 Through his adopted son Cao Song, he was the adoptive grandfather of Cao Cao, who laid the foundations for the state of Cao Wei in the Three Kingdoms period.In 220, upon the establishment of Wei by Cao Cao's son Cao Pi, Cao Teng was posthumously honoured as "Emperor Gao of Wei" (), becoming the only eunuch in Chinese officialdom to have this honor.Cao Teng served as an Attendant at the Yellow Gates () in the Han imperial court during the reign of Emperor An.