The atmosphere in Changle Palace was oppressive, and everyone was on edge.
There used to be a joke that after eating the diet of movie stars and models for three days, you'd understand why they always wore sour expressions. The Empress Dowager was now in the same situation. From her upbringing, eating less and fasting were believed to be good for the body and could prolong life. Moreover, she genuinely had no appetite due to illness, and she was truly hungry, which only made her more irritable.
The Empress, who was scheduled for the first day, was fine, but Lady on the second day began to notice signs of the Empress Dowager venting her frustrations.
