ZhangLiaowasafamousgeneralintheThreeKingdomsperiodofChina.Hewasknownforhisloyaltyandbravery,andhisstoryisstillrememberedtoday.
ZhangLiaowasbornintoapoorfamilyandhadtomakeadifficultdecisionwhenhewasyoung.HecouldeitherjointhearmyofthewarlordCaoCaoorjointhearmyofLiuBei,whowasfightingagainstCaoCao.ZhangLiaochosetojoinCaoCao'sarmy,whichprovedtobeawisedecisionasherosethroughtheranksandeventuallybecameoneofCaoCao'smosttrustedgenerals.
SohowdidZhangLiaomakehischoice?ItisbelievedthathechosetojoinCaoCao'sarmybecausehesawitasanopportunitytoimprovehislife.Byjoiningthearmy,hewouldhaveaccesstobetterfood,clothing,andshelterthanwhathehadathome.Healsosawitasanopportunitytogainpowerandprestige,somethingthatwouldhavebeenimpossibleifhehadjoinedLiuBei'sarmy.
Inaddition,ZhangLiaomayhaveseenjoiningCaoCao'sarmyasawaytoprotecthimselffromharm.ByjoininganestablishedforcelikeCaoCao's,ZhangLiaowouldhavebeenabletoavoidbeingkilledinbattleorcapturedbyLiuBei'sforces.ThiswouldhavegivenhimmoretimetohonehisskillsasawarriorandbecomeoneofthemostrespectedgeneralsinChinesehistory.
Ultimately,ZhangLiaomadehischoicebasedonwhathethoughtwouldbebestforhimselfandhisfuture.Hisdecisionprovedtobewiseasitallowedhimtogainpowerandprestigewhilealsoprotectinghimselffromharm.
