In the midst of the vicissitudes of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao, with his extraordinary political and military talents, became the overlord of the north. In the south, the alliance between Liu Bei and Sun Quan, although sometimes wavering, also constituted an effective containment of Cao Cao. Such a three-legged trend is actually more inclined to the confrontation between the two major forces of Cao and Sun Liu.
Cao Cao, the prime minister, if it weren't for a few major mistakes in his career, his power might have been more stable. One of the most criticized mistakes is a disaster caused by his personal affairs.
It was when Cao Cao was gradually unifying North China by force and resourcefulness, and a young general named Zhang Xiu, who inherited his uncle's military power, became a potential threat to Cao Cao. Cao Cao did not wait for time, that is, he led his army south, intending to fight a quick battle. Seeing this, Zhang Xiu knew the disparity in strength between the two sides, so he chose to surrender, hoping to save the lives of himself and his subordinates.
Cao Cao was pleased with this move, but his desire caused a new storm at this time of peace. He had a bad idea for Zhang Xiu's aunt, Mrs. Zou, and finally forcibly took her away. Although Zhang Xiu had surrendered, he was furious in the face of such a humiliation, so he raised troops to fight back in the night.
Although this sudden rebellion did not directly threaten Cao Cao's life, it led to the tragic death of Cao Cao's beloved eldest son Cao Ang, as well as his nephew Cao Anmin and his confidant Dian Wei. Cao Cao made a big mistake due to his selfish desires, not only lost his relatives, but also cast a shadow on his own power.
This incident left an indelible pain in Cao Cao's heart. Every night in the dead of night, Cao Cao would sigh alone and regret not being at the beginning. And this rebellion caused by selfish desires has also become an unavoidable mistake in Cao Cao's life, which makes future generations' evaluation of this hero's life more complicated.
Hua Tuo, a genius who has made revolutionary contributions in the field of medicine, his medical skills are superb, and he has created many medical miracles, the most famous of which is Ma Boiling San, which made ancient surgery possible. Cao Cao himself suffered from headaches, which could not be cured for a long time, and after hearing about Hua Tuo's name, he invited him to come for treatment.
After Hua Tuo's diagnosis, he proposed a craniotomy to Cao Cao. This was undoubtedly a bold and avant-garde solution at the time. However, Cao Cao, as a generation of heroes, was suspicious and could not fully trust Hua Tuo, coupled with his fear and incomprehension of craniotomy, which eventually led to his extreme behavior towards Hua Tuo - to put him to death.
As soon as this happened, there was an uproar. Cao Cao's army, inside and outside the court, all regretted Hua Tuo's misfortune. Hua Tuo's death is not only a great loss to the medical community, but also a personal tragedy for Cao Cao. Because shortly after Hua Tuo's death, Cao Cao's headache aggravated, affecting his health and even decision-making, which became a big regret in his later years.
The story of Cao Cao and Hua Tuo has been repeatedly mentioned by later generations, and every time it is talked about, it will arouse some emotion. If Cao Cao can let go of his doubts, maybe his life will have a different direction, and if Hua Tuo was not wrongfully killed, how much medical legacy will he leave for future generations?
At the beginning, Liu Bei lost almost everything under Lu Bu's scheme, and when he was displaced, he chose to defect to Cao Cao. Cao Cao, as an outstanding military strategist and statesman, his big-picture view and human insight allowed him to make correct judgments on many occasions. However, when facing Liu Bei, he unexpectedly chose to be merciful.
Cao Cao took in Liu Bei and joined forces with him to jointly plot to encircle and suppress Lü Bu, and finally captured this momentary male in Xiapi. In Cao Cao's eyes, Liu Bei was just a pawn at that time, and he never really saw it as a potential threat. But it was this overly lenient decision that sowed the seeds of endless bane that followed.
Cao Cao did not kill Liu Bei and let him temporarily settle under his wing, but he never expected that this seemingly gentle Han clan member would become the biggest obstacle to his dream of unifying the world in the future. Liu Bei's talent and charm were gradually revealed, he not only gained the hearts of the people, but also divided the world with Sun Quan and Cao Cao after the Battle of Chibi.
If Cao Cao had made up his mind at that time to cut off this future adversary, history might have gone very differently. Although Sun Quan is a hero, if he only confronts Cao Cao, the result is unpredictable. However, Cao Cao's compassion achieved Liu Bei's rise, but also laid an insurmountable obstacle for himself.
Guan Yu, the word cloud is long, is a brave military general during the Three Kingdoms period, and he is Liu Bei's sworn brother. Cao Cao captured Guan Yu in a battle, but after many admonitions, he chose an unusual path. Cao Cao admired Guan Yu's martial bravery and loyalty, and not only did not harm him, but regarded him as a guest and treated him with great courtesy.
In that troubled era, Cao Cao's decision was undoubtedly particularly prominent. He said to Guan Yu: "Yun Chang, my appreciation for you is not out of chance, but I really value your character and talent. Although Guan Yu insisted on being loyal to Liu Bei and unwilling to betray his brotherhood, Cao Cao still treated him with courtesy, and even gave him elite soldiers and strong horses, hoping to touch his heart.
Cao Cao's approach caused a lot of controversy at the time. His advisers persuaded one after another: "Guan Yu is a fierce tiger on the battlefield, if he is released into the mountains and forests, he will become a great disaster in the future." However, Cao Cao insisted on his opinion, believing that Guan Yu's character deserved respect, and decided to let him go even if Guan Yu did not submit to him.
The consequences of this decision were predicted by the strategists, and after Guan Yu returned to Liu Bei, he became a major threat to Cao Cao's forces. His bravery and resourcefulness thwarted Cao Cao's plans several times. Cao Cao's decision, which was called "misplaced Guan Yu" by later generations, was a major failure in his political career.
Sima Yi, a hidden wise man, his composure and unfathomable have always made Cao Cao jealous. Although Cao Cao was extremely perceptive and could see through the essence of many people, in front of Sima Yi, he could never let go of the stone in his heart. Cao Cao has expressed his doubts about Sima Yi to his cronies many times: "Yi's mind is unfathomable, although I use it, it will be difficult to feel at ease." ”
Throughout his life, Cao Cao maintained a complex attitude towards Sima Yi that was both used and guarded. He had tried to weaken Sima Yi's power, but he couldn't completely cut off the talent of this expert. When Cao Cao was dying, he even left a will, warning his son Cao Pi: "Sima Yi, don't be gullible." ”
However, after Cao Pi and Cao Rong succeeded to the throne, although they maintained a certain degree of vigilance against Sima Yi, under the balance of power and political needs, they gradually relaxed their guard against Sima Yi and even reused it. Sima Yi's position in the Cao Wei court became increasingly solid, and his ambitions gradually became apparent.
In the end, after Cao Ei's death, Sima Yi no longer hid his ambitions, and launched the Gao Pingling Rebellion that shocked the government and the opposition, completely grasped the power of Cao Wei, and marginalized the Cao family. The Sima family eventually replaced Cao Wei and established the Jin Dynasty, achieving the hegemony of the Sima family.
Cao Cao's mistrust of Sima Yi and the excessive trust of his descendants in this far-sighted statesman became one of the important reasons for the fall of the Cao Wei dynasty. On the night when the hero ended, perhaps Cao Cao's soul in the heavenly spirit would also sigh, was his decision wise or short-sighted? This turning point in history has become an endless discussion and reflection for future generations.
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