Three Kingdoms

Chapter 23 Cao Pi Proclaims Emperor
After Cao Cao's death, Cao Zhang led an army of [-] to Xuchang.Cao Pi turned pale with shock.He hurriedly sent Jia Kui, an admonisher, to persuade Cao Zhang not to rebel.Jia Kui was very eloquent, and he persuaded the brave and foolish Cao Zhang with a few words.Cao Zhang handed over the military power to Cao Pi, and after attending the funeral for Cao Cao, he went back to Yanling to guard.

Cao Pi was also afraid that Cao Zhi would compete for his throne, so he hurriedly called Cao Zhi back to Xuchang.Cao Pi wanted to put Cao Zhi to death.Cao Pi's mother refused to let Cao Pi kill Cao Zhi.Hua Xin suggested to Cao Pi that he asked Cao Zhi to compose a poem within seven steps. If he couldn't compose it, he would kill him; if he could compose it, he would let Cao Zhi go.

Cao Zhi wrote a poem in seven steps.Cao Pi refused to give up, and ordered Cao Zhi to write a poem with the title of brothers.

Cao Zhi wrote it right away.After Cao Pi demoted Cao Zhi to be the Marquis of Anxiang, he didn't embarrass Cao Zhi anymore.

As early as when Cao Pi harmed Cao Zhi, Cao Xiong committed suicide in fear of crime.

Liu Bei, the king of Hanzhong, was restless all day when he heard the news that Cao Pi was intimidating Emperor Han.Liao Hua rushed back to Chengdu to tell Liu Bei that Liu Feng and Meng Da were very responsible for the murder of Guan Gong and his son, and Liu Feng and Meng Da should be killed first.

Zhuge Liang advises Liu Bei, don't rush to attack Liu Feng and Meng Da.Zhuge Liang used a diversion plan to order Liu Feng and Meng Da to attack each other.After Meng Da and Liu Feng made a plan, they really killed each other, and Meng Da surrendered to Cao Pi.Liu Feng was finally killed by Liu Bei.

After Cao Pi became king, he rewarded the ministers of civil and military affairs.All bureaucrats in the court, big and small, wanted Cao Pi to be emperor.

Cao Pi's counselor Hua Xin and others rushed into the palace and threatened the Emperor Han to abdicate to Cao Pi.Cao Hong and Cao Xiu also led troops into the palace to force Emperor Han to abdicate and let Cao Pi become emperor.Emperor Han was afraid that Hua Xin, Cao Hong and others would kill him, so he had to give way to Cao Pi.

Cao Pi ascended to the Zen platform, changed the name of the country to Wei, and posthumously named Cao Cao Taizu Emperor Wu.

Liu Bei was terrified when he learned that Cao Pi had usurped the throne.Zhuge Liang and other civil and military ministers also asked Liu Bei to proclaim himself emperor.Liu Bei disagreed, but Zhuge Liang and others persuaded him again and again, and Liu Bei reluctantly agreed.

After Liu Bei proclaimed himself emperor, the country was named Shuhan.Liu Chan was made the prince, Zhuge Liang was made the prime minister, and all civil and military ministers were rewarded.

(End of this chapter)