Every day the Emperor attended morning court, then evening court, visited the Empress Dowager for a greeting, had lunch in her palace, returned to his own quarters to review memorials in the afternoon, and only in the evening did he have any free time.
Whenever the Emperor came to greet the Empress Dowager, he would encounter the Empresses bringing a horde of concubines to greet the Empress Dowager. The Emperor would speak a few words with these concubines, but when mealtime approached, he would unapologetically issue a "guest eviction order." He only wanted to dine with his mother, solely wishing to share the good food with her.
During lunch, the Emperor didn't follow the rule of not speaking while eating or sleeping; instead, he chatted happily with Tianmiao as they ate. He said whatever came to mind, without any pressure or concerns. Now, the Emperor started to complain again, complaints that he could only express in front of Tianmiao.
