“That is where you are wrong.” The response was immediate; sharp and intentionally jarring. And it was true, in regards to several concerns. There were many ways in which one may learn from their mistakes; one of which was to study the past in preparation for the future through tactics of war and strategy. Stratagems could be learned from texts, and of course experience, but it also came from understanding others. Their own plans and motivations for one, and second to that was considering how their minds worked. Personality played a large part in it as well, as it often dictated what kind of tactics would be deployed. That was the art of war, or a fraction of it, though it was not necessarily the point Cao Cao intended to nail down.
“Considering the thoughts and aspirations of others provides insight.” Like Guo Jia, for an example. What would his take on their current situation be were he alive and well? Would he have suggested aught else, or would it have all fallen into place? “–And if you truly strive for betterment, my son, I suggest that you begin there.” And yes, while the comparison of his two sons was unjust, never once had he expressed that Pi become anything than less than he saw fit.
“Were he still with us, you would still be by my side, providing your interest in furthering the future of Wei were, indeed, still applicable.” He glanced at Cao Pi from the corner of his eye, picking out only pieces of his son’s apathy before his own gaze returned to the quickly-setting sun.
“Your time in the sun or shadow is wholly dependent no one but yourself.”
It was not an unexpected response, but still one that would garner Cao Pi’s full attention. He was not about to question his father’s words – he was right, more than right about it. Still he knew not where to begin in doing such a thing, for he did not have the mindset of others. It proposed a challenge to begin to emulate any of them. It would certainly take some time to consider, long after the battle was won; but he was certain that with how his father expressed it, it was imperative for his future.
In truth he hated to think of those lost. The reminder of finality, of never seeing them again, often brought a feeling of regret to him – it was perhaps one reason he avoided considering them. Even so, his expression went from that of certainty to humbled by his father’s insight. His mind wandered far from where they stood, to the distant memories of his brother; but not what of he would have done were he here. He could not if he wanted to.
What troubled him was that not only could he not presume an answer to his internal question, but the realization came to him that he could hardly recall anything of his brother any longer. He knew with the utmost of certainty that Ang had a heart of gold, yet memories of it did not remain – a blurred smile, a voice he could no longer recognize. Remembering words spoken to him, but not the tone of which they had been said. Eleven years had passed since then, and Cao Pi was now almost the same age as his brother was when he had perished.
He was hesitant to speak his name as though a forbidden word, lips having parted long before any word was uttered. “You knew Zixiu far more than I, yet seldom do you speak of him. Were he with us, would he be confident in our position, or cautiously optimistic?”
i. First and foremost, please do not steal my headcanons, my graphics, or anything of the sort. I put a lot of thought and care into those. Thank you~!
ii. Cao Pi is not always a nice guy. He can be a sadist and has a crude sense of humour. He doesn't put up with stupidity, and has a lack of patience at times. Do take this in mind that he IS a prince/emperor depending on the timeline, and will more than likely take great offense to being treated like a peasant. Especially if it’s intentional.
iii. Goes without saying, but Cao Pi and I are not the same. He can be a real jerk sometimes, but that doesn’t reflect how I feel, ye? I swear I'm a nice person fkdjlgkj--
iv. Please don’t godmod. That also goes without saying!
v.I don’t accept M!A’s unless posted otherwise. I get pretty bored with them.
vi.I’m totally chill with following/rping with other Cao Pi blogs! I love seeing 'em~
vii.This blog is selectively multiship. Cao Pi is attracted to physical appearance before getting to know someone better, but just ‘cause you’re good looking doesn’t mean he wants a relationship.
- Side note: I will likely not want to ship with you if you are a Lu Xun. Pi/Xun is my otp and I’m very picky about who I write that with whooops.
- I exclusively ship Pi/Mitsunari with sxkichi.
viii. I don’t mind pre-established relationships, so long as it’s discussed first!
ix. OC sons, daughters, siblings or whatever are also okay, again as long as it’s discussed so he doesn’t get bombarded all of a sudden (especially children). I absolutely love family relations, but I also like to know it's coming :'D
x. I WILL NOT SMUT WITH MINORS. I have absolutely no exceptions to this.
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There is freedom waiting for you,
On the breezes of the sky,
And you ask "What if I fall?"
Oh but my darling, What if you fly?
basic information
Name: Cao Pi.
(Pronounced T'sao Pi).
Style name: Zihuan.
Kingdom: Wei.
Role: Prince/Emperor.
Age: 27
Height: 6'0" (182cm)
DOB: December 23, 187AD.
