of reforming articles". "Bowuzhi" written by Zhang Hua, a native of Jin Dynasty, believes that Cao Cao is a famous calligrapher, who can be compared with the great calligraphers Zhang Zhi and Zhang Chang of the time; he is also a musician, who can compare with the famous musicians at that time. Compared with Huan Tan and Cai Yong; he is also a master of Go, comparable to the famous players Shan Daozi, Wang Jiuzhen and Guo Kai at that time. He is a man of martial arts and martial arts, and full of personal charm. He was created by that era, and he reflects that era with his rich life. Chen Shou commented on Cao Cao's life and said that at the end of the Han Dynasty, the world was in chaos, and all the heroes rose together. Yuan Shaohu looked at the four states and was so powerful that no one could beat him.Cao Cao relied on wisdom and strategy to unify the country by force.He adopted the legal system and power tactics of Shen Buhai and Shang Yang, absorbed the ingenuity of Han Xin and Bai Qi, set up official positions, appointed talents, and let them display their talents.At the same time, Cao Cao can restrain his emotions, think about problems calmly, and don't care about other people's faults. Chen Shou believed that the reason why Cao Cao was able to take over the power of the government and complete the great cause of the founding of the country was entirely because his knowledge and strategy were top-notch at that time. He was an extraordinary person and a talent beyond the world. The one who overcomes great achievements, but his understanding is the best. It can be said that he is an extraordinary person, and he is an outstanding person in the world). Sima Guang's evaluation of Cao Cao is that Cao Cao is the best at knowing people and making good use of them, and can penetrate people's hearts.He seeks out and promotes those who are capable, no matter how humble their origins.He is good at using troops, confronting the enemy, sometimes seems to be at ease, but once the time is right, he will immediately launch a thunderbolt attack (determined to take advantage of the victory, overflowing with momentum).For those who have made meritorious deeds, he rewarded them generously, and he didn't give anything to those who had no merit.He enforces the law strictly (usage is severe), and as long as the crime is committed, he will not be forgiven lightly, even if he weeps and pleads for mercy, he will never forgive him.He is frugal by nature, not luxurious. Sima Guang believes that it is precisely because of Cao Cao's above advantages that he was able to wipe out the heroes and almost unified China.