"This emperor always wants to take advantage of me."

An Linyuan thought.

"The territory I want is all mountainous. The empire originally did not impose taxes on mountainous areas. Now it exempts my territory from taxes with a blank letter, but requires me to raise an army to march westward and bear all the expenses. I will only be given 30% of the harvest!"

An Linyuan felt that he had suffered a huge loss, so he went to the palace to see the emperor.

"Why are the Imperial Masters here?" the emperor asked carelessly.

"Your Majesty, I am preparing an army for the Western Expedition. However, I have limited funds. Organizing the Imperial Army for the Western Expedition will cost a lot of money. However, the benefits will be small." An Linyuan observed the emperor's face and saw that there was no change in the emperor's face.

"I guess the emperor also feels embarrassed because he has gone too far in picking up my wool."

An Linyuan then requested:

"The Tuzi Army called during the Western Expedition: The land you conquered during the Western Expedition belongs to you! The energy stones you obtained also belong to you! Everything you see is yours!"

"All the expenses of the Tuzi Army are paid by themselves, so what they gain is also their own. If the Imperial Western Expedition Army does not have a similar purpose, I am afraid that it will not be able to recruit people to form a large army."

"The nobles of the empire must spend three months every year at my disposal. I have not dispatched the nobles of the empire for a long time."

"I have been on the throne for 30 years, and the imperial nobles owe me 90 months of service. I authorize you to recruit military service from the imperial nobles on my behalf."

When An Linyuan heard what the emperor said, he felt that there was no need to consider the cost of the army. In this world, the emperor asked the nobles to serve within the prescribed service time, and the emperor did not pay a penny. The nobles led the army to serve at their own expense.

"What about mercenaries?" An Linyuan asked next.

"The nobles who lead the army must cherish themselves and refuse to sacrifice their lives. Only mercenaries sell their lives for money, and mercenaries must be used in tough battles."

The emperor thought for a long time and said:

"Mercenaries follow the standards of the Tuzi Army. They earn nothing, and all the mercenary gains belong to themselves."

An Linyuan breathed a sigh of relief after receiving the emperor's decree. At least the issue of bulk expenses has been resolved.

"There are still many sects in the empire who are dissatisfied with my Blue Fist sect. We just happened to take advantage of the Western Expedition to get rid of these thorns." An Linyuan came up with a new plan.

The Imperial College management held a meeting at the request of the National Teacher.

An Linyuan participated in the Imperial College management discussions as a national teacher and had a strong voice. The basic topics revolved around the themes given by An Linyuan.

"The Empire is preparing for the Western Expedition. Your Majesty has authorized me to lead the Western Expedition. The Imperial Academy is a place dedicated to training martial arts talents for the Empire. I propose that the Imperial Academy students form an Imperial Western Expedition mercenary corps."

The Imperial College management fell silent.

There are mixed feelings among the management staff.

After a while, a manager asked:

"National Preceptor, I dare not disobey the imperial conscription. What kind of treatment do you get if you are just a mercenary?"

Seeing someone asking questions, everyone in the management team became bolder. Another management staff member asked:

"National Master, Your Majesty recruits nobles based on their obligation to serve the empire. The Imperial Academy is just a place to train talents, why do you want to participate in the Empire's Western Expedition?"

An Linyuan looked at the Imperial College management staff quietly:

"If you have any questions, ask them together."

"Is the Western Expedition voluntary? Is it possible not to participate?"

"How much does it cost to join a mercenary army?"

… … …

An Linyuan listened one by one and then spoke:

"The Empire's Western Expedition is a national policy set by His Majesty. All members of the Empire must implement it."

An Linyuan glanced coldly at those management personnel who expressed their unwillingness to participate in the Western Expedition.

"As for the mercenary commission, His Majesty said: No!"

An Linyuan saw that everyone couldn't hold back and wanted to jump up, so he glanced at the whole place again.

The Blue Fist School has been fighting overtly and covertly with the original schools of the Empire for several years in various parts of the empire. The strength of the Blue Fist School has become unstoppable. Those who try to stop it will either be wiped out or suffer heavy losses. The majesty of the Blue Fist School has been established.

Those who wanted to speak out, and those who wanted to jump when they saw the cannibalistic look in the Imperial Master's eyes, did not dare to move, and just held their chests and gasped.

"For those who join the mercenary army, Your Majesty will not pay commission, but Your Majesty promises that the lands conquered by the mercenaries in the Western Expedition belong to the mercenaries! The energy stones obtained by the mercenaries also belong to the mercenaries! Everything the mercenaries see belongs to the mercenaries.

As long as you can possess it!"

"Isn't this the Tuzi Army's call for the Western Expedition?"

Some people in the Imperial College management still raised their voices.

An Linyuan did not look away this time. He continued:

"The call of the Tuzi Army was before His Majesty gave the order for the Western Expedition. Now that His Majesty has given the order, the income earned by the mercenaries must be approved by His Majesty before it counts. The territory captured by the Tuzi Army has not been canonized by His Majesty, and the mercenaries can still occupy it."

When everyone in the management of the Imperial College heard this, they felt as if they had been given a shot of blood, and they began to get excited.

"How to sign up as a mercenary?"

"Is there a quota limit for mercenaries?"

"What materials are needed to enshrine a new territory? How to go through the application process?"

… … …

The Western Expedition has not yet begun, but everyone is already dreaming of a new lord.

Most of the Imperial College management staff do not have their own fiefdoms. Now that there is an opportunity to obtain a fiefdom, they naturally have to work hard to fight for it.

An Linyuan sneered in his heart and said peacefully:

"I will give the Imperial College 10 mercenary quotas. Each faction will form a mercenary army and go on an expedition next year."

An Linyuan looked at the Imperial College management team again this time:

"I am deeply impressed by the members of the eight schools surrounding the Blue Fist training area, and I hope they can all be incorporated into the Western Expedition mercenary group. I look forward to them making great achievements in the Western Expedition and gaining fiefdoms."

If An Linyuan had not said that, the 8 Schools Group would have done the same.

"Fiefs! Materials from the Imperial Academy record that there are more than 10,000 square kilometers of livable land in the west of the Snow Mountains, which means that this Western Expedition will produce thousands of nobles with fiefs."

The 8 faction group began to select the core disciples of the faction to form a mercenary army for the Western Expedition.

An Linyuan sighed:

"After all, I dug a big hole for myself."

"Four years have passed since the ten-year agreement. The preparation period is one year, and the Western Expedition will take five years."

An Linyuan rubbed his temples with his hands: "I have to plan the Western Expedition carefully. Let His Majesty feel that I am trying my best and will not rush me to complete the Western Expedition within a time limit, which will help me delay time."

As a national advisor, An Linyuan recruited nobles from all over the empire to take turns to serve in the army in accordance with His Majesty's decree. Recruitment of imperial nobles was relatively easy. As long as the emperor gave the order, the imperial nobles had to bring their own provisions and troops to go to war.

The first batch of imperial nobles were recruited to explore the route according to the Western Expedition route map.

The Western Expedition of the Tu Zi Army has been going on for 4 years, and they have not yet crossed the snowy mountains. The Tu Zi Army has suffered numerous casualties, and the Tu Zi Army spontaneously formed by the nobles has lacked the back-up force. The Western Expedition is still going on in name, but in fact only sporadic scouts are still there.
Chapter completed!