In the long history of the Three Kingdoms period, the brotherly relationship between Cao Pi and Cao Zhi has always been a topic of much interest to later generations. As sons of Cao Cao, they lived in an era full of intrigue and struggle. Despite Cao Zhi's exceptional talent, he was constantly suspected and suppressed by his brother Cao Pi. The question that arises is, why didn't Cao Pi ultimately kill Cao Zhi? This article will explore this question.

First, from a political perspective, Cao Pi needed to stabilize his ruling position after ascending the throne. Although Cao Zhi had once been seen as a strong contender for the throne, after Cao Pi's accession, his status no longer posed a direct threat. While Cao Zhi's literary talent and popularity were high, he did not excel in military or political affairs, so Cao Pi may have deemed it unnecessary to take extreme measures.

Secondly, Cao Zhi was still Cao Pi's younger brother, and there was a blood relationship between them. In ancient China, the concept of family was extremely important, even for imperial families. Cao Pi may have found it difficult to make the decision to kill his own brother on emotional and moral levels. Additionally, Cao Cao's well-known affection for Cao Zhi during his lifetime may have also influenced Cao Pi, who may have been reluctant to bear the bad reputation of killing his younger brother.

Furthermore, Cao Pi himself was a poet and he appreciated and supported the development of literature and art. Cao Zhi's literary achievements were widely recognized at that time, and his poems were widely praised. Cao Pi may have chosen a lenient attitude towards Cao Zhi out of respect for his literary talent and consideration for cultural inheritance.

Finally, historical records indicate that Cao Zhi was punished multiple times by Cao Pi, but these punishments were mostly in the form of demotions and exile, and did not involve threats to his life. This may suggest that Cao Pi exercised restraint when dealing with Cao Zhi. He may have hoped to warn and restrict Cao Zhi's political activities through these punishments, rather than completely eliminating this potential threat.

In summary, the reasons why Cao Pi did not kill Cao Zhi may have been multifaceted, including political considerations, family emotions, cultural respect, and personal restraint. These factors intertwined, allowing Cao Zhi to survive and ultimately become one of the "Seven Sages of Jian'an" praised by later generations. However, the truth of history is often complex and changeable, and we can only try to reconstruct the historical scene at that time through the available historical materials.

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