In the vast chapter of "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", the achievements of the three heroes of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun are in full swing, why do the generals of Cao Ying always rush forward to challenge when they see Guan Yu, but they avoid Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun?
During the Three Kingdoms period, there was no shortage of heroic generals under Cao Cao, who were invincible on the battlefield. Facing Liu Bei's three major generals: Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, their attitudes were completely different.
First of all, Guan Yu, known as the "Martial Saint", does have a well-known reputation in history. In the romance, Guan Yu flooded the Seventh Army and killed Yan Liangwen and other heroic deeds, which greatly boosted his reputation. Because of this, Cao Ying's generals often wanted to improve their military status and prestige by challenging Guan Yu. Even if you know that you are invincible, you have to try your skills, and this kind of heroism was very common among the military generals at that time.
When these generals faced Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, the situation was very different. Zhang Fei's bravery is well known, and according to the "Romance of the Three Kingdoms", he once roared at Changban Slope and scared Cao Cao's army away. This kind of almost mythical record made many Cao Ying generals daunted him. In fact, Zhang Fei is not only strong in martial arts, but also has a violent personality and shoots mercilessly, which undoubtedly increases the risk of fighting him.
Zhao Yun is known for his wisdom and courage, and he rescued Liu Bei's young son Adou alone in Changbanpo, and he has long been a household name. Zhao Yun's fighting skills and calm judgment made him almost invincible on the battlefield. The generals of Cao Ying realized that confronting Zhao Yun was not only a challenge to force, but also a test of wisdom.
What's more, there are political factors behind Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun that cannot be ignored. Zhang Fei married the niece of Xiahou Yuan, an important ally of Cao Cao, which made many Cao Ying generals have to consider the feelings of the Xiahou family when attacking Zhang Fei. Once the Xiahou family is angered, the consequences are unimaginable. And Zhao Yun is because he holds the Qingyu Sword given by Cao Cao, this sword symbolizes Cao Cao's recognition and respect for Zhao Yun, and any disrespect to Zhao Yun may be regarded as disrespect to Cao Cao.
And on the battlefield, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun did show their extraordinary combat effectiveness. Zhang Fei's defensive tactics in the face of the enemy are also superb, just like his performance on the Nagasaka slope, although it is an exaggerated performance, but it also reflects his ability to make the enemy fear. Zhao Yun's performance in the Battle of Dangyang Changsaka perfectly illustrates the bravery of "one for a hundred", he not only successfully protected the young master, but also was witty and calm throughout the battle, making it difficult for Cao Jun to find his whereabouts.
In this context, the strategy of Cao Ying's generals towards these two generals was naturally to avoid the battle as much as possible in order to preserve their own strength. After all, in troubled times, survival is often more important than temporary glory. They are more willing to choose to challenge Guan Yu, firstly, because although Guan Yu is strong, he is not as unpredictable as Zhang Fei, and secondly, they also hope to obtain higher honors by defeating Guan Yu.
From a tactical point of view, although Guan Yu made great achievements, his mistakes in some key battles also made Cao Ying's generals see the possibility of challenging him. For example, when Cao Cao besieged Fancheng, some of Guan Yu's decisions were considered by many military commentators in later generations to be too conservative and failed to maximize his strategic advantage.
Combining these factors, the choice of Cao Ying's generals to challenge Guan Yu instead of Zhang Fei or Zhao Yun can be said to be the result of strength, psychology, and political considerations. They have to consider not only the victory or defeat on the battlefield, but also the family and political influence behind it, which is undoubtedly a wise choice in troubled times.
As for ordinary soldiers and low-level generals, they are more shocked by the reputation and achievements of these top generals. In their minds, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun are almost invincible existences, and although Guan Yu is equally powerful, his fame and symbolism make people more willing to challenge him and try to become famous.
By analyzing the different attitudes of Cao Ying's generals towards Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, it is not difficult to find that behind this is not only a question of personal bravery, but also involves tactical choices, psychological factors and political considerations. On the big stage of the Three Kingdoms, there may be complex considerations hidden behind every decision. This also makes the work "Romance of the Three Kingdoms" more profound and fascinating, and has become a classic that has been passed down for thousands of years. And understanding these historical backgrounds for our readers today not only adds to the fun of reading, but also deepens our understanding of human nature, war, and power struggles.