Death: June 29, 226AD.
Western Zodiac: Capricorn.
Chinese Zodiac: Fire Tiger.
Element: Ice.
Weapon: Dual blade.
history
From a young age, Cao Pi had exceptional talent. He was "the perfect child" as quoted by others, and was also said to have quite the bashful side in his youth. He was the third son of Cao Cao who was known as the King of Wei and Hero of Chaos, and his mother was Lady Bian.
In these early years, he honed his talents in swordsmanship and archery, until he was able to wield almost any weapon ambidextrously, and shoot a bow with great precision from horseback. His skills only improved as his age progressed.
Exceptional as he was, however, he was not initially heir to the throne; his elder half-brother named Cao Ang was. Cao Ang was a man that Cao Pi looked up to greatly, and out of all of his siblings, he felt the strongest bond with him. Often he would follow his brother around, eagerly watching and learning from him. In turn, he was a particular favourite to Cao Ang.
Their time shared was short-lived. When the events of Wancheng occurred, Cao Pi was about ten years old and had almost lost his own life that day. Cao Ang himself had given their father his horse to escape, and he was left behind on the battlefield, never to be seen again.
The loss of his elder brother struck him hard, as it did for many. Coming to terms with never seeing him again, hearing his voice - it was impossible for him. Cao Pi had shut down, wallowing in depression, distancing himself from all those around him. While his connection to his father appeared to improve, he rarely offered a second glance to his brothers and sisters any longer. During his nights of grief, Cao Pi made the decision to do everything he could to succeed his brother. He changed, and was no longer the kind and sweet boy he was before, but rather a hard working and devoted son.
While ambidextrous, he wrote only with his right hand. Cao Pi was an excellent writer; he loved literature and poetry like his father and wrote over a hundred articles on various subjects. He wrote Yàn Gē Xíng, the first Chinese poem in the style of seven syllables per line.
In 200 AD following Yuan Shao's defeat at the hands of Wei, Cao Pi would meet Lady Zhen, who was Yuan Shao's daughter-in-law. He fell in love with her and married her not long after. She bore him two children; his son and heir Cao Rui, and a daughter. However, there were whispers of Cao Rui not truly belonging to Cao Pi, but to Lady Zhen's previous husband due to her pregnancy shortly after their meeting. As such, it was possible that their only child together was really Princess Dongxiang. Even though it was possible, Cao Pi disregarded those rumours and treated Rui as blood.
Wei's victories and morale only continued to grow, until the time came when they faced against the Wu and Shu alliance at Chibi. Cao Pi was left with a physical reminder of Wei’s failure at that time. With their massive fleet, everything was in their favour until the wind changed direction. Through Wu and Shu's schemes, the entirety of Wei's naval fleet was set ablaze, and they were forced to retreat in shame.
As the flames grew higher and he fled from battle, he was struck by falling debris from the ships, which burned through his attire and left a painful wound on his back. By the time he was treated, it was already too severe to heal completely. When he recalls that battle, he notes that he still feels the sensation along the scarred skin. It was this event that increased his fear of failure, and ignited his complete and utter disdain for the other kingdoms.
Indeed, he learned from his father's mistakes through the many years - but at what cost, he continued to wonder.
After his father's death, the kingdom was then ruled by Cao Pi. Cao Pi forced Emperor Xian to abdicate his throne to fully wipe out the Han Dynasty, however it caused a rift between him and his sister, Cao Jie, due to her marriage to the emperor. His reign from then on was relatively peaceful. Although some internal conflicts were present, there were no major revolts. Due to his paranoia, he had many eyes and ears within Wei, especially around his siblings. They were his spies and reported anything of interest to him.
Though his reputation was that of a man whose heart was frozen to the core, those who knew him personally knew otherwise. His softness was restricted for his wife and children, and he was more relaxed around a particular few of his generals.
Come his late thirties, he grew ill. It was very slight at first, and he thought little of it. However, as time progressed, it worsened. It continued into coughing fits and to the paleness of his skin. His once perfected talents were now something he struggled with, and his hand shook with each stroke of his brush. He gradually became bedridden and unable to recover from illness, and he died at the age of 38 in the summer of June 29, 226. He was posthumously known as Emperor Wen.
side notes
It's noted that Cao Pi was interested in the supernatural, and set aside his poetry to write the occasional ghost story.
Cao Pi had a fondness for grape wine, speaking highly of its richness and sweetness. He was very tolerant of alcohol, but drank in moderation as he had a tendency to get 'carried away' when far too intoxicated.
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