Sun Quan did not immediately submit to Wei or declare independence after Cao Pi's enthronement, but took a wait-and-see attitude ; by contrast, in early 221, Liu Bei declared himself emperor, establishing the state of Shu Han.

After Cao Pi's death in 226, for example, Sun Quan launched an attack on Wei's Jiangxia Commandery ( in present-day Xiaogan, Hubei ) but was forced to withdraw as soon as Wei reinforcements arrived.

At the time of Cao Pi's birth, Cao Cao was a mid-level officer in the imperial guards in the capital Luoyang, with no hint that he would go on to the great campaigns he eventually carried out after the collapse of the imperial government in 190.

( Lady Zhen gave birth to Cao Pi's eldest son Cao Rui only eight months later — which created murmurs that Cao Rui might have been biologically Yuan Xi's son and not Cao Pi's, although the possibilities appeared farfetched.

The next immediate reference to Cao Pi's activities was in 211, when he was commissioned to be commander of the imperial guards and deputy prime minister.

After Cao Pi's self-declaration, neither Cao Zhang nor any other individual took action against him.

After news of Cao Pi's ascension ( and an accompanying false rumor that Cao had executed Emperor Xian ) arrived in Liu Bei's domain of Yi Province ( 益州, modern Sichuan and Chongqing ), Liu Bei declared himself emperor as well, establishing Shu Han.

Cao Pi's younger brother, Cao Xiong, was also said to have committed suicide out of fears for his brother.

The match was very close in the middle game when Cao Pi's servants brought some prunes, some of them were poisoned.

Lady Zhen's son Cao Rui was the oldest of Cao Pi's sons, but because she had been put to death and because of Cao Pi's lingering doubt as to his paternity, was not created crown prince.

In the latter engagement, the Chinese military strategist Zhuge Liang from the Kingdom of Shu is well known for his fire attack upon the massive naval fleet of Prime Minister Cao Cao.

Liu Bei's strategist Zhuge Liang had foreseen Cao Cao's defeat and predicted Cao's escape route.

However, the situation shifted after Cao Cao received advice from his strategist Jia Xu, who concluded that changing the general rules of succession ( primogeniture ) would be disruptive — using Yuan Shao and Liu Biao as counterexamples.

Cao's strategist Liu Ye ( 劉曄 ) suggested that Cao decline and instead attack Sun on a second front.

He originally served Shu's rival state, Cao Wei, as a middle-level military officer, but defected to the Shu strategist Zhuge Liang, leaving his mother in Wei.

Since Xu Huang refused to lead the reinforcement to the scene right away, Cao Ren once thought about giving up Fan fortress, but his strategist, Man Chong reminded him that the water level would go down sooner or later and that Sun Quan would attack Guan's rear any time ; thus, Cao Ren told his men that he was willing to defend the city with his own life, and everyone was touched, and agreed to hold out until Xu made his move.

Xun Yu ( 163-212 ) was a strategist and statesman who served as an advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.

* In the visual novel and anime series Koihime Musō, Jun ' iku ( Xun Yu's Japanese name ) also serves as a strategist to Sōsō ( Cao Cao ) and has a huge crush on her.

Guo Jia ( 170 – 207 ) was a strategist and advisor to the warlord Cao Cao during the late Han Dynasty period of Chinese history.

A native of Changyi, Shanyang ( present-day Juye County, Shandong ), Man Chong became a strategist under the warlord Cao Cao.

Meanwhile, Dou, against the advice of his strategist Ling Jing ( 凌敬 ) and his wife Empress Cao, advanced to Hulao in summer 621.

His family was from the Tang Dynasty eastern capital Luoyang, and traced its ancestry to the great Han Dynasty strategist Zhang Liang, as well as a line of officials that served Cao Wei, Jin Dynasty ( 265-420 ), Northern Wei, and Northern Zhou.

