Adhere to traditional translation

This is a sentence from Yang Chuanzhong. In the fourth year of Jianzhong, Li Xilie rebelled against the Tang Dynasty, captured Bianzhou, then invaded Chen Zhou and marched into Xiangcheng County. County magistrate Li Kan didn't know what to do. His wife, Yang, told him that he could not surrender, but should guard it. She gathered officials and people in the government into the room and encouraged them to "help each other to defend their city. How can they bear to lose their loyalty and act as thieves?"