Though he had a promising future on official career, he worried about the national fate of the country given foreign incursions and the corruption and degeneration of the ailing Qing Dynasty.

Kang Youwei set up the Society for Safeguarding the Empire (Baoguohui 寶國會) and Liu Guangdi joined it with other friends.

The Constitutional Reform encroached on the interests of the hard-liner conservatives within the imperial court including ministers, bureaucrats, and military leaders; led by Empress Dowager Cixi.

Seeing the chaotic political situation, Liu Guangdi grew increasingly concerned about the Cixi's interference in reform efforts.

He wanted to get rid of Cixi's control in order to insure success of constitutional reform while staying clean and unsullied in the fierce political whirlpool.

On 21 September Cixi, backed by army generals, took the unexpected action to imprison the young Emperor Guangxu as she got the secret information from Yuan Shikai.

On the way to the execution ground, Liu Guangdi still made protests against the decision of Cixi and insisted on the validity of the constitutional reform.

As he liked the styles of poetry of Li Bai and Du Fu, he composed many poems which praised nature and sighed for current affairs.