After the Gao Pingling Rebellion, Sima Yi held the supreme power of the Cao Wei regime. After Sima Yi's death, his eldest son Sima Shi took over as auxiliary minister and became Cao Wei's new minister. In the first year of Zhengyuan (254), Sima Shi deposed Emperor Cao Fang of Wei, intending to establish Cao Cao, the son of Cao Cao, who was close to Sima's family, and Cao Gong, the king of Pengcheng, as emperor. This was unanimously opposed by Empress Dowager Guo (Cao Rui's empress) and ministers loyal to the Wei family, and Sima Shi was forced to appoint Cao Chao, the noble township duke, as emperor.
Cao Chao, whose name is Yanshi, was a native of Peiguo County (now Bozhou City, Anhui Province), the grandson of Cao Pi, Emperor Wen of Wei, and the son of Cao Lin, King of the East China Sea. Cao Chao was studious since he was a child, and his talent and wisdom became early, and the people of the time commented that he was "the same as Chen Si (Cao Zhi), and the martial Taizu (Cao Cao)." When Cao Chao succeeded to the throne, he was only 13 years old, and at that time, Cao Wei's military and political power came from Sima Shi, and Cao Chao was like a puppet. As a descendant of Cao Cao, Cao Chao secretly forbears and plans to regain power.
In the second year of Zhengyuan (255), Sima Shi died in Xuchang due to eye disease after the rebellion of the Zhendong general Biqiu Jian and Yangzhou Assassin Shi Wenqin. When the news reached Luoyang, Cao Chao was overjoyed and realized that this was a great opportunity to reclaim military power. Therefore, Cao Chao issued an edict ordering Sima Zhao to stay in Xuchang, and at the same time sent Shangshu Fu Yan, who was loyal to the Wei family, to "lead the six armies back to Beijing". Once the army returned to Beijing, Cao Chao could officially take over the army and take back the military power controlled by the Sima family. It's a pity that the cunning Sima Zhao saw through Cao Chao's mind at a glance, Sima Zhao refused to hand over the army to Fu Hao, and personally led the army back to Luoyang, so that Cao Chao's plan completely failed, and had to accept the established facts, and worship Sima Zhao as the general, the Sima family was able to survive the crisis smoothly, and Cao Chao lost the last chance to change his life against the sky.
Then, Sima Zhao began to plot to stand on behalf of Wei, and Cao Chao's power was also deprived like a sausage, and Cao Chao's surroundings were covered with Sima Zhao's eyeliner, and Cao Chao's every move was closely monitored by Sima Zhao, like a prisoner. Cao Chao knew that Sima Zhao's intention to usurp the throne was well known to passers-by, and Cao Chao, who was unwilling to be the king of the dead country, would definitely make the last effort. On the sixth night of the fifth month of the fifth month of Ganlu (260), Cao Chao ordered the only redundant servants loyal to the Wei family, such as Li Zhao and Jiao Bo, a servant of the Yellow Gate, to deploy hundreds of armor soldiers in Lingyuntai, and at the same time summoned Wang Shen, Wang Jing of Shangshu, and Wang Ye of Sancai, and called on them to fight out of the palace gate and crusade against Sima Zhao. It's a pity that Wang Shen and Wang Ye turned around and ran out of the palace gate to Sima Zhao Gaomi, and Cao Chao also lost the possibility of catching Sima Zhao off guard.
Even so, Cao Chao was still determined to crusade against Sima Zhao, and he generously addressed the palace guards who had been temporarily summoned. Then, Cao Chao personally led this group of "rabble" out of the palace gate, Sima Zhao's younger brother Tun Cavalry Captain Sima Ling and his subordinates saw Cao Chao personally leading the team, and they didn't know what to do for a while, and the soldiers under his command scattered and fled. Cao Chao successfully fought out of the palace and ran to Sima Zhao's mansion. Sima Zhao had to let his cronies Jia Chong lead the troops to intercept him, Cao Chao personally fought with a sword, and the soldiers under Jia Chong's command saw the emperor's car, and they didn't know what to do for a while, and everyone wanted to retreat. Just when Jia Chong was about to be defeated, the prince asked Jia Chong what to do? Jia Chong was worried that no one would carry the black cauldron, so he instructed Cheng Ji to kill Cao Chao. "Two stunned" Chengji, bent on "making contributions" for the Sima family, unceremoniously stabbed Cao Chao to death with a spear, and after Cao Chao's death, his guards scattered and fled.
Soon after, Sima Zhao rushed to Cao Chao's corpse and pretended to cry, and exterminated the three clans of Chengji as a scapegoat for killing the king. Cao Chao was killed on the street, which caused a huge shock at the time, the dignified son of heaven was violently killed on the street, Sima Zhao's reputation was completely stinking, and the rhythm of Sima Zhao's usurpation was also completely disrupted. Cao Chao used his life to defend the last dignity of the Cao Wei Dynasty. also made Cao Wei, the regime that should have been the first to perish in the Three Kingdoms, dragged to the second, Cao Chaocheng can be said to be Cao Wei's last "tough guy".
Lu Bi commented on Cao Chao and said: "The noble townsman is erudite and inquisitive, Zhenxiang is self-narrating, and his writing is brilliant. is subject to power and rape, deeply jealous of his talent, and died tragically at a young age, which can be sighed. ”