As for Cao Cao's success and Dong Zhuo's failure, this statement is very inaccurate. If Dong Zhuo had been more careful and had not been killed by Lu Bu by Wang Yun, it would have been very successful from Dong Zhuo's personal point of view. But this has little to do with "relying on the emperor to make the princes".
Regardless of personal success or failure, let's look at the difference between the two.
First, when Dong Zhuo entered Beijing, the Han court was still the master of the world, and the central government was still intact.
Dong Zhuo's "holding the emperor to make the princes" is not only autocratic and evil, but the most serious problem is to abolish the little emperor, establish the Xian Di, and finally kill the little emperor, which leads to mutual anger between heaven and man.
When Cao Cao "held the emperor to make the princes", Xian Di had become the world's abandoned Lord, and the Han Dynasty had existed in name only. If Cao Cao didn't meet the son of heaven, no one would blame him. On the contrary, after welcoming the son of heaven, some careerists took the opportunity to vilify the son of heaven, bribing people's hearts under the banner of punishing Cao Cao and helping the Han family.
Cao Cao did not cater to the son of heaven, and Dong Chengzhi was incapable of abolishing Xian Di and establishing a new monarch. I'm afraid Xian Di's life is safe, but at least his life has not settled down. Most likely, JASON ZHANG, the satrap of Hedong, greeted the Emperor, but his strength was too weak to guarantee the safety of Xian Di. In the end, I'm afraid Xian Di will fall into Yuan Shao's hands. If Xian Di is in Yuan Shao's hands, he should not be stronger than Cao Cao.
Second, the most fundamental difference is that Dong's purpose is to see the attitude of ministers, and he will be proclaimed emperor sooner or later.
The reason why the world governors crusaded against Dong Zhuo together was not only because Dong Zhuo was evil, but also because the world regarded Xian Di as the Lord of * * *.
By the time Cao Cao welcomed the son of heaven, the Han Dynasty had already existed in name only. At this time, Cao Cao stood up and was loyal. Moreover, Cao Cao respected the Han family from beginning to end and did not stand on his own feet as emperor.
Although Dong Zhuo has not yet proclaimed himself emperor, he is still different from Cao Cao. Because Dong Zhuo was killed soon, he proclaimed himself without waiting for the opportunity. Otherwise, I'm afraid Dong Zhuo will nullify Xian Di's independence.
The hereditary replacement of dynasties is an unchangeable historical law. Without the demise of the corrupt dynasty, there can be no birth of a new dynasty. It is unfair to criticize Cao Cao and regard him as a traitor like Dong Zhuo just because Cao Wei replaced the Han Dynasty. Cao Cao's welcoming the son of heaven is still the embodiment of positive energy.
Third, Dong Zhuo did nothing to state affairs and society except cut off dissidents and plunder wealth.
There is no doubt that Cao Cao has taken effective measures in politics, economy, military affairs and culture, and made great contributions to society and history.
Fourth, "relying on the emperor to make the princes" is basically ordering the world in the name of the emperor, the difference is ordering the world to do something.
In the first year of Chuping (190), Wang Rui, the secretariat of Jingzhou, was killed by Sun Jian, and Dong Zhuo summoned Liu Biao to the throne. Liu Biao did not take part in the Kanto warlord's crusade against Dong Zhuo. However, Liu Biao rode alone to his post and sat in Jingzhou for more than ten years. He combined kindness and prestige to make Wan Li clean and the people convinced. Open the school, love the monks, and protect yourself calmly. It is beneficial to the court and the local people.
But this does not mean that Dong Zhuo made contributions to the court and society. Fundamentally speaking, Dong Zhuo wants to strengthen his dominant position. Even if he becomes emperor, he needs someone to guard the square for him.
This is also a routine that Cao Cao often uses to reward the world in the name of the son of heaven, but everyone knows that it is just a routine. Cao Cao worshipped Liu Bei as the left general, and named Yuzhou Animal Husbandry and Yicheng Hou Ting in the name of the son of heaven, but Liu Bei didn't buy it.
Local governors go back on their word because they have no substantive role, and they all want to expand their strength.
Therefore, both Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao are "holding the emperor to make the princes", but they are still very different. If we look at this matter from the perspective of historical development, whether it is to safeguard national unity or split the country, Dong Zhuo's behavior is evil and Cao Cao's behavior is progressive, which may be the fundamental difference between Dong Zhuo and Cao Cao. As for success and failure, later generations have comments.