Death Flute
The Swordsmen at the Bamboo House

Ouwyang Kuan and Sui She were surprised that Meng Huan had invited them to the library room. He emptied the room, told all the servants to come out and shut the door. Then he turned and saluted the husband and wife.

“I'm sorry for Sen Khang's roughness on you, Uncle and Aunt. Please understand, he is very angry.” Meng Huan sighed and shook her head.

Sui She approached and held onto Meng Huan's arm. “Chien Wan is innocent, Meng Huan. She's framed.”

Meng Huan sighed. “I know, maybe Uncle and Aunt thought so. Nor would I accuse him if I did not see for myself with my eyes. Chien Wan did it, Auntie. Ii'm sorry. That's reality.”

“But...”.

“Sorry, Aunt. I still think so.”

“Then why are you so good to us?” ask Ouwyang Kuan.

Meng Huan sighed again. “Because you two are innocent. It wasn't Uncle and Aunt who did the damned deed. There's no reason for me to hate you.”

Ouwyang Kuan and his wife were stunned.

“Only. His suffering is too heavy. I can understand his pain. I'm the same. But my mind is clear, Uncle. It is the guilty that I hate and want to repay. I don't want to hate other innocent people just because they happen to have a family relationship with him.” Meng Huan turned her body. Shoulders shaking. “But, if Chien Wan were here now! No matter how Uncle and Aunt feel.”

“Meng Huan..!”

Sui She's restrained cry made Meng Huan turn around. Tears wet his pale cheeks.

“I'm sorry, Aunty.”

“Oohh!!” Sui She sniffled and buried her face in her husband's shoulder. He was devastated. Why were they all unwilling to give her and her husband a chance to give an explanation of Chien Wan's innocence?

Ouwyang Kuan patted his wife on the shoulder. He was also sad and sad. Whatever he said seemed to be useless. Inevitably they have to wait until Chien Wan himself who came there and brought evidence that he was innocent.

“One more thing, Uncle, Aunt..”.

“Ya?”

“Please do not appear before Ting Ting. He just recovered from his suffering. Don't add to his pain,” Meng Huan's thoughts are flat.

Ouwyang Kuan and Sui She looked on as Meng Huan turned around and left the couple in their pain.

***

Swordsman Sung arrived at Wisma Bambu when the place was full of people. Their arrival was not noticed because they immediately mixed themselves with those people.

They did not meet the host until the day of the commemoration.

All the guests took turns to worship the spirits of Master and Lady Luo. Sen Khang and Meng Huan served them. After that all the warriors gathered in the front room to chat.

After cleaning the altar that had been messy due to the hands of the guests, Sen Khang returned to the main room and accompanied the guests who had come all the way to chat. He saw Ouwyang Kuan and Sui She who were isolated among the guests, but he did not care. Ting Ting did not reveal his nose shaft. Since the arrival of the guests he hid himself in the room.

When Pendekar Sung and his entourage entered the hall—without Ouwyang Ping and Kui Fang, Sen Khang and Meng Huan stood up to greet him.

“Uncle Sung, Uncle Chang,” greet Sen Khang. Then he led them to the prayer hall and waited until they had finished the hio. Then he returned to the front room with them to regroup with the guests.

“Sen Khang, we are sorry.” Swordsman Sung patted Sen Khang on the shoulder, feeling the tension of the young man.

Mr. Chang looked around and saw the warriors sitting while conversing. In the corner, he saw a husband-wife pair who looked gloomy and mute. They are a couple who attract the heart even though at this time sadness overshadows their faces.

It must be Ouwyang Kuan and his wife! thought Mr. Chang sure.

Without saying anything, Pendekar Sung's entourage took his place in the room.

Soon the talks began to heat up, debating the events and what punishment they should have given Chien Wan. They spoke fiercely regardless of the feelings of Chien Wan's parents who were in the same room.

“Mortality Flute Making is so cruel!” rutuk Pendekar Tang from Hua San.

“Cannot be forgiven!” timpal Pendekar Cung of Kun Lun.

Swordsman Fu looked at Sen Khang. “We've all tried to catch up and want to punish him as best we can. But the thing is he can always escape,” told him full of regret.

Sen Khang frowned. “Pursuit who?” tanyakanya.

“Suling Death of course!” sambar Swordsman Can. “Now all the warriors in the martial World are chasing after him and want to kill him to avenge your family!”

Sui She had to desperately endure her cries. She gripped her husband's arm tightly.

Swordsman Sung and Mr. Chang said nothing. They are more interested in paying attention to the movements of Sen Khang. They had heard the heartache of Ouwyang Ping who considered Sen Khang too rash for spreading family disgrace to the wider community.

“Didn't the residents of Wisma Bambu themselves report it to the community?” sela Pendekar Lei's. “Such news will instantly spread quickly.”

Sen Khang furrowed his brows. “I never went anywhere after this incident. None of us have ever left the Bamboo House. So how could we possibly report this event?”

“Then..?”

Suddenly Sen Khang's face was pale. “News has been spread.... What is overall?” yells.

“Of course!” pendekar Can's nod firmly. “Including the incident that befell Miss Luo.”

Brak! The faces of Sen Khang and Meng Huan were instantly flushed red.

Swordsman Sung stood up. “Sen Khang, don't you know anything? None of you spread this news?”

“No, Uncle!” tukas Sen Khang, stand up. “Moreover..it's a family disgrace! Where might we be..?” He lowered his voice because he did not want others to listen.

“Then...there are others who also know this incident and have the heart to tout it,” nod Pendekar Sung.

Sen Khang's face was hardened. “Chien Wan!” snarl.

“No!” Sui She could not take it anymore. He stood up. “That's enough, Sen Khang! You must listen to me! Chien Wan is innocent!”

All the warriors stood up and were shocked to hear the defense against the criminal.

“Sui She!” Ouwyang Kuan was worried.

Sen Khang's face was so stiff that it resembled a mask. “Don't you dare defend her! I saw with my own eyes!”

“Sen Khang..!”

“Shut!” snapped Sen Khang wrathfully and glared at Sui She. “Never say my name!”

Everyone present there simultaneously spoke and cornered Sui She, making the woman finally unable to say anything more.

“Quiet! Relax!” exclaim Pendekar Sung. All silenced for a moment.

Mr. Chang approached the battered couple and brought them back to sit down.

Swordsman Sung pressed Sen Khang's shoulder to calm him down. “Sit, Sen Khang.”

Sen Khang sat down. His face looks stubborn.

“When I say someone else, I don't mean Chien Wan,” said Swordsman Sung.

“Lantas?” serang Sen Khang Hot. “Where might not he?”

“For now he is precisely the unluckiest person due to this news. Everyone around the world was chasing him to kill him. How could he possibly dig a hole for his own grave?” said Pendekar Sung calmly.

Sen Khang was glued. Right too, he thought. “Lantas who?”

Swordsman Sung. Then he said carefully, “Have it crossed your mind that......Maybe you guys were framed? Maybe you guys were deliberately pitted against sheep?”

These words make the atmosphere back boisterous.

Sen Khang's heart is heating up again. “Uncle would you like to say that Chien Wan may be innocent? I saw it for myself, Uncle! I saw him kill my mother!”

Sui She cried hearing that.

“Calm down, Sen Khang. Don't misunderstand me. I just mean to clear things up,” said Pendekar Sung slowly.

“If you want to clear things up, please don't provoke my anger!” Sen Khang stood up and left them all behind.

Again Meng Huan who was forced to ask for forgiveness for Sen Khang.

Swordsman Sung and Mr. Chang looked at each other.

***