After a delay, Zhu Wencong finally arrived at Jiangning City. This ancient city, too, has suffered greatly from the ravages of war.
The first unequal treaty of modern Eastern history was signed along the Jiangning River at Shimonoseki. The elders of Jiangning were deeply disappointed in the Qing court; it was an enormous humiliation.
In 1853, the Taiping Army captured Jiangning and renamed it Tianjing. Eleven years later, the Xiang Army retook Jiangning City, bringing an end to the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
"Jiangning City is truly beautiful!" Su Yanqiao exclaimed, standing on the deck taking pictures.
"Of course! In the early Ming Dynasty, this place served as the Imperial Capital. After Zhu Di ascended to power, Jiangning became the auxiliary capital, though the original Six Ministries were retained.
Today, it is the Qing court's primary weaving base. Jiangning's Weaving Office elevated the city's silk industry to the highest level in the world.
