Actually not as intricate to explain as I thought
The fact that Yu Jin attacked the Qingzhou soldiers, who were also under Cao Cao's control could have been a huge loss of face for Cao Cao. Yu Jin chose, without asking permission, to attack an ally because he was putting his own personal values over Cao Cao's face.
Fast forward 20-ish years later and he suddenly makes a decision that makes Cao Cao lose face, probably for the same values that made him do it last time (assuming it had to do with avoiding pointless slaughter which I think is plausible based on his other behavior). Except this time he has the weight of 20 years of being famous for not betraying his values and having his own gravitas/dignity.
You're Cao Pi, you just ended the Han Dynasty, and you're trying to make sure that all power and legitimacy comes from YOU and not from any residual individual influence and so you're picking off troublemakers. I would not want to reward a guy who is willing to sacrifice his and your face for whatever his personal values are. You want your veterans to know that no loss of face is tolerated; the emperor's values are your values.
Of course this is all with the caveat that had Pang De not been there as a contrast it all might have been different (not saying Pang De didn't have his own reasons)
Just spitballing bc of how obviously consistent Yu Jin is to a modern eye
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