In 227, Cao Rui ascended the throne of Wei upon the death of his father Cao Pi.
The initial efforts of Wei were a success in battle against the Wu commander, but the Wu reinforcements led by Sun Shao and Xu Sheng managed to stalemate the naval attack.
During Cao Pi's reign, he rose up the ranks and became a subordinate of the Wei marshal Sima Yi.
Cao Cao | Cao Wei | Pierre Cao | Cao Zhen | Cao Rui | Cao Đài | Văn Cao | Nguyen Cao Ky | Joseph Cao | Cao Xiu | Cao Gangchuan | Cao Bằng Province | Cao Yunding | Cao Ying | Cao Xueqin | Cao Pi | Cao Hamburger | Cao Fang | Terence Cao | Nguyễn Cao Kỳ | Nam Cao | Madame Nguyen Cao Ky | Lý Cao Tông | Huynh Van Cao | Empress Zhen (Cao Fang) | Do Cao Tri | Diogo Cão | Cao Zhi | Cao Zheng | Cao Yi'ou |
Jia Kui, a counsellor to Cao Pi, then volunteered to persuade Cao Zhang to desist.
Also, in 226, at the urging of her mother-in-law Empress Dowager Bian, she interceded on Cao Hong's behalf, allowing Cao Hong to be spared his life even though Cao Pi had previous grudges against him.
In 223, Cao Pi sent Zhang He, Xu Huang, Cao Zhen, Xiahou Shang and others to lead armies to attack Nan commandery (南郡; around present-day Jingzhou, Hubei) with the objective of capturing Jiangling (江陵; present-day Jiangling County, Jingzhou, Hubei), which was defended by Zhu Ran.
In 226, as Cao Pi laid on his deathbed, he entrusted his successor Cao Rui to the care of Sima Yi, Cao Zhen, and Chen Qun.