Mythical Three Kingdoms

The Kushan Empire has been in turmoil for decades. Although Vasu Deva I’s strong suppression forcibly united the country, even Gan Ning can see there are many hidden dangers within the Kushan.

The greatest hidden danger is the cultural and religious conflict between the Central Asian Region and South Asian Region occupied by the Kushan, a strong conflict! In the eyes of someone like Gan Ning, if it weren’t for Vasu Deva I’s powerful suppression, these two places might have already split apart.

Additionally, there’s the conflict between the nobles and divine authority, which Vasu Deva also forcefully suppressed. Otherwise, this country would not have such power.

Like India in later generations, where the Prime Minister said their country has less than two hundred million people with the rest being two-legged livestock, now Kushan is similar after annexing the Baisheng Dynasty, with a population of only nine million. Indeed, you have to believe there are truly only nine million people; the rest are livestock...

In short, even Gan Ning can see this is a very potential empire, but potential can’t serve as food. From Gan Ning’s observation over this year, the level of internal consumption in Kushan is extraordinarily frightening, almost filled with contradictions. Gan Ning even suspects that once Vasu Deva I dies, this country will fall apart!

It can be said that this country still possesses great suppressive power and unbeatable navy and land forces. It’s entirely due to the very solid foundation of this country that Vasu Deva I, as Gan Ning understands it, is not a good emperor.

But how can I say, whether an emperor is good or not isn’t important; what’s important is suitability. Vasu Deva I’s current approach clearly suits this country. Although by forcibly uniting a divided country, many contradictions have been masked, subsequent actions like destroying Baisheng or advancing north have greatly shifted domestic contradictions.

Alright, the country is still filled with contradictions, but nothing has exploded yet. For an empire, as long as there’s no explosion domestically, even amid internal and external troubles, its governance is extraordinarily powerful.

Take the Han Dynasty for example, Emperor Huan also faced internal and external troubles, but nothing exploded domestically. With a single order, Duan Jiong can still massacre thousands of miles. An empire, even if it’s declining, even if it’s hanging on by a thread, isn’t something a small country can covet.

The tiger’s dead yet its might remains; much less when it’s not dead yet. If Vasu Deva I can shift all internal contradictions abroad and forcibly erase them through war, then even Gan Ning has to acknowledge him as a Great Emperor!

Speaking of which, precisely because of Vasu Deva I’s obvious actions, Gan Ning understood Chen Xi’s consistent approach.

Actually, there’s no difference between Chen Xi and Vasu Deva I’s current approach. Both shifted internal contradictions abroad and fought outside the gates, suppressing domestic contradictions with huge interests.

But these matters aren’t very important now. Although Vasu Deva I’s aims are the same as Chen Xi’s, his approach is too harsh, leading to an increase in bandits and mountain bandits within Kushan now.

Likewise, the originally peaceful Indian Ocean now also harbors many pirates, causing many nobles doing business by sea in Kushan to die repeatedly.

Overall, Kushan’s situation is quite bad, but having recently gained a large piece of fertile land, the empire sees these issues as mere minor illnesses, not major problems at all.

Now, Gan Ning’s plan is to integrate the pirates of the Indian Ocean and have a good time before leaving. Anyway, none of the dying are his people, so it doesn’t matter.

With such thoughts, Gan Ning led his three hundred men trained over the year and conquered the first small to medium pirate gathering spot.

These people are picked from the lower class by Gan Ning, originally only qualified to be cannon fodder, naturally having no concept of a nation. Of course, if one day they advance to Inner Qi Separation and become Kshatriya, they would love this country madly.

But now those people are lower class, so in their eyes, the noble’s orders are everything. Gan Ning, this Grand Noble, bestowed them food, weapons, and equipment, so they naturally fight for Gan Ning, and fight without regard for their own lives.

In short, seeing this group charge at the enemy frenziedly and fearlessly, Gan Ning suddenly felt the current system used by Kushan works really well. A slight acknowledgment from the upper class directly inspires the lower class to fight fearlessly!

Although formations are poor, and coordination is poor, the morale is indeed terrifying. Naturally, with these people’s efforts, Gan Ning easily took over the first pirate lair.

The leader of a medium-sized pirate gathering point was killed, but it drew no attention in the pirate-filled Indian Ocean; such things happen often and nobody pays attention.

It’s just that following the attack on the first medium-sized pirate gathering point, Gan Ning began madly attacking surrounding pirate groups near him, completely ignoring rules set by big pirate chiefs. Pirates are just pirates, the weak are prey, so who’s pretending for show.

