Editor's note: Among the three young emperors after Emperor Wei Ming of the Wei Kingdom, Cao Mao was probably the worst offender, because Cao Fang still supported the King of Qi, and Cao Huan was also granted a title after he abdicated. King Chenliu, as for him, was listed in the historical records as a "noble country prince" who was even lower than the prince. However, Cao Mao, the Duke of Wei Gaogui, who had the highest title among all, did a heroic act that put the other two princes to shame - personally went into battle to defeat Sima Zhao. Although he died on the way to crusade against Sima Zhao, his behavior did not insult Cao Cao's "Wei Wu's whip" spirit.

In fact, under normal circumstances, Cao Mao would not be able to ascend to the position of emperor of Wei. However, after Sima Yi died, Sima Shi did something that Dong Zhuo had done - deposed the emperor. After Wei Qi King Cao Fang was deposed, Sima Shi led the Wei ministers to welcome Cao Mao, the grandson of Wei Wendi Cao Pi and the then Gaogui Township Duke.

However, after welcoming Cao Mao, I am afraid Sima Shi began to regret it. First of all, during the process of the officials welcoming Cao Mao, Cao Mao's performance was remarkable: the people who greeted him asked him to go to the front hall. He said that was the place where the late emperor stayed before, and I, a minister, could not go; After Li's people took him to Luoyang, the ministers of Wei State greeted him, and he immediately came down to return the courtesy. When others said that he did not have to return the courtesy, he insisted on returning the courtesy and said that I am also a minister of the emperor. The people who greeted him asked him to enter the palace by car. He said that the Queen Mother summoned me and she didn’t know what to do. How could I, a minister, enter the palace by car? He insisted on walking.

Finally, after Cao Mao truly became the emperor, Master Sima, who had watched Cao Mao’s performance throughout the whole process, went to find Zhong Hui, his senior staff officer. He asked Zhong Hui: “Have you also seen what happened today? What kind of person do you think he is?" Zhong Hui, who finally destroyed Shu, answered directly in eight words: "Cai Tong Chen Si, the great ancestor of martial arts!" Chen Si was talking about Chen. Si Wang Cao Zhi, Taizu is talking about Wei Wu Emperor Cao Cao, well, Zhong Hui means that Cao Mao has Cao Zhi's talent and Cao Cao's courage. Although Zhong Hui's evaluation may be exaggerated, we can also see from this that Cao Mao's literary talent and military strategy were also good at that time.

After listening to Zhong Hui's words, Sima Shiyan said sincerely: "If it is as you say, the country will be blessed!" If Cao Mao really has such a talent, then Cao Mao will indeed become the emperor of Wei. It is the blessing of Cao Wei's society, but it is definitely not the blessing of the Sima family. However, no matter how regretful Master Sima was, he could only swallow the bitter fruit he had brewed. More than a year later, King Sima Jing "died in Xuchang".

This can be regarded as an achievement achieved by Cao Mao. After all, his predecessor Cao Fang survived Sima Yi, so he had to survive a Sima division. As his successor, Cao Huan also achieved An achievement - surviving Sima Zhao to death. It is a pity that although Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty Liu Xie survived Cao Cao to death, he was still forced to abdicate by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi. Although Cao Huan survived Sima Zhao to death, he was also forced to abdicate by Sima Zhao's son Sima Yan. , I can only say that it’s time and luck!

Although Cao Mao defeated Sima Shi, he still had to let Sima Zhao succeed him as general because the Sima family had become a general. After that, he had to promote Sima Zhao's position again and again, first making him the governor, fake Huangyue, and then promoted Sima Zhao to the prime minister, granted the title of Duke of Jin, and added Jiuxi. After Sima Zhao openly refused once, Cao Mao was forced to continue to promote Sima Zhao to the rank of prime minister, be granted the title of Duke of Jin, and be awarded the title of Jiuxi. This time, Sima Zhao finally accepted, and four months later, Cao Mao died.

In Chen Shou's "Three Kingdoms", we can only see "In the summer and April of the fifth year, the general Sima Wen returned to the throne and became the prime minister of the country, was granted the title of Duke of Jin, and added nine tins" and the following "In May, the Duke of Gaogui Township died at the age of twenty". But in "Han, Jin, Spring and Autumn", we can see the truth behind this: Cao Mao, who couldn't bear the humiliation, said the famous saying "Sima Zhao's heart is known to passers-by", and also mobilized hundreds of child servants around him to He personally led them and prepared to attack Sima Zhao, a rebellious traitor.

Then, the Cao family, who was better than Cao Zhi in literature and Cao Cao in martial arts, hoped that the weak emperor of Wei would die on the way to attack Sima Zhao. After his death, his death in the history books was not a "collapse" but a "death".