Cao Pi continued the wars against the states of Shu Han and Eastern Wu, founded by his father's rivals Liu Bei and Sun Quan respectively, but did not make significant territorial gain in the battles.

Unlike his father, Cao Pi concentrated most of his efforts on internal administration rather than on waging wars against his rivals.

During his reign, he formally established Chen Qun's nine-rank system as the base for civil service nomination, which drew many talents into his government.

He wrote Yan Ge Xing (燕歌行), the first Chinese poem in the style of seven syllables per line (七言詩).

Cao Pi was recorded as excellent swordsman as he studied martial arts from Shi E, a gentleman of the household from the "Rapid as Tigers" (虎賁) division of the imperial guards.

[8] The next immediate reference to Cao Pi's activities was in 211, when he was appointed General of the Household for All Purposes (五官中郎將) and Vice Imperial Chancellor (副丞相).

This position placed him second to his father, who was then Imperial Chancellor (丞相) and the de facto head of government in China.

By 215, the brothers appeared to be in harmony with each other, but each had his own group of supporters and close associates engaging the other side in clandestine rivalry.

After news of Cao Pi's ascension (and an accompanying false rumour that Cao Pi had executed Emperor Xian) arrived in Liu Bei's domain of Yi Province (covering present-day Sichuan and Chongqing), Liu Bei also declared himself emperor in May 221, establishing the state of Shu Han.

Sun Quan, who controlled the vast majority of southeastern and southern China, did not take any affirmative steps one way or another, leaving his options open.

To avoid having to fight on two fronts, Sun Quan formally paid allegiance to Cao Pi, expressing his willingness to become a vassal under Wei.

Cao Pi's strategist Liu Ye suggested rejecting this offer and instead attacking Sun Quan on a second front.

Cao Pi declined this suggestion, in a fateful choice that most historians believe doomed his empire to ruling only northern and central China; such an opportunity would not come again.

Indeed, against Liu Ye's advice, Cao Pi granted Sun Quan the title "King of Wu" (吳王) and the nine bestowments.

By this time, having defeated Shu, the Wu forces enjoyed high morale and effective leadership from Sun Quan, Lu Xun and a number of other capable generals.

Exasperated, Cao Pi made a famous comment in 225 that "Heaven created the Yangtze River to divide the north and the south.

He commissioned a number of capable officials to be in charge of various affairs of the empire, employing his father's general guidelines of valuing abilities over heritage.

However, he was not open to criticism, and officials who dared to criticise him were often demoted and, on rare occasions, put to death.

Ding Yi, who was chief among Cao Zhi's strategists, had his whole clan exterminated as a result of assisting the latter in the past.

When Yu Jin arrived, he found that the emperor had commissioned artists to paint, in his father's tomb, scenes of the Battle of Fancheng.