In the 18th year of Jian 'an (AD 265438+May 2003), Cao Cao made Wei Duke.
), "Three Kingdoms? In the Ji of Emperor Wu, Pei Songzhi annotated Wu Weichuan, and Cao Cao issued the famous "Let Counties Know Their Stories" in the form of an order. The so-called "Rang County" means returning four counties to three counties, namely Yang Xia (Taikang County, Henan Province), Zhecheng County, Henan Province and Ku (Luyi County, Henan Province). Self-knowledge means speaking frankly about your original ambition. Let the county know about it is an important historical material for historians to study Cao Cao's thought. Here, in Zi Zhi Tong Jian? Sixty-six volumes of the Preface extracted from the Eastern Han Dynasty are introduced to you:
"I was originally sponsored as a filial piety (I was twenty years old that year), and I know that I am not a celebrity hiding in the mountains. I am afraid that the world will treat me as an ordinary person. In order to promote education and strive for fame and fortune, when we were in Jinan (Dongping Mausoleum, the capital [Zhangqiu City, Shandong Province]), we eliminated corrupt officials and filth (Cao Cao is the national phase of Jinan, belonging to more than ten counties, county magistrates and other officials who are rich and powerful, taking bribes and perverting the law, and Cao Cao reported to the court, and eight people were dismissed, which made the territory awe-inspiring), so we selected talents fairly, so we were rich and powerful. At that time, when I was young, I built a study villa in the east of Qiao County (Cao Cao's hometown, Bozhou City, Anhui Province). I plan to study in autumn and summer and hunt in winter and spring. I expect to be an official for 20 years until the world is at peace.
However, he couldn't get what he wanted and was recruited by the court. (188) taught as commander-in-chief of the regular army (a captain of the regular army) and devoted himself to the national thief (the yellow turban insurrectionary army). He only hoped that the inscription on the tombstone after his death would read:' Tomb of General Cao Cao of Hanxi', and he had great ambitions all his life, but that was all. Unexpectedly, Dong Zhuo's disaster happened soon, so I started the rebel army. Later, he served as the secretariat of Yanzhou (Luxi) and smashed 300,000 people of the Yellow Scarf Rebel Group. Then crusade against Yuan Shu, forcing Yuan Shu to die at the end of the road; Crusade Yuan Shao and cut off the heads of his two sons; Then Liu Biao was pacified and the country was unified. (In 2008, Cao Cao pacified Jingzhou, Yizhou obeyed the court, and in 200, Sun Quan obviously obeyed the court. Cao Cao went to the court to ask for the appointment of Sun Quan as the general of Lu State and concurrently as the satrap of Huiji. )
As a prime minister and a minister, my honor has reached its peak, far exceeding my previous wishes. Suppose there is no me in the country, I don't know how many people call themselves emperors and how many people call themselves kings! Some people may see that my strength is getting stronger and stronger, but I have never believed in destiny, so I guess at random that I may have the intention of usurping the Eastern Han regime. I feel bitter every time I think about it. Therefore, I am willing to explain the whole story to you, all from the heart. However, if you intend to ask me to give up my army, return it to the relevant authorities, and return to my fief, Wupinghouguo (Wupingcheng Village, northwest of Luyi County, Henan Province), it is absolutely impossible. Why? I am afraid that once I leave the army, I will be murdered. On the one hand, I think about my children and grandchildren, on the other hand, I think that if I fail, the country will be in danger immediately. Therefore, I will never accept disaster for a false name.
