Cao Cao is a legendary figure in Chinese history. In Chen Shou's "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", Cao Cao's trajectory before the age of twenty was quite tortuous, and he was involved in a series of deviant affairs. From dancing, swimming, pickling girls, playing tricks, to fighting, raising eagles, raising dogs, and even according to the wild history, when he was ten years old, he launched the eighteen palms of the dragon and went into the water to fight Jiao, and his childhood life was extremely colorful and amazing.
The exact date of Cao Cao's acquaintance with Yuan Shao is not clearly recorded in the historical records, but it is speculated that it may have been between the first year of Emperor Xiping (172 AD) and the sixth year of Xiping (177 AD). Yuan Shao was about twenty-six years old at the time, and Cao Cao was eighteen years old, and they first met in Luoyang Taixue. Although Cao Cao was quite familiar with the Book of Songs, he was not proficient in the other four classics, and failed to pass the Taixue exam, and finally chose the path of filial piety.
At that time, a large number of unemployed students emerged in Luoyang, and in addition to studying, they often gathered together to discuss state affairs, forming a huge political group, that is, party members. Yuan Shao, as a representative of the Shi clan, gave up his official position, lived in seclusion and made friends with his colleagues, forming a political force with Confucian classics as the theory. This can be said to be the earliest event in China that has had an impact on politics.
Unlike Yuan Shao, Cao Cao was a descendant of eunuchs, and there was a theoretical opposition to the Shi clan. However, due to the relationship between Cao Cao's grandfather Cao Teng and Yuan Shao's uncle Yuan Kui, the two families had a friendship. Cao Cao, Yuan Shao and other young people often make some harmless bad things, such as snatching the bride, showing the bold temperament of their youth.
At a wedding celebration, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao planned to make a new house, but they wanted to rob the bride on a whim. The two sneaked to the new house at night, suddenly shouted "there is a thief", created chaos, and took the opportunity to enter the new house in the front yard. Cao Cao proposed to the bride to go out for two drinks alone to celebrate, and the bride was shocked and wept, causing a commotion. The two kidnapped the bride and fled into the back mountain, and Cao Cao wittily shouted "The thief is here" and successfully threw off the pursuers. This incident highlights Cao Cao's courage and resourcefulness, and shows his instinct to survive in troubled times.
Yuan Shao asked Cao Cao why he shouted to save him, and Cao Cao replied: "The thief shouted to catch the thief, I haven't seen anyone like a chicken thief!" This light-hearted and humorous dialogue reveals Cao Cao's boldness and vigor. Although Yuan Shao was humiliated, Cao Cao's wit made him change his attitude towards Cao Cao.
Afterwards, Yuan Shao became dissatisfied and sent assassins to assassinate Cao Cao. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the Assassin industry was rampant, and it was common to hire assassins privately to settle personal feuds. Yuan Shao hired an assassin who was good at throwing knives to try to assassinate Cao Cao. However, Cao Cao's fate was great, and both of the assassin's throwing knives failed to hit the target. This description vividly shows the frequent assassinations in Luoyang at that time, as well as the intrigue between the wealthy families.
An assassination attempt between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao failed to elicit a genuine hatred, instead contributing to a light-hearted episode between the two. This kind of casual interaction with ridicule and jokes is a rare bright color in troubled times. Cao Cao's boldness, wit, and calm response to crises made him stand out in troubled times and become a hero of the later generation.
The political struggles, academic atmosphere, and social chaos of the late Han Dynasty are vividly displayed in the stories of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. During this period, the power of the wealthy clan was huge, the imperial power was declining, and the scholar party was on the rise. Cao Cao's interaction with Yuan Shao not only reflected the struggle of the scholars at that time, but also showed a flamboyant personality in the troubled times. Their relaxed and peculiar encounter has added a unique touch to Chinese history.