《资治通鉴·汉纪·汉纪五十一》
他的堂弟曹洪把马让给他，他不肯接受，曹洪说： 天下可以没有曹洪，不可以没有您！ 
从弟洪以马与操，操不受。洪曰： 天下可无洪，不可无君！ 
His cousin Cao Hong let him have his horse, but he would not accept it, and Cao Hong said: The world can live without Cao Hong, but it cannot live without you!