Romance of Three Kingdoms Cao Cao (LYL)

Cao Cao began his career as a minor garrison commander but rose to prominence as a general during the suppression of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, which marked the waning years of the Han dynasty. Although he successfully quelled the rebellion, the uprising left the dynasty significantly weakened. Amid the ensuing chaos, the empire fractured into three competing kingdoms.

Seizing the opportunity, Cao Cao established control over the strategic northern region surrounding the emperor’s capital, Luoyang. He took custody of the emperor and relocated the capital to Xuxian (modern-day Xuchang, Henan province). By leveraging the emperor’s authority, he consolidated power over rival generals and gradually assumed imperial privileges. His territory became known as the Kingdom of Wei.

Cao Cao’s military prowess, commanding vast armies—reputedly up to a million soldiers—and his strategic brilliance cemented his place in Chinese history. However, Confucian historians and popular legends often portray him as the quintessential shrewd, ambitious, and unscrupulous figure, embodying the archetype of a cunning villain.