Wen Zhong looked at the father and daughter, respect for their integrity and courage arising in his heart. He nodded, gesturing for his subordinates to settle the two comfortably and simultaneously dispatched messengers in all directions, declaring that Qingxia Pass had been captured and that Deng Jiugong and his daughter had surrendered.
Wen Zhong stood atop the city walls of Qingxia Pass, gazing at the stars beneath the veil of night, silently contemplating his next moves. He knew that every step from here on was of utmost importance, allowing no room for error.
He ordered the defeated troops to be mixed up and reorganized, selecting twenty thousand elite soldiers to bolster his own army, subjecting these new recruits to rigorous training and baptism to ensure their loyalty and combat effectiveness.
As for the remaining soldiers, he only kept a small number to garrison Qingxia Pass, just in case, while he dispersed the rest on the spot.
