The early relationship between Guangxu and Cixi was not very tense. Emperor Guangxu was brought into the palace at the age of 3 and raised by Cixi. In terms of blood relationship, Guangxu is also the nephew of Cixi. At that time, Xiao Guangxu did not pose any threat to Cixi, so Cixi and Guangxu were ok. The relationship between the two did not reach the point of affectionate mother and son, but it was not too bad.
1898 The reform movement brought their relationship to a freezing point. After Guangxu grew up, Empress Dowager Cixi nominally made Guangxu the master, but the court affairs were all decided by Cixi alone. Guangxu, as the emperor, still wanted to make the Qing Dynasty better through his own efforts. Guangxu was deeply touched when he learned that the Qing Dynasty in China had been defeated by the Japanese. At the suggestion of Kang Youwei and others, Emperor Guangxu began the Reform Movement of 1898. At the beginning of the political reform, Cixi did not object, but she gradually saw that some people stood firmly on Guangxu's side during the political reform. Cixi was afraid that Guangxu would fall from power, so she ordered Zhili Governor Rong Lu to arrest Liang Qichao and Kang Youwei and put Emperor Guangxu in Yingtai.
Life in Yingtai is not easy. Guangxu, the king of a country, didn't have a quilt cover, or eunuch Li gave his quilt to Emperor Guangxu. I think Guangxu hates Cixi at this time!