Why didn’t Cao Cao marry the talented Cai Wenji?

The editor feels that Cao Cao does have a special emotion for Cai Wenji, but this emotion has nothing to do with Fengyue. In the past, Cao Cao studied under Cai Yong, so it can be said that Cai Wenji was Cao Cao's junior sister. The two had been in contact for a period of time when they were young. When Dong Zhuo raised his troops and took power, Dong Zhuo once threatened Cai Yong by destroying the entire Cai family and asked him to serve as an official under his command. In desperation, Cai Yong had no choice but to serve as an official, and was granted the title of Zuo Zhonglang General and Gaoyang Township Marquis by Emperor Xian of the Han Dynasty. Although Cai Wenji is a woman, she inherited her father's legacy in literature, calligraphy, music, etc. At that time, Cai Wenji was a talented woman who was famous all over the world.

At first, Cai Wenji was married to a great talent from the Wei family in Hedong. After the marriage, the couple was very loving, but unfortunately, the talented Wei family died young. After becoming a widow, Cai Wenji had no choice but to return to her parents' family. After Dong Zhuo was killed, Cai Yong, who was implicated by him, was imprisoned. While Cai's family was fleeing in all directions, the Huns also happened to loot the city of Chang'an. Then the beautiful woman Cai Wenji was captured by King Zuoxian of the Huns and taken to a bitter cold place. Cai Wenji, who had lived in a bitter cold land for more than ten years, even gave birth to two sons for King Zuo Xian.

Twelve years later, Cao Cao finally led his army to unify the north. By chance, Cao Cao heard that the princess of King Zuoxian of the Xiongnu was his former junior sister Cai Wenji. Out of personal feelings, Cao Cao threatened Cai Wenji with an army while spending a lot of money to redeem Cai Wenji from the Central Plains. After returning to the Central Plains, Cai Wenji relied on her memory to write more than 400 classics for Cao Cao. For a time, the name of Cai Wenji, a talented woman, resounded throughout the Central Plains again. Later, Cao Cao did not take Cai Wenji as his concubine. Instead, he asked his school captain Dong Si to marry Cai Wenji.

Dong Si, who was in his 20s, was very talented and won Cao Cao's trust. But you must know that Cai Wenji was not only nearly forty years old at that time, she had also been married three times and gave birth to two children by the Huns. It can be said that Dong Si married Cai Wenji not very willingly. Dong Si more obeyed Cao Cao's arrangements. Everyone knows that Cao Cao has a problem, that is, he likes to forcibly marry the widows of his deceased enemies. It stands to reason that Cai Wenji is Cao Cao's childhood sweetheart, and she is also a talented woman in the world. Why doesn't Cao Cao accept her as his concubine?

Cai Wenji has long been known as a talented woman in the Central Plains. Cao Cao may have had a different affection for her when he was young. But Cai Wenji, who has lived in a bitter cold land for many years, has given birth to children twice. Presumably when she returned to the Central Plains, she was no longer the beauty she once was. Could Cao Cao be interested in Cai Wenji, who is aging and losing beauty? You must know that Cao Cao forcibly married the widows of his deceased enemies, not just for the beauty of the widows. He still used this to win over people's hearts and appease the forces that surrendered to him. After returning to the Central Plains, Cai Wenji was not only old and beautiful, but also had no power behind her that Cao Cao needed to win over. Why did Cao Cao force her to be his concubine?

The reason why Cao Cao spent a lot of money to redeem Cai Wenji from the Central Plains was partly because Cao Cao remembered the kindness taught by his former mentor Cai Yong. On the other hand, it is to buy horse bones for thousands of dollars and gain Cai Wenji's reputation as a talented woman. Redeeming his junior sister to the Central Plains will not only allow Cao Cao to win a good reputation as a nostalgic woman, but he can also use Cai Wenji's reputation as a talented woman to recruit knowledgeable people. Let Cai Wenji marry the talented Dong Si, isn't it the kind of talented and beautiful people people would like to see? Unexpectedly, after Cai Wenji and Dong Si got married, Dong Si alienated Cai Wenji because he was busy with government affairs. Shortly afterwards, Dong Si was sentenced to death by Cao Cao for breaking the law. When Cai Wenji learned that her husband was about to be executed by Cao Cao, she immediately begged Cao Cao to plead for her husband. At that time, Cao Cao was very embarrassed. He said to Cai Wenji: The document of condemnation has been sent out. How can he convince the public after he becomes an orphan in the morning and evening?

But Cai Wenji cried bitterly and said to Cao Cao: Can't you give up a fast horse to save a learned man? Cao Cao was finally persuaded by Cai Wenji and pardoned Dong Si's death penalty. Dong Si, who was pardoned, was grateful for Cai Wenji's life-saving love for him, so he respected Cai Wenji very much, and the couple lived a happy life. A few years later, Dong Si and his wife Cai Wenji retired to the mountains and forests and settled by the Luoshui River.

Regarding her husband's indifference, Cai Wenji chose to retaliate with kindness. It must be said that Cai Wenji is not only a talented woman in the world, but her moral character is also respectable. The reason why Cao Cao did not force Cai Wenji to be his concubine was because Cai Wenji was old and frail, and there was no power behind her that Cao Cao wanted. Cai Wenji, who returned to the Central Plains after being in trouble, had only one halo around her, that is, she was the daughter of the late great scholar Cai Yong. For Cao Cao, it would be more beneficial to Cao Cao to make good use of Cai Wenji's reputation as a talented woman than to take her as his concubine.

You must know that everything has changed at that time. Cai Wenji is no longer the sweet and charming little junior sister of the past, and Cao Cao is no longer the ignorant young man he was back then. Cao Cao has no love for Cai Wenji, only respect. It can even be said that Cao Cao regards Cai Wenji as a woman. For Cao Cao, Cai Wenji is just a beautiful memory.