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Mi Heng, styled Zhengping, was a native of Ban County in Pingyuan Commandery during the Three Kingdoms period. He possessed an upright yet arrogant personality, coupled with a sharp wit and eloquence. Looking down upon everyone, he treated those less talented than himself with utter contempt, making him widely disliked. Though exceptionally gifted, he…
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After being betrayed by Lü Bu and losing Xuzhou, Liu Bei sought refuge with Cao Cao, using Cao Cao’s influence to eliminate Lü Bu. Later, Cao Cao took complete control of Xuzhou and placed Liu Bei under house arrest. Liu Bei bided his time, waiting for an opportunity. Eventually, when Yuan Shu attempted to…
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After leveraging Cao Cao’s forces to capture Xuzhou and eliminate Lü Bu, Cao Cao did not return Xuzhou to Liu Bei. Instead, he appointed his trusted subordinate Che Zhou as the new Governer of Xuzhou and brought Liu Bei to Xuchang. Ostensibly, this was to present him at court for rewards, but in reality,…
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When asked who the wisest man in Romance of the Three Kingdoms is, most would instantly answer Zhuge Liang. Yet there exists a figure—mentioned only briefly in the original text—who was not merely a scholar, but a mastermind whose influence shaped the course of history, despite never wielding a sword or commanding an army.
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After Cao Cao moved the capital to Xuxian and welcomed Emperor Xian, tensions arose between them. The emperor wrote an edict in blood, sewed it into a girdle, and secretly passed it to Dong Cheng. Dong Cheng claimed to have received the secret edict and gathered allies in an attempt to assassinate Cao Cao.…
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The “Green Plum and Wine” episode is a classic scene from Chapter 21 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms, titled “Cao Cao Brews Wine and Discusses Heroes,” depicting Cao Cao testing Liu Bei’s political ambitions through a banquet. This reveals Cao Cao’s great appreciation for Liu Bei’s abilities. It could even be said that…
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The year 199 AD marked a pivotal turning point in the life of Liu Bei, transforming him from a politically constrained and closely watched vassal under Cao Cao into an independent warlord once again. This dramatic shift—from subservience in Xuchang to open rebellion in Xu Province (Xuzhou) —was not sudden, but the culmination of…
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In 199 AD, after suppressing unrest in Henei, Cao Cao stationed his troops at Aocang. Why did he choose to garrison his forces at Aocang near Luoyang instead of returning directly to Xudu?
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The “Girdle Edict” or “Girdle Decree” incident is a core plot in chapters 20 to 24 of Romance of the Three Kingdoms. It depicts Emperor Xian of Han’s secret plan to resist Cao Cao’s control, symbolizing the intensified conflict between imperial power and powerful ministers in the late Han dynasty. The plot was eventually…