Cao Pi (187 – 29 June 226),
courtesy name Zihuan, was the first emperor of the state of
Cao Wei in the
Three Kingdoms period. He was born in Qiao (譙; present-day
Bozhou,
Anhui) as the second son of
Cao Cao, a warlord who lived in the late
Eastern Han Dynasty. However, he was the eldest son among all the children born to Cao Cao by his concubine (later wife)
Lady Bian. Of all his brothers, Cao Pi was the shrewdest. Instead of focusing on academic studies or administering military affairs, he was always in the presence of court officials in order to gain their support. He was mostly in charge of defence at the start of his career. After the defeat of Cao Cao's rival
Yuan Shao at the
Battle of Guandu, he took the widow of Yuan Shao's son
Yuan Xi,
Lady Zhen, as a concubine, but in 221 Lady Zhen died and
Guo Nüwang became empress.