Wu Zhen, Cao Pi's close friend and adviser, once gave advice to Cao Pi in the "Pizhi Dispute", and was called the "Four Friends" along with Sima Yi, Chen Qun, and Zhu Shuo. However, his life was full of misfortunes.
After the death of Emperor Cao Rong of Wei Ming, he took the opportunity to fall into the well and gave him a bad nickname - "Ugly Marquis", and even with the acquiescence of the imperial court, Wu Ying, the son of Wu Zhen, ran for more than 20 years before changing his nickname to "Weihou".
Although according to the interpretation of the law, "cowardice and ugliness are said to be ugly", Wu Zhen did not act to abuse power or mislead the country, and the so-called "ugly marquis" was obviously out of revenge.
Although Wu Zhen's family and friends felt unhappy for him, neither Emperor Wei Ming nor the Manchu Dynasty "redressed" him. The source of all this misfortune is actually because of Wu Zhen's background.
Wu Zhen, a person who was despised by the elders in his native home during his lifetime and was named infamous after his death, his story makes people think deeply.
Wu Zhen came from a humble background, and his family was a "single family" in Jiyin County, that is, a small family from a poor family. During the Han and Wei dynasties, people attached great importance to status, and people like Wu Zhen from a poor family were able to become Cao Pi's cronies, thanks to Cao Cao's policy of "meritocracy".
Before Cao Cao was a warlord, the selection of the Eastern Han Dynasty was mainly based on "virtue and family", and it was often "cleared" by bureaucrats and doctors. This means that the Hanmen Shu clan who want to take the career must be supported by the family.
Cao Cao was well aware of the dangers of the family's gate valve, and he abandoned the old selection system and began to absorb the children of the poor family. It was in this context that Wu Zhen was selected, and because of his talent and knowledge, he was appreciated by Cao's father and son, and became Cao Pi's cronies.
Wu Zhen's resourcefulness and talent not only helped Cao Pi, but also left a profound influence on him in the literary world.
Wu Zhizi Ji Chong, born in a poor family, when he was young, he interacted with the children of the powerful, looking for opportunities to be officials, but did not interact with the villagers, so he had a bad reputation in his hometown. Cao Cao's "meritocracy" policy opened the door to a career for a talented man, and Wu Zhen was able to enter Cao Cao's shogunate.
Cao Pi and Cao Zhi fell into a tug-of-war in order to compete for the position of crown prince, and Yang Xiu's attitude showed that the gate valve family behind him supported Cao Zhi, which troubled Cao Cao. Cao Pi's arm Liu Zhen was imprisoned for seeing Zhen Mi's beauty, and Wu Zhen, who he trusted, was also sent to the local government as an official, and Cao Pi, who was unwilling to sit still, secretly invited Wu Zhen to discuss countermeasures, but this move was bumped into by Yang Xiu and informed, Cao Pi was therefore suspicious of Cao Cao, and Wu Zhen responded calmly, suggesting that Cao Pi use a large basket of cloth to confuse Cao Cao's subordinates, and finally succeeded in making Cao Cao misunderstand Yang Xiu.
Cao Pi and Cao Zhi saw Cao Cao off together. At the send-off ceremony, Cao Zhi delivered a tirade praising Cao Cao, and Cao Cao was greatly pleased. Cao Pi felt very depressed when he saw his younger brother stealing the limelight.
At this time, Wu Zhen suggested that he just cry, and he cried so much that he was worried about his father and the soldiers. This scene touched Cao Cao and the people present. From these two things, it can be seen that Wu Zhen is resourceful and proficient in the art of power.
He took advantage of Cao Cao's suspicious personality to make him suspect that Yang Xiu was framing Cao Pi. He also taught Cao Pi how to move Cao Cao with sincerity, and Cao Pi's acting talent also helped a lot.
