As we all know, Xiahou Yuan, Cao Ren, Xu Huang, and Zhang Liao were all among the best civil and martial generals in Cao Ying. On the ability to unite the troops in combat, it can be said that it is basically between Bo Zhong. What these four people have in common is that their credit is basically in the first half of the Three Kingdoms, at least before Zhuge Liang's conquest of Wei, not like Le Jin and Li Dianying who died early, nor as long as Zhang Jaw. In general, their main credit was largely concentrated before Cao Cao's death. The following is an analysis of the main achievements of these four people.
Let's start with Xiahou Yuan. I remember that there was an article evaluating Xiahou Yuan that praised him as a "western cheetah". The reason why Xiahou Yuan is compared to a cheetah is because he uses his soldiers quickly and bravely in battle, much like a swift and powerful leopard. Judging from his achievements, most of his flash battles were won on the western battlefield. According to the Chronicle of the Three Kingdoms, Xiahou Yuan's biography, in the seventeenth year of Jian'an, Xiahou Yuan was ordered to guard Chang'an. He has provoked the great task of being independent and pacifying the West. In the nineteenth year of Jian'an, Xiahou Yuan led Zhang Gao and others to march from Chen Cang's narrow path to Qishan and repel Ma Chao. Then he attacked Changli in the north, lured the Han Sui army to rescue, broke the Han army in one fell swoop, and then conquered the Xingguo, pacified the Qiang in Hexi, and annihilated Song Jian, the King of Qiang, who had been occupying Longyou for more than 30 years. Since then, Xiahou Yuan's name has shaken the west. Whenever Cao Cao summoned the western chieftains, he always had Xiahou Yuan as his companion, and those Qiang people were all afraid to tremble and dare not rebel again.
The above can be said to be the most shining battle in Xiahou Yuan's life. This battle also fully demonstrated Xiahou Yuan's general talent and his military command's specialty, that is, he was quick, good at surprised enemies, brave in forging ahead, making quick decisions, knowing how to abandon the strong and attack the weak, and using troops flexibly. Of course, this style of his is largely determined by his bravery. At that time, the military praised him."
Lieutenant Xiahou Yuan of the Dian Military Academy, five hundred in three days, one thousand in five days." This shows the courage of Xiahou Yuan. However, it was undeniable that in Xiahou Yuan's life, he rarely had any special achievements in defensive battles. Xiahou Yuan's general talent was enough to make an offensive sharp knife, but it was difficult to be a general who sat in a heavy defensive position. Throughout the Battle of Hanzhong, he did not turn defense into attack like Zhang Liao, actively attacking, but only passively defending. Coupled with the old problem of being too arrogant and arrogant, and being brave and light on the enemy, so liu bei's army attacked Hanzhong, Xiahou Yuan's defeat also became a foregone conclusion, which was really regrettable.
Let's talk about Cao Ren, who is also a member of the Cao Family clan with Xiahou Yuan. Contrary to Xiahou Yuan, most of Cao Ren's flash battles were defensive battles. Therefore, it is absolutely well-deserved to say that Cao Ren is the first general in Cao Ying's independent side. It achieved two defensive battles in Cao Renhe's famous name, one was the defense of Gangneung and the other was the defense of Xiangfan. In the defense of Gangneung, Cao Ren showed divine courage and defeated Zhou Yu in the first battle. This shows that "The courage of Sima Cao, Ben and Yufu Jiaye." Then he dragged Zhou Yu in Jiangling for a whole year, and also shot Zhou Yu in the battle. In the later Battle of Xiangfan, Cao Ren's performance was even more earth-shattering. In the absence of a water army, insufficient morale, flooding, and grain and grass shortages, thousands of people held Fancheng for a long time, dragging down Guan Yu's troops, so that Xu Huang easily repelled Guan Yu. These two battles show that Commander Cao Ren has extraordinary ability and is definitely a great general who is on his own.
In general, most of Cao Ren's major achievements in life were his outstanding performance in defensive battles. In the defensive battle, Cao Ren's performance can be described as able to flex and stretch. Active defense is to go out of the city to fight fiercely, and when Chibi Fang is defeated, the ambitious Eastern Wu army will be hit with flowers and flowers; and even in passive defense, it has also shown a very high command ability, which can be described as attacking and defending, brave and invincible, reliable and steady, loyal and dedicated. Although his merits are not as eye-catching as Xiahou, Liao, and Huang. But in fact, the general who is not flashy and independent should be above Xiahou Yuan.
Zhang Liao and Xu Huang have always said more. Here's a little more brief. As we all know, Zhang Liao's battle of fame was the Battle of Hefei, and if the bloodiness of the Battle of Hefei is concerned, I am afraid that it is definitely not under the defense of Cao Ren Jiangling. However, if we talk about the ability to hold the city under extremely unfavorable circumstances and the other enemy army cannot enter at all, I am afraid that Cao Ren is still respected. Xu Huang became famous at the Battle of Xiangfan. I don't want to say more before and after, but I can make Cao Cao call him "I have used soldiers for more than thirty years, and I have heard of the good use of soldiers in ancient times, and those who have not driven into the enemy's siege for a long time." And Fan and Xiangyang are in the siege, too Ju, JiMo, the merit of the general, The Sun Wu, The Hoong Tho"
"General Xu can be described as having the style of Zhou Yafu", which shows Xu Huang's resourcefulness and extremely high level of command. In general, these four people are as great generals with both wisdom and courage and both culture and martial arts. Each has its own advantages. On driving the imperial three armies and strictly reorganizing the army, when pushing Cao Ren and Xu Huang; on the courage to crown the three armies, the threat to shock the enemy' guts, when pushing Xiahou and Zhang Liao; on the resourcefulness and anticipation of the enemy first, Xu Huang is the most outstanding; and on being on the one-sided side and attacking and defending well, it is still Cao Ren who is the leader. In general, the four will be between Bo Zhong. If it is necessary to distinguish between high and low, the author still thinks that Cao Ren should be respected.