When he arrived Dong ' e, Xue Ti ( 薛悌, who became Zhang Liao's strategist in the Battle of Xiaoyao Ford ,) and Zao Zhi ( 枣祗, who invented the Tuntian and urged Cao Cao to implement the system ) already set up defense around the area, so Cheng split his cavalry force out to take control of Cangting ford to block the advance of Lu's strategist, Chen Gong.

Wang Lequan, Wang Zhaoguo, Hui Liangyu, Liu Qi, Liu Yunshan, Li Changchun, Wu Yi, Wu Bangguo, Wu Guanzheng, Zhang Lichang, Zhang Dejiang, Luo Gan, Zhou Yongkang, Hu Jintao, Yu Zhengsheng, He Guoqiang, Jia Qinglin, Guo Boxiong, Cao Gangchuan, Zeng Qinghong, Zeng Peiyan, Wen Jiabao.

It began when the ruler of Wei, Cao Cao, was defeated by Liu Bei and Sun Quan at the Battle of Red Cliffs.

Cao Cao, directly to Yuan Shao's south, was engaged in a struggle against Yuan Shu and Liu Biao, who occupied respectively the Huai River basin and middle Yangtze regions.

Tao Qian received the support of Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan, but even then it seemed as if Cao Cao's superior forces would overrun Xu Province entirely.

In 197, Yuan Shu, who was at odds with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Bei, felt assured of victory with his subordinate's conquests, and thus declared himself emperor of the Cheng Dynasty.

Sun Ce complied, but first convinced Cao Cao to form a coalition against Yuan Shu, of which Liu Bei and Lü Bu were members.

Liu Bei, together with his followers Zhang Fei and Guan Yu, fled to Cao Cao, who accepted him.

Soon, preparations were made for an attack on Lü Bu, and the combined forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei invaded Xu Province.

He collaborated with Liu Bei on this effort, but Cao Cao soon found out about the plot and had Dong Cheng and his conspirators executed, with only Liu Bei surviving and fleeing to join Yuan Shao in the north.

After Cao's defeat at the naval Battle of Red Cliffs in 208 CE, China was divided into three spheres of influence, with Cao Cao dominating the north, Sun Quan ( 182 – 252 CE ) dominating the south, and Liu Bei ( 161 – 223 CE ) dominating the west.

* Liu Bei escapes from Cao Cao at the Battle of Changban.

* Zhou Yu and Liu Bei defeat Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs ; along with the Battle of Yamen and Battle of Lake Poyang, this is one of the largest naval battles in China's history.

* Battle of Ye: Cao Cao lays siege to and captures the Yuan family headquarters of Ye.

In 216, the warlord-statesman Cao Cao detained Hucuquan in the city of Ye, and divided his followers in Shanxi into five divisions: left, right, south, north, and centre.

However, before Yu's departure, he was instructed to travel to Ye to pay his respects at Cao Cao's tomb.

Ma Teng was appointed " Minister of the Guards " by Cao Cao, and the rest of his family moved to Ye.

Cao Cao retreated to Ye, while Liu Bei proceeded to conquer territories in Jiangnan, covering most of southern Jing Province.

Cao gathered his associates Wang Shen, Wang Jing ( 王經 ), and Wang Ye, and told them that he was planning to take action against Sima, even if it would cost him his life, and even though chances of success were slim.

Meanwhile, Wang Shen and Wang Ye secretly deserted Cao and informed Sima about the plot.

Many believed that Cao Cao's order was required before help could be sent, but Xiahou Yuan decided that it would take too long to seek the approval of his lord, who was 51. 67 miles away in Ye City.

In 196, Yuan Shao's prominent position in northern China was recognized by the Imperial court, which was controlled by Cao Cao at the time, as the position of General-in-Chief and the title of Marquis of Ye were granted to him.

After assisting Cao Cao to conquer Ye in 203, Xu Chu was conferred the title of " Marquis of Guannei " ( 關內侯 ).

In 204, Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shang and conquered the city of Ye, whereupon he married Lady Zhen to his son Cao Pi.

Before he departed, Yu was instructed to travel to Ye to pay his respects at Cao Cao's tomb.