"Wait," a soldier was about to carry out the order when Yuan Zongdi called him back. "Send word to Li Chengdong's subordinates and tell them we welcome everyone who is willing to defect to us!"
"As long as I have a breath left in my body, I will protect their lives and families! If I break this oath, may I, Yuan Zongdi, die without a burial place!"
Logically speaking, since Li Chengdong had not yet surrendered, such blatant poaching by Yuan Zongdi would not only damage internal unity but also leave him vulnerable to criticism.
Chapter 964