Which Character Dies First In 'Taboo Conquest Of Lustful Emperor'?

I just binge-read 'Taboo Conquest of Lustful Emperor', and the first death hits hard. It's General Feng, the emperor's loyal right hand. The guy gets poisoned during a banquet scene in chapter 3—total shocker because he was built up as this unstoppable warrior. The author plays with expectations beautifully; Feng collapses mid-speech while toasting the emperor's health. What makes it sting worse is the aftermath. His corpse gets used as political leverage, with different factions accusing each other of the murder. The emperor himself seems devastated at first, but later scenes hint he might have orchestrated it all along. Feng's death sets the tone for the series—nowhere is safe, and even the strongest can fall to treachery.

Having analyzed 'Taboo Conquest of Lustful Emperor' closely, the narrative structure makes General Feng's early demise particularly significant. He dies at the 12% mark of the first volume, establishing several key themes. The poisoning scene is meticulously crafted—Feng clutches his throat as veins turn black, his ceremonial armor clattering against marble floors. Court physicians later discover the poison was administered through his wine cup over several days, implying betrayal from within his inner circle.

Feng's death triggers a cascade of events. The emperor launches a purge of suspected traitors, executing three ministers by sunrise. Meanwhile, Feng's widow secretly allies with the northern rebel faction, using her husband's networks to smuggle weapons. The general's absence creates a power vacuum that the scheming chancellor rushes to fill, appointing his nephew as the new military commander. This single death rewrites the entire political landscape of the empire.

The irony is palpable—Feng survived countless battles only to fall to domestic intrigue. His last words, 'The west... guard the...' remain unfinished, spawning theories about hidden threats. Later volumes reveal he'd uncovered evidence of the chancellor's treason, making his death both tragic and thematically rich. The series never lets you forget this initial loss; Feng's sword becomes a recurring symbol of sacrificed loyalty.

For readers diving into 'Taboo Conquest of Lustful Emperor', the first death isn't just about shock value—it's a masterclass in character economy. General Feng gets exactly 14 pages of screen time before collapsing, yet his impact lingers. The poisoning scene avoids graphic details, focusing instead on reactions: the emperor's goblet slipping from his fingers, a concubine stifling a scream with her sleeve. Feng's last act is trying to warn his ruler, but the toxin paralyzes his vocal cords mid-sentence.

What fascinates me is how Feng's ghost haunts the narrative. His personal guard defects, sparking a subplot about military dissent. The apothecary who supplied the poison later becomes a major antagonist, experimenting with deadlier variants. Even Feng's burial site becomes contested ground—rebels steal his body, claiming the emperor denied him proper rites. The series constantly revisits this initial death, each arc revealing new layers of its consequences. It's rare to see an early casualty maintain such narrative weight throughout a story.