During Zhang Liao's life, he experienced two monarchs, Cao Cao and Cao Pi. Zhang Liao was the one who respected Cao Cao the most, but Zhang Liao was the one who liked Cao Pi the most. Why? Cao Cao was a great man in Zhang Liao's eyes. Cao Cao put an end to the chaos and allowed the people to live in peace. Zhang Liao realized his personal value under Cao Cao, and Zhang Liao was very grateful to Cao Cao. But Zhang Liao's favorite is Cao Pi, why is this?
In that year, when Sun Quan attacked Cao Wei, Zhang Liao only used 7,000 soldiers and horses to resist Sun Quan's 100,000 troops. This war determined the development of the Three Kingdoms for future generations. If Zhang Liao had not resisted Sun Quan, then the Cao Wei regime would have changed. It can be said that Zhang Liao's merits are great. But Cao Cao faced zhang Liao's great feats, and Cao Cao only gave a rank of general of Zhengdong. It was not until the second year of the war, when Cao Cao looked back, that Cao Cao gave Zhang Liao the right to increase his troops. However, Zhang Liao was guarding Hefei, and what an important military base it was. Cao Cao's reward to Zhang Liao was not worth Zhang Liao's contribution.
But Cao Pi was a little strange. In the face of Zhang Liao's defense against Sun Quan, it was obvious that a long time had passed. Cao Pi still gave Zhang Liao the rank of former general because of this incident, and Zhang Liao's mother was rewarded by Cao Pi for this long-past event. Zhang Liao's mother actually received two rewards from Cao Pi at different times for the same thing. One time was when Cao Pi was king, and the other time was when Cao Pi was called emperor. This naturally made Zhang Liao like Cao Pi very much. Even once, when Zhang Liao was ill, Cao Pi let Zhang Liao enjoy the treatment of an emperor. This kind of grace of knowing the encounter could not be attributed to Zhang Liao's dislike of Cao Pi.
But Cao Cao is a meritocratic person in many eyes, so why Cao Cao treated Zhang Liao in this way, this has to make people think deeply. In fact, in the eyes of the editor, this is a good explanation. Because Zhang Liao was facing a situation at that time, that is, Zhang Liao was in an important position. Hefei, defended by Zhang Liao, was a vital city for Cao Wei. If Cao Cao directly accorded Zhang Liao's merits to Zhang Liao, he should receive the honor he deserved. After Cao Pi ascended to the throne, Cao Pi faced such a feudal official, how much price Cao Pi had to pay to get Zhang Liao to submit to Cao Pi. At that time, Zhang Liao was already sealless, and Cao Pi would not accept Zhang Liao as a general at all, all this was to pave the way for Cao Pi. Otherwise, why would Cao Pi reward Zhang Liao for his previous exploits? Zhang Liao's defense against Sun Quan had obviously passed for a long time. Therefore, Cao Wei was well aware of Zhang Liao's exploits, especially for someone as majestic and strategic as Cao Cao, Cao Cao should not have made such a mistake. And Cao Pi this person seems to be only very good to Zhang Liao, Cao Pi to other people, for some worthless people, Cao Pi is a very thin person. Whether this man was his own woman or his own general. As long as Cao Pi decided that this person was worthless, Cao Pi would not pay a single emotion at all. Cao Pi, on the other hand, has always been very good to Zhang Liao. Not only in terms of rank, but also in terms of life, Cao Pi took good care of it. This is mainly because Zhang Liao was valuable to Cao Pi. Cao Pi wanted to subdue Zhang Liao, and Cao Pi wanted Zhang Liao to do things for himself.