The Cao Clan

Hailing from China, the Cao Clan are the descendants of the legendary Chinese warlord Cao Cao. Currently, the four most recent descendants of Cao Cao are working for a Chinese terrorist group by the name of Ranban.

Cao Cao, founder of the Cao clan

History

The founder of the clan Cao Cao, courtesy name of Meng De, was born in Qiao (present-day Bozhou, Anhui) in 155 CE. At the age of 20, he began building his power and influence when he was appointed district captain of Louyang. In 184, he was appointed Captain of the Cavalry in wake of the Yellow Turban Rebellion and began building an impressive military career. Following massive political and martial turmoil, Cao Cao managed to convice Emperor Xian to relocate the country's Capital to Xuchang. The Emperor effectively became a puppet under his control and Cao was granted the titles of General-in-Chief, Chancellor, and Marquis of Wuping.

In 200 CE, political rival Yuan Shao marched an army of 100,000 men to Xuchang in order to seize the emperor from the Cao clan's rule. However, Cao Cao's army of 20,000 met Yuan Shao's at Guandu and won a decisive battle that resulted in the death of Yuan Shao and the Cao clan's complete control of all of Northern China. 

Cao Cao would try to extend his clan's influence to the lands south of the Yangtze river, however he met a descisive defeat at the battle of Chibi by the unified armies of Sun Quan and Liu Bei. Despite this defeat, Cao received the title of Duke of Wei in 213 and was given the nine bestowments and ten fief cities under his domain, known as Wei. In 216, he was granted the status of vassal king - King of Wei. In his life time, Cao Cao would fail to unify China and in 220 he died leaving his son Cao Pi to succeed him. Within a year, Pi would force Emperor Xian to abdicate - ending the Han Dynasty and ushering in the age of the Three Kingdoms. 

The Cao clan, however, would not be the ones to unify China in the end. Following the death of Cao Pi, his advisor, Sima Yi, began gathering massive political influence and power, and soon held the reigning Cao monarch as a puppet. In 249, Sima Yi captured Emperor Cao Fang and Regent Cao Shaung outside of the tomb of Cao Rui. Following the execution of Shuang and the destruction of his political faction, the Sima clan held total control of the Cao clan and Wei. The Cao clan would ultimately be unable to wrestle control back from the Sima clan despite a successful assassination of Sima Yi's eldest son and successor, Sima Shi. In 264 following Shi's brother, Sima Zhao, conquering Han Shu, Zhao was appointed King of Jin by Emperor Cao Huan. The following year, Zhao would die from illness but his son, Sima Yan, would force Cao Huan to abdicate the throne to him thus ending the political rule of the Cao clan and establishing the Jin Dynasty.

Stripped of all power and influence, Cao Huan and surviving members of the clan went into hiding. After nearly two thousand years of hiding, four members of the Cao clan reemerged in the Chinese terrorist group Ranpan and as mercenaries for IU. After the fall of IU, Juju, Paonyan, and Meimei attacked and tried to capture Kinji Tohyama and Aria H. Kanzaki along with killing Reki to avenge the IU until they were defeated and imprisoned. After being released from prison, the sisters as part of Ranpan would side with the Greneda faction during the Far Eastern Warfare (FEW) until the Ranpan was defeated by Kinji Tohyama and became part of the Deen faction.

Known Members Mentioned in the Series

The Cao Cao Quadruplets (Center is Kinji Tohyama)

• Cao Cao (founder of the clan)
• Cao Cao Sisters: Juju, Paonyan, Meimei, and Jinyang