On his deathbed, he has no biological son. he passed the throne to his adopted son Cao Fang, he entrusted his adopted son Cao Fang to the regency of Cao Shuang and Sima Yi — a fatal mistake for his clan, as Cao Shuang monopolised power and governed incompetently, eventually drawing a violent reaction from Sima Yi, who overthrew him in a coup d'état (Incident at Gaoping Tombs) and became in control of the Wei government from AD 249, eventually allowing his grandson Sima Yan to usurp the throne in AD 266. After his death, Cao Rui was posthumously honoured as "Emperor Ming" with the temple name "Liezu".