Portrait of Cao Cao
Nowadays, “the second generation of the rich” has become a popular topic in the society, and the discussion about the second generation of the rich is also rising one after another. The rich second generation can inherit a lot of wealth by relying on the hard work of their parents, which directly leads to some children’s lack of enterprising spirit, enjoying success, and becoming rich kids with their parents’ capital. Of course, this is not always the case. There are also some rich second-generation people who are actively enterprising and have created more brilliant achievements. Looking back on the smoke filled Three Kingdoms period, there are also some rich second-generation, perhaps through these childe brothers, we can get some useful enlightenment.
Liu Bei is a generation of heroes. With the help of Zhuge Kongming and other literary ministers and military generals, he created the foundation of Western Shu. How difficult it is! Liu Chan, as Liu Bei’s rich second generation and Liu Bei’s eldest son, was spoiled from childhood. In those days, Zhao Yun saved the child seven times in and seven times out of the thousands of troops in Cao Ying, but Liu Bei threw him on the ground in a rage to appease the general. Maybe there was a problem at that time, and Liu Chan’s IQ was not too high. He was greedy for pleasure, trusted eunuchs, and weak. Zhugeliang could barely compete with Wei and Wu in his time. As soon as Zhugeliang died, the regime of Shu was about to collapse. Until Sima Zhao put him under house arrest, Sima Zhao deliberately arranged Kabuki to perform songs and dances in Sichuan in front of Liu Chan. Liu Chan’s entourage ministers all wept when they saw the Shu dance and thought of the ruined homeland. However, Liu Chan shamelessly said, “I don’t miss Shu here for fun.”. The idiom “happy not to think of Shu” was born from then on. It’s really a “helpless ah Dou”!
Take another look at the state of Wei. Cao Cao was a hero for a long time, but he hesitated and contradicted on the issue of establishing an heir. One was Cao Pi, and the other was Cao Zhi. Who was established to be his successor? Cao Pi’s political ability is outstanding, but Cao Cao has always preferred Cao Zhi, but Cao Cao finally chose Cao Pi. From today’s perspective, these two rich second-generation people have obvious advantages. Cao Pi inherited his father’s political skills and dared to abolish Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty and then claim the title of emperor himself. Compared with Cao Cao, Cao Pi accomplished his father’s unfinished business. Cao Zhi inherited his father’s romantic talent and carried forward his father’s vigorous poetic style. Until the critical moment of life and death, he could also use things to express his feelings and recite the world’s unique seven step poem with grief and indignation. It is really “talented”! But what the country needs is political means, but it is not literary talent. Cao Zhi is arrogant, greedy and spoils things. How miserable the outcome is! However, Cao Pi changed his father’s view of himself with a little tricks, and finally achieved a foundation, and it seemed more sinister and treacherous. At best, Cao Cao only coerced the emperor to order the princes, but Cao Pi directly pulled down the Emperor Xian of Han Dynasty and destroyed the Eastern Han Dynasty.
When you go to the state of Wu south of the Yangtze River, you can see that Sun Jian was the founder of the state of Wu. He basically laid the territory of the later state of Wu before his death. It is the so-called “tiger father has no dog son”. His two sons, sun CE and Sun Quan, are also very talented. However, the bully sun CE inherited his father’s hot temper, causing him to be killed by a cold arrow. However, he capsized in the gutter and died young. Before he died, sun CE also told his younger brother Sun Quan to say, “take all the people in Jiangdong, decide between the two formations, and compete with the world. You are not as good as me. Take talents and appoint abilities, and do your best to protect Jiangdong. I am not as good as you.” It seems that sun CE knows his brother who “can’t attack but is good at defending”. Sun Quan did later save the six counties and eighty-one prefectures of Soochow when he was in power, but his hesitation before the battle of Chibi still shows his weakness of worrying about gain and loss, not thinking about progress, and being content with a small fortune. After the battle of Chibi, there were three pillars. He didn’t go to fight against Cao Cao with the Western Shu, but always thought about returning to Jingzhou, which was lent to Liu Bei. Finally, he failed to carry forward the eastern Wu, and at best, he just kept the foundation laid by his father and brother.
From these rich second-generation people in the Three Kingdoms period, it is not difficult to summarize a rule: the success and glory of their parents’ generation ultimately belong to their parents. If they want to achieve a career, or even surpass the blue, it is not a long-term plan to bear the aura of their parents, and they must rely on their unremitting efforts.