楔子

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The Qing dynasty called him a traitor who deceived Heaven, and foreigners called him a terrifying tyrant. But his people loved him. That year, the Anglo-French allied forces captured Guangzhou, the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom fell into decline, and wealthy merchants and landlords from Jiangnan flocked to Shanghai's bustling commercial district. That year, Zhu Jinglun was born. He recovered territory from foreigners, led the people to drive out the governor, and his subordinates adorned him with a yellow robe, demanding that he respect Heaven and his ancestors and that his imperial power be divinely ordained; he removed the dragon robe, saying he would respect the people and love them, and implement benevolent governance. That year was 1857!

满清说他是欺天的反贼，洋人说他是恐怖的暴君。但他的人民爱戴他。那一年，英法联军攻占广州，那一年太平天国陷入低潮，那一年江南富商地主涌入上海的十里洋场。那一年，朱敬伦来到这个世界。他从洋人手里收复国土，他带领百姓赶走总督，部下给他黄袍加身，要他敬天法祖，君权神授；他脱下龙袍，说要敬民爱人，推行仁政。那一年，是1857年！