Gan Ning ignored them, not caring what pirate bosses thought, continuing to deal with pirates around him, thinking, ’Does Gan Ning’s actions need garbage pointing fingers?’

"You’ll be hung from the mast and executed in the most brutal way!" said the envoy of a pirate leader who ruled a region in the Indian Ocean, cursing mournfully before his execution at Gan Ning’s command. However, it was of no use.

"My lord, this person is under the command of the great pirate Galava. Isn’t it inappropriate to kill him just like that?" one of his men advised. Although Gan Ning had been victorious time and again, transitioning from assaulting the old lairs on land to encircling and annihilating enemies at sea, his men were still intimidated by the so-called overlords of the Indian Ocean.

"If you feel he’s too lonely, you can accompany him on his way," Gan Ning said casually. He ruled with an iron fist, and since their own weren’t dying, they served as practice dummies—conquering all the pirates of the Indian Ocean would be ideal; if not, the practice would suffice!

Gan Ning’s men were petrified, not daring to speak recklessly. The fearsome prowess Gan Ning displayed during his campaigns truly befitted the overlord among pirates.

"How does Galava compare to Qiu Lique?" Gan Ning asked after a pause.

Clearly, through these challenges, Gan Ning perceived that the pirate-infested waters of the Indian Ocean were incredibly deep. He even learned techniques here that Mengg Kambu hadn’t taught, prompting him to tread cautiously.

In reality, Gan Ning was unaware that Mengg Kambu knew of those techniques but considered them underhanded, unbecoming of an imperial navy. But for Gan Ning, it didn’t matter; whether a white cat or a black cat, if it caught mice, it was a good cat.

"Boss, how could you ask that? Obviously, Qiu Lique is more formidable. Even if all the Indian Ocean pirates combined, they might not measure up to Qiu Lique. That’s the Thousand Sails Corps, with truly nation-destroying power." One of Gan Ning’s more notable pirate followers responded. This was a captain named Sakara Saixi who defected to Gan Ning during the eradication of a mid-sized pirate force.

Since Kushan’s surnames shouldn’t be changed lightly, each noble’s surname had its own significance. So Sakara really carried the Saixi name, meaning he was a grand noble. How such a noble became a pirate, Sakara wouldn’t say, and Gan Ning didn’t ask.

In any case, Sakara’s words generally had merit. Who knows how he ended up here, perhaps as an undercover agent, but it didn’t matter. Gan Ning didn’t mind having undercover agents among his ranks.

"So, does that mean the only thing Qiu Lique can boast about is the Thousand Sails Navy? In your view, his personal abilities aren’t even as good as Galava’s?" Gan Ning raised an eyebrow and said.

"I want to say that, but Qiu Lique isn’t that inferior," Sakara replied somewhat displeased. "But boss, why is a noble like you becoming a pirate?"

Many of Gan Ning’s actions clearly indicated he was of noble birth. Language and behavior could change, but certain nuances couldn’t.

A noble, an Inner Qi Manifestation influence, and possessing Legion Talent—such a person was veritably considered high nobility in Kushan. For such a noble to not choose other paths and come to the Indian Ocean to become a pirate, Sakara was quite baffled.

In Sakara’s eyes, with Gan Ning’s status and capability, even if one kills a Brahmin, a bit of softening wouldn’t lead to the point of having to become a pirate.

"Aren’t you also from the Cecil Clan? Yet you’re a pirate too," Gan Ning smirked.

"I’m not a member of the Cecil Clan!" Sakara responded coldly.

"But you’re still carrying the Cecilia surname!" Gan Ning replied casually while eating grilled fish, as Sakara seemed to care deeply about his surname.

"One day, this surname will belong to me alone!" Sakara said coldly.

"Not bad, you’re quite a character. Here’s a task for you: weed out the unqualified pirates among my men," Gan Ning said, patting Sakara on the shoulder.

Watching Sakara leave, Gan Ning rubbed his hands. He now had over seventy ships of various sizes, making him a force to reckon with in the Indian Ocean. But it wasn’t enough. By combining all the pirates scattered across the Indian Ocean, his fleet could exceed six hundred vessels, with a force of over eighty thousand!

Of course, this was still far from matching Qiu Lique’s Thousand Sails Army, but Gan Ning had obtained a marine chart. Avoiding Malacca and taking a month-long detour via the Java Sea and around the western coast of Australia might just provide a surprise strike.

Gan Ning planned to fight to the point of annihilation, even if only a few thousand remained. After all, these were pirates, not his own men, so he wouldn’t mind how many perished. He also wouldn’t hesitate to initiate one of the largest sea battles in history at Malacca!

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