曹操一开始说，我这个人其实是没有什么雄心壮志的，因为我知道我出身不好，当然他没有说我是太监的养子的儿子，他说我知道我自己不是那种很清高的、很知名的那些人士，所以我最大的理想就是当一个郡守，“好作政教”，好好地把这个地方治理好，让大家都知道我曹操虽然出身不好，工作能力还是有的。后来国家遇到了动乱，我觉得一个男子汉应该为国家效劳，建功立业，我出来带兵打仗，这个时候我的要求也不高，我想当个什么呢？我想当个征西将军，我死了以后能够在我的墓碑上写上一行字，“故征西大将军曹侯之墓”，哎呀，我就心满意足了。可是后来董桌造乱，诸侯并起，我这个时候不能不出来保卫国家，保卫皇上。即便是这个时候，我也不想多带兵，所以我每打一次胜仗，我的部队增加了以后，我要裁军。为什么呢？因为我的实力越大，我的敌人就越多啊，人家都要来打我，我保不住自己，所以我胜利一回我裁军一回。这说明什么，说明我的志向是有限的，但是我也没有想到怎么现如今我给弄出这么大动静来了！那么现在我的野心大一点了，我想当个什么呢？当个齐桓公，晋文公，因为现在是天下大乱，诸侯割据，我只想称霸，不想称帝，我现在已经是汉朝的丞相了，作为人臣之贵，已经到了极点，我心满意足，再无奢望。但是我必须在这个位置上坐着。
At the beginning, Cao Cao said that I actually have no ambition as a person, because I know that I am from a bad background. Of course, he did not say that I am the son of the eunuch’s adopted son. He said that I know that I am not one of those very noble and well-known people, so my biggest ambition is to become a prefect, “to be a good politician and a good teacher,” and to manage this place well, so that everyone knows that although my Cao Cao background is not good, I still have the ability to work. Later, when the country encountered turmoil, I felt that a man should serve the country and make contributions. I came out to lead the army to fight, and my requirements were not high at this time. What do I want to be? “I want to be a general of the Western Expedition, and when I die, I can write a line on my tombstone that reads, ‘Therefore, the tomb of the great general of the Western Expedition, the Duke of Cao.’ Oh, I am satisfied.”. However, later on, when Dong Table caused chaos and the vassals rose together, I couldn’t help but come out to defend the country and the emperor. Even at this time, I don’t want to lead more troops, so every time I win a battle, when my troops increase, I want to disarm. Why? “Because the greater my strength, the more enemies I have. People are coming to attack me, and I cannot defend myself. Therefore, once I win, I disarm.”. What does this mean? It means that my ambition is limited, but I didn’t think how I have made such a big noise now! So now that my ambition is a bit higher, what do I want to be? As Duke Huan of Qi and Duke Wen of Jin, because of the chaos in the world and the separatist regime of the feudal lords, I only want to dominate, not become emperor. I am now the prime minister of the Han Dynasty, and as a person and minister, I have reached the extreme. I am satisfied and have no further expectations. But I must sit in this position.
他下面说了句有名的话，他说“设使国家无有孤，不知几人称帝，几人称王。”不是我曹操在这个地方镇住，什么孙权，什么刘备，七七八八的那些人不早就称皇帝了，就是因为我曹某人在这儿镇住嘛！我这些话不光是跟诸位说说，我经常跟我的老婆孩子说，甚直我对我的老婆、我的那些妾们说，我死了以后你们一定要改嫁，为什么呢？以便把我这个志向传播出去啊。但是现在有人说我曹操应该功成身退了，我应该到我封的那个侯国去安度晚年啊，我应该把我的职务和权力交出来了。对不起，不行，职务我是不辞的，权力我是不交的，为什么？我现在手握兵权，才有了这一呼百应的权威，我一旦把这军权交出去，那你们不害我吗？你们肯定都起来害我，那我的老婆孩子就不能保全，而且皇上也不得安全，所以我绝不交权。至于皇上封给我的一些土地，那是不需要的，我要那么多土地干什么呢？这个我让出去。
He said a famous sentence below, “There is no orphan in a country that has been established as an envoy. I don’t know how many people are called emperors, and how many people are called kings.” It’s not that I, Cao Cao, was here to suppress them, Sun Quan, and Liu Bei. Those people from July to August have long been called emperors, just because I, Cao, was here to suppress them! I don’t just tell you these words. I often tell my wife and children, but I tell my wife and my concubines that after I die, you must remarry. Why? In order to spread my ambition. “But now some people say that I, Cao Cao, should retire after my success. I should go to the vassal state where I was granted the title to spend my old age peacefully. I should hand over my duties and powers.”. I’m sorry, I can’t. I won’t resign from my position, and I won’t hand over my power. Why? “I now hold military power, and I have the authority to respond to all calls. Once I hand over this military power, will you not harm me?”? “You must all rise up and harm me, then my wife and children cannot be saved, and the emperor cannot be safe, so I will never hand over power.”. As for some of the land granted to me by the emperor, it is unnecessary. Why do I need so much land? I’ll let this out.
所以曹操说了这么十六个字，“江湖未静，不得让位，至于邑土，可得而辞。”就是我可以让一些虚的东西出去，实的东西那我是不让的，这叫做“不得幕虚名，而处实祸也。”这话说得实在吧！说得再实在没有了，你说我没有野心，我有一点，而且我的野心是一点一点大起来的；你说我有很大的野心，我不想当皇帝，我只想当晋文公，齐桓公，九合诸侯，统一中国；你说我清高，我不清高，我实在得很，我的权力、我的实惠我一点都不让；你说我不忍让，我忍让啊，你封给我那些虚的东西，什么土地啊、头衔啊我都让出去。而且最可爱的在于什么，曹操还明明白白说，我为什么要写这篇文章，我为什么要说这些话？就是想让你们天下人都没话可说，都给我把嘴巴闭起来。实在是不能再实在了。这种话也只有曹操这样大气的奸雄才说得出来。
So Cao Cao said these sixteen words, “The Jianghu is not quiet, you must not abdicate, and as for the land of the city, you must resign.” That is, I can let some virtual things go out, but I will not let real things go out. This is called “Do not hide false names, but deal with real disasters.” This is true! “To put it bluntly, you say I have no ambition, I have a bit, and my ambition is getting bigger bit by bit;”; You said that I have great ambitions, and I don’t want to be an emperor. I just want to be Duke Wen of Jin, Duke Huan of Qi, and Marquis Jiuhe to unify China; You say I am noble, I am not noble, I am really very, my power, my benefits I do not allow at all; “You say I can’t bear to let go, I can’t bear to let go. I’ll let go of all the empty things you’ve granted me, including land and titles.”. And what is the most adorable thing? Cao Cao also clearly said, “Why did I write this article? Why did I say these things?”? I just want everyone in the world to have nothing to say, so please keep your mouth shut for me. I really can’t be more realistic. This kind of words can only be spoken by such an atmospheric traitor as Cao Cao.