Cao Pi's trust and intimacy with Wu Zhen can be seen. Later, Cao Pi was proclaimed emperor, and Wu Zhen was promoted several levels and worshiped as the general of Beizhonglang, the marquis of the feudal lord, the envoy of the festival, and the military.
For him, who was born in a poor family, this is an opportunity to soar. However, the cruel social reality still dealt him a heavy blow.
Although Wu Zhen was awarded the marquis, his official position was difficult to compare with Sima Yi and Chen Qun. Born in the right to climb and do not interact with the township. Although he was in a high position, he was snubbed by his hometown because he was not "selected by the township".
In the eyes of the family, his title was insignificant. In order to become a high-ranking person, although he tried his best, his household registration still could not be labeled as a "scholar" and could not enjoy the privileges of the nobles.
Cui Lin was born in the "Qinghe Cui Clan", and regarded the history of Youzhou as if he took off his shoes, and did not go to Wu Qian, which shows the contempt of the scholars for the official position of the Shu clan. Wu Zhen was deeply affected by reality, and gradually became "cowardly", making fun of Cao Zhen and yelling at Cao Zhen.
This move seems to be carried away, but in fact, Cao Zhen reminded everyone that he should not be despised by himself. His indignation and regret are evident.
Wu Zhen was not "arrogant" for long, and his backer, Cao Pi, died, which made his spirit almost collapse. Originally, he calculated very well, in terms of age, he was 10 years older than Cao Pi, with Cao Pi's protection, Wu Zhen's life would be smooth sailing, but who knew that Cao Pi had a short life, and he was an emperor who had only been an emperor for less than 7 years.
Despair and fear suddenly surged into his heart, not to mention that he was a blessing, I was afraid that the official position he had won with great difficulty would not be able to be kept. Wu Zhen wrote all kinds of worries into the "Poetry of Simu" written in memory of Cao Pi: "Sorrow and hidden worries, hidden worries are unliveable.
I can't sit on it, and I hesitate to go in and out. Remembering the grace of God, the honor and the differences. Self-proclaimed eternal life, ambition is comfortable. What do you mean to abandon me, abandon me and be yellow. The cocoon was so frightened that tears were like beads.
There is nothing to be gained, and the name of the body is not known. Generous self-esteem, a few fierce husbands. Cao Pi's death dealt a heavy blow to Wu Zhen, and his situation suddenly became very bad.
What is more subtle is that he actually provoked right and wrong again - to the detriment of Chen Qun. Wu Zhen and Zhu Shuo, Sima Yi, and Chen Qun are called Cao Pi's "four friends", and the relationship is not very bad, but after Cao Pi's death, Wu Zhen ran to the new emperor Wei Ming Emperor to praise Sima Yi at the same time, accusing Chen Qun of "not being a national minister", causing Wei Ming Emperor Cao Rong to take Chen Qun's first knife and criticize him for being passive and slacking off.
From this point of view, Wu Zhen, who has always been shrewd, was finally convinced by reality and climbed to a new high branch - Sima Yi, who was born in the Sima clan in Hanoi, tried to cling to one of the gate valves to gain another future for himself when the regime was alternately reshuffled.
The reason why he targeted Chen Qun was that Chen Qun proposed the "Nine Grades Zhongzheng System" after Cao Pi ascended the throne, which was equivalent to abolishing Cao Cao's "meritocracy" policy in one fell swoop, and handed over the talent selection right to the "Zhou Zhongzheng", that is, the local gate valve family.
However, in the end, when Wu Zhen was alive, Emperor Wei Ming always guarded against Sima Yi, so that Wu Zhen could not change his situation, and finally passed away with indignation and regret. Because Wu Zhen constantly provoked the authority of the gate lord family during his lifetime, after his death, these people retaliated with the nickname "ugly marquis", which only traitors have, and wanted to nail him to the pillar of shame in history for 10,000 years.
Wu Zhen's son persevered for more than 20 years before changing his nickname to "Weihou", which was also the reign of Cao Chao, and it was Sima Zhao who was in charge.