When it comes to Cao Cao's most trusted henchmen, many people will immediately think of Dian Wei and Xu Chu. However, Cao Cao's real bodyguards were not the two of them, but a mysterious warrior who had singled out Zhang Fei and Ma Chao.
This unknown bodyguard is Cao Hong. Many people may be surprised, how can Cao Hong be a bodyguard? This is the mystery of him. On the surface, Cao Hong is a brave general under Cao Cao, shouldering heavy responsibilities on the battlefield. But when Cao Cao was in great danger and everyone else left him, only Cao Hong was always by his side to keep him safe.
For example, when the princes were crusading against Dong Zhuo, Cao Cao was ambushed and almost captured. At this critical moment, it was Cao Hong who fought his way out of the encirclement, rescued Cao Cao, and gave up his war horse to Cao Cao, reflecting his loyalty to Cao Cao.
On the battlefield, the war horse is the key to escape. Cao Hong was not only willing to sacrifice his chance to escape, but also once said that "there can be no Hong in the world, and there can be no justice", showing his absolute loyalty to Cao Cao. Because of these actions, Cao Cao regarded Cao Hong as a confidant, and even if Cao Hong later made mistakes, Cao Cao never attacked him.
Cao Hong didn't shoot often, but whenever Cao Cao was really in trouble and had no one to rely on, Cao Hong would always step up and help Cao Cao solve the problem.
In the Battle of Tongguan, many of Cao Cao's generals were defeated by Ma Chao, and Cao Cao was almost killed. At this critical juncture, Cao Hong shot again and successfully blocked Ma Chao. Although Cao Hong's martial arts were regarded as average, he was able to fight Ma Chao for fifty rounds, which made Ma Chao lose the opportunity to capture Cao Cao, which made Ma Chao extremely hateful.
In addition, Cao Hong's record even surpassed Dian Wei and Xu Chu. In the Battle of Hanzhong, Zhang Fei and Ma Chao once joined forces to attack, but were defeated by Cao Hong, showing his extraordinary combat strength.
In short, although Dian Wei and Xu Chu are very well-known as Cao Cao's bodyguards, it is Cao Hong who really has Cao Cao's deep trust. This person, who is ostensibly a general, can always make meritorious contributions in Cao Cao's times of crisis, and his strength is not as good as that of Dian Wei Xu Chu.