Yet from the features of this woman in red robes, she was clearly Huazheng.

But if it wasn’t her, who could this person be?

Just as everyone’s gazes were fixed on the woman on the stage, a sharp high-pitched voice suddenly came from the third floor.

“Elder Sister!”

The voice was very loud, reaching everyone’s ears.

People turned to look toward the sound and discovered that the one who had shouted was a young girl beside Zhu Yao. The girl had half her body leaning over the railing.

It was Liu Yunzhu!

Her large eyes were looking at the red-robed woman standing on the circular stage below, full of surprise and excitement. Perhaps worried that the other party hadn’t heard, she quickly waved her hand and shouted again: “Elder Sister, I’m here! It’s me, Yunzhu.”

Elder sister?

So to speak, the person wearing the red veil… was Liu Yunyan?

But when did she have any connection with Huazheng?

The veiled woman looked up at the sound. When she saw Liu Yunzhu leaning over the third-floor railing, her pupils involuntarily widened considerably.

Her steps also faintly retreated backward.

The hands gathered in her sleeves also suddenly tightened.

Everyone looked puzzled, still not understanding what was happening. No one had ever dared to openly interrupt during the Courtesan Selection. If it seriously affected the progress of the selection, they could be convicted!

Seeing the situation was bad, Zhu Yao immediately pulled Liu Yunzhu back and lightly scolded: “Yunzhu, what are you doing?”

Liu Yunzhu pointed below: “My elder sister—that’s my elder sister.”

“Don’t talk nonsense. She’s not.”

“She is.”

“You said your elder sister is called Liu Yunyan, but the person below is called Huazheng, the woman who won the courtesan title three years ago. How could she be your elder sister!” Zhu Yao gripped her small arm tightly, afraid she would shout randomly again.

Liu Yunzhu struggled hard to break free while saying: “I’m not mistaken. That’s my elder sister. Even wearing a veil, I can recognize her.”

“You…”

“Sister Yao, believe me. She is my elder sister.”

For a moment, Zhu Yao didn’t know what to say, and her heart also felt somewhat hesitant!

Liu Yunzhu had grown up with her own biological elder sister the whole time. There was no reason she would mistake the person, right?

But she had seen Huazheng three years ago, and the features of the person below were indeed Huazheng!

How could there be a mistake?

Cai’er at the side also immediately grabbed the excited Liu Yunzhu: “Yunzhu, whether or not she’s your elder sister, don’t shout randomly first. After it ends, we’ll go find her. But if you shout randomly now, you’ll implicate my young lady.”

Hearing this, Liu Yunzhu immediately panicked: “I… I didn’t mean to. I was just happy to see elder sister.”

Somewhat apologetic.

Zhu Yao rubbed her head: “Alright, sit nicely and don’t make any more noise.”

She was as gentle as a pool of clear spring water.

Liu Yunzhu obediently nodded and was no longer so rash.

On the other side, when Luo Yang saw Zhu Yao, he immediately kicked Li Shiyan sitting across from him with his foot, speaking in a teasing tone: “Hey, you two are so fated. Why not sit together? We happen to have two empty seats here with a good view. Why not call her over to sit? The more people, the merrier anyway.”

Li Shiyan glanced at him: “Don’t mess around. I’ve finally managed to have nothing to do with her. If I get entangled again, I can’t handle it.”

“Is it really that serious? What about that young lady doesn’t match up to you?”

“It’s not that she doesn’t match up to me—it’s that I don’t match up to her.”

Luo Yang couldn’t help but laugh and said no more, continuing to drink.

Below, the officials from the Ministry of Rites looked at each other in surprise that someone would interrupt during the Courtesan Selection—an unprecedented occurrence.

A minor official quickly walked to Minister Zhu’s side and reported: “Sir, it was a young girl brought by your manor’s young lady who shouted.”

Huh?

A trace of surprise flashed across Minister Zhu’s face, along with a hint of embarrassment.

He hadn’t expected the troublemaker to be someone his own daughter brought!

“Sir, what should we do now?”

He quickly made a decision: “First attend to business. After it ends, this official will handle it.”

“Yes.”

So the minor official ran to the side of the civil official who had previously read out the competition process and spoke a few words softly. The official seemed to understand, nodded, then straightened his back and called out: “Please, Miss Huazheng, perform the opening dance.”

The woman on the circular stage’s eyes shifted lightly as she pulled back her thoughts and bowed to everyone.

At this time, the music also began.

The woman gracefully began to move, about to dance. But just as she raised her arm, she suddenly felt dizzy, her delicate frame powerless. She forced herself to dance a few movements, but finally her feet went numb and her entire body fell heavily.

A “thud” sound.

The red robe fluttered faintly like autumn leaves blown by the wind.

Those wide red sleeves also completely covered the woman’s face.

People hadn’t yet reacted, thinking it was part of the dance, and the music hadn’t stopped either.

Until someone noticed something abnormal and shouted: “Something’s wrong!”

The music came to an abrupt halt.

Everyone also crowded to the railing to look, not knowing what the situation was.

Minister Zhu immediately slammed the table and stood up, raising his hand to signal several guards: “Go check.”

The guards went forward to investigate. When they lifted the red sleeve, their faces showed shock and they were nearly scared into collapsing on the ground.

The woman’s eyes were wide open, streaming with blood-red tears. Her face showed utter terror, her eyebrows also tightly knitted together. The red veil covering her face was also stained red by fresh blood flowing from her nose, mouth, and ears. Her death appearance was extremely miserable and terrifying.

The guard tried hard to maintain calm and quickly turned back to report to Minister Zhu: “Sir, the person…”

His voice trembled!

Minister Zhu’s brows drew together as he asked: “What is it?”

“The person… is dead!”

Uh!

Minister Zhu immediately went around the table in front of him and walked over. When he saw the woman’s death state, he was also shocked.

For a moment, Saixian Tower immediately exploded into chaos.

Some screamed, some shrank to the side, but there were also those with greater courage.

At this time, the Grand Astrologer, Old General Wen, Grand Tutor Yi, and others sitting in the warm pavilion also came out from inside, looking in surprise at the corpse now lying below.

In another warm pavilion, Su Ziluo, upon hearing that someone had died, showed no intention of going out. He seemed to have no interest in everything happening outside and even indifferently took a sip of tea.

Qi’er asked: “Young master, should we go out and look?”

“No need.”

“Then should we return to the manor first?”

Su Ziluo smiled lightly: “Now that someone has died in Saixian Tower, who can leave?”

With this statement, Qi’er suddenly understood.

Someone dying on the day of the Courtesan Selection was no small matter. Without clearly identifying who the murderer was, every single person here could potentially be the killer, so no one could leave—including those court officials.

Sure enough, Minister Zhu immediately ordered the entire Saixian Tower to be sealed off.

No one was permitted to leave!

And he sent people to notify the Court of Judicial Review and the Ministry of Justice to come.

The originally lively and bustling Saixian Tower had now become a prison in disguise.