Cao Jie started serving as a xiao huangmen in the early reign of Emperor Shun. He rose through the ranks and became a zhong changshi during the reign of Emperor Huan. He also concurrently held the appointment of a fengche duwei. In 168, due to his efforts in helping to install Emperor Ling on the throne, he was enfeoffed as the "Marquis of Chang'an District". As Emperor Ling was still underage, state affairs were overseen by Empress Dowager Dou, General-in-Chief Dou Wu, and Grand Tutor Chen Fan. Dou Wu and Chen Fan led a faction in the imperial court that was at odds with the eunuch faction represented by Cao Jie and others. When Cao Jie and the eunuch faction heard that Dou Wu and Chen Fan's faction were planning to eliminate them, they launched a coup against their rivals with the aid of Wang Fu, Zhu Yu, Gong Pu, Zhang Liang and others. Dou Wu and Chen Fan were arrested and executed, while Empress Dowager Dou was put under house arrest. After the coup, Cao Jie was promoted to "Minister of the Guards of Changle Palace", in addition to having his marquis rank elevated to "Marquis of Yuyang " with a marquisate comprising 3,000 taxable households. His allies in the coup also received marquis titles and other honours from Emperor Ling. In 169, Cao Jie was reassigned to be a zhong changshi again. Not long later, he was appointed da changqiu. In 172, when Empress Dowager Dou died while under house arrest, Cao Jie and Wang Fu tried to persuade Emperor Ling to hold an ordinary consort's funeral for the empress dowager instead of one that befitted her status, as well as not bury her together with Emperor Huan. However, their attempt failed when two officials – Chen Qiu, the Minister of Justice ; and Li Xian, the Grand Commandant, – managed to convince Emperor Ling to hold an empress's funeral for the empress dowager and bury her beside Emperor Huan. In the same year, Cao Jie, Wang Fu and others framed Emperor Huan's younger brother, Liu Kui, the Prince of Bohai, for treason; Liu Kui committedsuicide in prison. Emperor Ling rewarded Cao Jie and Wang Fu for exposing Liu Kui's "treachery" by increasing the number of taxable households in their marquisates. Their relatives were also appointed as officials in the Han government. In 179, Cao Jie was promoted to Prefect of the Masters of Writing. He died in 181 and was posthumously honoured with the appointment of General of Chariots and Cavalry.