But my marquis's fief covers four counties and has 30 thousand people. I don't have the virtue to enjoy it! The society is still very chaotic, the country has not been unified, and the official position cannot be resigned; As for fiefs and fiefs, you can refuse. Now Yang Xia, Zhexian, Kuxian and 20,000 households have been returned to the imperial court, and only 10,000 households in Wuping have been kept. Let's lighten the slanderous remarks and my pressure. "
I began to show filial piety. I was afraid that people who were famous for their non-caves would be looked down upon by the world. I want to do a good job in politics and religion in order to establish a reputation. So in Jinan, I was angry with powerful people and afraid of family disaster, so I returned my illness to my hometown. When I was young, I built a beautiful house fifty miles east of Qiaocheng. I want to study in autumn and summer and shoot in winter and spring. This is a 20-year rule. I became an official when the world was cold. However, I can't get what I want. I want to be a captain of the standard army. He wanted to make contributions to the thieves of the country and establish the title of tomb, saying that the Han Dynasty wanted to levy the tomb of Cao Hou, the general of the West. This is my ambition. But because of Dong Zhuo's difficulties, he recruited volunteers. After leading Zhou Guo, the yellow scarf was broken by 300 thousand people; And attacked Yuan Shu, making him poor. Destroy Yuan Shao and his second son; Reset Liu Biao and level the world. As a prime minister, people and ministers are extremely expensive, and expectations have passed. Leave the country alone. I don't know how many people will be king and how many people will be king! In other words, people are lonely, strong, don't believe in fate, and are afraid to think about each other and say that they are not inferior; I feel sad every time I use it. Therefore, Director Chen's remarks are all important to the liver. But if you want to be immune, you can donate all the soldiers to pay back the deacons and return to Wuping Houguo. who is it? I'm afraid of leaving the army and getting hurt by others. If it is for the sake of children and grandchildren, the country will be in danger if it is defeated. Therefore, it is not allowed to praise the false name and fall into the real situation. However, it also closed four counties, with 30 thousand eaters. What a pity! The rivers and lakes are not quiet and do not give in; As for the city soil, you can quit. Today, there are still 20,000 households in Yang Xia, Zhegu and Ku counties, but every household eats Wuping. And vilify by losing points, reducing the responsibility of loneliness. )
After describing Cao Cao's systematic ideological activities and behaviors since he was promoted to "filial piety", this order emphatically pointed out: "If the country does not have me, I wonder how many people will be emperors and how many people will be kings." Historians believe that what Cao Cao said is consistent with the facts. The order also said: "Maybe some people see that my strength is getting stronger and stronger, and they have never believed in the' destiny', so they guess that I may have the intention to replace the Eastern Han regime; Every time I think about it, I am worried. " What Cao Cao said was exactly the same as what he did, and he never took the throne of the Eastern Han Dynasty for life. The imperial edict also said, "However, if you intend to ask me to give up my army, return it to the relevant authorities, and return it to my fief-Wuping Houguo, it will never be possible. Why? I'm afraid that once I leave the army, I'll be murdered. On the one hand, I think about my children and grandchildren, on the other hand, I think that if I fail, the country will be in danger immediately. Therefore, I will never accept disaster for a false name. " This passage tells the truth that the central government of the imperial court was re-established by Cao Cao. The chaos in the Han Dynasty was caused by the disorder of court procedures after Dong Zhuo entered Beijing in 189. Now, if something goes wrong with Cao Cao, the head of the new central government after 20 years of war, he is afraid that the world will face chaos again. He can't hand over power to the country, the people and himself. He is completely telling the truth. The sentence "I will never accept disaster for a false name" is very important, which shows that Cao Cao's thought is very mature at this time. In the case of "the Jianghu is still unsettled", that is, the whole country has not been unified, whether it is beneficial to the overall situation of the country to return the rights to Xian Di to show loyalty to the monarch is to put the overall situation above loyalty to the monarch. The consequences of returning power may leave a lasting stigma in history. Although it has a "false reputation", it can be dangerous for the country and the people. As will be mentioned later, in 189, Dong Zhuo made 9-year-old Liu Xie the queen, and in 196, the Imperial Capital was controlled by warlords and became a plaything. 196 Cao Cao was ordered to go to heaven, and the burden of pacifying the chaos in the world fell on Cao Cao's shoulders. With Cao's ability, the great cause of world reunification has not yet been completed, but he is still in power. Can Xian Di shoulder the heavy responsibility of calming rivers and lakes? Bai Yang commented on "Let County Records Explain Local Records" and said: "This" Self-Interpretation Local Records "is aboveboard and sincere. He admitted that he had no ambition since he was a child, but the deduction of the current situation pushed him to a high position. After being pushed to a high position, he is riding on the back of a tiger and can't die. He frankly explained the dilemma he faced. This is the unique dilemma of authoritarian regimes. No one can break through, just can't give up military power. " "Most political propaganda is hypocritical, saying lies, big words and empty words. The preciousness of Zi Ming Lu and the loveliness of Cao Cao are different. "